Do you still use actual cash to pay for things? Ive just realised I've not used notes & coins for months

[ApexDragonfly]

Its suddenly struck me that I've completely stopped using actual money in every day life. If I go out anywhere I use my phone/watch to pay so no longer bother carrying my purse most days. If my teen dc ask for money I just do a bank transfer rather than handing them cash. Ive just booked a friend group Christmas dinner and everyone transferred their deposit to my bank account. I think the last time I used actual money was when I was on holiday, but even then things like taxis were via an app, flights and hotel booking were paid online, and bigger restaurant bills I paid via card.

I think what's made me realise this is that the news is full of govt warnings to have some actual cash in case of a cyber attack. And I checked my purse and found I had £100 cash in it (I went camping in June, so took went to a cashpoint to get actual money in case i needed it. Turns out I didnt spend any of the actual cash money and have used my card to pay for everything since then).

Surely I'm not the only one who has gone cash free? Ive enabled voting

YABU - I still use cash for most things.
YANBU - I never/hardly ever use cash

I hardly ever use cash. There are a few independent shops near me that state cash only in the window, I'm not sure how well they do, because most people pay by card for pretty much everything. I try to have a bit of cash in my purse for tips though and for occasional donations to street artists and performers.

Rarely. I only really use cash if I need change for something

No. Hate cash. Haven’t used it in a long time

I probably use a cash machine 3 or 4 times a year. Hardly at all.

Yes use it regular and also card.

The only time I use cash is at my hairdressers as they don't accept card payments.

But even they're saying they may have to give in soon and accept them.

No, I don't even use my actual debit card, and PayPal closed my account because it's been unused for years.

I use both. Dh has his pension paid into our joint account and his "allowance " for want of a better word he has in cash because he likes to keep track. I occasionally lend money to one of our sons so transfer it into his account and he pays me back in cash.

Some of our takeaways are cash only and my hairdresser only takes cash.
Apart from that I rarely use cash.
OH is of the "Cash is king" mentality so rarely uses a card.

Very rarely but that’s because a lot of retailers don’t accept it .

Cash is pretty much useless when so many shops are self serve (card only) or online.
Cash will also be useless if and when the machines go down, because all the tills, prices, stock numbers etc are all controlled by computers anyway.

Cash is king is cringe.

Very rarely.

my milk man wants payment in cash , and tbh it’s a pain in the bum , as someone has to get it out from the cash machine once a month

I have tried but he’s having none of the bank transfer.

apart from that just about never .

The only people I pay cash to are my window cleaner and my dog groomer; who are both self-employed.

I still give the children a bit of cash for their purses but they are primary school age but that’s all.

That’s reminded me the last time I needed cash was for DS school disco. But that’s small change so then you have to get the cash out, find a shop that takes cash, buy something small to get the change. Then have a load of spare coins rattling around for weeks afterwards.

Genuinely the only good use for cash is the Tooth Fairy!

Yes, sometimes. I don’t want us to lose the opportunities to use cash so I make sure I use it fairly regularly.

My dcs schools (secondary) are all online cash payments. Their food account, school trips, £1 for own clothes day, etc are all just electronic now.

The only annoying thing is that they are at different schools which use different systems so remembering whether to log in to wisepay or arbor sometimes trips me up. But its still so much easier than having to scrabble round the house looking for spare pound coins to celebrate maths day or whatever.

I was fully card / Apple Pay only for a longtime but recently noticed here in US a charge 3.5-4% now being charged to use card it’s very annoying. Usually you don’t know until you arrive at the restaurant it’s getting expensive.

I make a point of withdrawing money and using cash.

Mainly for small business that I try to use as much as possible. They get 100% of the value then, whereas businesses are charged for every transaction.

Also again attacks and outerages mean I’m ok, look at Revolut last week.

Not sure why someone being self-employed would mean they need paying in cash? Our window cleaner will take cash or bank transfer, same with the milkman (thanks to the PP upthread for mentioning the milkman and remining me I need to pay mine😂).

No, and I really wonder how these businesses that insist on it manage to stay afloat.

I always walk away, not because of any great moral judgement but becuase I just don't have it.

I also hate getting change - something that costs £16 may as well cost £20 because the £4 change will be put "somewhere" and never spent.

I have a young man who cleans my windows. He's never even suggested cash. The first time he came he just sent bank details.

Never

Stalls in our market prefer cash as they get charged for card transactions. So I pay cash to keep those independent businesses and the market itself going.

You know this is nonsense? Paying cash into a business account is much more expensive than taking card payments. If you make a bank transfer they do keep 100%, which is how I pay my SE osteopath.