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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why so many people don't carry any cash on them?

963 replies

InHibernationTilISummer · 03/03/2018 23:27

Excluding people who are skint and the Queen, obviously.

I've had so many examples of this in the last few weeks:

  • Colleague who came into the work in the bad weather. Lots of delays and problems on the bus route they normally get so wanted to get the train instead but had no money for a ticket because they had come in with their season bus pass and lunch and hadn't expected to be spending any money.
  • Friend turning up for exercise class but hasn't realised that the price has gone up 50p since she last came - and she only brought the exact money she thought she would need.
  • Another friend dropping older child off at sport class finds that there's a fair going on at the sports centre with stalls and activities that her younger child (who was with her) would have enjoyed. Complains that she wishes she had known about it in advance as she would have taken some money out with her.

Is this becoming more common or is it just the people I know? If you aren't skint but don't routinely carry money on you, why is that?

I've been in situations where I haven't expected to be spending any (or much) money and some problem has occurred or plans have changed for some reason (e.g. having to accompany someone to A & E or the last bus not turning up) and I would have been really stuck if I hadn't taken some spare 'emergency' cash.

OP posts:
LimonViola · 04/03/2018 20:49

The thing is, why should the fact that you have to use cash very occasionally (I.e. this agricultural market everyone is quite focused on haha) mean that you therefore decide to use cash the rest of the time when 99% of the time it's simply unnecessary?

Having to do something very rarely doesn't mean you then go 'oh well, might as well do it all the time!'

So I find it hard to believe that needing to use cash occasionally is actually the reason people use it frequently. There must be some other reason to choose cash when the vast majority of the time it's not required at all.

Specifically sticking with primarily cash in the society we now live in seems so quaint.

BarbaraofSevillle · 04/03/2018 20:50

You can set it up on your iPhone with an app

Believe it or not, there are rather a lot of people out there who don't have an iPhone.

I go to 'events or places in the country' at least 2 or 3 times a month so having cash in my purse for these is more or less constant because if I don't need it this week I will next.

StorminaBcup · 04/03/2018 20:53

As a trader who wants to increase trade and cater for those who don’t carry cash, from a business perspective, they would have an iPhone or Android phone app where they can process payments. The customer will only need their card. It makes no difference if the customer has an iPhone or not.

I feel like I’m stepping into Royston Vasey on this thread.

bananafish81 · 04/03/2018 20:55

Believe it or not, there are rather a lot of people out there who don't have an iPhone.

I believe the poster was talking about merchants setting up the ability to take payments using a smartphone. She said "That said it’s becoming increasingly common for Traders at these events accepting electronic payments. You can set it up on your iPhone with an app."

You don't have to have an iPhone or Android phone. The poster was talking about stallholders using smartphones. Not you.

It's much easier for market stallholders to take card payments if they so choose, by getting an iZettle or Square device to take payment on an iPhone using an app - to enable buyers to then make payment using a card or smartphone.

At the food market near my office there are a few stalls who only take cards - they have an iZettle hooked up to their iPad to take payment, as it's easier for them to take electronic payments than faff around with cash

bananafish81 · 04/03/2018 20:56

Cross post with @StorminaBcup!

StorminaBcup · 04/03/2018 20:56

I feel I should clarify when I say ‘card’ I mean bank card.

StorminaBcup · 04/03/2018 20:57

Thanks Bananafish81 Smile

phoenix1973 · 04/03/2018 20:58
  1. In case i get mugged.
  2. To control my spending.
  3. Often i dont take my purse out.
whatthelump · 04/03/2018 21:06

I never have cash on me unless I need to pay something in cash and know about it in advance.

I always have my Apple Watch on - so pay Apple Pay as I rarely even carry my cash card these days!

bertsdinner · 04/03/2018 21:17

I think traders at agricultural shows/farmers markets are missing a trick if they are cash only. People impulse buy, spend more than they planned, so card payment would take advantage of this.
Ive taken cash to craft/agricultural markets and a lot of traders have been geared up to take cards, they use wireless cash machines. Handy if you get tempted....
I can't, however, imagine cards being taken at some "proper" markets, eg Leeds fruit and veg outdoor market. Unless times have changed?

sirlee66 · 04/03/2018 21:17

I got told I was 'terribly common' for carrying cash and especially paying for food shopping with cash!!!

Bit weird... money is money wether in cash or card right?

As times have changed, I do find it easier and quicker to pay by card what with contactless and apple pay etc.. I find I don't spend as much.

specialsubject · 04/03/2018 21:21

The inability of so many to control spending is truly terrifying, although it does explain how vendors of crap make a living.

specialsubject · 04/03/2018 21:24

Somebody laughed about the concept of bank half day closing. Will probably be even more amused to hear that plenty of rural and semi rural places have no bank at all , they all shut. No cash machine either.

No mobile reception so even that isn't worth the nuisance.

bananafish81 · 04/03/2018 21:25

I go to 'events or places in the country' at least 2 or 3 times a month so having cash in my purse for these is more or less constant because if I don't need it this week I will next.

So? You like to carry cash because there are frequently occasions where cash is the only option, and others where you simply prefer cash. Great. What's the problem then?

The thread isn't asking you to justify your preference for carrying cash

It's trying to understand the preferences of those of us who don't

You need to carry cash routinely, so do.

Many of us don't need to carry cash routinely, so don't (but will get cash out as needed if required)

Simple.

StorminaBcup · 04/03/2018 21:39

*Somebody laughed about the concept of bank half day closing. Will probably be even more amused to hear that plenty of rural and semi rural places have no bank at all , they all shut. No cash machine either.

No mobile reception so even that isn't worth the nuisance.*

Then the option of not carrying cash doesn’t apply to those people then.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 04/03/2018 22:22

For just one drink?
Our local accepts cards, but I can imagine what our landlord would say if someone tried to pay for a pint with a contactless method. Disclaimer: it might work with London prices, but not round here.

LoniceraJaponica I don’t live anywhere near London (or even any city), yet still never need to use cash. It is perfectly acceptable to pay via card for one drink in our local, just as I regularly pay by card for the 40p cookie I buy at our local bakery.

Blondeshavemorefun · 04/03/2018 22:24

I rarely have cash on me as never get paid in cash

Goes into the bank

Anything I buy I use my card

If I know I need cash I will do cash back or go to hole in wall

I prob have £5/6 in cash on me at MO

scaryteacher · 05/03/2018 00:03

I hate the self serve kiosk at Macdonalds; it doesn't answer the questions I might have about the burger du jour. The scary shouty Flemish lady manager doesn't like the fact that I won't use it either, as when I did once she shouted at me for standing in the wrong place to wait for the burger. Shame my Flemish isn't up to much.....

I won't use it now on principle, and neither will I give her my order whilst she waits there like the fecking gestapo/Stasi with her clipboard, sighing and pen tapping. I need time to work out what the specialist burger is.

As to banks being closed for half days - where I live my branch shuts at 1600 every day, having been shut for an hour for lunch. and doesn't open at all on Tuesdays, and never, ever at a weekend.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 05/03/2018 01:28

scaryteacher Nobody has to use the kiosks; we have the tills specifically for those who only have cash or would just prefer social interaction Smile The majority of stores have a 60% kiosk to 40% till usage though, so they are more popular.

It is a shame you felt shouted at, but on occasions where customers do stand in the wrong place (order collection then stand in the till area) it causes confusion for those who are still waiting to order, as they think those in front of them are in the queue, rather than stood with those in the collection point who have ordered and are awaiting their food.

It isn’t a big problem and it doesn’t happen often, but when it does we politely (at the stores I have worked in, anyway) ask customers to move into the correct place. We also have no issue with customers perusing the menu to see what our current promotions are.

As she is a manager, you shouldn’t need to give her your order, as managers aren’t supposed to be on till. We have a dedicated till person who should be taking orders; managers are there to run the shift, not be trapped on one station.

BeyondThePage · 05/03/2018 07:35

It is perfectly acceptable to pay via card for one drink in our local, just as I regularly pay by card for the 40p cookie I buy at our local bakery.

It may be "acceptable" to you - not to me, those businesses are charged for those transactions - if on one of the mainstream banks systems it will probably be 50p - they all have a minimum charge.

so you are buying a single cookie and costing them money - repeatedly

Pinkvoid · 05/03/2018 07:45

My nan always taught me to only carry the amount of cash on you that you can afford to lose. I can’t really afford to lose any therefore I never carry cash around Grin. I pay for everything on card.

BeyondThePage · 05/03/2018 07:57

My nan always told me to carry enough cash to get a taxi out of any situation. (2 tenners folded into the front of my credit card wallet)

(and change for a phone call - but that is no longer necessary since there aren't many bloomin phone boxes any more)

Jaleto · 05/03/2018 08:39

It may be "acceptable" to you - not to me, those businesses are charged for those transactions - if on one of the mainstream banks systems it will probably be 50p - they all have a minimum charge.
Acceptable to the business though or they’d have a minimum spend, for lots the fee they gave to pay can often be a percent of the transaction rather then a fixed amount like 50p.

Fluffyears · 05/03/2018 08:48

My colleague forgot her purse, none of us really carry money. If she Apple /Android paunahe woukd have been fine.

misskatamari · 05/03/2018 08:51

I try and have a bit of change in my purse - a few £1 coins etc and sometimes a tenner, but I generally only get cash out if I actually need it for something specific. Most of the time I pay for things on card, unless it's only a couple of quid and I happen to have the change