# How much cash do you typically carry? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656 "2025-09-01T16:10:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/21 "2025-09-01T18:30:40Z")
I typically use my debit or credit card for most things, but I do try to keep somewhere between about $40-100 on me in cash as well. This is because there are cash-only situations that I do occasionally encounter, and it’s nice to say… be able to buy gas when the card system is down, or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/22 "2025-09-01T18:43:18Z")
I’m 75. Pay for nearly everything with credit card, balance is automatically paid off every month; keep 3 or 4 twenties in my wallet for the rare exceptions. This has worked for me since I retired 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/23 "2025-09-01T18:47:52Z")
About ten dollars, a bit less depending on the vagaries of the dollar value, 10.000 pesos actually (in one single neat bill), and some small change. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/24 "2025-09-01T18:54:44Z")
I start with about $200 and hit an ATM when I’m down to $20. That cycle can take up to six months unless I’m traveling and need something for valets or housekeeping. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/25 "2025-09-01T19:11:41Z")
For at least the past two years I’ve only had 29 cents in my wallet. I was recently delighted to learn the local farm stand now takes Venmo payments. I’d always forget to get cash back at the grocer to use at the farm stand on my way home. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/26 "2025-09-01T19:34:47Z")
Eighty to a hundred dollars. I try to get it in fives if possible. My favorite bill. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/27 "2025-09-01T19:47:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I start with a hundred bucks and get more when it gets down to about twenty. The one transaction for which I regularly need cash is my monthly haircut. For everything else I use my credit card. This is me, almost exactly. I have to make sure I have at least 30 bucks when I go for my haircut, which is about every six weeks. Otherwise, I hit the ATM when I have less than 20 bucks in my money clip. If I somehow end up with a bunch of 1’s and 5’s, I’ll spend that quickly, because I don’t like a big wad of bills in my pocket. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/28 "2025-09-01T19:47:54Z")
$5-$20, plus whatever change falls to the bottom of my purse. Recently I had a good bit more because we just came back from vacation and we carried about $200 between us. VISA is so much easier, plus we get cash back. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/29 "2025-09-01T19:47:58Z")
Around £50 (~$70) for contingencies that don’t really exist any more - almost everything is CC these days, and quite a few places (stores like Decathlon, venues like The Oval cricket ground) are cashless. I get embarrassed if I pay less than £5 by card, and that’s about it. When we’re travelling I’ll have that much sterling and, say, between 50 and 150 Euro or local equivalent (~$60 -180), though in some places (like Copenhagen) cards are universal. j ETA: out on the bike I make sure I have at least £40 cash. There’s the potential for an emergency there. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/30 "2025-09-01T19:51:02Z")
Zero. I use a card for everything. Although I opened my wallet the other day and there was a twenty in there. Had no idea how he got in there or how long I had it. I gave it to my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/31 "2025-09-01T19:51:39Z")
I’ve had the same $50 bill in my wallet for a year, at least. It’s just for an emergency. Outside of some emergency situation, I’m using a credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/32 "2025-09-01T20:02:30Z")
Haven’t got a clue. Currently have, umm let’s see, $85 in my wallet. That’ll probably be there for 6 months or so. I rarely use cash. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/33 "2025-09-01T20:02:41Z")
Maximum of $60 most of the time. More if I’m going to the track, though now you don’t need cash for anything other than betting. I put everything on a card and pay it off each month. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/34 "2025-09-01T20:27:02Z")
Around $20 +/- $20. So $0-$40 depending on whether I broke a $20 or recently added another. Aside from kid lemonade stands or tipping hotel staff, it very rare I need folding cash at a moment’s notice. If I know I need cash for something, I’ll get it from an ATM for that event. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/35 "2025-09-01T20:32:41Z")
$0. I haven’t carried a wallet in about 5 years or so. My cellphone has a case that holds my ID, a credit card, and my insurance card. I probably don’t even need the insurance card any more. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/36 "2025-09-01T20:34:14Z")
This. I pay my cc off every month so I never pay interest, and there’s no annual fee, so I use it for almost everything and use the cash reward I get against the monthly balance. I do like to carry some cash with me, around $60. Some stores charge you 3-5% extra to use your cc, so I need some cash for those situations. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/37 "2025-09-01T20:34:17Z")
No set amount. If I know I’ll need cash for something I’ll get extra to keep in my wallet. So anywhere from 0-300. Rarely more than that. I use my debit card 90% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/38 "2025-09-01T20:37:06Z")
Perhaps a hijack, but for however much you carry, how often do you have to reload? I only need to reload every week or 2. Less frequently if I win at golf one week. Or, from another perspective, cash and credit, how much do you SPEND weekly? I’m excluding recurring bills like utilities. Possibly even groceries (my wife does the grocery shopping.) I spend less than $100 weekly. Basically 27 holes of (golf). I RARELY eat out, and next to never buy coffee or a drink out. I drink coffee at home and tap water everywhere else. Buying a pair of shoes or an item of clothing only happens a couple of times a year. A haircut every couple of months. I get all of my reading material from the library. We periodically will buy tickets to see live music. I think my wife bought some theater tickets this morning. That’s about it for me. And, of course, we pay off our cc monthly. Used to be great when the grocery store would give us cash back on our cash over purchase! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/39 "2025-09-01T20:44:25Z")
Usually zero. I’ve now twice been stuck without any cash when i wanted to tip the hotel staff. (Once I went to an ATM, and the other time someone overheard me discussing it and gave me the cash i needed.) I try to think about stuff like that before i travel, and usually do carry a couple hundred for travel to cash places (Germany and Japan) or about $60 for US, Denmark, and other card-based places. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656/40 "2025-09-01T20:51:49Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Although I opened my wallet the other day and there was a twenty in there. Had no idea how he got in there or how long I had it. I I often accumulate cash when splitting a check for a meal. Other people will throw cash at me and I’ll put the whole amount on my card. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-typically-carry/1022656.md?page=3)