# How much money (paper bills) should you keep in your wallet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 26, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526 "2019-05-26T00:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sta3535](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@sta3535](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sta3535)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/1 "2019-05-26T00:42:56Z")
Since I keep the rest of my money in my bank account, the highest amount I would carry would be around $50-60, unless if I’m going to the casino or something. Now, I usually pay with a card because it’s easier & more convenient for me. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/2 "2019-05-26T00:59:54Z")
Cards are convenient, and either ubiquitously used or quite the opposite depending on what country you are in. You may want to consider having some extra cash in situations like going out to a restaurant with some friends. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/3 "2019-05-26T01:44:45Z")
I start the week with $100 in cash. I use that for all my little personal purchases: lunch, coffee, a cab, a candy bar, splitting a pizza with friends… It’s an easy way to budget. But getting less easy, as more places have stopped accepting cash. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/4 "2019-05-26T01:48:30Z")
I pay everything I can with my Amazon card. I generate $50+ in points every month. I only carry cash because I sometimes get paid in cash. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/5 "2019-05-26T01:51:12Z")
We get about $200 from the ATM when we get down to maybe $40-$60 between Mr. Athena and I. We share that cash until we hit that range again then go get another $200. Used to be that we did that at least once a month; nowadays it lasts a LOT longer as more and more places make it more convenient to pay with a card. Even pizza delivery and fast food is easier to pay with a card now instead of cash (that wasn’t the case 3-4 years ago in our little town.) Of course, as I was reminded today - the farmer’s market started up this year, and that’s the one place where it’s still a lot easier (and sometime necessary, depending on the booth) to pay with cash. So I expect to be ATMing it more since it’s pretty easy to drop $$ at the market. I like supporting my local farmers/artists/butchers. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/6 "2019-05-26T02:24:16Z")
The Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, defines legal tender as “United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues.” Many, if not most state and local jurisdictions include in business licensure that all forms of legal tender must be accepted as a condition of such licenses. Court decisions have supported refusal of more than 100 pennies, or more that $10.00 in coins. Tris * * * When a cashier asks me “How would you like that?” when giving change for a large bill, I always say, “American money, please.” Never did that in another country, though. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/7 "2019-05-26T05:51:31Z")
Usually $40 - $50 except if I’m going on a trip, in which case I get more. Not that I spend it very fast. About the biggest cash sink for me is getting a haircut, where it is easier to tip in cash along with the payment. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/8 "2019-05-26T14:00:09Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I start the week with $100 in cash. I use that for all my little personal purchases: lunch, coffee, a cab, a candy bar, splitting a pizza with friends… It’s an easy way to budget. > > But getting less easy, as more places have stopped accepting cash. Where are you finding all these places that have stopped accepting cash? It’s become common in recent years for fast food stores, convenience stores, etc. to not accept anything bigger than a twenty after a certain time of evening, but that’s a long way from not accepting cash. I shop at national chains, locally owned stores, and regional chains. It is true that financial services companies such as Edward Jones often don’t accept cash, but that is the only exception that I personally have ever found. Apple Go stores used to not take cash, but that’s changing. > **[Amazon Go's first NY store is also the first to accept cash](https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/amazon-gos-first-ny-store-is-also-the-first-to-accept-cash/)** > > The 12th Go store comes to the Brookfield Place mall near the World Trade Center. And various jurisdictions are requiring business to accept case. > **[Policymakers Introduce Bills To Ban Cashless Stores In US](https://www.pymnts.com/news/payment-methods/2019/cashless-ban-legislators/)** > > Two legislators brought bills forth in Congress to make business accept cash payments, in efforts that could put a stop to cashless stores. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/9 "2019-05-26T14:07:04Z")
At least $20 and preferably $40. Never know when I might find something interesting at a thrift store and I hate to burden the ones that do accept credit cards with the extra fee. But I don’t want to carry more because I might find something _interesting_ at a thrift store and I hate to spend that much money on a shopping whim. I like to keep such buys to small potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/10 "2019-05-26T14:17:06Z")
I often have business meals with strict rules about who may pay for what. Some places won’t split checks. And sometimes we’re at someone’s office and have to reimburse for food they’ve ordered in. So I usually have $80-$100 in mixed bills. It’s enough for an emergency taxi ride, although that’s less of an issue these days. But I very rarely use cash otherwise. I don’t even have that many in-persom purchases in a typical week, and those all go on the CC ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/11 "2019-05-26T14:25:49Z")
I’ll generally get $30 from the ATM and it’ll get me thru 2-3 weeks of sodas and chips at work. If I’m going to the local Amish markets or a thrift store, I’ll get more, since they don’t do plastic. That’s why I have $51 and change on me right now - I only spent $8.50 at the thrift store yesterday and none of the Amish stands had strawberries. Otherwise, I’d only have $11 on me. ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/12 "2019-05-26T15:56:03Z")
Golly, I’m an anomaly. I’m not comfortable unless I have at least $100, $200 is better, and between $3-400 isn’t unusual. I also have another $500 in the house for ‘just in case’. Yes, I have credit cards, but I don’t use them for anything less than, say, $50 purchase. Back in the day, they didn’t give credit cards to just anybody with a pulse. First you would get a gas card, then after a few months, maybe a store card, then some time later, if you never missed a payment, you could get a Visa or MC. Until then, you lived on cash and checks. I guess I never broke the habit. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/13 "2019-05-26T17:58:14Z")
I haven’t carried cash in my wallet in about 7 years. Always use a card. I would miss my cash back rewards. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/14 "2019-05-26T18:13:04Z")
> [@Dobbs](#): > > Back in the day, they didn’t give credit cards to just anybody with a pulse. First you would get a gas card, then after a few months, maybe a store card, then some time later, if you never missed a payment, you could get a Visa or MC. What day was this? I’m well over 50 now, and I’ve had credit cards my entire adult life (never a gas or store card), even when I was an impoverished student. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/15 "2019-05-26T19:45:54Z")
I hardly ever carry cash, if I spend $40 on average in cash in a month, I’d be surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/16 "2019-05-26T20:05:54Z")
I deal with a surprising number of people who don’t do credit. The people who clean our house: $120 a week. Footcare: $80 (for two) every 6 weeks. Hair and beard cuts: $30 including tip every couple months. My wife’s hair dresser: $60 every 2 months. Snow clearance and lawn care: $85 a month and he often does things like dig the garden for a couple hundred, all cash. Are these people all declaring the income? Not my business. The footcare guy certainly does since he gives a receipt. So I go to the bank every few weeks and draw out $500 that I manage to spend. Of course, that $120 a week draws it down quick. Right now I have at least $400 in my pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/17 "2019-05-26T21:42:41Z")
Mike Royko always said you need to carry enough cash so that if you get mugged, the mugger won’t be pissed off. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/18 "2019-05-26T22:58:44Z")
You should keep as much as you need. I don’t need any so I don’t carry any. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/19 "2019-05-26T23:45:56Z")
I’d use credit cards more if they didn’t keep getting hacked for fraudulent purchases. I may not get stuck with the charges, but it is still decidedly worrisome and inconvenient when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526/20 "2019-05-27T00:30:50Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Where are you finding all these places that have stopped accepting cash? It’s become common in recent years for fast food stores, convenience stores, etc. to not accept anything bigger than a twenty after a certain time of evening, but that’s a long way from not accepting cash. I’ve encountered a restaurant or two in San Francisco that were completely cashless. [HRD Burrito](http://www.hrdcorp.com/menu/) for one. Such places are exactly why the city has proposed a law requiring businesses to take cash. That appears to be the motivation behind the legislation you linked to as well. And while it’s not something you’d encounter regularly unless you’re a real road warrior, most airlines no longer accept cash for purchases made on board. I personally keep around $40-$60 in my wallet. I use cards for nearly everything I buy in regular stores (for that matter, even the vending machines at work accept cards), but I spend cash when I go to the farmer’s market and at food truck day at the office park. Even many of those vendors are accepting cards now via those readers that attach to smartphones/tablets, but I try to pay cash just to save them the credit card fee. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-paper-bills-should-you-keep-in-your-wallet/834526.md?page=2)