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Original poster

How important is it to have some cash in the house these days?

132 replies

AugustSeptemberOctober · 22/10/2021 08:06

Boring post sorry.

I've always kept £100 cash in the house for emergencies. I had to spend most of it yesterday and now I'm wondering if I should bother replacing it, as it seems that cash is almost being phased out these days. Even tradespeople usually carry a card machine now.

To be honest, it's more that Christmas is coming up and I could do without withdrawing money from my account! But I feel a bit nervous about not having an emergency pot. Maybe I could just keep it to £40 or £50. What do other people do?

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 22/10/2021 08:08

I just have pound coins in so that I can tip food delivery guys.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 22/10/2021 08:08

I try and put the odd bank note in my piggy bank when I'm more flush. Every few months I really appreciate having a stash of notes I've forgotten about.

Sparklingbrook · 22/10/2021 08:10

Never have a bean of cash anywhere. I never use any in the house, just don't need to any more.

FinallyFluid · 22/10/2021 08:14

Always have £200 on a diminishing scale, when it dips below £100 I replenish.

LubaLuca · 22/10/2021 08:14

I usually have about £100 in a mix of notes and coins. Some of my kids' teams and activities need cash for subs, and we do pub quizzes and raffles etc that always need cash for entry.

It's made up of quiz winnings and bits of cash my mum gives me when I've run errands for her. When my little tin looks too full I pay some into a savings account.

Longdistance · 22/10/2021 08:20

I just have a change purse with me. Dds are always doing some sort of non uniform/charity day at school. Other then that, we don’t use cash unless it’s for car parking.

OldTinHat · 22/10/2021 08:23

I have a 'copper' jar which hasn't been fed for a very long time as I no longer use cash so can't put my change in it. I've no idea how much is in it, I keep meaning to change it up into denominations other than 2p!

ItsAlwaysThere · 22/10/2021 08:24

@HollowTalk

I just have pound coins in so that I can tip food delivery guys.
Hold on, hold on. This is a thing?
ShirleyPhallus · 22/10/2021 08:25

We always have cash in the house to pay our cleaner / window cleaner / other middle class services like that

But my husband insists on keeping it in various locations like inside random books so I never have any real idea of where this emergency cash is kept

Cantstopthewaves · 22/10/2021 08:26

I like to have £15-£25 in a pot on shelf for dipping into (usually school events or sometimes if the window cleaner calls).

LetHimHaveIt · 22/10/2021 08:28

I'd have pound coins for delivery drivers of any ilk.

Tenners and fivers for the window cleaner.

Some money for pub quizzes and the ice cream van in summer. My mum's over 60s subs.

Definitely never have none in the house.

gamerchick · 22/10/2021 08:29

Always. I don't take electricity for granted and the way of paying for stuff these days, depends on that.

Bbq1 · 22/10/2021 08:34

Dh doesn't really carry money anymore unless he knows in advance he will need it. I like to have at least £50 on my purse but I am getting less jumpy if I don't have it. Our cleaner, gardener and window cleaning company we pay in cash but likely they all take card too.

Sparklingbrook · 22/10/2021 08:34

I pay the window cleaner by bank transfer. He prefers it.

Woeismethischristmas · 22/10/2021 08:47

I don’t keep cash in the house but I do keep an emergency 20 in the car. Too rural for food deliveries.

AutumnAlmanack · 22/10/2021 08:59

I save £2 coins and had managed to amass over £200 but have now paid this into the Building Society. I like to have an amount of cash in the house, even though DH thinks I am being old-fashioned! I once went through all my coat pockets and found nearly £50 - that was fun!

On another note, is it a thing to tip supermarket delivery drivers? I thought this was frowned upon?

IsDaveThere · 22/10/2021 09:02

I don't keep money on the house at all, don't need it. I've got about £4.50 in my purse and that's it.

What kind of emergency are you imagining that might need you to have up to £100 in cash?

TuftyMarmoset · 22/10/2021 09:07

I keep an emergency £10 in case we need to get a taxi to the hospital and that’s it. Tradespeople I pay by bank transfer on the spot using my banking app.
We don’t actually have a window cleaner, should look into that.

cobblers123 · 22/10/2021 09:12

I always have cash on me, currently £20 in notes and couple of quid in shrapnel.

I pay my window cleaner in cash as he doesn't have a card reader, tip for the hairdresser, parking in town on the odd occasion I go in.

I like having cash on me, probably because I'm quite old ... Grin

Westfacing · 22/10/2021 09:14

Yesterday in the local Coop the card readers were playing up and for a few minutes there were no card transactions going through but I think it got sorted. By chance I had a £20 note in my bag which had been there for ages so used that.

So it's handy to have a bit of cash.

ItsAllMumboJumbo · 22/10/2021 09:14

Do people tip food delivery drivers?
I never knew that

Kezzie200 · 22/10/2021 09:21

I do tip drivers. But we never had any delivery options until lockdown changed business so I'm really grateful and want to help keep them going!

We don't hold cash now apart from a few pounds for tips and things. Everyone seems to take cards now, over phone or using those handheld thingys.

Capaz · 22/10/2021 09:23

I don't have any cash in the house, I haven't used any in years it must be now, just bank transfer, card or PayPal.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 22/10/2021 09:24

I like to have some cash, so I can buy a coffee with a tenner, thereby making change for one of several car parks with ancient machines that only take cash. Due to the DC's activities I probably need about £6 per week in coins. Plus window cleaner and restaurant tips.

2020isnotbehaving · 22/10/2021 09:29

I keep about £200 handy if I can’t get out and ask neighbours to get some shopping. Had have emergency locksmith when key snapped on front door again cash was handy.
I worry if I ever got broken into and they would demand cash saying I have nothing wouldn’t go far! Having a few hundred quid is least “something”. I appreciate this doesn’t apply to most people!