Mitch4T and Jea48: Glad you asked and answered that question. The advice given above to carry on your person and pay potentially tens of thousands of $$$ in cash money is ridiculous and unwise. That simply isn't done in any legit business with legit customers and legit merchandise, it's what's done when both parties are trying to keep the exchange beneath the table, usually in order to evade either taxes and/or accountability to each other and the law. The form of your payment shouldn't matter overly to the merchant when it comes to giving you a discount to earn your business. If they don't employ a check guaranteeing service then they'll incur a slightly higher transaction cost when accepting a charge, and that might affect the bottom line discount they're willing to negotiate a little bit. But on a purchase of the size you're contemplating there should never be an expectation on the part of the mechant for offering an even lower price for cash money, and if you earn airline miles or whatever on charges, or just prefer the extra degree of consumer protection using a charge may provide, then that could still be your best method of payment. Any implication that there is some increased presumption of 'seriousness' on the buyer's part by using 'cash' is nonsense -- what matters to the merchant (or should matter) is making the sale by serving the customer, and they'll be happy to receive your business regardless of whether you elect to pay by check or charge, or if not then you should move on.
