‘Cash is king.’ Oh really? Is it? Do you carry cash? Are you plastic always, all the time?

[jnglmassiv]

Here’s a bit I wrote from a thread three years ago:

I always have cash and cannot understand the resistance to carry some at all times. In fact, I believe it approaches irresponsibility to not have $20 or so. There are any number of reasons one might need or want cash:

A bathroom emergency at a cash-only establishment that requires purchase;
Tipping an above-and-beyond towtruck driver;
Fuel at a cash only gas station;
Quarters for an unexpectedly low tire;
Need a bottle of water but the merchant (right or wrong) imposes a $20 minimum transaction;
An outstanding street performer;
A hat is passed for the band at a tavern;
The tamale guy shows up at the bar at a time when tamales are so very badly needed;
Power or network outage when essentials are needed.

I tip waitstaff in cash whenever I can, too. Too many crooked restaurant owners/managers steal from servers’ tips.

And a little more from a thread last April:

The vice sector. Casinos, pot shops and often bars are/were cash only. Obviously, black market sales like sports gambling, home card games, drugs, stolen goods are cash.
Many small independant restaurants are cash only. The tamale guy. The barber shop I used to visit. Roving vendors at the ballpark. Craigslist and flea market/swap meet buys can probably be lumped with your garage sale example.