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

[InHibernationTilISummer]

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.

they could just not lend it if its an issue?

they could just not lend it if its an issue?

You're missing the point.
You still need the cash and someone else to give it to you. You're dependent on someone else for cash. So, you're not cash free. You're just a user.

And what about the people who have run out of cash and I pay with my card. Are they users because I am now bailing them out?
Or when the shop doesn’t have change so I put it on my card, are they users?

You're missing the point.You still need the cash and someone else to give it to you. You're dependent on someone else for cash. So, you're not cash free. You're just a user

I'm not missing anything, and I don't need cash and am not dependent on anyone else for it, so not a user, thanks.

If someone is asking you for money and its a problem for you to lend it, don't lend it. It really is that simple. There is no need for you to have an opinion on someone you don't know borrowing cash from another person you don't know.

Still missing the point.
The thread is about people who never carry cash and don't think they need to.
Of course I can borrow cash if I find myself cashless. And I can transfer to anyone who is good enough to lend me some. But I try my best not to.
But don't try to convince me that people don't need to carry cash because they can transfer money to people who lend them cash. They still need it. They just rely on other people to bail them out.

No, you are. Big time
But don't try to convince me that people don't need to carry cash because they can transfer money to people who lend them cash

I'm not, Nobody is. If they say they don't need to carry cash its not your business. You don't know they are borrowing money from anyone, and its not your business if they are. THAT is the point you are missing. You've obviously got some weird issue here (calling people users if they borrow a tenner from a friend is just weird) but seriously, this could not be less your business or matter any less.

Well I’m cashless and have never had to borrow cash off anyone so it’s clearly not the issue you’re making it out to be.

I always have a bit of cash with me, but normally only about £20.

But don't try to convince me that people don't need to carry cash because they can transfer money to people who lend them cash. They still need it. They just rely on other people to bail them out

It's really not difficult

I don't carry cash as a rule because I am generally cashless

If I need cash, I go to the ATM and get cash out so that I have cash on me to use for that given situation. Why would I need anyone to bail me out? I can get my cash out from the same place you presumably get yours. I just get it out if I need it for a specific occasion or need, rather than having it on me as a matter of course

The OP was about carrying cash. Not using cash.

I dislike using my phone to check my bank statement as the screen is too small, and my customer number is too long for me to memorise. I am not as dependent on my phone as most people on here, and still mainly use it as a source of communication (phone, text, Messenger) rather than anything else.

I also don't need to check my bank balance multiple times a day as we live well within our means.

I just get it out if I need it for a specific occasion or need, rather than having it on me as a matter of course

The OP was about carrying cash. Not using cash.

Exactly. And if you only carry enough cash for what you think you need and find yourself far from a cash point,you'll have to rely on this who carry cash. See where this is going?

Exactly. And if you only carry enough cash for what you think you need and find yourself far from a cash point,you'll have to rely on this who carry cash. See where this is going?

I've never had to borrow cash from anyone that I can recall. I haven't yet found myself in a situation where I've needed cash and not been able to rectify that with a visit to the ATM, and had to borrow from someone

I live in the nation's capital. I rarely need to use cash. If I'm going out of town I will always have cash on me. If I'm going anywhere I'm likely to be far from a cash point I will get cash out. If I'm going on a night out I'll get some emergency cash to have 'just in case'. But for the vast majority of my time I don't carry cash routinely because I don't need cash

Sounds like those people who are asking to borrow cash shouldn't be going cashless. Doesn't mean everyone else shouldn't either

Lweji I think that you have to accept that people who never carry cash live completely different lifestyles to us. I often go to places where spending the odd £2 or £3 means having to use cash, not contactless forms of payment. I volunteer at coffee mornings for the vulnerable people in our area, and always put in a donation for my cup of tea. DD needs cash for her school bus.

I still use contactless, but not carrying any cash at all wouldn't work for me

Sounds like those people who are asking to borrow cash shouldn't be going cashless.

I'm glad we agree. And with the OP.

people who never carry cash live completely different lifestyles to us

I'm sure that is absolutely true

However, personally, I don't never carry cash

I don't routinely carry cash as a matter of course.

If I were volunteering at a coffee morning I would make sure I got cash out before I went. Unless you're accosted on the street and dragged into the event, I'd imagine I'd have a little notice

I pay for everything in cash. Its my way of monitoring what goes out.

Well I’m cashless and have never had to borrow cash off anyone so it’s clearly not the issue you’re making it out to be

Same here, never have I asked people for cash.

It was November the last time I got £20 out. Who knows when I'll next need cash.
I live rural yet our traders, car parks and buses seem a million miles ahead of others on this thread.

I've never had a problem with budgeting or technology failing. Work whip rounds and cardless market stalls you just ask them their mobile number to pay them. They are very rare occasions where I can't just tap. Still a lot easier than going to the cash point all the time and counting how much you have on you and carrying change.

Its my way of monitoring what goes out

My budgeting app does all that for me. No working out to do or counting.

I'm allergic to copper oxide so handling coins is something I try to avoid. This means avoiding all cash where possible.

Unless I have missed someone most of us cashless people are talking debit cards.

seems to me like most the cashless people are relying heavily on their smartphones, actually. And they need a pretty decent-spec smartphone, too (not like mine, I can't put more than 3-4 apps on there).

Oh and for the trolley and gym locker, I have one of those re-usable tokens on my keyring. Cost me a pound.

I wonder if that poster paid the £1 using cash

And if you only carry enough cash for what you think you need and find yourself far from a cash point,you'll have to rely on this who carry cash. See where this is going?

Um, no. You're still wrong. You seem to think everyone carries a cash carrying person around with them in case there is a problem with their card! I sometimes have cash, sometimes I don't. If I need it and I don't have it, I either get some or I do without or I make other arrangements. I don't pull a cash carrying person out of my pocket and ask for a twenty!
What is your problem? Leechy friends?

seems to me like most the cashless people are relying heavily on their smartphones, actually. And they need a pretty decent-spec smartphone, too (not like mine, I can't put more than 3-4 apps on there)

i don't think so, only a minority use phones. I have a very very cheap phone and have at least 30 apps on it, even my ten year olds incredibly basic smartphone can take ten.

I think most people use contactless cards rather than phones or cash, I certainly do as my phone fingerprint scanner sometimes doesn’t work well and also my eyesight isn’t the best and the phone screen is small In fact I rarely use my phone for much apart from contacting people and a bit of web browsing as I use my iPad much more as it is bigger but a bit big to use Apple pay on it

My contactless cards are in constant use though.

seems to me like most the cashless people are relying heavily on their smartphones, actually.

No. I pay with a debit card

My phone just gives me lots of extra insight into my spending, lets me set spending targets, and gives me real time updates into how much I have left to spend.

I don't have to use any of this. I can just use a card without going anywhere near a smartphone if I want. Same as with cash

The difference is that I can't link the whizzy extras on the phone to cash in the way I can to a card

@blastomama

Why would you think I think you carry a cash carrier around?
You seem very sensitive.
I don't have leechy friends, but you seem very upset for someone who doesn't have to borrow cash by refusing to carry it or more than what you expect to need.