# How much cash do you usually carry with you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504 "2005-08-18T00:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/1 "2005-08-18T00:09:17Z")
I feel uncomfortable if I don’t have at least $40 on me. I usually have a little more than that. My best friend almost never has more than $5. That would drive me nuts. She uses her debit card for everything. ``` How much cash do you usually have on you, and what constitutes your "uh-oh, I'm low on cash" zone? ``` ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/2 "2005-08-18T00:15:22Z")
I get that uh-oh feeling if I have less than twenty dollars in my purse. These days, that is usually the case, since my husband and I have fallen on hard times economically. My late mother-in-law routinely carried around several hundred dollars in her pocketbook. Fortunately for her, she didn’t look particularly well-to-do, and no purse-snatcher ever got the boodle, as far as I know. After her death, we went through her belongings and found nearly $2000 squirreled away in handbags and coat pockets. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/3 "2005-08-18T00:36:29Z")
As little as possible, though I usually try to have at least $20 just in case. I only pay in cash if I can’t pay by credit card. I’ve been this way ever since my purse, with about $60 in cash, was stolen when I was in grad school (for those of you who haven’t been in grad school, 60 is a lot of money to a grad student). I canceled my credit and debit cards immediately when I noticed my purse was gone. The #@%%\*! thief hadn’t tried to use any of them, but even if they had, I wouldn’t have had to pay anything, AFAIK. The cash, on the other hand, was just **gone** , with no way of getting it back or at least ensuring that the thief couldn’t use it. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/4 "2005-08-18T00:41:59Z")
I always keep a $100 bill socked away in my purse somewhere. The other cash I carry is usually no less than $50. I usually use a debit card, if at all possible. I don’t like to leave the house with less than $100, though. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/5 "2005-08-18T00:48:53Z")
Depends. I usually withdraw $60 whenever I go to an ATM and then just rely on that until I need to go again. Right now I’ve probably got $10 on me. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/6 "2005-08-18T00:55:28Z")
What is this “cash” you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/7 "2005-08-18T00:55:41Z")
I rarely have cash on me. If I remember, sometimes I’ll withdraw $40 or $60 whenever I’m at an ATM or a store where I pay by debit, but my son usually claims most of it within a day or two. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/8 "2005-08-18T00:59:02Z")
I always take out $80 from the ATM and don’t do another withdrawal until I’m down to less than $5. My wife never goes to the ATM so I’d say 1/3-1/2 of that amount gets siphoned off to her. The cash will usuallly last me a couple of weeks (depending on my movie schedule–really the only thing I use cash for since a lot of places I frequent don’t take credit cards). ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/9 "2005-08-18T01:03:52Z")
When I go out at night and will be buying drinks or paying cover I’ll make sure I’ve been to the ATM and will have about $40 on me. Otherwise, I’ll carry no cash and pay card for everything. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/10 "2005-08-18T01:09:53Z")
I go through about $50 in cash a week, which I take out when I deposit my paycheck. So – Saturday morning, $50, Friday morning, $5 or less. I also keep a twenty stashed away in case of emergency. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/11 "2005-08-18T01:11:56Z")
On a daily basis? A couple bucks maybe. I use my debit card for everything (sorry!). I spend cash a lot faster than I do money on the ATM card. If I am going out, I make sure I have enough for whatever may come up. Same thing when I am traveling. My dad never stops amazing me: he has been mugged THREE times, but still carries at least $1500 in cash on him at all times. He sees nothing wrong with this and is constantly yelling at me for not carrying cash. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/12 "2005-08-18T01:13:49Z")
I try to keep $50 at home just in case, but I rarely have more than $50 on me. I’m another one of those “I take $X out of the ATM and don’t go back till it’s gone.” I think I’m down to about $2 at the moment. GT ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/13 "2005-08-18T01:18:56Z")
The only cash I ever have on me is whatever I scrounge out of my husband’s pockets when I do the laundry - maybe a five dollar bill on a good day, but usually just change (we have $1 and $2 coins here in Australia, so that can add up). I always use my debit or credit card, except for coffee. I give 'em coins for that. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/14 "2005-08-18T01:23:21Z")
50-75 cents. In case I need to make a phone call. I walk everywhere, though, and don’t drive at all, so it might make a difference. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/15 "2005-08-18T01:30:16Z")
I’m not a huge fan of debit cards or charge cards\*, have a few of them, but never use them. My wife occasionally uses them but I am more of a cash only kind of person. But unless I am going shopping for something in particular, I have about $150 in my wallet. \*Not a fan of knowing whatever I buy with a card, someone can piece together every aspect of my life. Privacy thing. _adjusts his tinfoil hat_🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/16 "2005-08-18T01:31:21Z")
Anywhere between a little bit of change and $100 plus a little bit of change. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/17 "2005-08-18T02:24:24Z")
I usually have at least $150-$200 cash in my wallet. I don’t trust ATMs, EFTPOS enough to go without cash entirely. I’ve had the experience of being stranded away from home with very little cash when an ATM swallowed my card. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/18 "2005-08-18T02:44:37Z")
I don’t usually carry money with me unless I’m going somewhere I’m planning on buying something, in which case I bring a bit more than I think I’ll need. At school I can use my ID card in the bookstore and stuff, so I don’t really need to have cash in my pocket. Someday this will bite me in the ass and I will die. Meh. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/19 "2005-08-18T03:34:23Z")
“Cash”? Oh - that funny green paper stuff with pictures of dead guys on it! I almost never have cash on me. We use a credit union (which we love) that only has one branch near us. I use my debit card almost exclusively. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504/20 "2005-08-18T03:35:16Z")
Between 10,000 and 30,000 yen (between US$90 and $270). Japan used to be almost completely cash based and I got used to it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cash-do-you-usually-carry-with-you/317504.md?page=2)