RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Right!

Buy a home that has wheels on it instead of a house that cost $300,000 trying to keep up with the Jones and you'll have all the money you'll ever need for your rc hobby! I haven't had to make a mortgage or car payment in over 10 years and loving every minute of it!

And if I don't have enough money on my Debit Card to buy something, I don't buy it!

It's not how much money you make, it's how you spend it!

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Thats a great theory "instant gratification". What about the Gene Soucy Extra 300s I put on Easy Pay? Two weeks after I got it they discontinued it. If I would have waited to pay cash I would have gotten "NO Gratification". That is one of the biggest reasons I use it. The choices of what you can get are dropping like flies.-BW

I also got a Fuji 24EI for like $225.00 shipped on sale at Tower because of Easy Pay..woulda missed that one too.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

As Isaid earlier, I do miss out on deals because Idon't have the cash on hand at times. It's just part of life. But be honest with me, what would have happened if you hadn't gotten that plane or engine??Nothing at all. You would have simply bought something else. This is a hobby. As was stated earlier in this thread, nothing we purchase for this hobby is critical to living in this world. If we don't buy nothing at all happens.Now if you don't pay your mortgage they take your house away, that is critical. but not getting a plane isn't.

Trust me that Iknow first hand about avoiding getting into credit troubles. I've been there, done that. And I'll NEVERget there again. It's too easy to get into credit troubles in today's world, and that is part of why there are so many financial troubles in this country right now. And Ifully applaud everybody that has posted here about paying off their cards every month. That's is impressive that they have the discipline to pay off their cards every month. By looking at the statistics they are in the minority in the country. If everybody paid off their cards every month the credit card companies would go out of business. It's that monthly interest that keeps those companies making so much money. For every person here that says they pay off their cards every month I'd be willing to bet there are 30 or 40 people that don't pay them off every month. And it's those people that are in the most need of financial discipline. They need to leard to live within their means.

Ken

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I suck at credit cards.  But my wife keeps us grounded.  We have 1 for making travel arrangments.  We like to go somewhere about 3 times a year.  She pays it off immediatly. 
I'm sure you guys know that some card companies now charge a fee for a card that has not been used each month.  I love the idea of sending it all back.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I agree, Schools should not be teaching kids about religion, politics, sex, finances and millions of other topics. Kids should go to school to learn english, ( NOT SPANISH ) like they have to in California, math, history, science etc...

It's the parents job to teach their kids about finances and the other topics. Too many parents give their kids money for the weekend and tell them, ( If you get in trouble, don't call my number ) and thats just the wrong way. Not to mention many parents don't even talk to their kids.

Teach your kids about finances because you are the main source that will help them be responsible.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

[/quote]

As I said earlier, I do miss out on deals because I don't have the cash on hand at times. It's just part of life. But be honest with me, what would have happened if you hadn't gotten that plane or engine?? Nothing at all. You would have simply bought something else. This is a hobby. As was stated earlier in this thread, nothing we purchase for this hobby is critical to living in this world. If we don't buy nothing at all happens. Now if you don't pay your mortgage they take your house away, that is critical. but not getting a plane isn't.

Trust me that I know first hand about avoiding getting into credit troubles. I've been there, done that. And I'll NEVER get there again. It's too easy to get into credit troubles in today's world, and that is part of why there are so many financial troubles in this country right now. And I fully applaud everybody that has posted here about paying off their cards every month. That's is impressive that they have the discipline to pay off their cards every month. By looking at the statistics they are in the minority in the country. If everybody paid off their cards every month the credit card companies would go out of business. It's that monthly interest that keeps those companies making so much money. For every person here that says they pay off their cards every month I'd be willing to bet there are 30 or 40 people that don't pay them off every month. And it's those people that are in the most need of financial discipline. They need to leard to live within their means.

Ken
[/quote]
RCKen-
I agree with everything you said. Something else, when I pay for something over an extended period of time I don't enjoy it as much while I am paying for it. I seem to get this feeling like it doesn't belong to me "yet". I have only used the "Easy Pay" 3 times, and I liked the deals I got but I didn't like being in debt. I don't have a mortgage or kids to put through college so I have a tendancy to forget about the things that other people have to deal with.-BW

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

.........

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Well I use credit cards because of the rewards, with AmEx rewards I have done 3 trips to Europe in the last 10 years and the flights and hotels were paid almost fully with my points, so there if you use your credit card wisely, you can even get more out of your money... With those three trips I have gotten really nice hobby gifts afterwards:D!!

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

lets face it easy pay is good and tower hobbies prices are high lol:)

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I totally agree with the local banker being the best choice. I have the same experience with mine. When I bought my Bimmer they told me "just let me know how much you spend", and recently I bought an 09' Silverado (35k) total time from the test drive to having a check in the dealers hand-about 3 hours. I just go in, tell them what I want to buy and they print up the finance paperwork and print a check. However I use a different bank for the businesses due to the fact that our personal bank does not deal with businesses.

On the subject of the thread......I agree with the easypay plan, as stated before it is interest free, and if you are paying with debit out of an interest bearing account, then the longer the money stays in the acct the more it makes you....even if it is only 50 cents it is like getting a one up on the blood sucking CC companies. I won't even start to rant on the CC companies, trying to have a positive day....:D

BTW Ken, I love the envelope stuffing trick!!!!!!! LOL

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Their prices are high if you buy one or two small things, however being a member of the supersaver club will save you alot of money. I hardly buy just one item from them, I will wait until I have a $300 order and then place it, it ships free, and use a $60 off $300 or more coupon code that they give you for being a member. So after you use this code it is cheaper than anywhere else and ships free. Some things will still be a little cheaper other places (although I have had a hard time finding them, not counting buying second hand) , and some things you cant find at tower. Overall Tower ranks very high in my book.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I agree! I wish more places would offer easy pay. If Tower didn't offer it I wouldn't be in this hobby, the $would've went for recording gear instead. lol
I don't use credit cards... They're evil!
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...sn/biggrin.gif

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

My local bank aside, I came to realize long ago that big banks and finance companies go to great lengths to convince people that going into debt is a good thing to do, but in fact, it is quite the opposite.

I would rather trust a gangster at my door with an Uzi than a banker with a briefcase.
At least with the gangster you can see what you're up against!

Bankers produce nothing, they rely on the productivity and prosperity of others and therefore, are the monitary leeches of society.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Here !! Here !! The State of Arkansas Highway and Transportation Dept. for which I work for as a Senior Mechanic, started paying for all of its purchases up to 5000.00 $ with a credit card !! You know the kind that pays you back !! One can only imagine how much our parts bill runs just in the shop I work in !!
+ their are 10 other District shops around the state !! Quite a little hunk of change back each month !! I understand that most, if not all of it goes into paying off the Interstate rehab bonds that we purchased some years back to rehab I-30 & I-40 !! Not bad for a state full of Hillbillys, and a constitution &
Highway comission, In which you must pay as you go !!! or don't go at all !!!!!

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

There are two things any company that is willing to lend you money always follow: I can sell crap, if it is packaged correctly, and if it is sweet smelling crap, that's even better!

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I am learning even now to live the same way. Well put.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Instead of easy pay, the buyer can build a plane in installments. Instead of a $300-400 ARF, buy the $150 kit version or plans and some wood; when it comes to cover spend $50 on a 3 color job, and so on. When all is said and done you will have more time in it, cost will be the same, but you did not have to come up with all the $ right away which lets you space out an engine buy and radio in some form or fashion. $300 arf turns into a $800 plane if you need all the other stuff, which gets financed.

I have 1 credit card for emergencies and it is designed to not get me very far, so I have to pick and choose what ever I want carefully, but also with that, I get what I want in the end, not a substitute.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I will not argue the pros and cons of debt. That's your decision. But, reading post number 11 makes me think what you really need, now, is an antenna. You have five planes total and the radio has capability to hold six.

Here is a listing of Futaba Transmitter Antennas. Prices range from 4.99 to 21.99
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...SM&C=MZA&V=FUT

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I should mention that Paypal now has a buy now pay later program as well. They sort of make it a credit card, but you don't get a plastic card in the mail.

as another person who has gotten away from credit cards, i don't suggest that one go either route. But it is a option for those who want to.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

I read through this entire forum, and one thing that it seems everyone is overlooking is the fact that C.C. companies make just as much from the merchants in fees as opposed the interest rate your are paying. This is assuming you have a good credit score and use a card with a reasonable interest rate. Some businesses pay as much as 7-9% in fees (which is equal to or higher than my APR) when they accept credit cards, depending on the card company and the type of business the merchant is in. As an example I buy a $300.00 plane from my LHS, if I use my credit card it will cost him $15.00, in a ball park figure, right off the top. Let’s just say I decide to spread that over 3 billing cycles, it will cost me about $4.40 in interest plus or minus 30 cents.
So in reality it has cost my LHS more that it did me to use a credit card. But bear in mind I don't use my credit card as a general rule for my hobby. It is only used in an emergency or making travel arrangements.
This practice of credit card companies charging fees to the merchant also applies to the use of debit cards. If not why do you think banks push using a debit card over a check. Because it cost you 4 cents for a check and they don't make another dime from it, but convince you to use a debit card and they get to make up to 7-9% off of every penny you spend and for what nothing, you don't gain anything and the merchant losses.
So, my opinion, pay cash or check and leave the banks out in the cold for awhile. From my experience in the last two years my LHS has been able to provide all of my needs as quick as Tower or any other online retailer in the same time frame, and for the same cost and sometimes a little cheaper. As far as Towers easy pay program goes it is a good thing as long as it is used wisely and not mistreated.
On credit cards behalf though, it sure saved my butt when my income was lost for nearly three years due to health problems. Once I cleaned out our savings the use of my credit kept me from losing everything, and we were not in debt that far. But the decision was made to repay the credit card debt as soon as possible, including any non essential purchases being postponed until after the debt was paid.
With that being said, credit cards are only as evil as the users that abuse their use and are as good as the one who uses theme wisely.

As far as the financial problems in this nation, they are not the cause of the people that use credit wisely; it was created by the greedy corporations making bad loan decisions. In days of old when you went to borrow money you was required to have collateral equal too or greater than the amount you requested. If you did not meet this criteria you went away empty handed. My friend you and I are the ones that saved these banks from folding and by no means is that a good thing. The best thing to have done would to have let them go belly up and not be rewarded for bad business practices.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

politics always kill good threads...

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Chunkyplanker,
 I totally agree. My wife and I run a business and we accept cards. We're lucky that we've found a merchant bank that only charges us 4% on our transactions. Once we had a client that wanted to know if he could pay for the companies network installation with his Visa card. Af first it shocked me that a company was trying to pay for $100,000 worth of network installation and equipment on a credit card. But he explained that he was trying to do what others earlier in this thread mentioned, build up his reward points. Unfortunately I had to tell him that we couldn't accept that. I explained that if he did that he was going to eat me alive in my merchant fees. At that time we were paying close to 6% and it would have cost us $6,000 in bank fees just because he wanted to use his card. I told him that if he insisted on paying with the card I would have to decline the job. Luckily he understood and simply paid for it with a bank draft.

Ken

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Not everyone has the luxury of plunking down cash, so why bash the one's that must resort to credit card use at times. The topic of the thread was started in reference to Towers easy pay, and by the time I got to the end, I felt as though I was the recipient of half an economics class. It just seems that no one wants to look at the big picture. The only thing political I said in my post was in reference to the bank bailout last year, and that was intended to counter the claims in earlier posts that the general public that uses credit cards is solely to blame for this countries financial woes. When in fact it was the various corporations from Banking to the automotive industry.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Way to go Ken, why should you pay for his rewards. If people could just understand the burden accepting credit cards and debit cards put on merchants and realize that these fee's cause consumer prices to increase maybe cost of living would decline. Just think, if we would stop and take 60 seconds to write a check, or dreaded cash transaction that could mean an additional 4% or more the merchant wouldn't have to cover. At your 4% fee just how much could be saved on yearly purchases. I have been fortunate to have seen all sides of business transactions to acquire a moderate understanding and realize the implications small things have on business.
Roger

P.S. I like your signature, but is there any way we can make the landing optional too.

RE: Tower hobbies easy pay
 

Chunkyplanker,
 One thing to add to that. Part of the agreement we have to make when we take credit/debit cards is that we can't advertise a different price for card purchases. They do this so that we can't advertise a "Cash Discount" for those that pay for their purchases with cash. This is done so that consumers aren't aware that the merchant is paying more for taking the cards. So all merchants have to build that fee into EVERYTHING they sell, regardless of how the payment is made. Like I said, I pay 4% on my Merchant's account. So if that fee wasn't there I could reduce the cost of EVERYTHING in my shop by 4% and sell it cheaper. This is another reason why I use cash whenever possible when I buy things. It keeps that money in the business owner's hands and not into the hands of the card companies.

Ken</p>