Using cash in England and privacy

[AutumnalPieChomper]

I’m an American traveling to Manchester, England this week. I haven’t been in a while. Can you still pay in shops with cash in UK cities? I prefer using cash for privacy reasons, and would like to know if I should exchange my money at the airport or not.

My husband recently went to Amsterdam and everywhere he went refused cash. He says Europeans don’t care about the right to privacy as much as Americans and are moving toward cashless societies. Is this true?

I think the UK is not for you. We’re much more chilled than Americans.

The vast majority of places accept cash. You may get the odd place that doesn't, or places that don't accept card etc but most accept both.

Don't get £50 notes though, stick to £5s, £10s and £20s

Most shops take cash.
Some smaller independent cafes may be cashless.

I need to know what you are buying that you want to keep private!

To answer the question, there are many places that are card only. Not all. But even buses, tubes and some NT properties will be ruled out as well as many shops, bars and restaurants, so I wouldn't recommend it.

You'll have a very boring trip if you need to stick to places that take cash.

Be prepared for some suspicion if you pay cash for a large amount.

I wouldn’t exchange cash at the airport, the rate is usually rubbish.

You can get prepaid debit cards where you load the money on beforehand rather than it going out of a bank account each time.

Yes OP, cash is still accepted almost everywhere in the UK though most people these days just tap their card. You can do this for purchases up to £100 and after that you need to enter your pin. I guess you mean security reasons rather than privacy reasons? Most scams etc are perpetrated online and not by using your card in stores so you really shouldn't need to worry. I'd rather use my card than carry large sums of cash around and that goes for anywhere in the world.

Where do you recommend to exchange money in England?

Most places will take cash. The UK still uses more cash than Europe. Some smaller independents won't take it.

Do you mean security or privacy out of interest? Can you explain why you are worried? I am curious.

Well aren’t you a dream 🙄

yes op cash is accepted in most places. The odd place only accepts card but it’s quite rare tbh. I would know as I only use cash. Hope that helps

You can change money at supermarkets, the post office, travel agents, and banks.

Most places take cash.

No, I mean privacy reasons. If you pay with card, your bank or credit card company sells your info to third parties. At least that’s how it is for American banks/cc companies. There’s no way to opt out. Also shops and restaurants get access to your full name. I pay with cash to prevent male stalkers. In the US, if you pay with card at a restaurant and your waiter is a weirdo for whatever reason, they can try to find you online, etc. As a woman who’s experienced stalking, it feels much safer to pay with cash. Are the rules different in the UK? Do you have more privacy when you use a card?

You can change money at the post office.

99% of places happily accept cash and many smaller/independent businesses even massively prefer it.

I've no idea what you're buying that needs 'privacy' but you won't have an issue using cash in the UK.

Marks and Spencer’s usually has a very good rate. The Post Office is good too. Can you not change the money back home before you come over? That’s usually the best bet.

To answer your question, lots of places do take cash but there are quite a few that don’t. So make sure you have some method of digital payment even if you prefer not to use it. If you are in London then I think it’s very hard to use public transport with cash.
Personally, because I don’t have the privacy concerns, I haven’t used cash really in the last 10 years.

Most places still take cash, some don't. Nobody will want to stalk you.

How do they get your name? We use almost exclusively contactless here. I pay with my watch. No one sees my name.

Land of the free eh!

Yes, or you can use your card to get cash out of the ATM like a normal person.

No one gets your full name from a card transaction here. I also mainly pay with my watch. Also not sure it'll be very useful to your US bank to know you spent a fiver in savers

Are the rules different in the UK? Do you have more privacy when you use a card?
I believe it is common in the US for a waiter to take your card away in a restaurant to a payment point and return it. That doesn't happen here. A portable card reader will be brought to your table where you can tap your card to pay. It's never out of your sight and nobody will see your name.

What a load of paranoid nonsense. British stalkers are not eagerly anticipating your arrival.