I just opened up a beauty salon and want to take credit cards. After some research on the internet, I have discovered that I can receive a free wireless terminal that takes credit cards. I can also buy one for $650.00 with no strings attached. If I decide to get the machine for free there are 100's of companies that want to do business with me and they all have different fees that make it quite confusing on which one I should go with. I do not know what my revenue will be at this time. I know over time my business will build, but I do not know what percentage of people will use creit cards versus cash. I would like to get some feedback on whether it would be advisable to get a free machine and maybe pay a little more per month for fees or just pay for the machine outright and reduce my fees a little bit, which in the long run might be less money out of pocket. I would also like to have some referrals of companies that I could call.

Have you talked to your local bank where you have your business account?

I have talked with my local bank and they want me to open up a business account, which I really don't want to do and they want to charge me to purchase the terminal.

I talked with my bank and the only way they will help me is if I open up a business account, which I really do not want to do. I want to use my personal account. They also want to charge me for the terminal hooked up to a phone line. I really would rather use my cell phone for business and do not need a land line phone. The wireless terminal is the way to go for me.

I would STRONGLY recommend that you consult with someone at score.org. Comingling funds with your personal accounts, using your personal phone is going to have tax and other implications later on.

If you don't want to open a business account (I can understand that), then you should at least establish a separate account to put proceeds into. And I would NOT recommend using your personal phone. A business phone will be deductible, your personal phone will not. And there is also the issue of getting calls when your business is closed.

You really need to think your business model through, doesn't sound like you have. And that'swhere someone from score.org can help.