Do you use cash or card?

Question

Ok, so, like, I'm out shopping with one of my friends the other day and we go to pay and it was at this point she informed me I was, "so totally cringe" for paying with cash. And I realized that at 25 years old I was already old and outdated. Like, omg, when and where did this all happen? Did we switch to a parallel universe and I just didn't notice?

Ok, granted, I had travelled so very far away from my own little town that time forgot where our one little local store has one card machine that might work sometimes and the store owner only installed 'cuz he had to to meet state certifications or something like that. But like, if the power goes out , as it often does here, the little store often stays open 'cuz we don't need plastic cards to buy stuff and the cashier there can actually count change.

So, here, I once more set myself up for public shame and ridicule as I demonstrate my amazing backassward, country girl ignorance of anything in the "real world" and ask: Cash or card?

Actual simulation of Random setting herself up for public ridicule

Lliam · Accepted Answer

I prefer to use cash. I never pay with my ATM card. But for gas, sometimes for groceries and some larger purchases I use a credit card. And I never use apps.

I have many reasons for preferring cash but the main one is to discourage the move to digital currency. Also, when you pay cash, the vendor uses that cash to pay for other things. The cash circulates and remains mostly local, preventing credit card companies and banks from profiting. And vendors don't have to pay credit card fees that cut into their profits.
I refuse to patronize anyplace that won't accept cash.

And when I pay cash, my transactions can't be traced.

Hardon-Collider · Accepted Answer

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑦 69𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑖 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑑. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑖 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑏𝑦 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝐼 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑠𝑘 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝐴𝐼 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢.

Apulu_backagain · Accepted Answer

I once went to a 7 days school trip and my dad handed me a wad of cash and his credit card and told me to go crazy. Obviously without mom present in room.

But I came back with credit card not used and some cash used. Credit card is so meh and plastic. I mean it's nice but I just preferred using cash.

On top of that, cash helps you stay more conscious about your spendings. And it smells damn good. Just like old books but expensive.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

A friend told me there's places in London that'll charge you more for paying in cash. Other places practically bully you into paying by app.

Locally I've seen a few shops with "cash is king" signs up telling you they prefer cash. But I reckon 90% of my purchases are through plastic.

Personally I prefer people pay me in cash.

Levin · Answer

I find it a bit odd that your friend would call you 'cringe' for using cash.

I hope you're not hanging around with morons.

I do like the convenience of card, and a lot of places are phasing out cash, but yes, I still use cash. Over here they're trying to make everyone use a 'digital ID'. So begins the death of cash and the beginning of our collective slavery.

hafinjun · Answer

Well im pretty sure we've switched timeliness many times this year. I had a nurse who had cared for me for 5 years, she was going on to another clinic. There's a cupcake shop a block away and I knew the one she liked. I went in to get her a couple. You say how surprised you were by finding out cash was no longer in vogue... imagine my surprise when she rung it up and I handed her cash. Only to be told o" oh I am sorry sir we dont accept cash" I thought she was kidding at first. But alas no. I had to break out the plastic.

Beckybooboo · Answer

I live in a weird town, there are a lot of places (most bars, some restaurants and a gas station) that don't even accept a card. It's cash only. The nice thing that I noticed, is their ATM machines don't charge you for withdrawing money lol so I always have cash on hand. I would say about 40% of my daily purchases are cash.

WindAtMyBack · Answer

I have always used cash for a lot of things. I almost never use a card for less than $20-30, and don't usually use one for under $50.

Lately I've been using more cash because credit card companies don't keep your info private. They'll sell your name, address and everything you buy to other companies who have no business having that information.

Twodogs0525 · Answer

It's funny you ask. Just a week ago I asked the woman that works at the gas station I go to, on average, what percentage of people usually pay with cash? I thought for sure she'd say anywhere from 80-85%, I was shocked when she said over half! I pay cash about half the time.

She said a lot of people work for cash. I know when I was a sought after stripper for birthday parties and Bar Mitzvahs, I raked in the cash!

egan3141 · Answer

I carry both and use whatever is cheaper. Credit cards get points that are equivalent to reducing the price. If the store has a fee for credit cards, that fee is practically guaranteed to be higher than the points I get, so I use cash instead. As for perception, the bigger the city, the less people use cash.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Some businesses are charging more for credit card transactions. I don’t frequent those places. Some businesses are refusing to accept cash. As long as they don’t charge extra, i’ll shop there. If a business offers lower prices for cash, they get my business for sure. I usually have both cash and cards on me when i’m shopping. I can go either way and it’s usually decided by savings.

FreyaRed · Answer

Both. I go to bank every month and pay out certain amount of cash, however I pay sometimes higher sums with card or some online purchases with Blik* that is part of my bank app.

Blik is here national mobile and online pay service, something like PayPal once was.

RavVid · Answer

Aww. You've made me nostalgic. The general store was the only non-farmhouse building in my district. As kids we'd take the rabbits we trapped and sell them to the guy who ran it. Of course he knew we'd immediately reinvest the money in lollies - candy I think you'd say.

It's since been bulldozed for a servo - gas station to you. Sad. Look after your country store with nice smelling paper money. We only have polymer money now :(

AviatorTom · Answer

I use a card whenever I can, treating like cash, paying the bill off in full at the end of the month. I hate to pay interest. Of course, that means carefully monitoring my spending during the month, ensuring that I  can  pay the balance in full when it comes due.

DJB72 · Answer

I'd rather use a form of hard currency like cash. I hate plastic simply because as Trudeau demonstrated, the government can restrict your access to your account any time they feel like it.

And there's no political leader in any country who wouldn't do it in a heartbeat.

Control money and you control the population.

Fuck that...

douride2 · Answer

I use a combination of cash & a card. It depends on what I am buying & where I am if I use cash or a card. Most times around town I use cash. Unlike the guy ahead of me yesterday at Mc D's. Used his credit card foe a $1 coffee. When I do use my card it gets paid in full when the bill comes at the end of the month.

OneViewpoint · Answer

Credit card almost always. I carry a teeny tiny micro wallet. I can stuff maybe a $100 - $120 in there "just in case" I need cash for some reason. But my cards give me significant protections and a record of all my transactions.

LongLiveBillGates · Answer

Card. Cash is so outdated and should be fine away with. Doing away with cash would reduce terrorism and crime. I really can't wait until we can ditch both cash and cards and just use an implanted microchip for everything.

Staximus · Answer

Stores go cashless because they're too stupid to figure out how to stop their employees from stealing it or the employees can't count. Restaurants do it so they can tax tips, which were supposed to be tax free. Fuck both of them.

Orion84 · Answer

I genuinely can't remember the last time I used cash for anything. Paying with a card is just so much easier, and more convenient. I never carry cash.

Simslover92 · Answer

Mostly card. I rarely need to use cash unless it's to play the lotto. And pretty soon that may become card too.

exitseven · Answer

I pay cash 90% of the time. I use a credit card for online purchases. If some place will not accept cashi always raise a stink like a cranky old man because it is illegal not to accept cash

Iron_Man · Answer

It’s better to pay in cash credit cards can get filled up quickly and you may not have the money later to pay for it and then you’re gonna have to take on all the interest fees. I like to pay in cash

Bricealan · Answer

@randomgirl42 Rarely, if ever, do I carry cash. Used to carry a checkbook for 'emergencies'. Gave that up too.

jamesgoldman · Answer

Cash My clients expect it To quote the legendary Wu-Tang clan 'cash rules everything around me C. R. E. A. M get the money dollar dollar bills y'all'

Ironco · Answer

I would have told that friend to "go fuck yourself". That's just me though.

Nikki1989 · Answer

Card. I haven't used cash in many years.

Dinklex3 · Answer

Card. It’s nice to have cash on you though especially in winter and there’s a snow/ice storm.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

Why are they laughing at you? It's pretty normal for someone to pay in cash, so what? 🤷🏻‍♂️ Here in my countey the majority of people pay in CASH 🤑

LiamJHayden · Answer

Rewards credit cards primarily. I pay the entire balances off the 1st and 15th, so I never have an interest payment and get lots of cash back rewards.

jJanSmit · Answer

Both, but almost no cash anymore. I used to pay with my phone, but since my bank forced me to use Google pay, I quit doing that and use my card.

lilBigPotato · Answer

I have a bit of cash on me just in case, but I'm paying 99% of my stuff but card

msc545 · Answer

I use a card nearly 100% of the time. In those instances where I need to pay cash, and those are very few, I use Zelle, which seems to work quite well now.

RedInnocent69 · Answer

Both, but card more often than cash. It’s always charming and somewhat of a surprise to use cash not when not antiquing or at a market or fair

whiskeyontherocks · Answer

Card got to keep up that credit score  Never spend above my means though

Wiredone · Answer

90% of the time I use cash. Some places charge extra if you use a card

Jerre · Answer

If it’s $10 or less, I always pay cash. If more, use my CC.

Twalli · Answer

Most of my purchases are online, so I use a credit and debit card.

driven159 · Answer

both some places like flea markets are cash only or road side stands

Darkest-Knight · Answer

Card. I haven't carried cash for many years.

fuddly · Answer

I almost never use cash I use card 99% of the time

katiesmuff · Answer

Card much more than cash!

DryGermanGuy · Answer

„Bargeld ist König“ (Cash is king).

beenherebefore · Answer

Card always, more specifically apple pay.

AgentG111 · Answer

Cash as Much as possible!

Dargil · Answer

I mostly use my debit card.

jahaims · Answer

Depends on what is am doing

AngryCarl2 · Answer

I hardly ever carry cash now.

Sam1133 · Answer

I use both cash n card

BoredGemini · Answer

Card these days

Raydergman26 · Answer

I use a card and sometimes cash

QuineJessica · Answer

Both

robocop666 · Answer

Cash I hate cards

itsannalee · Answer

Both.

Evsisa · Answer

Card.

RedTiefling · Answer

I only use dubloons

PeterLegg91 · Answer

Casheroo

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

Cash for me

Nice222 · Answer

Cash only.

Do you use cash or card?

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