How much cash do you have at your immediate disposal

[FridgeJenga]

Yes, I'm bored.
Waiting in the car for DCs to come out of school so decided to clear out my bag and found my coin purse.
I have exactly £12.75 in cash to my name.

So they can avoid paying VAT. Which apparently is absolutely fine, according to many on MN.

a) £5000 in bank is more secure than £5000 in cash at home
b) £5000 in the bank pays interest
c) I'm less likely to be aiding tax avoidance

Because some people want to why that’s so confusing to you? I pay everything in cash, cars, holidays, furniture literally everything. And maybe so does my neighbour 🤷🏻‍♀️

I disagree. It’s my money and I’ll keep it with me

It is confusing to me, because it's illogical behaviour. How do you even pay for a holiday in cash these days?

Don't you keep most of it at your mums house?

A few reasons.

1. My money earns interest in the bank, it doesn’t under my bed.
2. Paying with card gives you protections that you don't get by paying in cash. Once you hand cash over it’s gone. If you pay by card and something goes wrong, you have a chance of getting your money back.
3. If I lose my purse with cash in, chances are I’m not getting it back. If I lose my purse with my cards in I can cancel them at the push of a button.
4. In all my years of not using cash, I have never had any problem accessing my money or paying via card. So yes, the convenience outweighs the minimal potential risks.

A £1 coin in the car that is solely for trolley use, about £10 in change at home, along with about €25 from our last holiday. I rarely have cash on me. Always have a book of 1st class stamps though.

The European Central Bank has this advice - keep calm and carry cash!

These findings and reflections support the growing recognition among authorities that cash is a critical component of national crisis preparedness. Central banks, finance ministries and civil protection agencies in several countries now recommend that households maintain a multi-day cash float for essential purchases. For instance, authorities in the Netherlands, Austria and Finland suggest holding amounts ranging from approximately €70 to €100 per household member or enough to cover essential needs for about 72 hours.21],22] Some jurisdictions, like Finland, are even exploring “disruption-proof” ATMs to ensure access during digital failures.23] This aligns with the understanding that physical currency not only serves to meet individual needs but also contributes to broader systemic resilience.24]

Yes and like I said she lives round the corner so it’s still with me. What’s your point

£70 and whatever loose change is lying around the house.

Always keep 15 in a wallet plus 2x £1 coin. So 17 in wallet.
12.35 in change box
110 in a drawer just in case

And then small box of foreign currencies. About 5 different ones

So why do you keep it at your mums house, and not actually with you?

I always have cash at home so including what's in my purse (£40) around £250 in total plus a savings pot with £1, £2 and 50p coins in it roughly another £80.

OK, so ECB suggests keeping 70-100 euros in cash per person as a contingency. It does not suggest paying 5000 to tradespeople in cash. Or keeping thousands in the house.

£15.60, €13 and two1st class stamps.

1. i don’t care about interest
2. that’s what a receipt is for
3. I don’t use a purse
4. but if the banks are down then your cards are useless 👍🏼

Because I want to what’s it got to do with you lol

Feeling rich, just checked my purse, around 40 in notes and coins, then a random tenner in my phone case, and a rummage around my bag shows a bit more shrapnel and notes.

So all in all in cold hard cash about my person as I sit at work I have around £65....that's more than my new winter boots cost me!

You use cash because it's apparently safer and more convenient for you. Keeping it at mummy's house is rather contradictory of that. But it's obviously up to you 😂 long as you declare it all and pay your taxes do what you like

Actual cash in the house?

£3k emergency stash
£80ish of coins given to me by DS to swap for notes..
£20 in gym bag
£20 in car for emergency
£5 in pound coins in my car
£3 in pound coins in DH's car
£47 in handbag
£60 in DH's wallet

Banks ask questions for two reasons. AML compliance and protection. Same way like they might double check large transfers.
The number of people who happily send/pay money to scammers even with warnings is astounding. With cash, the banks simply cannot protect any further. And they have duty to try protect as much aa they can.

money at mine is disposable cash. Money at my mother’s is savings. Why would I keep all cash in one place duh!

Where does your mum keep her cash? Fairly risky for her to have to look after all of yours and all of her own.

Not risky at all, it’s kept in safes that are fire proof and not in the house as such. Smart people don’t keep it under a mattress or in the bottom of a cupboard. It’s well thought out