Protect Your Magnetic Strip I use my debit card to pay for just about everything. After awhile the magnetic strip becomes difficult for the machine to read and the cashier has to swipe it over and over again. Or he has to resort to some trickery to get it to work (all cashiers have their own tricks).

But there is a trick you can use yourself. When the card is new, put a piece of Scotch Tape over the magnetic strip. This will prevent it from getting damaged but won't affect the working of the card.

From Tricks of the Trade, via Lifehacker.  ¶ 12:54 p.m.