Thursday, December 16, 2010

Paying Cash


Recently my kids started a late-morning homeschool karate class. The instructor offered his services at about half of his normal cost. And why wouldn't he or anyone else that peddles mostly to kids who are otherwise pent up in government schools all day?

But still, when it came time to pay him, I deliberately gave him cash (instead of a check or credit card).

Paying cash is not only practical because it can net you a discount in many cases, I submit that it's also the nice/moral thing to do; and this particular sensei is a most likable dude.

The income tax is nothing short of pure slavery.   Think about it.  Big Government has a claim, enforceable by jail(!), on a significant percentage of everyone's *harvest*.

My new policy is to pay cash WHENEVER IT'S FEASIBLE. I'll do what I can to charitably pass *tax breaks* on to other slaves.

Plus, cash payments for plumbers, restaurateurs, daycare providers(!), and Latin tutors like the guy pictured above....they can go, collectively, a long way towards keeping the price of services down.

9 comments:

Paul Mitchell said...

Do not forget doctors, dentists, and attorneys...

CaptiousNut said...

I intentionally left those crumbs out!

Paul Mitchell said...

Paying the dentist in cash can save some big cheese, though.

Anonymous said...

Always get a written quote for any contractor work and then once in hand ask what the price would be in paid in cash. Always 10-20% less...
Kfell

Anonymous said...

At least some restaurants are forced to report as income and withhold accordingly an _imputed_ tip income for waiters.
The IRS looks at credit card receipts as a fraction of total receipts, then applies the same proportion to tips on those receipts. Voila! Instant imputed income for [hypothetical] cash tips.
Courts have upheld the IRS position on this.
I've long appreciated the convenience of credit cards but this is positively Orwellian.

CaptiousNut said...

Kfell,

Contractors?

I thought those rugged individualists up in NH built their own log cabins and bunkers?

And what happened to the community barn-raisings?

Question - How cold was it up there earlier this week?

If it was 8 degrees (with wind chill) in NY I can imagine how bad you had it.

CaptiousNut said...

Anon,

That does suck - imputing revenue/tips from credit card receipts.

Another reason why so many of these places don't take credit cards - I would think.

Thanks. I wasn't aware of this practice.

Anonymous said...

The coldest I saw was 6 degrees but that was an hour after sunrise.

Community barn raising went the way of the dinosaurs. I stopped to help a yuppy neighbor unload his trailer full of leaves at the town dump and he almost had a panic attack when I ask him if he had homeowners insurance and grabbed my back.

You may be interested to know that I bought some foam board insulation recently to put in the bomb shelter. Just waiting for another sale on Progresso Soup to stock up.
Kfell

CaptiousNut said...

Progresso's Italian Wedding soup is the best!