Being asked to keep cash?

[SpringDreams26]

AIBU to be a bit annoyed the UK Goverment is now asking us to keep cash, where it’s otherwise been effectively eradicated.

I never carry cash and numerous places don’t accept it anylonger!

The shops in my village would disagree. They ask people to use cash as much as possible. The butcher is very clear that the fees for card transactions are considerably higher than those for him banking cash.

That cash is still used a lot locally also appears to be one of the big reasons the village still has its post office when most around have lost theirs.

I found some paper tenners in a pocket, a couple of years ago. Paid them into the bank, no problem.

why would anyone not keep some cash handy? people need to think for themselves. do you go on holiday without cash too?

That didn't happen last year when our local co-ops went down, similar supply chain cyber attack as M&S. They took cash though. Tills operated separately to the banking payment system.

Know the manager of one store and she said the amount of abuse they received because for one day it was cash only was off the scale.

Would supermarkets have to keep a mammoth stockpile of change for their float? Can imagine it would end up being a bit of a problem when everyone turns up to buy their emergency supplies with crisp twenty pound notes only?

Pretty much, yes. I've totally embraced using my phone for everything. Like pretty much everyone I know. No problems so far. Except at the bingo.

The supermarkets have never stopped taking cash at served and some self service tills.

I don't use my phone to pay at the till

Well, then we shouldn't have any jewellery, cars, IPads, etc because someone can steal these too.

I found it really surprising how most of the society in UK has no common sense. Do you really think someone will deliver bread to your door in case of cyber attack?

Because people think that "someone " needs to fix it, make it work, sort it, etc.
Switch off Internet or ChatGPT for 24hrs - you would see the reality in UK.

It's really weird and kinda irresponsible to suddenly start giving off all these instructions as to hoarding various items.

What about the impoverished disabled who literally live hand to mouth? How can they compete with able, well off people buying loads more than they need to try and profit or just to be selfish.

You're simply wrong. A small business cannot dictate or negotiate their fees. Elon Musk might be able to, but Mrs Jones Small Bakes can't. My husband has absolutely no option to negotiate the fees being charged by visa, banks, paypal and all the rest taking their % of every sale. You are talking absolute rubbish.

Your opinion on this differs from all the local businesses i see displaying the Cash is King signs who detail their monthly fees, they actually write in pen the fees they have paid, the money they have lost. They prefer cash, they ask for cash, they have signs asking for cash payments, they use cash at their suppliers, they dont have to dispkay these signsm they chose too and they keep the full £1 of every £1 you spend.

You may disagree, but that doesnt mean everyone agrees with you. Paying in cash doesnt cost them money as they see it or they woukdnt specificalky ask.

The point is that those who can should. So those that can't can be prioritised.

The way people on MN are banging on about being terrified and/or fuming about being advised to take some basic precautionary measures is extremely odd. It's like it has only just occurred to them that our way of life isn't completely risk free and "the government" will in every circumstance be able to sort things out and restore the status quo immediately.

FFS someone even whined that "the government" should provide sleeping bags the other day.,

The problem as I have also mentioned above is logistics. Without computer systems feeding information back and and fourth, the suppliers won’t know who they’re delivering to, the distribution centres won’t know what to pick and where to send it and the stores won’t know what they need. So you might be ok whilst the shop has milk, so ok, three days. But the whole supply chain would collapse.

With no power and tills out of use, supermarkets couldn;t work out the prices of things on their shelves when you get to the checkout. It'd take too long for them to look through paper lists of prices (if they had such a thing), nor to go around making notes of shelf edge prices.

They'd also not be open without electric due to H&S of the stores being too dark, too cold, no security cameras etc.

Cash would be useless.

Good one ha.

As happened with the Co Op cyber attack last year when the stores were virtually empty of stock after a couple of weeks as the supply chain failed without stock control/stock ordering systems.

I haven’t complained about not having enough money to have cash at home.

No Gov can make you keep cash but it is a sensible thing to do in the event of any attack on digital payment systems. But you don't have to.

Apparently the problem in the UK is not whether the glass is half full or half empty. It is whether the glass is in the bottom of the water butt or smashed against the wall.

Some cash, according to your circumstances, is sensible.

£10k or bust is unhinged.

This is why it's been mentioned to have a variety of notes and coins.

Unless you're prepared to tell places to keep the change.

I’m not expecting anyone to “fix” anything. I’m fairly confident in my families resilience. We’re pretty rural and live in a farm type house so have access to resources and contingencies many people don’t.

I just think the “keep cash” message is hugely oversimplifying the impact of a cyber attack and would, for reasons I’ve explained been relatively useless.

Just caught up with my retailer husband who oversees over 30 stores for a retail chain and agreed that it would all fall flat pretty quickly. Ie you can have your milk for a day (but not if you’ve not got there first) but as I’ve said, the challenge would be the supply chain.

Sensible reserves more sensible IMO.

Yes, I've often grabbed some great bargains because I had the right amount of money in notes and coins.

Oh so you mean 20 £1 coins wasn’t the solution?