Take plenty of $$$

I agree that if you have a shopping list you should be prepared to spend money. However, some of us mainly enjoy looking at all the stuff, and meeting friends ( love Christmas but don't especially enjoy getting gifts). I would say that my average York purchases run less than $100. per meet.

Cash? Sure I always have more than enough with me. However, if a seller resists taking  a TCA cheque for any purchase over $50 than I immediately move on. (And yes, I insist that he put his TCA number on that cheque too).

 

TCA 95-xxxxx

Interesting in that generally train hobbyists are an incredible bunch of tightwads - always wanting the best deal and the lowest price.

 

Yet they'll pay a bank fee, or worse, a credit card cash advance fee, to get cash out of an ATM.

 

Let nothing stand in the way of consumption . . . 

For major items I pay with a personal check or American Express.  If the seller doesn't take one or the other, or doesn't accept either of them, it's his loss.  There hasn't been a train item made that I cannot live without or that can't very likely be found elsewhere over time.

Allan,

 

That's the way it should always be, that's the way I do it!!!!!

Harry, That should tell you something about the deals. They are good enough to pry that money out of the tightwads hands.

 

Pete (confirmed tightwad)

Wow, that's one patient, understanding and caring lady to wllingly sit in a car with her leg in a cast while her significant other browses and buys at a train show. I'd guess most guys on this forum would say she's a keeper.
How long you two been hitched for her to be so selfless?

Cash is king.

There are tableholders who will give you a better price for cash.

When you pay someone cash, they can go and spend the money right at the show.

If you pay by check, they have to wait.

There are tableholders who will not accept checks at all.

The TCA does not cover bad checks. All they can do is oust the crook.

That is no compensation if you are the one who was robbed.

 

Some folks say that if a seller will not take a check, they move on.

If one is looking for uncommon items, that may mean being unable to purchase a long sought piece.

 

 

 

All that is quite true.  Fortunately, in my case, it really doesn't apply because all of my truly major purchases are made with established dealers or folks who know me (I'm kind of easy to locate if one of my checks would happen to bounce). 

 

Never wrote a bad check in my life, and I'm sure not about to start at a York Meet.

I am from the cash is king mode of thought. Outside of Internet purchases I use cash for almost everything.

My son, who is 27, carries almost no cash and uses his debit card even for under $5.00 purchases. The new set ups to accept credit cards with an iPhone adapter are priced very reasonably. The seller does lose money to fees.

The seller's choice is we can moan all we want about fees for credit device useage but we may moan more about losing a sale to my son. My son will also not use an ATM due to the fees. If I were selling I would encourage cash payments but still accept as many options as possible to the buyer.

I own a vending business and I am updating my machines to accept debit cards for candy bars. Sounds crazy but missing a sale these days is no longer an option. Every single sale counts.

Yes I will be taking as much cash as my train budget allows to York and my son will be taking his card.

Considering that cash transactions allow sellers to pocket the full purchase price rather than having to pay the seller's fee which all charge transactions have, wouldn't it be great if all sellers would in return give a portion of that "saved" charge fee back to cash paying customers?

 

Jeff, or any other sellers/retailers reading this, is the charged transaction fee for debit purchases the same as credit card purchases?

And like your son, I too prefer carrying a debit card rather than cash for seurity purposes.

 

And Allan, you might see view cash as king, but cash isn't necessarily the best way to go for those fiscally responsible. I know people who charge every purchase possible because their card either gives them back a cash percentage of the total they charge every month or other bonuses such as free air flight miles.  Plus, have you ever considered Allan, that most charge companies will double the warranty on items bought with their card? It's a great feeling indeed knowing that when a manufacturer warranty has just expired, your purchase is still being covered by your charge card provider and at no additional cost as is the case with those rip off extended warranties sales people are forever hawking. 

You've got to remember that York has two different types of sellers.

 

The folks in the orange, brown, and purple halls are supposed to be established dealers who derive much of their income from train sales. These are likely to accept credit cards and checks.

 

But, remember that the sellers in the other halls are just members selling "a few things".  Not very many of these, if any at all, will be able to accept a credit card. Many will also be reluctant to accept a check for the reasons C W pointed out.

 

I know many on this forum are strictly "orange and purple" people, but you never know what treasures will jump off a "cash only" table to tempt you.  Waving a few Franklins at these tables will definitely improve your negotiating position!

 

Jim

40 years on August 12th. I read her your post, and now you are her newest best friend.

40 years! My congrats sent to you both with wishes for many more healthy, loving and caring years to come. 

I use a combo of cash and credit cards.  Some guys want cash only so I'm ready if I see something I really want.  The place that can really break me fast is Vince's Trains.  He has an excellent assortment of big steam and other stuff that's hard to resist.

Many of us on the forum like the same trains.  Vince should be everyones first stop.  He has it all and great prices.

Yes, but once you stop at Vince's two bad things happen. First, you have to deal with Trainpop. That means hearing about the Ravens and now I assume the Orioles. On the otherhand, if memory serves, I do believe that he owes Marty, Locolawyer and me a beer from last year's playoffs. The second thing is going to the ATM machine because Vince does have great deals.

 

Maybe all in all not so bad.

 

Gerry

I've only been to York once (will be there again in a few weeks), but I'll agree with your wife. Even if I had no interest in toy trains, York would be entertaining for all the people watching. I bet the volunteers that have been at it for a while could tell some great stories about guys at their best or their worst.

 

As for the ATM, I have my card with me when I'm there, as it's a better way to pay for gas. The credit union I belong to doesn't charge any fees for using an ATM, but usually the bank that owns the ATM does. For a lot of us, it makes more sense to use the ATM than carry a pile of cash around for three days. I'm sure not going to leave it in the hotel room, and it makes me nervous carrying it, as I can lose it.

 

J White

 

 

I agree with Marty; Vince's Trains is my first stop! I never leave York without buying something from Vince. From new stuff to old Weaver brass; Vince has always got something of interest.

 

Bill Cavanaugh

I have never turned down a TCA member check and have never had a problem except one year everybody paid by check and I did not have as much cash to spend.

 

Al Galli

 

Silver Hall E 29 among others

When I first began attending the York series of shows.. the off grounds one at the

various motels, etc....I had to run out to get a cash advance at a bank more than once.  That hasn't happened in several years, and over the last few years, I have needed and carried a lot less cash as I don't find much to buy in those shows OR the member halls (what I look for has gone to the net, generally, but that, too,  now has less to offer). In the Orange (not Silver as I mistakenly wrote in another post), the dealers usually accept cards. (I don't expect general members to be able to take cards)  York has become more of a spectator sport than a shopping spree for me. (not desired, just reality as I have found it, which has taken out a lot of the thrill of attending) Like the ocean, water (trains) everywhere, and not a drop to drink (nothing interesting to buy). But there is that hope of making a"gold strike", a nugget

in all that sand.

I always take and pay cash. With cash in hand it makes it easier to chisel down some of the tableholders that are asking high prices.

I can recall one time when I was buying some screws. The buyer wanted 3 cents each and I only wanted to pay 2 cents each. A bit of hard negotiating and we settled on a price of 2.6 cents each. Had I not had cash with me, it would have cost me about a quarter more. Thats quite a significant savings at York as its about half the cost of a "pit stop".

I can't believe the above post.

I set a limit and when I hit it, I'm done. Sometimes you wind up missing out on something you see later but thems the breaks.

I have to agree with Eddie on that post, unless you're buying thousands how much could you possibly save? (I do realize that's $4 on a thousand screws but come on 25 cents?)

 

Jerry