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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed that lots of companies won't take cash

334 replies

sicknote26 · 29/12/2022 01:20

Hi,

Been to lots of places that don't take cash, but starting to get really annoyed at not having the option of paying by cash.

Been to a couple of places today, first a well known activity place and a well known restaurant. Both completely cashless.

Aibu or is this a sigh of the times now.

What about the older generation who prefer to pay with cash.

OP posts:
garlictwist · 29/12/2022 20:54

RampantIvy · 29/12/2022 08:17

In parts of the Peak District the pay and display machine for parking tickets take cash or you have to pay using a parking app - except you can't always get a signal.

It's bonkers that they don't take card payments.

Edale? Yes, this always pisses me off.

XenoBitch · 29/12/2022 20:57

I always use cash where I can.
The idea of a cashless society scares me tbh. I am on UC... there may be a point where people on benefits are only allowed to spend in certain ways, and a cashless society is the perfect way to achieve this.
I draw out money at the start of the week. That it is my budget. It works for me.

RampantIvy · 29/12/2022 22:32

Edale? Yes, this always pisses me off.

And Castleton and Ladybower and Derwent reservoirs. We saw so many frustrated car owners waving their phones in the air trying to get a signal to pay for parking.

Jasmino1o · 29/12/2022 23:36

thingumybob · 29/12/2022 11:07

You don't need to go into the bank to cancel the card. You can do it on the phone.

Show quote history

I understand that, and that is something I could easily do, however not my GM. She is almost 90, has the most basic mobile phone and wouldn’t even know where to begin to get hold of her bank over the phone. Of course plenty of family around to help out but knowing her she would fail the security checks that they ask over the phone (obviously able to answer personal details but from experience they also ask details of last direct debit payments etc. she would definitely not remember!), so popping into the bank with ID would be the best option if her card was stolen, but obviously she lives 30 minutes away from the closest bank, also doesn’t have a car. But, if her card was ever stolen, by the time she would be able to cancel
it no doubt her account would have had a lot of money spent/removed from it. But if the cash she was carrying for that trip into town was stolen, the money in her account would still be safe.

Cashless society is easy for some, me included (I rarely have cash), however it’s not easy for all and can be very problematic if anything out of the ordinary happens, such as theft.

Jasmino1o · 29/12/2022 23:43

CosyScentedCandles · 29/12/2022 11:53

@AbreathofFrenchair i open the app and it unlocks with Face ID, I don’t see how that is more difficult than opening your purse? Also it’s not exactly practical to say I’m only going to spend £100 this week but oh dear this takes me to £101 so I won’t be able to get it🙄

Show quote history

@CosyScentedCandles not everyone has a mobile with face id let alone apps! My GM doesn’t! She has the most basic phone ever, you might say “get a new one then…” that is the only phone she can understand. She is almost 90. Yes there are some 80+ year olds that can use apps etc. but not everyone. Not everyone grew up around technology like some have said, I have one set of GP who grew up in the most rural village with a handful of houses and to this day my GM doesn’t have a landline installed in her house. The other set of GP grew up in a big town so had access to technology.

magicthree · 30/12/2022 03:36

I am not sure why people think cash would be a back up in the event of a big disaster.
People will want food, water, petrol - not useless bits of paper.

Have you ever been in a big disaster? I suspect not or you would know that there are times when cash is the only option to pay for food, water and petrol.

LikeAStar1994 · 30/12/2022 03:52

DairyDiary · 29/12/2022 01:22

YABU. There’s literally no downside and about a million upsides.

Wow. Got to love all the smug "I've never carried cash for years. Who still carries cash these days?"

Stop acting like you're so superior. You're really not, hun.

LikeAStar1994 · 30/12/2022 03:54

Oops. Sorry @DairyDiary I didn't mean to quote you. You said nothing of the kind.

Ginmonkeyagain · 30/12/2022 05:40

@magicthree if you are still able to buy stuff with money then it isn't "a big disaster".

Most people do not carry or hold a lot of cash for safety and practicality reasons (the majority of people get their wages or benefits paid into their bank account)so if there was a massive power or connectivity outage meaning cash was the only option then it wouldn't last long.

Cheesecheeserson · 30/12/2022 06:26

You have no privacy when you pay with card.

sst1234 · 30/12/2022 07:44

magicthree · 30/12/2022 03:36

I am not sure why people think cash would be a back up in the event of a big disaster.
People will want food, water, petrol - not useless bits of paper.

Have you ever been in a big disaster? I suspect not or you would know that there are times when cash is the only option to pay for food, water and petrol.

Do you think in a major disaster, people would queue up at the supermarket in an orderly manner to pay for stuff, you know, while the disaster unfolds.

LlynTegid · 30/12/2022 08:34

It is only a few years ago that the whole of the Belgian banking system was down for half a day, and more recently issues at TSB and one other bank.

Ilkleymoor · 30/12/2022 08:38

The obstacle is more for visually impaired people than older people.

I really hate cafes and restaurants trying to make you order only through QR code. That really is a block - older or poorer people don't have smartphones. Plus it annoys me to have to sit fiddling about with my phone at a social event.

user1497207191 · 30/12/2022 08:51

magicthree · 30/12/2022 03:36

I am not sure why people think cash would be a back up in the event of a big disaster.
People will want food, water, petrol - not useless bits of paper.

Have you ever been in a big disaster? I suspect not or you would know that there are times when cash is the only option to pay for food, water and petrol.

Our town had no power for three days due to storm Desmond. Cash was useless as shops and petrol stations were closed due to no electricity! The electric suppliers contracted in catering vans to provide free hot food situated all over town! Cash isn’t as useful as you may think in certain circumstances.

mogsrus · 30/12/2022 08:53

Haven’t carried cash now for well over 30yrs, never had a problem. Even parked the car in town yesterday, 2 parking meters both card only. It makes perfect sense. No one is going to force open a cash box & no one one has to empty the thing every day & then transport the cash somewhere else Perfect

RampantIvy · 30/12/2022 08:59

We still have pay and display parking that takes cash.

What I find annoying is that there are too many different parking apps. Why can't it be standardised to just one parking app?

mogsrus · 30/12/2022 09:02

You could not standardise one parking app as parking machines are run by several different companies. Unfortunately one size doesn’t fit all

magicthree · 30/12/2022 09:03

Do you think in a major disaster, people would queue up at the supermarket in an orderly manner to pay for stuff, you know, while the disaster unfolds.

I was responding to a previous poster who said people would require food, petrol, and water, not cash - I agree, but apart from the water those things need to be paid for and in a disaster cash may well be the only option. I suspect I know a little bit more about major disasters than you do, and they don't necessarily mean an entire city is going to be wiped out. Those who are not killed or injured still need to eat ffs.

@Ginmonkeyagain - like I said, it's obvious you have never been in a major disaster. People do still need to eat, ,and they possibly still need petrol, but in a major disaster a massive power or connectivity outage could last for days or weeks - you really have no idea. I also never said I rely soley on cash and you don't need to be so patronising. I am perfectly well aware people get their wages and benefits paid into bank accounts - I have worked for over 40 years - but it is a good idea to have some cash in case it's needed.

magicthree · 30/12/2022 09:05

Our town had no power for three days due to storm Desmond.

Hardly a "major disaster" Grin

NotTooOldPaul · 30/12/2022 09:09

the OP asked "What about the older generation who prefer to pay with cash."

I am 75 and seldom use cash, I usually pay with my debit card and sometimes with my phone. Far easier that carrying cash.

gogohmm · 30/12/2022 09:13

Unless every community has a way of banking then cash will not be taken - banks and post office have closed in our town of 27k it's 30 minutes plus parking charges to go into the city

Ginmonkeyagain · 30/12/2022 09:39

@magicthree a three day power outage is not a major disaster, that is an major incident. In those circumstances most people can cope for a few days without buying stuff, for the vulnerable.there are emergency responses - rest shelters, hot food deliveries etc. .

Major disasters are where whole areas of instrastructure have been destroyeed or order has broken down. I am not sure your emergency twenty pound note is going to help in such a situation.

Ginmonkeyagain · 30/12/2022 09:42

And my point about wages and benfits going in to bank accounts was most people don't keep a lot of cash on them, they get cash they need as they need it from atms - which also need power to work.

taxguru · 30/12/2022 10:15

Ginmonkeyagain · 30/12/2022 09:42

And my point about wages and benfits going in to bank accounts was most people don't keep a lot of cash on them, they get cash they need as they need it from atms - which also need power to work.

And shops & petrol stations need power to sell stuff!

palygold · 30/12/2022 11:09

And shops & petrol stations need power to sell stuff!

This always comes up in these threads. Many of us have back up generators, where our businesses are situated, in rural areas and blackouts occur.