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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

310 replies

WaitingforGalGadot · 03/12/2017 12:22

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.

OP posts:
LoniceraJaponica · 04/12/2017 15:56

"that includes some comparatively young elderly men (55 upwards)"

55 is elderly Hmm Angry

Does it cost more to use Ringo than cash then?

lljkk · 04/12/2017 15:59

DH never has more than £30 in his wallet & tries to use his card for everything. Online payments & bank transfer whenever possible.

He treats me like a cash point. Always getting cash off me. He must end up having to use cash quite often after all!

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

lljkk · 04/12/2017 16:04

I never heard of RingGo before. There are no RingGo carparks in the nearest city (popn=200,000). We also don't have Uber, btw.

Firesuit · 04/12/2017 16:06

Does it cost more to use Ringo than cash then?

Yes, sometimes there is a "convenience fee" which is a small amount on top of what they give the council for parking. I'm not sure whether there is an option to avoid this fee by paying cash, I think there must be. Having said that, the fact that with an app you can set the time you want more precisely, and extend it if necessary, means I'd still rather pay via app.

Leapfrog44 · 04/12/2017 17:34

YUp we certainly are! We're probably headed for martial financial law too int he next couple of years so get some cryptos now

MongerTruffle · 04/12/2017 17:53

Does it cost more to use Ringo than cash then?

Our council doesn't charge anything extra. The cost of transporting, counting etc is more than what RingGo charges them, or they wouldn't offer it.

Sparklingbrook · 04/12/2017 17:55

I pay extra with RingGo for the texts and a convenience fee or something, about 30p.

VitriolicMuse · 04/12/2017 18:11

I work in the financial sector (fintech). We’re definitely heading towards a cashless society.

Susieangel · 04/12/2017 18:22

I use cash for daily transactions in shops. I take out a sum each week and that is my budget. My income is limited and it helps keep me on track.

pollymere · 04/12/2017 18:23

I still use cheques! I'm concerned that if we move solely to card this will then mean the banks can charge what they like for giving us access to our funds. I can see it being replaced with a thumbprint system, similar to that in schools...but even that fails, requiring cash payment.

Minaktinga · 04/12/2017 18:49

I’m looking forward to the cashless society. With the nature of currency changing (Bitcoin etc) government will not be able to control your assets and neither will anyone else.
Have added Handmaids tale to my wish list, but from the description it was the need to create babies after a nuclear holocaust that caused the slavery of the women, not a cashless society?

bananafish81 · 04/12/2017 19:09

Where do all these people live who never ever use cash? In big cities?

I'm in London. There are independent local businesses who take cards and those that don't in my zone 2 neighbourhood.

I want to support my local businesses, but so much comes down to what is practicable

The local independent dry cleaner on my road is cash only and opens during the daytime (when I'm at work), so I can only use them at weekends. A service like Laundrapp will collect and drop off dry cleaning between 7am to 11pm any day of the week, so I can book a 1h time slot at a time before or after work that suits, and I can pay by card. Much like Ocado.

MongerTruffle · 04/12/2017 19:13

Where do all these people live who never ever use cash

I live in a small city of circa 200k people.

MaidOfStars · 04/12/2017 19:34

I too live in a non-London city. The only thing I pay in cash regularly is a sports team sub. Everything else is card. Yes, even pints of milk etc (unless I happen to have a quid in the bottom of my bag).

HidingBehindTheWallpaper · 04/12/2017 20:01

Where do all these people live who never ever use cash

I live in a large town of about £130k people.

LoniceraJaponica · 04/12/2017 20:15

I live in a village. People round here still use cash for incidental sundries, and so do children.

I can't see everywhere becoming cashless any time soon as I can't see young children using debit cards to buy some sweets or a comic.

Evewasinnocent · 04/12/2017 20:20

RIPA is not used to monitor bank accounts - but applications can be made to a judge under POCA 2002 for various orders including an an account monitoring order - but you need a very strong case - they are not easy to obtain!

splendide · 04/12/2017 20:42

I can't see young children using debit cards to buy some sweets or a comic.

I’m sorry if this sounds rude but that shows a lack of imagination. I can certainly see it, it could happen now and I expect it will get more and more prevalent.

mimiholls · 04/12/2017 20:49

Doesn't bother me, never use cash and it's a right pain when I have to

ProbablyBeingASnowflake · 04/12/2017 21:02

"Cash isn't going anywhere for a very long time. It simply isn't going to happen in your lifetime, so you can stop worrying about it."

honey it is already happening. As many others have said on this thread, Sweden is very close to being cashless. Young people simply don't use cash.

Cashless payments are extremely easy, even for things like flea markets and payments to friends or small businesses, because of Swish. You don't need a contactless card or to make a fiddly bank transfer. You only need a phone number, or (even easier and quicker) a QR code. You can literally pay for things with a wave of your hand.

So don't be so sure that things won't change, and fast. The ease of it makes it difficult to resist.

DeadGood · 04/12/2017 21:04

"I can't see everywhere becoming cashless any time soon as I can't see young children using debit cards to buy some sweets or a comic."

Hmm

They won't literally be using a debit card. They will pay with their phones!

This is all so "a faster horse"

LoniceraJaponica · 04/12/2017 21:24

"I’m sorry if this sounds rude but that shows a lack of imagination. I can certainly see it, it could happen now and I expect it will get more and more prevalent."

Yes it does sound rude Hmm. I said anytime soon. What is the average age of children getting smartphones these days?

splendide · 04/12/2017 21:29

Yes, you said anytime soon - I’m saying it happens now.

www.gohenry.co.uk

GhostsToMonsoon · 04/12/2017 21:44

I got my son a Go Henry card for his 7th birthday. All his birthday money and pocket money apart from £2 have gone on that.

Admittedly I have fond memories of counting the money in my Peter Rabbit money box, but I suppose he's a child of the 21st century and seems perfectly happy having a card, not that he ever wants to buy anything at the moment.

Isadorabubble · 04/12/2017 21:57

I live in NW London and with the introduction of contactless payment hardly ever use cash. I went on holiday to SW Wales when I was pregnant and went to a lovely little coastal tearoom which only accepted cash. Luckily I noticed the sign before I ordered but the nearest cadhpo By was 3 villages away and I was sooooo hungry....!