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

[AugustSeptemberOctober]

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?

Less than £10.

We only get cash out for the kids - sponsorship or pocket money. So there's never more than the few quid that was leftover from that.

I'd cheerfully get rid of cash.

Always keep cash in the house and prefer to pay with cash when I can ie in the pub or work canteen.

Between £100 and £150. Notes and £1 coins.
It’s an emergency stash. The children knew about it when they were teens, getting a taxi home to be safe if plans had fallen through.
I used it for visits to A&E in the middle of the night, sometimes you need to grab cash and go.

Several shops, cafes etc we frequent are cash only.

Several are card only.

I need to have both

And yes I keep an emergency stash of about £150 in the house.

We keep a bit of cash in the house. If the kids pop to the local shop for us they use it, our youngest takes some cash to school with her to use in the shop on the way home and the window cleaner is paid in cash too. Other than that we use cards or Apple Pay for everything.

Enough for the window cleaner and wheelie bin cleaner so about a tenner. Sometimes I need to ask my 11 and 9 year old if they have any cash!
I never lift cash these days.

Five or ten quid max. Taxis etc round here all take cards. Everyone takes cards. I do have an emergency only credit card that’s never usually used in case of my bank account being drained by fraud or something.

I've never paid a tradesperson on the spot, they send an invoice. My window cleaner and bin cleaner are paid direct debit. I cannot think of a single emergency where I would need £100 cash. I have a teacup at the front door which we chuck any spare change into which ends up in the car for parking which isn't pay by phone or for my daughter's pocket money. When she's at school maybe will need some extra for whatever reason but not at nursery. There is a co-op 5 mins drive away with a cash machine if needed.

@NovemberWitch

Between £100 and £150. Notes and £1 coins. It’s an emergency stash. The children knew about it when they were teens, getting a taxi home to be safe if plans had fallen through. I used it for visits to A&E in the middle of the night, sometimes you need to grab cash and go.

Why would you need cash in A&E?

I always have cash as don’t want 100% rely on electric. Same way have candles or torches at home case of power cut. It’s such an easy thing to keep “just in case” of an emergency why wouldn’t you? My local Costa only takes cash least twice a year for one card reader problem or another. I like have change give charity box or homeless person on ad hoc basis.

I haven't handled cash for about five years. Never have any in the house.

Ive ended up in A&E needed use pay phone or car parking machine. Or get coffee or bar of chocolate from machine after hours of waiting these are cash only. Ditto buying emergency tampon from the ladies.. always handy.

I used to always have up to £100 or so in my purse and would replenish often rather than let it run low. I haven't looked inside my purse this year at all - I think it's empty but I suppose it might not be. I don't think I've taken it out the house this year either. I've just realised that all my spending is online or via my phone

Imagine theres a major power cut or internet glitch. Banks can't open, card readers don't work. It makes sense to have some of your money in cash just as you should have candles, torch batteries and some canned foods. We all rely on things ticking over but it only takes a natural disaster to seriously shake things up.

I’d be constantly worried something will now happen because I’ve spent it.. but I’m strange

@Pebble21uk

I've heard two sayings... 'Cash is King' and 'Use it or lose it'

We are definitely headed towards a completely cashless society. I'm not sure I want that. I hardly ever use cash and find cards far more convenient, but I do also like to have the option! I always keep some at home.

As a previous poster mentioned - if there's a power cut then you're stuffed without cash... everything relies on electricity and I'm not sure I want my money to as well!

Remember that run on the banks as well!? It only happened 14 years ago... and hadn't happened in 150 years up to that point. Life, as we know all too well, can change very quickly. I think if you can afford it, it's prudent.

Don't worry, cash will always be used where people don't want to leave a trace.

I'm thinking for deugs, prostitutes and affairs (hotels, gifts etc). Can't put a gram of coke on your card now can you? 🤣

@Catcrazy83

I keep all my savings as cash in the safe. Don’t mug me

Interested to know why this is.

@tenredthings

Imagine theres a major power cut or internet glitch. Banks can't open, card readers don't work. It makes sense to have some of your money in cash just as you should have candles, torch batteries and some canned foods. We all rely on things ticking over but it only takes a natural disaster to seriously shake things up.

Agree with this. A couple of hundred hidden in a safe place is ideal.

I also keep a bit more food in the house in case there is another lockdown for the same reason. Never would have thought of these things before 2020!!!

Not having cash in the house is OK as long as electricity supply is stable, apps work, mobile reception is good, data storage is good and protected etc.

I don't have it there for that reason but there's always cash in the tin from like kids birthdays. They haven't spend.
So example the other night we ordered food. Their card pay wasn't working so used dds birthday cash and put back the next day.

I also have about 300 in an envelope as my DF for many years paid my phone bill as I couldn't get in my name so rather than faff monthly. He pays it. I put cash aside. Has done for about 15 years! Then he has it all in Dec towards his food shop.
So that's always there if needed.

But it's always put back 24 hrs later.

I never have cash in purse.! I'm useless.

I’ve got about €125 in cash knocking about in a drawer. In £’s about £2. Last time I had a £10 note it took me months to use it. I hardly ever use cash these days, most people accept bank transfers if not card payments.

I have cash for the delivery of logs tomorrow. The village shop only takes cash. I have cash for parking; for the bridge toll if I forget to top up my tag. The Chinese takeaway is cash only, and a discount can be had at the Indian takeaway for cash. Useful stuff cash.

I always use cash. Take £100 a week and use it at the supermarket etc. tend not to use cards.

Only use card when I absolutely have to.

I never used to but I couldn't use my card recently and was stuffed so now I keep a little bit just in case.

I use cash all the time as I budget a different way now as I was spending all the time on my card and skint!