Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that we are being forced into a cashless society?

655 replies

rockingthelook · 12/07/2020 21:54

My parents really don't like to use debit cards, especially the contactless ones, however , due to C19 this seems to be the way forward? They like to take their money from the bank and use the cash rather than cards, really don't want to bank or pay for anything online because they don't trust it, but everything seems to be geared towards contactless. They had a walk today and wanted to buy a cup of tea from a takeaway cafe and couldn't, not only because the place wouldn't take cash, but the cards had to be contactless, and their cards aren't (they asked not to have this feature as frightened of them being stolen and used) It seems to be that the banks etc are using the C19 situation to force things through, my mum was even told by the cashier in the bank the other day to use the cash machine in the bank rather than get the cash over the counter because of the 'risks', fgs it's THEIR money, can't believe Age Concern/UK aren't all over this!

OP posts:
Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 19:53

@BakedBlossoms how are they being ridiculous??

I am not of the older generation yet prefer to use cash as I know many others do. Everyone should have the choice.

HisNibs · 13/07/2020 19:53

Counting cash, recording/checking cash and banking cash also has costs including bank charges, higher insurance, risk of theft, etc.

Yes it does but for us, nowhere near as much as card processing. Counting cash? Takes me less than 30 minutes per month. Reconciling card payments takes twice as long. Recording cash? Exactly the same as a card payment. Banking cash? I pay it in at the post office when getting a pint of milk at the same time. Higher Insurance? Already included in my general business insurance providing I don't keep several thousand on site. Risk of theft? Yes there's that but with card payments there is equally a risk of fraud and it is usually the business that loses out when it happens. My business is fortunate in that there are only 2 of us who handle any transaction (and 100% trustworthy), card or cash so we have no worries about employee theft. As I said in my post, other than cheque, cash is by far the cheapest to process and those 'overheads' are ultimately paid for by the customers. I can also use some of that cash to buy supplies for the business and avoid paying bank fees on that completely. It's all accounted for.
No single system is perfect. What suits one business will not suit another, the same is true for customers, some like paying by cash, some like paying by card. I believe in giving people a choice. The fees and admin behind card processing is ridiculous. I lose a day each year going through and completing a card processing security audit (under the PCI-DSS scheme) because if I don't, we get clobbered by Worldpay for an additional £15 per month in fees on top of everything else.

On top of all that, my cash has never failed to work to pay for anything. Conversely, I've had card readers fail to recognise my card (works in one reader but not another), and the card itself fail (and then mess around getting a replacement).

In my business, if we have a powercut or technology failure it's a showstopper for card payments. Cash or cheque on the other hand, makes no difference.

Roominmyhouse · 13/07/2020 20:06

A previous poster mentioned about school fetes etc. They could operate a token system so they have a main stall which sells tokens which are paid for by card. So you’d buy say £5 of tokens that are worth 50p or £1 each which the stalls then take for their goods. It’s a model that works well at music events and festivals which have gone cashless.

I rarely ever use cash now, it’s a pain when you do need to get it out and puts me off going places which don’t take cards.

PelvicFloorTrauma · 13/07/2020 20:18

People celebrating the advent of a cashless society need to stop and understand that Fin Tech companies are SALIVATING at the prospect of being able to skim billions of pounds off everyday card transactions. The percentages charged will appear minuscule on a one-off basis but incrementally the potential profits for these businesses will be vast. We will have no choice but to pay because hard cash is no longer in circulation and we consented to this form of "progress." Governments want it because then they can track our every payment and the Fin Tech brigade are lobbying hard for it because ££££ are involved for them. The charges will also increase - I have seen research discussing how much the companies think they will get away with charging. Read also on Trustpilot about the recently demised German Fintech Wirecard. The potential for fraud with these business is huge. Thousands of people lost money on pre-paid cards.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:24

I am not of the older generation yet prefer to use cash as I know many others do. Everyone should have the choice

Move with the times or get left behind then.

Cash is safer and more covenient for business.

My 87 year old gran uses contactless, has WiFi, has a smart phone etc. There really is no excuse.

Hingeandbracket · 13/07/2020 20:28

To suggest that having an ISA is tax avoidance is laughable.
Only if you are an ignoramus
It is a savings vehicle created by government to encourage people to save and the interest isn't taxed
Exactly, it is a way to avoid tax, legally.
Avoidance is legal.
Evasion is illegal.

Coronabegone · 13/07/2020 20:29

Putting cash into a bank is dying out, many banks are internet only, contactless and cards are the way forward! Not sure the government is interested in my Morrisons shop, or coffee shop purchases!

Coronabegone · 13/07/2020 20:29

Not sure they'd be interested in my Anne summers purchases either!

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:30

@BakedBlossoms of course I will teach a 77 year old with dementia how to use a card, it should be easy right?! Angry

Card isn’t safer at all, card fraud is a major problem...I could List many problems with using card, where as cash, the only problem is apparently germs!

I will happily continue to use my cash in stores that take it.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:31

A 77 year old with dementia should not be out doing their own shopping.

My granddad has dementia and I've done his shopping for him ever since he was diagnosed.

Pukkatea · 13/07/2020 20:31

Cash is absolutely filthy and in the UK most of it has cocaine on it. I've never been more consistently ill than when I worked in a role handling money. I hate it.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:32

People can stamp their feet about it all they like tbh, cashless is where we are headed.

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:32

@BakedBlossoms did I say she was out alone doing shopping? No I did not.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:33

What is the issue with card usage then?

Coronabegone · 13/07/2020 20:34

Yep I agree @Daisychains20 might be the time you step in and do online shopping..., dementia and shopping don't mix.

Also, if we all started contactless and card payments now, by the time we had dementia it would be the norm anyway.

Things change!

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:34

@BakedBlossoms she uses cash. Never used a card.

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:36

@Coronabegone excuse me are we now saying people with dementia are not allowed out to shop! What am I reading here. Taking the last bit of independence of her handing over her cash to buy items? Really?

She does not shop on her own, as I have said above she is always with someone.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:38

Then the someone she is with ought to be using a card on her behalf. An elderly person with dementia should not be using cash especially now, it is dangerous.

Coronabegone · 13/07/2020 20:38

@Daisychains20 she can go out shopping, stop being so hysterical, but you can't say cash can't be abolished because of elderly with dementia.

Things change, cash is in the past, that's life!

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:41

I am shocked at the pure ignorance here. As long as I’m alright Jack springs to mind.

I’m not hysterical thank you, I’m actually trying to show it from another side that people seem to be ignoring, like another poster who said they deal with people with Learning disabilities not every shoes fit!

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 13/07/2020 20:42

Never use cash. If you parents are worried about losing a lot or privacy, what about a preloaded payment card?

That way it could just be topped up with limited amounts so they aren't so worried about theft from their main accounts.

Unfortunately technological change happens. The cost of processing cash is huge, it has a lot of scope to facilitate fraud, tax evasion and crime generally.

If your parents wanted to pay with gold coins instead of bank notes, you would think they were barmy.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:42

If you have elderly parents who are of sound mind your time would be far better spent teaching them the basics of technology. My gran would have had the most awful time in lockdown had she not known what she did.

Rinoachicken · 13/07/2020 20:43

Wow, feel for some of you when you get older, By your reckoning, your kids will be around the moment you show even the a hint of ‘the elderly’ and remove all your independence - no more shopping by yourself, buying things for yourself, nope, you must be DEPENDENT

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:43

Cash also isn’t in the past, presently it’s still very much in circulation.

BakedBlossoms · 13/07/2020 20:44

By your reckoning, your kids will be around the moment you show even the a hint of ‘the elderly’ and remove all your independence - no more shopping by yourself, buying things for yourself, nope, you must be DEPENDENT

Yes, that's exactly what was said, isn't it Hmm