This means that those making a lump sum versus periodic payment decision may never have a higher lump sum option.

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The multiple advantages these electronic tender options offer versus traditional payment methods such as cash and checks including protection against theft and fraud, quicker transaction processing times, and reward programs that encourage use should continue to attract new users, especially in international markets such as Asia where cash remains the predominant payment method.

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The most obvious downside of owning versus leasing is the monthly payment, which is usually higher on a purchased car.

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In India, for example, the MPRI reveals that there are vastly more mobile phones than there are payment cards 88 percent versus two percent penetration.

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Companies like Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Medco Health Solutions, are hired by big employers to manage drug spending by forcing workers to pay a much higher co-payment for a generic version of the cholesterol drug Zocor, for example, versus Pfizer's still-patented Lipitor.

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