Do you still use cash?

[BitchesBeSniffin]

Just had a discussion with my DH about this and am wondering which of us is in the minority in the world of Mumsnet.

YABU: I still use cash and make sure I always have some on me

YANBU: I barely ever / never use cash

You can usually only open a free bank account if you regularly pay money in. So most people can not get multiple cards.

@CasperGutman yes I do as well, now I think about it.

I haven't used cash for years - I only take my phone and watch out with me, no purse, and use Applepay for everything. Much easier, and if I lose my phone it can't be used to pay with, unlike debit/credit cards.

Agreed and I also use my Apple Watch to pay, so even if my phone malfunctioned, I've other options.

I only use cash to tip my hairdresser. I keep some in my phone though, in case card systems fail at a vital moment.

In some cases you'd needs hundreds in cash

You are aware that most people don't spend "hundreds" for a meal in a restaurant ?

And you'd have to be checking all the time you have enough cash to cover your meal.

Well I would do that anyway. I'd never order food / drink without being aware of what it cost.

Family run restaurants that only take cash do not charge hundreds for meals. They tend to make specific food related to their cultural background extremely well. If I want an excellent Eritean meal I do not go to the restaurant in town that takes cards, but the small family run restaurant that only takes cash whose food is far superior.

I don't do chain restaurants, I also have never found a restaurant that only takes cash.

Well I am 70 and have never lost any cash!

In the last year I have been to 2 different shops whose card machines had gone down and 2 different restaurants so it does happen. I had cash each time so no problem for me.

One of the restaurants only had the machine go down after we had eaten so that could have been embarrassing if we had not been able to pay as it was nowhere near a cash machine

&@mydogisthebest I'm 59 and never had an issue with card machines 🤷‍♀️

Well you are lucky because apart from the 4 times in the last year there have been quite a few other times when the card machines were not working in shops. One time was in a large Sainsburys. I would not have been happy if I had not been able to get my shopping.

@Jc2001 Actually one of closest friends, who worked in a bank for most of her working life, keeps almost all her life savings in a fireproof box under the floorboards!

When I went to collect my prescription last week, the system at the pharmacy was down and they could only accept cash payments. Loads of people had to go away without their medication or toiletries because they didn't have cash to pay for anything.

@mydogisthebest and you're truly lucky never to have lost your purse or been mugged.

Literally 1000s of people have been.

This subject has been flogged to death on numerous threads.
Use cash don't use cash,we have choice.
Use what suits you and your preferences.

I agree, it must be rare to spend hundreds? £20 for the meal, £10 for a couple of drinks. Even with your share of starters for the table it wouldn't be much more.

Another time that we use cash is to pay for building work etc. I find they will always give a good discount for cash.

Family run =/= chain

Very foolish....

Do you ever wonder why?

I pay for 95% of things via Apple Pay/bank card and 5% cash and that’s only hobby events - I can’t remember the last time I spent cash in a shop.

Is this common amongst IT people? I know a few who are similar.

I'm not in the UK, and while the card system does go down it is quite a rare thing.

I'm sure you weren't the only people in the restaurant, what did everyone else do, they can't all have had cash? Why would it have been embarassing, surely most businesses are aware that not many people carry cash? Although this thread has been an eye opener, as I really didn't realise how many people still use cash. I go to the supermarket a lot, and rarely see anyone pay with cash.

I always carry both on me so I’m prepared whatever happens.

@NattyTurtle most people make bigger payments by card or phone, and small payments by cash. The stats back this up.