# ‘Cash is king.’ Oh really? Is it? Do you carry cash? Are you plastic always, all the time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 4, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191 "2020-10-04T16:07:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/101 "2020-10-08T00:47:42Z")
I used cash for the majority of my small purchases (under $20). Covid changed that. But I still carry cash in case there’s issues with my cc. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/102 "2020-10-08T12:11:37Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > Because some of the different delivery agencies do not accept credit cards, we also have a mixture of different bills and coins for paying taxes on deliveries. If we’re lucky, the delivery agency tells us the amount before they come to the door. Sorry to divert from the thread topic, but why do you have to pay tax on deliveries (help this foreigner out). To the original question, i never carry cash unless I’m going to the only shop I know that only takes cash (a very old fashioned greengrocer). I have about £15 in change at home, which I use to tip food delivery people. I use Direct Debit, and only use CC for holiday purchases (booking hotels, rentals, flights) because of the payment protection it provides. Otherwise I don’t use CC because I’m scared of forgetting to pay it off. Oh, and I haven’t written a check for ten? 15? years? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/103 "2020-10-08T12:56:54Z")
About carrying cash for tips, you can get $2 bills at the bank and they make for some unique and fun tips to leave. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/104 "2020-10-08T16:32:58Z")
They are fun, but about 1 time in 100 the clerk thinks you are a counterfeiter or playing a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/105 "2020-10-08T18:38:37Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Sorry to divert from the thread topic, but why do you have to pay tax on deliveries (help this foreigner out). Import tax for things which are delivered from outside Switzerland. Some companies are willing to send an invoice, but most want the money at the time of delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/106 "2020-10-08T19:31:20Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > They are fun, but about 1 time in 100 the clerk thinks you are a counterfeiter or playing a joke. Reminds me of when the new $20s came out, a long time ago now, maybe 20 years ago. I bought some stamps at the post office and paid with one, and the clerk started counting back my change and the number kept getting higher and higher. I realized that she thought I’d given her a $100, not a $20. I pointed out her mistake and her look of relief and thanks was so strong I was guessing that at the end of the day she might have gotten charged for the short in her till. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/107 "2020-10-09T05:33:39Z")
Debit cards are ubiquitous here and have been chipped for years, and I use them for almost everything, with my credit card used for online purchases and large in-person payments. I used to take out $40 in cash every couple of months for small purchases but with isolation greatly reducing the occasion for such purchases and local businesses trying to discourage cash use (most groceries now have only one lane which accepts cash, for example) I still have the same two $20s I withdrew in March. It’s very quick to tap to pay anything up to $100 - higher amounts need you to insert the card and enter your PIN, which is still faster than paying cash and getting change. I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone making a purchase with a cheque. ATMs used to dispense only $20s, but the ones I commonly use have all changed to offering $5, $10, $20, and $50 bills in your choice of combinations. I normally keep about $200 in mad money stashed in my wallet, but have only needed it once, when I had to get notarized copies of documents for my mother, and her small town law office didn’t take debit or credit cards. They would have accepted an e-transfer, but I didn’t have a smart phone for that, so dug out a couple of $50s out to pay. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/108 "2020-10-09T07:52:00Z")
Ah, ok, that makes sense. On the rare occasion I’ve had to do this for imports from the US, I’ve been able to pay by card (the delivery person would normally have a card reader). ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/109 "2020-10-09T11:32:32Z")
I can add something from a retailer’s perspective. I work for a global retailer with operations in North America, Europe and Asia. We measure the heck out of payment types and associated checkout times using both POS data and smart cameras. Tap and go cards are far and away the fastest form of payment. Cash payments take longer than chip reader card payment WITH signature. But that is believed to be partly due to cash payers being much older on average. Every part of a transaction with older people takes longer. The other large segment of cash payers is non-English speakers, who also have longer payment times with both cash and card. We no longer measure the times for check payments. Outside of the US they aren’t accepted at all, and the use in the US has fallen to a negligible number (lower than WIC or gift cards). Cash payment has dropped so much in the US and Canada that we discontinued the use of “cash only” express checkouts many years ago. It’s much more common in Eastern/Southeastern Europe and some countries in Asia. Other countries in Asia have almost ubiquitous mobile pay which is also very fast. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/110 "2020-10-10T15:37:25Z")
^^^ Long live the king, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/111 "2020-10-10T22:45:19Z")
Cash seems to be rapidly disappearing here. Most retailers prefer cards during the present emergency. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/112 "2020-10-11T00:21:02Z")
I’ve used cash exactly once this year in Beijing. That was because WeChat’s own server was down for something and I did not feel like waiting for an indeterminate time for the server to get working again. For all other transactions, I have used WeChat Wallet, just like almost every other person in Beijing. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/113 "2020-10-13T21:00:22Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > I usually get $200 from the bank and refresh it when it gets down to $50 or so. Typically that would last two months or so, though with COVID I think I only withdrew once back at the start of lockdown. This is basically me. I’d get $200 from the ATM and whittle it down to a couple of twenties buying lunch, etc. And then repeat. With COVID I’ve not used cash for a very long time, so I’ve had a constant amount of bills in my wallet for half a year. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/114 "2020-10-14T20:46:21Z")
I almost forgot about my new (or, new/old) barber. He only takes cash, at least now he does. My previous barber took plastic. I only have $14 in my wallet, so I’ll either have to pull a $100 from the emergency stash (also in my wallet, tucked away), or hit the ATM. Cash is king, but only if you have what you need at the time. I need to replenish mine in my wallet. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/115 "2020-10-15T17:19:30Z")
I almost never have cash. I use my debit card for all retail and online purchases. I use electronic P2P services such as Zelle whenever I have to make a payment to a friend or family member. If a family member pays me with a paper check I use remote deposit capture via my mobile banking app to deposit the funds to my account. I pay all my bills bi-monthly using my bank’s bill payment service. If someone gives me cash… I’m annoyed and usually end up carrying it around in my wallet needlessly while still paying with my debit card out of habit and convenience. When I do remember I have the cash, I will go to the ATM and deposit it. Fortunately, it is really rare that anyone gives me cash and I have to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/116 "2020-10-16T01:31:49Z")
I just bought 2 side orders of black beans at an eatery: $3.82. Minimum CC amount is $5, so, a little cash on hand comes in, umm, handy. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/117 "2020-11-27T13:19:00Z")
but the thing with cash backs is if you don’t pay off bill in full, the amount of interest you pay may exceed the amount of bonus you’re receiving ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/118 "2020-11-27T13:20:56Z")
especially because it cuts down on robberies ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/119 "2020-11-27T13:32:19Z")
but if you get mugged with cash only, you’re only out that amount, where with card it’s a lot more. Also, when you use card at gas station, you may get scammed ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191/120 "2020-11-27T20:49:05Z")
> [@fedman1](#): > > but if you get mugged with cash only, you’re only out that amount, where with card it’s a lot more. You can report the theft and get the credit back. Presuming the thief/mugger doesn’t get my PIN, if someone mugged me they could only get $200 worth of stuff before they need to enter the PIN. Enough time for me to call the credit card company and cancel the card/report the theft. (The amount is currently higher due to COVID. They want people to use contactless more.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-is-king-oh-really-is-it-do-you-carry-cash-are-you-plastic-always-all-the-time/922191.md?page=7)