Cash - am I out of touch?

Don't know about India but we recently returned from a third world country where cash was needed to access public toilets, so I carried it around in my phone case (they were notes though of a tiny denomination).

I find it much easier to stick to a budget with card but I use YNAB. If I have cash it just seems to disappear with no trace. Using card/YNAB means every penny is accounted for.

Chinese / Indian takeaways here only accept cash.
Smaller shops and small run hairdressers only accept cash.
Even local chippy only accepts cash.
When l go abroad ( few times a year).. they prefer cash.
But never heard of a pub/ restaurant not giving change.
I always carry some cash on me..( on average £50).. but use my card when l can.

@ToffeePennie I'm sure they don't want your custom if you throw tantrums like a toddler

You should be able to pay in cash, yes, as it's not been abolished yet. However, that day will come....

I hate having cash. I never use a cash point anymore and dislike it when people repay me in cash. I like seeing where all my money has been spent on my bank statement. Cash is hard to track and easy to lose (used to have a light fingered young teen! )

I guess they can't give change if they don't actually have cash but they should have that clearly flagged up on the door, website and remind you when you arrive etc.

Like I said I’m very horrible, but if they don’t want my hard earned cash, that’s ok, I vote with my feet and use other places.

Our local pub has a sign behind the bar saying that cash is their preferred method of payment.

my hair dresser is cash only

It costs money to handle cash.

the post office did say they were planning to stop this, but this was a few years ago.

There is no need to be rude and horrible to people!

Lots of business can't/ won't take cash as it new costs them time and money.

Yes you can if you have a certain bank account (I think it’s Barclays) but as it’s a buisness account and a different bank I cannot: it’s kind of a moot point as the nearest post office is over an hour away anyway and they only open 10-3….because we live rurally we are denied these services and our local PO closed in 2021.

good for you @Megifer

Most our local hospitality venues are card only these days. I don't take cash abroad either, haven't actually touched a dollar or euro in 10 years as I just use my cards. I might have to succumb to cash for India though (if anyone has advice please let me know!)

We are resolutely arguing not to go cashless at work

We can still take at least half our earnings a day in cash and would definitely lose a few sales if we didn't take card

Plus the system does go down on occasion and we need the cash system still set up

Cash definitely still has its place and places should always take both

What I find frustrating is quite a few restaurants and cafes near us only take cash. And several others only take cards. So you need to check in advance. I agree OP, it is annoying.

You can also pay in cash to bank accounts at post offices.

As a business selling cars we turn away customers with cash and they have to go deposit in a bank. It costs us £1.50 per £100 to put it in the bank!! So some businesses have very good reasons to not accept cash.

Window cleaner, bin cleaner etc, all paid online.

I even set up a Revolut at work to collect the tea fund now. Easier, safer and no one has cash anyway. Plus it covers me when you get someone saying, I'm sure I already paid. Always the same person btw, but now I can just show them.

I usually have a few coins and an emergency tenner on me, but everything is via my phone now.

Nearly everyone went cashless during Covid and most businesses found it easier. So lots didn't go back.

YANBU

I keep a sum of cash in the house for an emergency but I don't spend cash at all in shops. I think it is very important for people to keep using cash because it keeps the door open for cash use in the future but I'm scared to do it in case people think I'm a criminal. I think since covid using cash gives people the impression you are guilty of wrongdoing. I haven't used a cash machine for years and I had to get my emergency sum of cash changed at the bank because the old notes had been withdrawn.

It's arguable that I shouldn't have kept any cash in the house as there is little point. Our nearest shops close when the card systems go down so they wouldn't take cash. If there was no power shops can't scan the items or open the tills so cash would be useless then too.

I have never had a window cleaner or a cleaner but I would think most people would still pay cash for things like that.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but abandoning cash seems like the wrong road to go down. There has already been a change in attitude to cash and I wonder how this has come about.

Since when = since Covid.

Businesses should make it clear upfront, and many do. But life without cash is a lot easier for most businesses.

This happened to me last year with the DC. Tried telling me no change and pretty rude about it. Had a standoff with the restaurant manager and after I said fine, we're going now so you'll have to get the police to sort it out they miraculously found the change 🙄 and were put out that I told them to remove the service charge 😂😂

I mostly get paid in Cash! So for me cash will always be king.
otherwise I have to go to the bank, and my only local one involves a trip to the shopping centre but it’s only open Tuesday-Friday 10-4, so when I’m usually at work. There are no other sensible options (unless I drive for over 2 hours to my next branch) so cash is ALWAYS important.
if I go somewhere that doesn’t take cash I’m horrid and quite often I just dump what I’ve picked up, leave it where it is and go somewhere else. I will not shop anywhere that doesn’t take cash!