Cash - am I out of touch?

[Anewuser]

AIBU thinking I should still be able to use cash?

I accept that most places, and people, find it easier using cards but shouldn’t you still be able to use cash occasionally?

Went out for lunch the other day. The bill came to over £100 but as it was something planned, I had cash. The pub said whilst they can take cash, they don’t give change. Since when was this a thing.

At work, when people get married/have babies/leave etc, we do a collection. You always used to stick your contribution in a pot or envelope but now you have to do it online. Not everyone gives now because it’s obvious how much they’ve contributed.

AINBU, that I should still occasionally be able to use cash or AIBU cash has had its day.

I hardly ever use cash to be honest. Oh just in the nail salon as they're cash only.

I do always have a little suspicion about cash only places that they're fiddling the books tbh!

My family’s business recently went to card only payments for the same reason as @Flopsythebunny just the time it takes vs the card and the expense of that.
Personally I rarely have cash, I tend to pay with everything on card for ease.

I'm on the fence. I ran a fuel station for years, if we stopped using cash and card system went down, which it did do sometimes it would cause huge problems as we would either not release the fuel or have every customer fueling up and in theory with no way to pay. This was an issue occasionally anyway when some heavily relied on their cards which then wouldn't work.
However the otherside was that banking the cash was daily and expensive, also a right nuisance when several people a day would pay for £30 of fuel for instance in one pound coins.

So yeah, both have their issues.

I find cash makes you think more about the tiny purchases that add up so I do take out money for the week that go towards any extra little treats

I get paid in cash, I don't struggle to spend it but with the self service stills we're universal and accepted all payment types!!!

I love cash, I always pay small businesses in cash, and as a small business I prefer to take cash. Yes, we're charged for paying it in but I also pay my PAYE employees in cash, pay suppliers with cash, pay myself cash - still PAYE and dividends declared but paid in cash.

We need to keep cash alive, a £20 note is always a £20 note but a £20 card payment becomes less from charges and makes the big banks more money than it makes the small business

I rarely use cash, so it totally throws me when I suddenly need it. Even for collections in work etc, we just send money to someone's account.

People round by me all went nuts when a pub said it was cashless, said they'd boycott it etc. People seem to take cashless places really personally.

I try to make a point and use cash regularly especially in small retailers who say they prefer it but card is easier for most. I was in The Range last night and one roll was card only and I was surprised how many people couldn’t use it as they were paying with cash.

I do think using card makes it easier to spend more.

I suspect any business that is cash only because of the expense of processing card payment is almost certainly not declaring all their income for tax because if they were depositing that cash in a bank (which is easy for a tax inspector to follow), it would likely cost them more to manage than the card fees.

The cost in terms of man hours to cash up, go to the bank and deposit it and go to the bank and get the cash float is significant. Much more than paying the card fees, especially as that role usually has to be done by one of the managers or deputy managers so it's an expensive per hour cost.

Or you try and cut costs by doing it less often and storing cash on site but that is a high risk option! Business insurance policies will generally require cash to be banked regularly and won't cover losses from theft if you don't.

Banks are also much hotter on money laundering now so depositing a lot of cash makes you a higher risk customer for them and in need of more ongoing monitoring/risk assessment so a more expensive/less profitable customer to have.

If power goes down, many shops can't take cash either as items need to be scanned and tills need power to work anyway.

I rarely have cash on me. Yesterday there was a charity collector at the supermarket and even they have gotten wise to this - he had a card reader as well as the usual bucket!
It's bizarre to accept cash but not give change though - never seen that!

I can't remember the last time I used cash - or in fact a cash machine? Must be years! But I do still think people should have the choice.

I've never bought anything from vinted, couldn't tell you the last time I used eBay, years since I did an online food shop, months since I used Amazon and this has had zero affect on my life, my family and I function normally, why wouldn't we

And, yes, I use cash every week, but I don't live in MN land where smelling salts are needed if anyone catches site of a fiver

I use cash quite a lot. Occasionally there is somewhere that is cashless and I will use my card.

It wasn’t a problem since I was giving a tip anyway, but I was just surprised to hear it. Unfortunately , I’m a people pleaser so would never have the nerve to say anything like that.

YANBU, DS2 went to London the other week and was shocked at how many places don't take cash (we're rural and everywhere does).
But I got caught out yesterday going to pick up a Chinese and it was cash only! Only had my phone, emergency credit card and my emergency cash which was only £35.
Luckily the owner recognised me (never been there before but the family come to my workplace) so I was able to pay part of it and pop back on Monday.
I had ordered on the app and there wasn't a payment option but I assumed I could pay by card on collection. I've got far too used to paying with my phone.
We've got a few barbers in town that are cash only too. It's annoying as there aren't many cash points any more.

I rarely used to have cash on me and would repeatedly grumble about having to pay for things at DC primary school in cash.

But now DC are older I’m treated like a reverse cash machine - they don’t like cash (harder to spend in MacDonalds!) so give it to me (usually birthday/Christmas money) and I transfer money into their bank accounts. Kids these days are all using Apple Pay or the equivalent.

OP - if this isn’t a chain pub, they rely on their reputation. Personally I’d leave a low trip advisor review stating that they don’t advertise themselves as card only, but when you go to pay, they won’t give change, effectively making their business card only or charging more for those paying by cash. that this policy should be made clear in their website and on their menus before you order, rather than a nasty surprise that could spoil an otherwise lovely evening.

if you have a local Facebook group, put up a similar post just warning locals - they don’t advertise as card only, effectively charging more for cash as they don’t give change, unfair not to put it on their menus /website so you can decide in advance if this suits you etc.

it’s fine to have annoying policies like this, it’s not ok to wait until someone has ordered to say so.

(taking cash but no change is the most fucking annoying policy- just say you are card only )

My work doesn't take cash and someone rang to tell me they weren't going to use us because of it

I'm on min wage mate, I'm not making the decisions and they're not likely to change it because one customer has said they won't use us
We take card, online payment and Apple Pay

I had to get cash out for the office tea fund yesterday and that was the first time I’ve used cash in about a year.

When doing a whip round in the office or for teachers etc I use collecriv so much easier!

I don't know anyone who uses cash now. Who wants to faff around carrying coins and carrying exact amounts.

Unfortunately, I think it is a glimpse into the future. There has been a step change since covid. I rarely use cash these days. Personally, I find it easier without cash, especially since I can pay with my phone. I am increasingly not even taking a wallet these days.

I think the window cleaner is the only person who still likes cash, but even he will take a bank transfer.

Even the local big issue seller takes contactless payments.

Cash is on its way out.

YANBU, OP. I use cash for everything in-person.

In my home country, there's now a law that businesses have to accept cash payments (with some exceptions, like commercial purchasers, festivals, transactions over a certain value). I think something similar should be brought in here.

After the meal is particularly egregious. While the people who try the argument that cash should be accepted because it is 'legal tender' are wrong about the meaning of legal tender, legal tender does refer to what has to be legally accepted for the satisfaction of a debt (with some limitations as to what value of coins are legal tender to what value of debt). Once you've consumed the meal, you do have a debt to the restaurant to pay.

Medium sized market town near us has had the final bank branch close in the last few years. All businesses there (except for the big tesco) are now pretty much card only. Because cash needs to be paid into a bank. And sending staff on an hour round trip (drive to town with bank, pay for parking, queue in bank, walk back to car, drive back to shop) just isn't worth it.