About thirty years ago, before I had a credit card, I tried to rent a car at an airport, but they refused me because I didn't have a card. I didn't fully understand the details, but it seemed they had an easier time identifying you and getting paid if you possessed a credit card. And interestingly, what they were doing was technically illegal.
So I called a TV station news department and told them about it. They called the rental service, who naturally enough said, "Oh, no, that's not true!" I explained to the reporter that asking wasn't going to work -- he needed to go to the airport and try to rent a car without a card, with a hidden camera. He did, the ruse worked, he was flatly refused on camera, and it was a big story.
So I like a simple life too, but the combination of having a 30-day float and being able to do certain kinds of transactions that require a card, have resulted in my having one -- one! -- credit card.
So I called a TV station news department and told them about it. They called the rental service, who naturally enough said, "Oh, no, that's not true!" I explained to the reporter that asking wasn't going to work -- he needed to go to the airport and try to rent a car without a card, with a hidden camera. He did, the ruse worked, he was flatly refused on camera, and it was a big story.
So I like a simple life too, but the combination of having a 30-day float and being able to do certain kinds of transactions that require a card, have resulted in my having one -- one! -- credit card.