to be worried that we are heading towards a cashless society?

[WaitingforGalGadot]

I read an article a few days ago about how the Government would like to phase out cash so that everyone is compelled to pay by card or bank transfer, supposedly to make things easier and quicker and destroy the black market.

I actually think this is really ominous as once there is no more cash, there is no more anonymity and your spending habits and lifestyle can be tracked even if you are not doing anything illegal. Big Brother watching your every more.

It also means the banks can impose negative interest rates (where you have to pay the banks to hold your money) on savings accounts to get people to spend rather than see their savings reduced and of course also means that you don't really have control of your own money since the banks can collapse, bail in your money or appropriate it (as has happened in places like Argentina, not too long ago).

Cash is also really useful and personally I don't find it a faff to use cash. I think this is really scary.

We could have a thread about "What's in your wallet." Mine has a fair lot of items I use regularly.

I have £20, €15, two credit cards & two debit cards.

Personally i'd like to see the end of cheques but DD has just joined a group which insists on them for ticket sales

No Store loyalty cards, WhatHaveIF? My wallet has 3 of those.

In addition to 2 x Debit cards & 1 x credit card, my swim membership card, DS's tennis club membership card, drivers license, the roadside rescue card, coins. And often a few plasters tucked in. A plaster is jolly useful.

Postage stamps, Library cards & the kids swim membership cards are stored separately.

Store loyaty are the keyfob kind. Just 3 though. I do have my drivers license and donor card in my wallet too.

£20 given to the window cleaner this morning so down to the €s only. Not much use in Yorkshire!

don't really have control of your own money since the banks can collapse, bail in your money or appropriate it

So you're saying it's safer to have huge amounts of savings in cash form? That's ridiculous and much less safe than using a bank.

"points" coupons and cash & important receipts are usually in my wallet, too.

My Tesco keyfob loyalty thing-card is disintegrating! The ones in wallet are still ok.

Amex and visa credit cards
Current account debit card
Monzo prepaid debit card (trying it out)

Plus my company credit card for work

Gym membership card
Driving licence
Medical alert card
NHS medical exemption card for free prescriptions

Husband's business card for his mobile number if I lose my phone

Stamps
The ticket from the dry cleaner

I got cash out the other day so I have £20 and £10 notes, but often don't have any cash

If I know I'm going on a train journey I try and make sure I have 30p in case I need to use the loo at Euston or Victoria stations!

I don't use store loyalty cards - I try to use my Amex for transactions wherever possible as I get reward points. I use it like a debit card and pay the balance off in full every month.

I have a large purse, though if I didn't have to sometimes carry cash I would swap for a credit card wallet

I got rid of my oyster card. There's no point to them now you can just use your touch-less debit card or credit card. If you register those with TFL then you have the same facilities for tracking journeys online and claiming refunds as you would if using an oyster. (I had to claim a refund once when I didn't tap out on DLR. Don't use it often so didn't know how it worked.)

You do need to remember to use the same card for all journeys on a given day, to get the discounts for multiple journeys.

I got rid of my oyster card. There's no point to them now you can just use your touch-less debit card or credit card.

There are still times when it's worth it. I've got an annual TfL travelcard which I get a loan for through work, then pay back monthly for less than I would if I was buying a monthly card. It comes with a discount railcard & various other bits & it means I don't need to think at all about topping up or what I'm spending on travel.

I got rid of my oyster card. There's no point to them now you can just use your touch-less debit card or credit card.

I keep my Oyster card in the outer pocket of my handbag so it's easily accessible without having to rummage around in my bag to find my wallet - and leave my debit card in my purse.

I find it interesting that the country closest to a cashless society (Sweden) is also one that is most advanced in women’s rights. Conspiracy theories on a postcard please.