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

Yes I use it every day and so should everyone.

I run a business and we take card payments. Every time someone pays the bank get a bit.
In Canada when they did away with cash the banks get a bit from both the purchaser and also the vendor.

The banks are ruling over everyone already in this country and once cash is gone we are fucked.

Ironic that the Government advises people keep a bit of cash for this crisis when they've campaigned hard for their paymasters the banks to get rid of it.

Not really.

I keep my old iphones and can use the Find my iPhone to put it in lost mode or remotely wipe the phone plus they would have to have my face and/or fingerprints to open my phone and banking apps. I also have a limit on my cards that is under £60 (my weekly grocery shops are usually below £40), certain places where my cards aren’t allowed to be use (service stations since I don’t drive/ no car), and the banks know my spending habits and will flag my account if they see discrepancies (I go go days without purchasing something) or ask me to confirm with the card numbers which you can’t see in Apple Pay. To see my card numbers through my banking app, it asks to scan my face to confirm it’s me before they will show me my card numbers.

I only really need cash to take money out for the launderette and that’s once every 4-6 months. I came back from France last week and only used coins for a bus and the rest I used my phone.

If I’m local, annoying but if I’m further out where I’m not within walking distance, I have my card.

They are very busy. I worked for the owner at a different cafe several years ago and we would routinely take £7000 on a sunny Saturday. £1500 on a fairly quiet weekday.

My cleaner, horse riding lessons, the livery person and livery fees, and kids tutors all get paid in cash (all above board). Any spending I do in shops is all card though I'm considering returning to cash whenever possible.

I’m not sure either of your options really suit me. I don’t use cash for most things but I wouldn’t say I use it rarely either. We’ve a stack of cash at home from customers who pay that way (don’t jump on me, we’re totally legit!) and that gets used for various bits and bobs; a toddler group every week for a couple of £, whenever I want to buy myself something that isn’t a need but a want, whenever my husband goes ‘out out’ (rare now 😂), when we go to the rugby etc.

Well said, yes, gullible people indeed. It costs a small fortune for small businesses to insure and bank cash, plus often the insurers require expensive alarm systems.

Most if the shops, ie supermarket types are dual.

I have cash at the moment as I have been selling stuff pending a move. I have now turned into my daughter who sees "card" spending weirdly like free money but when actually handing over cash, seems like tou are being robbed!

Goodness.

i know I am a bit of a dinosaur but I mostly use cash, I do not trust card payment that much & would never pay with my phone!

I go to my local bank, yes we still have several where I live, to withdraw cash & pay bills & the bank is usually busy.

I was always taught cash is king.

I don't use cash at all. Like you, I went camping and drew some out in May because some of the Scottish campsites in the Highlands only take cash. Still trying to use the leftover now 🤦‍♀️🤣

I am in Europe on a city break at present, and didn't bring any Euros, and haven't drawn any money out of the cash point. Bus, metro, big shops, little shops, cafes and restaurants all take contactless.

Cash is just so unnecessary and inconvenient now. My cleaner accepts bank transfer but would prefer cash. Because I pay her an amount that could only be paid precisely in coins, it's just impossible. To drive and find a cash point somewhere, then to buy something just for the sake of getting the correct amount of change. It's just an absurd way of going about things and just feels so last century. Fortunately she does readily accept bank transfers.

I don't mind seeing signs up in businesses saying cash preferred. I absolutely can't stand businesses that have a sign saying 'cash is king'. It's the most nonsensical thing to say and I refuse to use any business that uses such a ridiculous choice of words. Some shops seem to go overboard and have umpteen cash only signs on every possible surface. I again refuse to shop there as it's overkill.

Somethings yes as they are cash only.
my hairdresser
local breakfast cafe
local Chinese take away.
thats about it really

My shop was one of them that went down and couldn't take card payments.
Despite having 7 very luminous yellow signs saying cash only, the amount of people that didn't read them (and agreed to me that they didn't even acknowledge the sign) and went to tap, before realising we couldn't take card and then had to walk away without their things but not before swearing at me for them not getting their things.. I think I will always carry cash

When I asked about people who use their phones for everything and what happens if they lose their phone or it is stolen I wasn't actually thinking of the security of their payment options. My point was that there is only one thing covering everything. If your phone goes you have nothing.

Yes I would be in this position but I keep my phone pretty secure so like to think it’s ok. I don’t even know where my debit card is to be frank, I’ve used my phone for everything for many many years. If I know I need cash in advance I can take some reluctantly but if I turn up somewhere and it’s cash only, I’m generally leaving.

I use cash for small and independent businesses where possible to remove tbe transaction cost they pay when we use credit cards.

My phone is as nicked a few months ago.

It’s locked down.

I called my bank from a dh phone to tell my bank, just as I would if I’d had my purse nicked with cards in it.

Nothing was ever taken from my bank. Everything on my phone is on the cloud anyway, so I didn’t “lose” anything. It’s all backed up all the time. Just got a new phone, signed in an bam, it’s just the same as the old one.

I still have physical cards as a back up. It’s not a big deal.

I am the biggest tin foil have wearing, down with the establishment, they are all reptilian scum person you will never meet, but a compete fucking hypocrite as you’d have to prise Apple Pay from my cold, dead hands 🤣🤣

Can’t be doing with cash I’m afraid.

Thry can track me all they want, I’m tapping my phone at lidl and paying with my face on Amazon.

I dont use cash at home. In Greece on holiday I do because that's what the locals prefer.
I only ever take my phone. My debit card hasn't seen the light of day for months. I withdraw a hundred quid once every 3 months and it pays for my nails (over 3 months) where she only accepts cash.
However, all this be prepared thing has got me thinking. Not only are we being told have a bit at home but i think I might get myself into the habit of using it again. Ive reduced my hours so it would be a good way of keeping a closer track of spending when not buying online.
In fact all this be prepared stuff has made me realise how we've been encourage to live electronically but we're all doomed if someone flicks a switch....so to speak.

Have you asked them if they prefer it? I used to go to lots of effort to have cash to pay at the tiny independent espresso place on my local station platform. Then I overheard the owner tell someone else (who was apologising for putting a small amount on a card) that it made no difference to her as she has to pay to bank the cash too.

Obviously this parity requires the business to be declaring everything. If they're avoiding any taxes it becomes much better for them to get cash.

Surely the same as having a bag or purse nicked

Cleaners, horses and tutors, a v middleclass cash list

I always used to ask but as they all said yes I stopped asking but actually that’s a good point. I will ask, especially new places

I've got into cash stuffing - a dream if you love stationery! It's great for little, incidental spending and makes saving really addictive. Overall I use a mixture of digital and cash, whichever makes sense for me at the time.

I use cash for transactions less than £5 which aren’t in chain coffee shops, both because of card charges and because I always balance my bank account and analyse card expenditure - I don’t want to go over every pint of milk or glass of soda. Always carry small change for the odd public loo that doesn’t take cards, supermarket trolley, cash tips.
My hairdresser’s card app (Fresha?) charges me over £1 to tip her £5.

The cash is king thing in this context js bollocks- it was never meant to be a statement about cash vs electronic payment but the importance or cash flow vs profit for a business- ie you can be profitable but still go bankrupt if you don’t manage your cash flow/ liquidity.

I keep a €20 in the cover of 1 phone and a €50 in the cover of my other phone (work and personal) just in case, as I rarely carry my wallet anymore. They don’t get much use, but I had to pay a €30 taxi fare in cash yesterday as his machine “was not recognising my card” (it was declining the payment, but my card is not normally a problem and there was money on it to use).

Before that, I think it was about 3 months since I’d last used one of those notes. The only time I definitely bring my wallet is when I go (which hasn’t been since July) to the weekly farmers’ market near me, as most take cards but a couple of the vendors only take cash. And there’s one beer bar near me that is cash only, but again, I haven’t been out for a while and not there since before Easter.