Sainsburys checkout lady said that “lots of people are switching back to cash just now”

[Harpings]

I know it’s just one checkout person. But is this something others have noticed/ are doing? Just wondering if so and why it would be ?

I meant card processing networks. Look at the cards in your purse, they'll be visa or mastercard. Perhaps american express. Those are the major firms in this country.

Of course your card/bank could be varied and there are many card providers.

I haven’t had a landline for 15 years. Absolutely no need for one. That doesn’t mean I think landlines should be abolished, just like I don’t think cash should be abolished. Cash just isn’t convenient for me, so I rarely use it.

If enough people make the stand I do by leaving, companies will notice. I tend to follow up with an email. Gails for example, don't take cash. I can't shop in there anymore and whenever someone invites me to one I explain why I don't use them anymore. I was in a cafe that said they don't take cash as they don't want homeless people in there. FFS how despicable.

'Whether we like it or not, it's happening' isn't true actually. In Spain it's no longer legal for a retailer to refuse cash Spain: New Law Requires Retailers to Accept Cash – Cash Essentials - this law was made in 2021, so no, we actually don't have to accept that this is just the direction of travel now. Political parties are going to have to have a standpoint on this issue and some are keen to bring in similar legislation.

Absolutely agree with your stance. 'I may not need it, but others do so I accept it continuing' is a really sensible standpoint.

Except you need to pay staff either to count ot or do other stuff while you could it. You need to take it to the bank (fuel, parking) and really that should be 2 people for safety. You'll have higher insurance costs. Etc, etc. Cash isn't costless

Yes, when it's a sizeable firm; but for sole traders and very small businesses, it might take them 2 minutes a day - and when your business profits are effectively your own wages, you often don't bank them at all: just record and account for the money and then put the actual cash in your wallet to use for your family shop in Sainsbury's on your way home.

Clearly, some smaller business do prefer/only accept card payments, as this must suit their own circumstances and business needs better; but equally, a lot of small businesses are the exact opposite.

Absolutely agree with your stance. 'I may not need it, but others do so I accept it continuing' is a really sensible standpoint.

+1

I always keep cash on me as I use Taxi’s
They do have card readers but it costs them 25p per transaction which over the day mounts up a bit
Plus they're a local group of 3 brothers so I like to help

My husband's a sole trader and hates people paying cash. Just 1 customer a week would cover every business cost he could physically pay in cash. 2 would cover the supermarket bill as well. He usually see about 30 customers a week. Most of his suppliers aren't local and he's not going to take a day out of work to drove 100 miles to pay someone in cash. So it's take time out of earning money to go to the bank instead.

And they charge for cash banking too. Plus cash is less secure.

If you put the cash in your pocket, how will the business pay it's suppliers, utilities, professional fees, subscriptions, etc - you know, all the things you pay online??

And how will the owner pay his own household bills, again, utilities, mortgage/rent, etc etc.

My husband's a sole trader and hates people paying cash. Just 1 customer a week would cover every business cost he could physically pay in cash. 2 would cover the supermarket bill as well. He usually see about 30 customers a week. Most of his suppliers aren't local and he's not going to take a day out of work to drove 100 miles to pay someone in cash. So it's take time out of earning money to go to the bank instead.

Fair enough - I did say that some go one way and some go the other. It will vary from business to business and their own circumstances.

As long as small businesses make it clear - either with a sign saying 'cash only' or 'card only' or some variation saying 'preferred, please', that lets people know and then they can work out whether using the business is practical/preferable for them.

There's also nothing stopping small traders from saying at the POS "That's £18.43, please - cash/card is easier if you have it/can, but don't worry if not."

If you put the cash in your pocket, how will the business pay it's suppliers, utilities, professional fees, subscriptions, etc - you know, all the things you pay online??

And how will the owner pay his own household bills, again, utilities, mortgage/rent, etc etc.

Presumably, from the non-cash payments - you can minimise the amount of bank funds-processing fees that you have to pay, but not completely eradicate them.

People may work from premises where they also live, so it's not necessarily always plain as to which costs are personal and which business.

As for suppliers, that also depends on the nature of the business. Your suppliers may be big wholesalers, but they may also be local people; e.g. if you run a cafe that sells magnificent cakes that are home-made by a local retired lady - she may well prefer you to pay her in cash rather than a bank transfer. Similarly, you might be an artist whose major value-adding costs are your time and skills, rather than tangible items that you have to pay somebody else to supply.

🙄

Cash is virtually costless for small businesses. I did not pay my DP to count cash in front of the TV.
Cash costs if you pay staff to do the work.

I've always found it very convenient to pay in cash for small purchases, but wasn't able to do so during Covid, and all the restrictions by retailers refusing to take cash any more.

Shops seem to be happy to accept cash again. Perhaps people always habitually used cash, couldn't for a while, and are now going back to previous habits.

I have never seen a mobile phone alarm system you wear around your neck and that alerts a call centre if you fall.

You pay those through card transactions. Our small business rarely had to bank cash. We spent it. And spent money taken by card as well.
I dot know how businesses who only accept cash manage, but quite a few do.

I have never seen a mobile phone alarm system you wear around your neck and that alerts a call centre if you fall.

Plus mobiles have to be kept charged, not lost down the side of your armchair, not dropped - as well as being overly complicated for a lot of elderly people.

A landline is tied to the wall in the same place, never needs to be charged or switched on/off and very uncomplicated to use. OK, maybe a cordless landline adds a few potential issues, but for those for whom this could be a problem, fixed/corded landlines are still very much available.

Incidentally, does anybody know if the issue of personal alarms has been considered with the planned elimination of PSTN phones in 2025, all to be replaced by VoIP? I don't know if our Truecall junk-filtering unit will still work with VoIP - or even if we'll bother keeping a landline handset for calls then - but this is just a niggle for us, rather than a potential life-or-death scenario for an elderly and/or vulnerable person.

So his time is worthless? Did you tell him that?

Lots more people use cash in supermarkets, as alot of other places (retail and restaurants) don't take it now since covid, and choosing to remain cash free, meaning supermarkets have seen a huge increase in cash flow. I process cash for a major supermarket chain. Obviously have to factor in the overall rising cost of produce, but regardless, cash payments have definitely increased. Over 40% more cash is now handled in our supermarkets as opposed to 2019/20, and that's obviously not just due to price increases. It's a choice consumers are making.

Try looking

https://www.careline.co.uk/shop/careline-gps-alarm-plan

Probably more comfirtable on your wrist

So his time is worthless? Did you tell him that?

Come on, surely you realise that, for many sole-traders, their livelihood isn't something that they leave at the door at 5pm, nor that they never spend any time or a bit of effort on it in their own time? It's not going to be like Tesco counting their national week's takings - it won't take that long.

At any rate, if it's either counting cash and recording it or checking through and reconciling transaction lines on a screen, whichever way takes some of your time. You can't run a business by just looking at the total in your bank account without paying any attention to everything that has been paid in or out.

Samsung have similar on some of there watches - from personal experience with a relative who uses it it works very well. It starts a call to the primary contact and sends a text message and location to other chosen contacts.

Age concern do a taking care anywhere package.