I'm not as SC savvy as many of you so I thought I would ask this for some education on my part.
Have you heard of SCs taking credit cards for the more expensive VIP dances ($100 and up)?
My "cold hard cash" flow is often limited when I'm on the road but have plenty of room on the credit card. My thought is put the flat rate on the card and tip more with cash.
Is doing that a norm or is it relatively unheard of?
NEVER use a Credit Card in a Club. TOO big of a chance of getting ripped off with bogus HIGH charges.
Bad idea all around. Not only is there a chance they'll cheat you, it would be way to easy to go overboard.
Suppose I did do that and got bar cash, funny money as I've heard it called, and not worrying about trans fees, does it hit like a cash advance or a charge? Cash advance fees on my card far outway any trans fees that I've seen at atms at the SCs.
I'm not saying I'm going to do it just curious how it works if you weren't concerned about getting ripped off.
I've used a card a few times at the corporate clubs (Deja Vu). Never been ripped off or cheated. But they are straight up in telling you there is a 10 percent fee. $200 in funny money will cost you $220. In my experience, it does not show up as a cash advance but as a purchase at their boutique.
So you're right. The interest rate for your credit card cash advances is probably higher than the purchases rate, so in effect it lessens the impact of the cost of the funny money. (unless you don't carry a balance).
cash only.
Not all clubs offer a funny money option, and even those that do, may still run it as a cash advance. 10% seems low for SCs... I wouldn't be surprised if many clubs were more if not way more than that.
I setup a debit card specifically for getting cash when on travel. $2-$5 ATM fee is nothing compared to 10%+ transaction fee plus interest. The first $10 in ATM fees get reimbursed even when using ATMs owned by a different bank. Always use a real bank branch to limit skimming risk.
Everything that mjx just said. Credit cards are nothing but potential trouble in a strip club. Not only do you get charged high fees for things like purchasing funny money, but the girls are often less than thrilled to see that funny money because they have to take a discount when they turn it back in for real cash.
A little advance planning goes a long way. When I am heading out to the airport, or during business hours on the day prior to a road trip, I just hit my bank. Most banks will also temporarily increase your ATM withdrawal limit if you call them.
If what you are really trying to say is that you just aren't liquid enough to float the cash for your SC activities, then you should think about doing something else instead. Financing strip club trips that you really cannot afford is a very poor choice.
^^rick is right on with that last point. Using a credit card to float cash is a bad idea for any purpose let alone funding a strip club trip.
As an aside to everything everyone else has said, if you are going to use a credit card keep your wits about you and make sure you understand what exactly is being charged to your card (especially dancer drinks, which they might order without your permission). Truthfully, cash is always in the best interest of the customer.
Cash is smart. Some Detroit clubs charge 20% + hostess tip. Also ez for shot girls and dancers to keep adding to an "open" card. I only use when at home club where I know all the staff and they know me... even then it addds up WAY TO FAST
I personally don’t find anything funny about funny money – not only is one usually not getting 1 for 1 value; but if you don’t spend all of it; you are either stuck w/ it or have to remember to bring it w/ you the next time you hit the same club (which may be unpractical if it’s a SC out of town or a SC one either does not visit often or care to visit again). I’ve gotten stuck w/ funny money in the past.
The only time I’ve used a CC in a SC has been to get a cash advance from the ATM – a big hit no doubt – but I would not hand my CC to a SC employee and never have.
I'm a regular at a club and frequently use my Amex there and have never had a problem. I know the manager and have met the owner. There's no doubt in my mind that they'd resolve a problem if one occurred. I would never use a card in a club I was unfamiliar with.
Use credit cards but be sure they are not your own.
I use my credit card in my regular clubs in Detroit to purchase drinks. They would not rip me off because that would be killing the goose that laid the golden egg. But it would be risky to use a credit card at strange clubs.
As a coin dealer I usually have a large amount of cash on hand. The challenge is to keep from spending it on expensive extras. I can't imagine anything more bone headed than going to a SC with little cash.
When girls see all the Bens on my money clip with a $50 Gold Buffalo they get real interested.
Even without the funny money double service charge (to dancer as well as custy), I've heard many stories from dancers about how they get ripped off when a CC is used. Person running the charge through steals their tip. In one case, someone put a charge on their card to be split evenly between two dancers. The first dancer claimed that more than half of it was hers, and the retard manager just took her word for it. Then told the second dancer it was her problem she got shorted.
I have enough trouble keeping one waitress straight with cash change. I'd never charge something and probably will never give one particular waitress anything bigger than a twenty.
For a while there I didn’t even trust a waitress with a 20 – on one busy Sat night visit to Tootsies in Miami, I gave the waitress a 20 for my beer and she never came back w/ my change and I did not see her again the rest of the night (don’t know if she had left the club or couldn’t see her b/c the club is so big an was so packed) – I can only imagine what could have happened if I had given her my CC (she did not seem like the typical Tootsies waitress and could have ROBed a few custies and then disappeared?).
"They would not rip me off because that would be killing the goose that laid the golden egg"
What's to stop them from ripping you off if they wished to?
Slightly OT... some SCs (and normal bars) KEEP your CC in their possession when you open up a tab and don't give it back to you until you sign for it.
A credit card is not thing but a Pandora's box inside a SC. Pay as you go in cash to limit any losses.
Don't most credit cards allow a cash withdrawal? If so, just visit an ATM BEFORE hitting the club.
$50,000 strip club bill tampabay.com
No credit card, no debit card
Use fucking cash
I'm still on the barter system.
Great round of comments. I would honestly never use a credit card in an SC. Hard to explain charges especially if there is a problem. And like some have said pay as you go. If you walk in with $150 then that's all ya got. I've been around long enough to know better. However I'm sure there are young guys out there that would certainly give it a go and get screwed somehow. Btw hit a couple clubs tonight, with plenty of CASH, and had an excellent time.
Like motorhead and others, I've used credit cards on occasion. Other than the 5-10% fees I've never any issues.
Once I charged about $100 on a card only to find out when the bill came that the bartender accidentally ran it as a "credit" instead of a charge, a $200 mistake in my favor.
Another time I got several dances from 2 dancers at one time, maybe 5 songs and I charged it. Somehow I was never billed at all.
Most clubs accept credit cards but I have been to a few that do not accept credit cards. Also some clubs are picky about what kind of cards they accept. Some clubs let you do a cash advance with your card and they ring it up as a purchase instead of a real cash advance on your card. They charge a 5%-20% transaction fee on it. Others will give you bogus funny money that can only be spent on tipping the dancers. I have been to a few clubs that don't charge a transaction fee but most of them do.
As for the drinks/food there is usually never a transaction fee for that.
I recall once at the Christie's in Cleveland that required you to fill out three separate forms with signature for using your credit card. Also required your thumbprint on one of the forms.
I'm glad I taught myself not to be most young guys
NEVER, EVER use a credit card in a SC. cash only. I don't even take my ATM card with me. transaction fees at places other than your home bank are outrageous. take what you can afford and call it quits when all gone
Lol, go to Walgreens and buy one of the $25-500 prepaid cards with your credit card. Then you can't overspend and you wont get screwed in the purchase.
You're asking for trouble any time you use a credit card in a strip club. Just for starters they will rip you off in transaction fees. Look out if you do any drinking.