Cashless everything is annoying and inconvenient

[JazbayGrapes]

Went to London last weekend. A concert in Hyde Park. Nobody in food/drink stalls wanted to take cash. Is this a new normal?

I understand it at concert venues, the queues are usually ridiculous and would e even longer if the staff had to deal with money/change. Possibly more hygienic too as just preparing food/drink and not handling money as well.

Although I did have a whinge at the weekend in a carpark when I could only pay by app. I forgot my password (I knew it was one of 2) but it wouldn't let me have 2 tries....so had to request a verification code to my phone....it never arrived...then request again by email... then reset password....then pay 20p more than I would have done at the machine. Whole process took about 10 min. Paying by card or cash at the machine would have been loads quicker!

We only need cash for the barber, they don't take cards (none of the 'Turkish' barbers in our area do). I've often wondered if it's a front for money laundering, why wouldn't they accept card payments?

I don't think cash will disappear, but it will become far harder to access it and use it.

Just as an aside, my Mother was the manager of a large leisure complex in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I remember her taking the takings to the bank in her shopping basket as no one would suspect just a wicker shopping bag. She would walk through town with 20k easily. Which would be about 78k in todays money.

The previous manager used to take it in bags handcuffed to his wrist, I remember her declaring him an idiot for drawing attention to himself.

Prefer card payments and it helps stomp down the black economy which is a real issue and not discussed much but tax lost will be more than the likes of tax avoidance by big companies. All those who car washes and hairdressers that are fronts for money laundering can’t launder. There will be other ways but no cash hinders organised crime.

Cash receipts are expensive to businesses, loss and theft are the big ones. Costs of security vans to collect cash to deposit. Business banking charges for cash deposits. It is absolutely not free.

Cash helps me keep in budget ,how? You buy something with cash & you may keep the receipt. You buy something cashless & immediately get a receipt so you know exactly how much you have spent either way.
cash is a filthy cumbersome article, that ruins items that are designed to keep it in.
working in the gaming business as I do,please come round sometime & I’ll open a few cash machines for you, they are disgusting inside with sticky dust & it makes me cringe when people put it to their mouths that’s totally gross.
Handle cash all day & your hair stinks, empty a 2p changer by hand when the motor won’t deliver coins,5 scoops of coins & your hands are black.
Cashless arcades are the future as so much employee fraud can & does go on, & weekly banking is exhausting, starting @ 5am, empty all machines, record all the meters, run all cash through a cash counter, bag it all up, store in safe and finish the day sometimes 8pm if the cash doesn’t tally with the meters & tomorrow you do the paperwork.
Cashless arcade you can start work @ 8 30 & by 9 you’ve finished with everything just about correct & you can open, The sooner the better, cheaper & cleaner

I love cashless. I pay for everything with my phone. All my nectar/ clubcard/ advantage cards are on my phone too. It’s never been easier. Why would I want to carry a load of manky old notes around instead?

If the people that don't like using cash prefer using other methods obviously that's fine, but why the glee from some that if cash went it would make life very difficult for others. The delight in some posts is almost tangible.

The same glee is to be found on the railway station thread about ticket offices disappearing

Now that you mention it, I did notice the I haven't bought a ticket from an office for years. That's fine if it works for you but it doesn't for others. Some people cant see further than the end of their nose.

I know , been on there myself and it's the same attitude there too.

There should be a choice. Most people would pay with cards. Let’s see how happy are the idiots calling for this if their accounts are closed down by the bank.

If my bank accounts were closed down (why would they be?), I'd have no access to cash either.

Are you saying I should have months' worth of spends in cash in the house, just in case every financial institution in the country blacklists me/ceases to operate? I think my method of payment would be the least of my worries if it came to that!

I agree.
In the Peak District all the pay and display machines offer a choice of cash or use a parking app, but not card payments.

Only, you can't get a signal in many places, so cash it is.

If they hadn't closed them all in the surrounding villages I could.

It's mad to give banks and the government power to freeze your bank accounts if you do or say something they don't like? Seems a mad conspiracy theory until you realise they have already done this to others.

THis^

Are you very elderly OP? Maybe someone ca. guide you on banking tech.

I'm certainly not old, but I admit i'm very cheap what comes to tech. Like i have the cheapest phone on PAYG (i tend to lose them or they get stolen). I don't always have instant access to internet to use all the latest banking tech.

In our shop most days we have someone declined for a purchase or some such issue. I’ve started to get more used to card but three times recently have had problems with my own card (once abroad which was scary!) and would have been screwed without cash or my other card (and I don’t usually carry either or both!!) so I honestly think they need to get their ducks in a row.

No but it is wise to have at least two bank accounts from different institutions to help avoid this. I have Lloyds, Monza and Nationwide and around £200 in cash so I could easily get a weeks shopping and pay bills from another bank account

I'm the same

I get it OP

If you are going somewhere large and busy like a concert, previously you could leave valuables at home and pop in your bag enough cash / spending money that you'd budgeted for. If your bag was stolen or pickpocketed you just lost that cash. No hassle of replacing cards etc.
Now, we all carry our lives around with us so it's a massive hassle if phone and cards get nicked while you're out.

it would solve the problem of all these "cash in hands" jobs not paying tax

Many years ago paying most builders or tradesmen or women we used it was always cash they preferred. They didn't let us have a discount though , but I can imagine a few of them didn't always declare the smaller one day jobs either.

Imo its more inconvenient if they only take cash. I hardly ever carry cash.

I will walk away from cash only businesses because I don't carry it. Can't remember the last time I did end up walking away though.

I much prefer using a card as it is so convenient and easy for me. I can also budget more easily as I can track it all. Using contactless on the bus is my favourite as it used to be a pain in the arse to go into town to withdraw cash and then have to buy something small to get change, so annoying!

I wouldn't use a business that was cash only as I very rarely have any on me these days.

However I think their should be the option of cash for those that want/need it. An older relative only uses cash when out and about by themselves.

Thank you, that is good to know. I know someone who does the occasional craft fair but is not a business. She has lost potential trade due to being cash only.