People who don’t carry their bank cards with them

[Auburngal]

I was in Sainsbury’s this morning and systems are down. No contactless, chip n pin taking ages to go through. Unable to buy gift cards, mobile top up vouchers.

Systems going down like this happen not very often but when they do it’s awful.

On the self scan next to me a woman screamed at the manager on why she can’t pay on her mobile.

Why do many people don’t carry their bank cards anymore? The cards don’t weigh much. Plus if the contactless payment system goes down, hopefully their card will go through via chip n pin. Also they won’t look like idiots either. No sympathy for these.

Regarding contactless payments- sometimes your bank, NOT the retailer etc asks you to do a CnP payment as part of security. “I dunno my PIN”. You can change your PIN to any number you want (not 1234, 1111) at any ATM under PIN services.

Isleworth? Lol

I agree.

I don't carry either as I'll lose them as I don't use a wallet any more

Where even accepts cash? Although it's a good idea to have £20 in your phone case JUST in case your battery runs out and you need a taxi home

How are they (easily) going to get cash out if they can't remember their PIN?

This really made me lol. So many angry people around and you are quite right, for most it would be a minor inconvenience at the very worst. The point has also been made that people carrying cash would also be fine in this scenario, so why not rant about that (cash has many other advantages such as being easier to budget with and preserves anonymity to name two), so maybe cash will see a renaissance. In the same way as vinyl records are doing currently even though music in digital form is the norm. In that sphere, it’s CDs that are pretty much redundant, I predict bank cards going the same way.

@blCkmagic and @OutOfTheHouse thanks for your posts - it is odd. I actually use Apple Pay a lot. Come to think of it, it hasn't been declined for a while so maybe my algorithm has adjusted to trust my shopping habits. I still wouldn't want to rely on it for a big shop just in case.

DH's contactless gets declined every 8-10 transactions and he has to put the pin in.

You can change your PIN at any cash machine, not just your banks' ones which was the case several years ago.

I changed my PIN at a Tesco ATM and with Santander (aka Satander when they cancelled my bank card in error)

The chances of you needing to put in your PIN in is based on amount you pay, the number of transactions and time frame.

A customer told me she banks with the Co-op and requires a PIN payment after £500 or 12 transactions - whatever comes first.

I don't even need my phone, I can pay with my watch which is always on my wrist.

I'm also not a dickhead so if I'm unable to pay because the systems are down or whatever, I accept its just one of those things and either go somewhere else or just go another time.

I have my credit card in the cover of 1 phone, and my travel smart card in the cover of my other phone (work and personal).

It's not hard.

I've paid cash in Sainsbury's, M&S, Tesco, Aldi and Superdrug all in the last week.

The only place I've been in recently which didn't accept it was Itsu, so I used my debit card.

I went to Sainsburys today , cash only, so chip and pin wouldn't have worked.

Cash point was out of order as well.

I don't get it either OP, i mean I do 'convenience' but I only use my cards, don't have apple pay or whatever. What if there's no signal or your phone dies or something happens to your phone? I've always carried a small purse like most people for decades so it's no inconvenience. Hopefully today will be a lesson not to rely too heavily on contactless payments.

Where even accepts cash? Although it's a good idea to have £20 in your phone case JUST in case your battery runs out and you need a taxi home
I've found that a lot more people are using cash to pay in supermarkets recently, certainly where l work.
I can cash my till up after 3-4 hours and have almost £1000 in there.

I’ve noticed it too. I think people on tight budgets have gone back to cash because it’s harder to overspend if you allow yourself a limited amount of cash.

@Auburngal oh that's interesting, makes a lot of sense. But even finding another bank's cash machine near me is challenging 😅 #rurallife

Literally every branch of all the major supermarkets and specifically Sainsbury's which is what this thread is about

I haven't taken my purse out in months!! Even if I forget my phone, I have my watch!

Not sure what your point is? I don't know about McDonald's but Sainsburys and Tesco used the same system, which went down on one day.

I haven't carried my card regularly for a couple of years and can only think of one occasion it's been an issue. If Im going on holiday or away from home for any length of time I'd take it just in case but otherwise I'll stick to just carrying my phone.

Loads of shops still accept cash?!

I don't trust paying for anything on my phone cos its too easy to unlock phones.... So I'm with you OP, take your back up just in case!

Yanbu people should also always carry ID on them

Yes....... there's no "still" about it .

I’ve used Apple Pay exclusively for the last 8 years, including outside the U.K. In all that time I have never once been asked to put in my pin or had a transaction declined.

In response to “Why doesn’t everyone carry around large amounts of cash in case of IT failure?”

1. They don’t have lots/any spare cash so have to make sure they have enough in their account to pay for bills etc
2. They live miles from an ATM so can’t keep topping up their stash