Off to my first us quilt show in Columbus next week.
Which should I take?
Thanks Gale

I take both.

Most are prepared to take both! Have fun & let us know how it was when you get back!

I am going too and since I didn't buy anything there last year I am glad you asked this question. You will love the show it is really big and there are a lot of vendors.

Fortunately for me the ones in Charlotte took cash, plastic and even checks. Not so fortunate for my bank account...

Cheers, K

Me too.....

All three...cash, cc, check

LOL, both!!!

I haven't been to a good size quilt show that didn't take cards, debit or credit. I put everything I buy on one card and write one check a month to pay it. Only one bill to pay. Seeing that one big total every month will curb my spending more than a bunch of small totals. I guess it's all in my mind but it works. TIP: If you have a teen who is eligible for a a credit card and dependable, get one for them. Use that card for most purchases and pay it off monthly. We did that with both our kids and they left college with a perfect credit score. It's been the best gift we could have given them. Lower insurance, better interest rates, even been good for job interviews and they needed no co-signers!

ok thanks for the response
Gale

ditto - just make sure you have photo ID if paying by check; most vendors want to see it.

Credit card first, (Consumer Protection) and if all else fails pay cash.

Are you kidding! Just don't take your husband! LOL
Have loads of fun! (Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!)

credit cards, cash and checkbook

I am going on Friday with our quilt guild taking a bus from Indiana

I take cash and lots of change (coins) and a credit card. Just a tip...when using your credit card, make sure you are given YOUR card back from the vendor. There are so many people at a large show that it is easy for the vendor to get confused about who's card is who's. They also appreciate the exact change for purchases because sometimes, they run out of change in their change box.

both, use plastic where ever possible save the cash.

I take all three, but use my card whenever possible. Several vendors of the shows I have attended do not take cards. I'm not fond of writing checks but I like to save my cash for vendors that don't take cards or checks. Either way, I never seem to have much trouble spending my money!

I have been to this quilt show. Great show, awesome shopping. that's where I met Eleanor Burns great lady. Ami Simms and her Alzheimer quilts were there the following year another awesome lady.

Where comfortable shoes and plan on spending a lot of money. Long way from the parking garage, but well worth the walk.

refusing to take all three of the most common spending tools (cash, credit, debit) is poor customer service. the vendor is telling you that he's doing you a favor by taking your money. :hunf:

checks can bounce so we shouldn't fault a vendor who wants to protect himself from shady strangers.

if you lose cash, it's gone. if you lose your debit/credit card, a quick call to bank security will protect you from fraudulent charges.

i save up and set a budget before i go. i carry only enough cash for incidentals such as snacks and meals. the rest goes on plastic. i track the charges against my budget. when that's spent, i stick to window shopping. when i get home, i send a payment to the card company to cover what i spent.

I have had vendors tell me that they were not able to get a booth with the right kind of set-up for linking to the credit card company. Sometimes they will do credit "the old fashion way", with those clunky machines. I'm not all that comfortable with that way because your credit card number is on the receipt. If they have the really old ones with carbon, I ask that they tear it up and I watch them do it.

I also understand why the smaller companies may not take cards. The fees are awful. Their only option is to pass that on to us. I would rather pay cash and pay less.

I volunteer at a non-profit thrift store, and the credit card fees that are charged really cut into their profits.

I take both. Most are set up to take plastic. But if time is precious, cash is a much faster transaction. Sometimes the "process" time for credit cards is just too slow, and there is so much to see and do other than stand and wait.
The vendor pays a fee to the credit card company , so they make a bit more money if you use cash.
I will tell you to use a "fanny pack" a purse just gets to be a real pain/nusance. It gets to hard to keep track of your purse when you have other packages in your hand. You want to keep you hands free.

Fanny packs are great! Hands free shopping !!! I don't have a purse to set down and have to worry about it constantly. Then there is the smacking people with it in those tight little booths that have lots of great stuff.

Take both.

if you are on a budget for the quilt show, i reccomend cash. that way when it is gone there is no way to spend more. well unless you break out the plastic.

Check the exchange rate and if it is a lot I would use cash or check. But as many have said before, credit card protection can't be beat.

And a Camera. Don't forget the Camera.

I wish they all took PayPal!

I would definitely take both. If it is a large show most vendors will take cash, debit, credit or check, but if it a small show some of the vendors may take only cash. How do I know? Had to pass on some beautiful batik at a small show because I had no cash or checks with me, only debit and credit cards.

I do that same thing, mainly because I hate having to keep my checkbook up to date with a bunch of small purchases on a daily basis. It's a lot easier to just record my payroll deposits and then write a check each month to pay the CC off.

TAKE BOTH!

Take both, good shoes for all the walking. Even greater to take a quilting buddy with you and leave the hubby at home.

I only like to take cash - that way - there is NO paper trail for my DH to see. ;-)

i would take both that way if you run out of one you have the other to use!!!!

Take both. I wouldn't use your credit card if they manually slide it and it creates a "hard" copy that they keep which has your credit card number on it. Pay cash to those vendors or write a check. Otherwise, you can use your credit card....if you pay it off every month!!!!! Danio

Cash and credit card, both. And comfortable shoes - I always bring my favorite flip flops to change into if necessary - and a bottle of water.

My sister had a booth at a quilting expo a few months ago. It was a one-time affair and she said the fees to do credit cards (along with the additional cost to get power and a phone line to her booth) would have not been cost effective. She told customers that she would ship to them if they wanted to go to her website and use PAYPAL if they did not want to pay cash or write a check. Only a few got upset that she wouldn't take a credit card. She ended up selling out by the end of the show on Saturday, despite not accepting credit.

I think the smaller expos attract more "Mom and Pop" type booths that cannot afford the fees for credit cards. The larger expos (that charge upwards of $700 to rent a small booth) probably all take credit cards.

I am going to one of the big ones here in Denver next month and I am definitely taking all three... just in case.

Depending on the location of the show, and sometimes even of the location within the building, vendors may have difficulty getting good reception on the link to the card processing company, especially if they are using a wireless card machine. I've also been at shows where the landline links were not all connected properly. Really frustrating for both vendors and patrons, no matter what the venue.

Don't forget comfy shoes and make sure to go to the North Market for lunch, just a block from the convention center. I think all the vendors take plastic, but it is easier to budget if you use cash.....yeah, I know, that was crazy talk.
See you there!

I always take my little brother he has more money than I do, he likes to buy me fabric

Can I borrow your little brother for a road trip :lol: :lol: