Cash?

There are ALWAYS discussions about people on benefits having a card not money to pay for things you won't be able to buy alcohol or cigarettes with this card and of course you will be forced into paying shops for everything this doesnt seem like a "bad" idea but it really is can you imagine having a your choices removed like that? The inability to buy a cheap toy from Facebook marketplace because they want cash and your on benefits so all you have is the stupid card?

Our bus service decided not to take cash however if their card machine isn't working your walking so they decided taking cash and card was better than running a bus with zero passengers it was weird got on bus card machine malfunction tried to pay cash NO! NO CASH! erm?? Called main office they said the next driver would take cash "as a courtesy" I pointed out it was them who malfunctioned not me cue long pause and the question.....did he really refuse your cash as his machine broke? The oh fuck penny dropped and they got him a working bus fast

Seriously not joined up thinking

Too many bottles of wine this week? Card disabled

I highly doubt that.

Cash in hand jobs can be a difference between surviving or struggling for some people.

A friend who volunteers in a charity shop told me that they've noticed an increase in people paying cash in the last month.

As an aside does anyone here know the relative costs to a business of banking cash versus taking payment by card? There's a transaction charge to the business of taking payment by card, it's why there used to be a minimum spend if you were paying by card. I haven't seen that for years now, but I've assumed the charge is just much less rather than zero.

The government would love a cashless society . So easy to control the peasants .
I use both but mostly cash in physical shops and card online .

The issue for many businesses is that banking cash is really hard, both finding somewhere to bank it and then the charges it incurrs. Its also more expensive in terms of accounting, fraud and risk of robbery.

However, I get it's totally frustrating for those who prefer to use cash for whatever reason. It also marginalises those who struggle with technology.

I take cash at my business, bank it at the post office who take pretty much all high street bank pay ins now. I like having cash and spending cash, would hate a cashless society

YNBU, I find the thought of living a cashless society quite depressing and also a little scary. What happens when the tills break down as happened to a local cafe near us a few weeks ago, Thankfully they took cash and I had a bit on me, but not much and I had to change my order.

It properly made me think and now I try to keep some money in my purse and use it where I can.

Cash is great for so many things as pp said, it's much better for budgeting, it teaches children about the value of money, it can be given as presents, just putting money into a bank account seem really quite soulless to me, even though that' what I do for my older nieces.

I don't want to live in a cashless world.

To add, I do get that with banks closing it's an issue. We are lucky to have a security guy come collect our banking but are supposed to move to self banking. I can see this reversed when the local branch closes!

I work in retail. More and more people are using cash, ridiculously so. And many paying in small coins. Businesses that don't accept cash are limiting themselves.

I prefer to use cash, it's easier to keep track of spending that way.

I love cash. It helps people stay out of debt, as they know what they're spending and can't spend if they don't physically have it.
I've always had a 'tin,'for my holiday or Christmas.
I like to put a few quid in a charity tin now and again.
Obviously I use cards too.. but I love cash and would be sad to see us go cashless.
Re covid; businesses just suit themselves, using covid as an excuse, customer doesn't matter a jot anymore. Amazing they still prefer cash tips in half of these places mind you!

Was just highlighting the hypocrisy.

YANBU.
A cashless society isn't one we should be rushing towards.

I popped in a local shop to get some milk, they wouldn't accept my cash, wanted card only, which had a minimum spend of £3...

@VickyEadieofThigh that's what it's like in the tiny rural town where we live. The cash machines get raided in the Summer. There's a cafe here that is cash only and the Chinese may still be like that too. Everywhere takes cash, there isn't anywhere that's card only but I guess its totally different in the cities.

It must be where I am (UK region) - our bus services do take cash.

I’ve been using cash regularly in the last 18 months, I can’t think of anywhere I’ve been that they’re not accepting it 🤷‍♀️

I agree OP. Mostly because it's easier for DC. Eg. the local buses don't take cash any more which means DC needs a card. If DC forgets the card they can't get home.

I live in a small town on the coast. There are no longer any banks here and the nearest ones are 12 miles away. Yesterday, I attempted to draw cash out of the ATMs in the town and there was no cash left, leaving me with no alternative but to use my card. As some businesses - like the local Chinese take-away - do not accept card payments, I found this all a tad limiting on what we had planned for the weekend.

Now - you might tell me I should've been better prepared and drawn money out before the weekend began, but who's to say when (exactly) they were emptied out?

Cards are massively more conveient and easy to use, imo.

Last bank closed in my town so many businesses choose to be card only, saves on travelling to another town to bank