To ask you about cash?

[PassingStranger]

What with card payments going down and threats to shops online systems

Are you thinking you should keep more cash in the house? I am.

It's not really promoted as being safe though. They always say money is safer in the bank.

Would you consider having more cash available?

We've had power outages at work - it amazes me how many (mainly young) people simply sat there and waited for the electricity to come back on, and yet some of us managed to find things we could do without electricity!

Nor can they open safely without electric as there’s no heating,lighting, security, etc.

And if there is a blackout? I'm seeing smatterings of preparing for 3 day blackouts in the media. No electricity means no cards or phones to pay for anything.

We generally have about £200 between us so enough to buy groceries if we needed or transport

Every supermarket accepts cash.

And yanno it's not like it will be some sort of apocalypse type situation. It'll be massively inconvenient though and there will be a lot of places who will find a way to sell what you need.

If you want to shrug and say there's no point then that's your call.

There's always a way to prepare for something, but putting your fingers in your ears thinking it won't happen to you is daft.

I hate having cash. My mil insists on giving presents in cash - nice problem. But it just collects on the bookcase as we simply never use it. Electronic tills make the "use cash" argument during power outages redundant.

We live in Portugal and had the 10-12 hour power cut on Monday. A local supermarket had a generator for back up power, but there was no WiFi or phone signal so the only payments they could take were in cash.

Thankfully cash is still common here but lots of tourists were caught out

I’ve always had a tin in my pantry with paper notes and coins. Always comes in handy for dds buses if dh hasnt sorted tickets online. We need milk or bread from the shop. Non uniform days etc.
Ive been told it’s odd, but it’s really not. I also have cash in my purse.

Frankly you are mad if you don't have some cash available (if you can).

I've started keeping mote cash at home, also bought more power banks that I keep charged. I always have about a weeks supply of cupboard in that I could make meals from if needed and thinking about buying some camping style cooking equipment, I'm only thinking this way as some really sensible friends of mine have started bulk buying water, rice, beans etc!

Cash is king.

Use it, or lose it!

If the computers go down most places won't be able to take cash either as their registers won't work.

Or cash registers to take cash either.

True, but if there's a power cut, their registers won't work, so they'll probably just close.

Cash is an extra option, it's best to have all options available to you. I was behind this rather rude woman in M&S cafe queue, she had loaded up her tray, she had a small child with her and had got him cake and other stuff. Got to till with just her phone, it didn't work so they couldn't have their food, she had been rude earlier in the queue so I laughed as she slunk away

The Governments across the world are making it as difficult as possible to use and keep cash.

If you go into your own bank and ask for more than 1k in cash, they will ask you what you want your own money for, and they aren't happy with your explanation they will refuse to give you your money.

The reason is two fold. One is money laundering, they are trying to make sure that they have a perfect record of every transaction that takes place within the economy, this is so they can tax every penny they can.

But the main reason is that it's obscenely profitable for the banking sector, who usually have huge political influence. Ten pounds in cash is just ten pounds in cash. It doesn't matter how many times it's "spent", the bank make zero from those transactions. But if you spend then pounds on your card the bank can charge you you for EVERY single transaction. Every time you use your card the bank makes money.

Thanks why there's such a strong push for card payments.

Keep and spend as much cash as you can. If the power goes out, a digital economy is fucked.

Yes, cash. Realised a couple of weeks ago that I hadn't seen or handled real.money for longer than I can remember. Note to self. Keep fifty quid in purse and hundred in house in case needed at some point. And batteries for radios.

We have cash in the house and I always carry a £20 note out with me (not that that would buy much). I went to M&S yesterday and took cash just in case, but card payments were working, our Co-op is ok, but yes, I am going to start taking out more cash, I have loose change in the car. No matter how often I tell my sons just have some cash on you, one does, but the other never has any, although he has a couple of notes hidden in car for emergencies.

I never thought of that element.

I’m a believer in cash. Not massive amounts but always keep £20 in the car got emergency petrol. Hundred quid at home, try and keep twenty in coins too. I don’t use it often for myself but it’s handy if you need it for dc. This week Kids had a thing at school and were asked for £2 donation each, 3 kids six quid then a quid for a youth club and £1.50 for a snack at another (free) club.

The best thing to do is try to make sure you've got enough dried, canned, pickled etc. food to last at least a month. Also the same for personal hygiene, personal and cleaning products. We have a garage larder and buy a few extra items every week to add to it.

I’m one stage further on and I’m buying silver and gold bullion!

I always have some cash in my purse. For situations like these when the power goes and you can't pay with the machine in the shop. Some of our local shops prefer cash as it's cheaper for them. They have to pay a bank charge when customers pay by card

They will have emergency measures to accept cash and manage it manually.