Sunday, April 20, 2008

Gas Prices


I don't drive much. I put maybe five gallons in my gas tank every month, maybe every other month. I do remember that I used to be able to fill up my old mid-size Ford Taurus for the same amount of money that fills half the tank of my compact Toyota Corolla, but I just don't buy enough gas for it to be a big deal.

So it was a real shock when I got the bill for the gas I bought on my trip to Florida. I charged it, of course. Pay at the pump is the only way to go these days, and I refuse to use a debit card, which offers you a lot less protection from fraud and such than a credit card. It didn't seem like I was spending that much.

But then I got the bill. It's $350. Christ on a cracker! I know I drove to Florida, but still. That's a lot of dough. I feel sorry for people who have to drive a lot every day, and those who have a bigger car than a Corolla to feed.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Debit cards are more prone to fraud than credit cards? I almost understand this without an explanation--a better security wall?

Your pictures are lovely. No wonder you wanted your own blog. The NY public library and Grand Central demonstrate those Kunstleresque losses elsewhere.

Do you think infrequent use of a debit card reduces exposure, or is it merely having one that exposes the banking customer? Thxs.

saddlebear said...

Sorry. Didn't really want to be anonymous

Leanan said...

Debit cards are not more prone to fraud than credit cards. What's different is the protection federal law offers for credit card vs. debit card fraud. Here's a brief overview.

This may not apply if you are not in the US, but if you are...think twice about using a debit card. If it's used fraudulently, it's your money that has been stolen. Your checking account may be frozen while they investigate, and it could be weeks or months before you get access to your money (or get your money back, if it's been stolen).

If a credit card has been used fraudulently, it's the credit card company's money that has been stolen. All you do is call the credit card company. They cancel your card and issue you a new one, which arrives in about three days. It's very easy. And most people have other credit cards they can use in the interim, so it's not a huge inconvenience.