PITTSBURGH - One way merchants can duck swipe or interchange fees is by convincing customers to pay with cash, but with consumers whipping out the plastic for even the tiniest of purchases, that can be a tough sell, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. Thus more retailers are offering an incentive: a discount for cash.

"We would save a lot of money if customers used cash," said Meira Gummerman, owner of The Chocolate Moose. Her business paid $4,000 more in 2010 interchange fees than in 2009. Gummerman now gives cash-paying customers a discount.

John Kubera encourages businesses to give a discount for cash transactions. "It's either this or own a bank, and I can't own a bank, so I am going to fight for consumers," he said. Kubera runs DiscountWithCash.com, which promotes businesses around Pittsburgh that give cash discounts.

Retailers pay around $35 billion annually in swipe fees, according to the Federal Reserve. Last fall, the Fed reached an agreement with MasterCard and Visa that the credit card companies could not prohibit merchants from marketing cash discounts.

Immaculate Auto Detailing customers get a 7 percent discount for paying with cash. "Save your money," said owner Chris Bojarum. "The greenbacks are still golden. They still carry weight."

With just several legislative days left in May, make your voice heard now on interchange fees. Our industry paid out $9 billion in swipe fees in 2010, according to the latest data from the NACS State of the Industry. Write your members of Congress at nacsonline.com/swipefeesletter.