XPost: nf.general 
 From: shall1@canada.com 
  
 "Terry"  wrote: 
  
 > 
 >"Stormlady"  wrote in message 
 >news:w5idndMZTozNiibfRVn-oQ@rogers.com... 
 >> Yeah, the place I know has the different machine too.  The $ store in the 
 >> mall parking lot. 
 >> 
 >> 
 >The purchase and location that sparked my original post beginning this 
 >thread about extra charges for a debit card purchase less than $5 was; 'The 
 >Dollar Store', or some very similar name. 
  
 The Dollar Stores around here (Halifax NS) don't accept debit or 
 credit cards for purchases of any amount (they don't even have the 
 machinery necessary for such transactions).  I suspect their margins 
 are so narrow that the fees for these services would eat up much of 
 their profits. 
  
 I have seen signs in convenience stores stating a minimum purchase for 
 debit/credit card usage (but no mention of a fee).  Frankly, I don't 
 blame them.  Many convenience stores around here sell milk at cost as 
 a loss-leader.  Sure, that's their choice, but if someone buys only a 
 litre of milk and pays with a debit card, the store actually loses 
 money on the transaction.  Small local businesses are just trying to 
 squeeze by like you and me, if they need to charge a fee for small 
 purchases then that's what they should do.  You'll never see Walmart 
 charge a fee, but that's because they make so much money they can 
 afford it.  The real villain here is the banks.  Not only do they 
 collect service charges on every deposit/withdrawal/etc from us for 
 the privilege of letting them keep our money (and pay us no interest), 
 they are also collecting money on every purchase we make!  That's 
 almost as bad as the government, speaking of which... 
  
 >The sales stub reads  "ONLY DEALS #95 Ropewalk Lane. 06-22-05." Since I 
 >happened, unusually, to have a five dollar bill I paid cash for the $2.99 
 >item, for a total, incl. HST of $3.44. 
 > 
 >But if I HAD used my debit card it would have been, I presume, $2.99 + 0.25 
 >= $3.24 + HST = $3.73? 
  
 This is a very good question that I hadn't thought of.  Does the 
 government charge GST/PST/HST on bank fees?  It doesn't appear as a 
 line item on my bank statement but it could be included in the cost. 
 Does anyone know for sure? 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)