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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if going cashless is a good thing.

322 replies

smittenkittten · 14/08/2021 15:34

Most people I know don’t want to go cashless, but it seems to be inevitable that we are heading that way. Personally I hate the idea. There’s so many occasions when cash is needed, too many to mention, but it’s the little things mainly. Treating the grandkids, summer fetes, bring and buy sales, car boots......all the things where you usually use cash..
Will it just be digits in a bank account? What if you lose your phone? ...What do people think of it all?

OP posts:
lljkk · 15/08/2021 09:19

payment Cards can be stored in pissy tissue-filled pockets, mouths, socks, bras, etc. It's not like only cash money fits in these places. Nobody* ever washes their debit card.

*Except on MN, I'm sure that person is about to speak up, lol.

Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 09:43

@lljkk

payment Cards can be stored in pissy tissue-filled pockets, mouths, socks, bras, etc. It's not like only cash money fits in these places. Nobody* ever washes their debit card.

*Except on MN, I'm sure that person is about to speak up, lol.

The thing with my debit card is I'm the only person to touch it. Unlike cash. Nobody else needs to touch my card, and i keep it in my purse and wash my hands. Washing debit cards will destroy the signature on the back so not to be recommended.
Antsinyourpanta · 15/08/2021 09:45

Debit or credit cards are not generally handled by the person serving (touch screens and card readers are likely to be a hotbed of germs though!) as opposed to cash which the retail assistant or cashier will need to handle and sort.

wanttomarryamillionaire · 15/08/2021 10:04

@GreatAuntEmily

I don't like the thought that the bank ie HMRC knows exactly to the penny how much money you have. That leaves the very rich still able to hide stuff using valuable paintings, cars, property but the punters, you and I have to declare every penny. A relative has done up old cars for years - always for cash, I think the incentive of spending hours of your spare time tinkering and repairing will go if it is now taxed as it probably isn't worth it. I use cash for my hairdresser, window cleaner. And just paid cash to enter a painting in a small art exhibition.
Exactly this
wanttomarryamillionaire · 15/08/2021 10:10

@notanothertakeaway

In ships, taxis etc, I always pay by card. I think it makes it harder for them to hide their income, therefore more likely that they will pay the correct tax
What a delightful person you are Confused i hope you extend your discriminatory behaviour to all the tax avoiding big businesses as well.
Flowerlane · 15/08/2021 10:16

Terrible idea to go cashless for so many reasons.

Thankfully cash seems to be accepted in many places again since everything started opening up properly again.

Shade17 · 15/08/2021 10:19

What a delightful person you are confused i hope you extend your discriminatory behaviour to all the tax avoiding big businesses as well.

How is that behaviour discriminatory? Presumably both parties are happy with that payment method? If you think that every cash heavy business declares all income then you’re on glue.

Whatwouldscullydo · 15/08/2021 10:20

Awful idea.

Unless of course you want to be ripped off. Many places have minimum spends we will all be forced to pay more by buying stuff we don't want or need to make up the cost.

Not to mention anyone who's with a controlling spouse being able to have their every move and spend seen and scrutinised.

What about kids who don't have a bank card? Shall parents just keep their birthday money in their accounts until they are old enough to get one ?

Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 10:24

Kids can have a GoHenry card from age 6.

JennyEnglish008 · 15/08/2021 10:24

I pay cash whenever I can. It helps me keep an eye on my finances

Whatwouldscullydo · 15/08/2021 10:27

Kids can have a GoHenry card from age 6

Fir a monthly fee.

2 ir 3 kids and thats probably more than your over draft fees on your own account.

All to access their own money

SimonJT · 15/08/2021 10:32

@Sparklingbrook

Kids can have a GoHenry card from age 6.
We use hyperjar as its free, prepay also leads to 4.8% cashback with certain retailers.
Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 10:38

@SimonJT, my 'kids' are 19 and 22 so I never got to investigate it all.

We tended to put any money into an account for them, if they absolutely needed cash we'd just get it out for them. Or get it out of our account and pay it back.

demhalluk · 15/08/2021 10:39

Things may be different now, but a couple of years ago I was in a financial mess, where bankruptcy was the only way out. During the period of my bankruptcy I was only able to open a bank account that came with an ATM card, as it was considered too easy to cheat or defraud banks with a debit or contactless card when you had no funds. It proved a huge reset for me, in terms of budgeting, but I'd have been buggered in a cashless society.

AgentJohnson · 15/08/2021 10:41

A few weeks ago there was a woman collecting for a charity and she had a mobile EPOS terminal with her, 9 times out of 10 I never have cash on me so I wouldn’t have made a donation. She joked and said because of the device, she had collected more money in an hour than she had in the past week.

There are pros and cons but for me personally, the pros far outweigh the cons. The 2 euros in my pocket are reserved for the big issue woman. Everything from buying lunch items for colleagues to DD’s last minute school related money requests are handled electronically.

Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 10:42

I never give to charity there and then, I've a couple of direct debits set up, I just think it's less risky that way.

notanothertakeaway · 15/08/2021 10:43

@Shade17

What a delightful person you are confused i hope you extend your discriminatory behaviour to all the tax avoiding big businesses as well.

How is that behaviour discriminatory? Presumably both parties are happy with that payment method? If you think that every cash heavy business declares all income then you’re on glue.

Thank you @Shade17

It's widely acknowledged that many (not all) businesses that trade in cash under declare their income to avoid paying tax. I don't want to make that easy for them. I was surprised anyone would criticise me for that

AgentJohnson · 15/08/2021 10:44

My Christmas cash bonuses from 2019 and 2020 are still sitting in a jar because it costs me money to deposit money at my bank.

mustlovegin · 15/08/2021 11:56

Sparklingbrook no one is talking about cash only or card only. We are saying both options are important.

No offence, but for someone who has worked in banking, you appear to be missing a lot of information

Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 11:58

@mustlovegin

Sparklingbrook no one is talking about cash only or card only. We are saying both options are important.

No offence, but for someone who has worked in banking, you appear to be missing a lot of information

Thanks for that. I'm not missing any information at all.It appears from this thread there are some strange assumptions though.

I don't think cash is going to disappear any time soon though.

Shitfuckcommaetc · 15/08/2021 12:06

@Sparklingbrook

Kids can have a GoHenry card from age 6.
Why would I pay a company £3 a month to give my own child pocket money?!
Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 12:09

I have already said that I have no idea how these things work @Shitfuckcommaetc it was just an example. My 'kids' are 19 and 22, so this has all come a bit late for me.
Someone else has suggested a different type as it's free. Hyperjar?

BeautifulBirds · 15/08/2021 12:19

If we go cashless how do we get cheap cash in hand jobs done?

iklboo · 15/08/2021 12:27

My Christmas cash bonuses from 2019 and 2020 are still sitting in a jar because it costs me money to deposit money at my bank.

You could, you know, spend it in shops?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 15/08/2021 12:30

@AgentJohnson

My Christmas cash bonuses from 2019 and 2020 are still sitting in a jar because it costs me money to deposit money at my bank.
Are you talking about business account? I have 3 personal ones and neither cahrges for cash deposits