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

[sicknote26]

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.

Internet improvements are constantly happening. I never used to be able to get a mobile phone signal in my office (converted barn with think stone walls in a hollow in a village). Quite surprised the other day when my phone rang - first time it's ever rung in the office. Looked at it to see 4 bars of the signal, now it's fully functional, even with 4g internet! They've clearly upgraded the mobile masts or put up another as I've got the same phone, same provider, etc. I was happily surprised!

ONLY cash. Read what I said.

I don’t agree with it and surely it’s made things more expensive because the charges mad3 on debit and credit cards have to be paid for by the buyer to a large degree. Definitely makes me spend a lot less than I used to. I often wonder if I’m in a minority though. It makes me spend less because I’m more cautious of going overdrawn because sometimes I need to stop and think what direct debits might be coming out around the time of spending so I’m extra cautious about buying things I didn’t go in for and buying things I see and would have previously just bought to treat myself or someone else. I’ve noticed that our children are growing up with the same attitude so not a bad thing in some ways.

Unfortunately, not everywhere in the UK has a good enough signal to use one @JassyRadlett. I agree that they are simple to use though. When we were fundraising for the local hospice recently the vast majority of donations were in cash. When people said they never carried cash they were told that we could accept card payments, but 98% of the donations were still in cash.

Yep, fair enough @RampantIvy - I was just responding to the suggestion that people selling at market stalls wouldn't want to use them.

We had a totally opposite experience at a fundraising day recently - we took a fair amount in cash but the vast majority was on the card machines.

My sister is home from abroad for Christmas with her children, she's not been home since before covid. She's and the kids have brought spending money with them that they have gotten changed into pounds. She also can not believe only card payments are a thing here. As it's back to normal where she lives.

Also I never said the elderly where unable to pay by card. Just that I know my parents and grandparents prefer to pay cash .

Also a lot of these places only let you know it's card payment only when you are getting ready to pay. Quite embarrassing when you only have cash on you .

@Weleaiig

I don’t agree with it and surely it’s made things more expensive because the charges mad3 on debit and credit cards have to be paid for by the buyer to a large degree.

Businesses accepting, processing, administering, storing and banking cash, risking forgeries and theft, also has a cost, in fact, often it's more expensive to deal with cash, as card processing fees are very competitive and can be pretty cheap, as is the equipment.

You've tagged me and quoted someone else's post.

I never carry cash. The older generation were young when debit/credit cards became popular so it's not an issue. My parents in their 80s are perfectly capable of using Google pay etc.

Getting cash out is an inconvenience for a lot of people. Much easier to do everything electronically.

But why one earth would you go to the effort and expense of changing cash into pounds, with the possiblity of more effort and expense to change it back if youj have to? Just use a revolut card or whatever with free exchange and multiple currency accounts.

The more wieldy, expensive way is not better, its much worse. Why do people make life so hard for themselves?

I have a bit of cash, a couple of notes in the phone case and maybe £50 or so in the drawer at home. But, realistically, barely ever use it. Just have it "just in case". If I end up using a note, I'll put the change/coins in the car for the car park.

I like having a small amount with me, but it must be a couple of years since I used cash, it was on a heritage railway buffet car and their card machine temporarily lost it's connection - they were happy enough for me to take the card back later in the journey to pay, but I paid cash to avoid traipsing back.

To be honest, I have found it harder to get cash!

I’m rural and struggled to get cash recently to pay for second hand goods. There’s 3 cash points in my town, two were down and the last one is chargeable and wouldn’t let me take out more than £100 at a time.

I’ve honestly never had a problem with paying with card though.

They think beyond the m25 is abroad

I open the app and it unlocks with Face ID

Mine doesn’t.

But why one earth would you go to the effort and expense of changing cash into pounds, with the possibility of more effort and expense to change it back if you have to? Just use a revolut card or whatever with free exchange and multiple currency accounts.

Because they didn’t know that paying in cash is not the norm here, and it probably woudn’t have occurred to them to check @KousaMahshi.

I have had this a few times but when I only have cash they quickly change their minds/policy.
Cash is the cornerstone of any equal and democratic society and those wanting rid of it are incredibly short sighted and/or selfish.

I think for most businesses the losses from customers walking out if they can't pay by cash are less than the cost of banking / losses from staff etc.

I understand the arguments & preferences for cash but the business reality is that cashless is better for them.

I get annoyed now by businesses that don't take cards.

It's not about can't, it's won't.

My father get money out of the cashpoint then uses it to pay cash for everything including me for all the shopping I get my parents. This means that I pay for everything cash too.

Cash only small businesses may not be dodgy in a tax sense but it can be an indicator of precarious finances.

If you have poor or no credit then suppliers will insist on COD terms (cash on delivery - literally they will not give you the stuff untill you pay them) or keeping money out of the bank means you can use it to pay for goods or wages rather than paying down debt like an overdraft.

Exactly this, especially the part about fiat money. The idea that using cash somehow gives you extra power or control when the currency is fiat is ludicrous.

The £100 in your pocket is only worth what the market decide it's worth and is entirely at the the mercy of government decisions. If you're genuinely worried about losing control or power you need to be buying and physically storing commodities, but you'll have some difficulty exchanging your gold for the weekly shop.

People with neurological disabilities are disadvantaged by the inability to pay in cash. Learning about coin value, addition, then subtraction (change) and putting all this into practice (rather than pretend play style in a home/school environment) in a shop when paying cash is really important.

Rural here. Also never had this problem.

I use a mix of card and cash.
My window cleaner only takes cash as does the chip shop. Personally I don't care if they're cooking their books as well as their chips, it's up to them.
I put cash in birthday and Christmas cards and give the grandkids their pocket money in cash.
While cash is no longer king, it still has its uses.

Not necessarily - sometimes the mental maths required to pay with cash can be stressful. I also know someone who is happy to handle notes but doesn't like the feel of cash.

Card payment - especially contactless - makes their lives easier.

Never, my workplace stopped dealing in cash years ago.

DH is self employed ( heating engineer ) and everyone seems to want to pay him in cash ! He got a card payment machine as we thought people would want to pay that way, people do if it’s over say £150 but not for less.
It’s a Pita, his business account is online so he can’t pay it in, it means going to town, paying it into our joint acc then transferring it, last week there was £1500 in the house, which isn’t covered by insurance. He says people are shocked when he asks them if they want to pay by card or bank transfer. He knows plumbers / builders etc. who have £50k or more stashed away in cash, I’d be terrified !

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

Most 'older people' will be fine using no cash options these days. Cashless options have been around for many years now so it isn't something new and most will have been using those methods for years now.

I'm not sure I know anyone who doesn't have at the very least a debit card they can use to pay without cash.

Snap. Fortunately never experienced machines being down.
Use Apple Pay or contactless almost daily and never had an issue.