Cash or check.
I’ve never used Paypal other than the very infrequent (<1x/yr) purchase. Never used Venmo/Zelle/etc to give/receive payment. Never will until I HAVE to have something that cannot be obtained otherwise - or the entire economy changes such that cash/checks no longer work.
Cash, checks, Zelle here.
If it’s some total stranger I don’t want a check, but otherwise I don’t care. We’re in an era where you can deposit checks into your bank account by scanning them at home - they aren’t exactly a burden to deal with.
I have a small but international business and all payments are either direct bank transfer, which in Europe is free and effectively instant, or PayPal, which costs the customer about 5% more if there is a fee for currency conversion. Cheques are not accepted as if they are in foreign currency they take a long time to clear.
I understand that bank transfers from the USA are complicated to set up, cost a significant fee, and are very slow. Hence I accept PayPal.
I am in the UK, and cash is going out of use. It is not at all unusual to find that a shop or restaurant does not accept it. To pay you just tap a machine with your card, what we call ‘contactless’ because putting the card a few millimetres away works fine. For more than £100 you have to put in a PIN.
Do you have that in the USA?
Yes, except usually you don’t need a PIN. Just tap and the payment goes through. Once in a while they’ll require a signature, which you make with the stylus on the tap screen.
I believe that all Visa/Mastercard/American Express credit and debit cards currently being shipped have contactless payment. Some people may have older cards which don’t yet have this–but will when they are replaced. While lots of retailers accept these cards note businesses would have to upgrade their terminals and some haven’t done this–including the biggest retailer in the U.S.–Walmart. But note this is a credit or debit card–not a bank to bank transfer which lots of other countries have. And of course very few individuals can accept credit or debit card payments.
I want to add that in the US, cash is still used a lot for payments between individuals. There are now systems for sending money electronically and directly between individuals’ bank accounts, such as Zelle mentioned in this thread, but they are quite newfangled so lots of people don’t have it yet.
My ex neighbor sent me a postal money order.
I do paypal, but not Venmo, Zelle, etc.
Yes.
Gift cards also work.
Money Laundering restrictions.
Cash in the mail is not a good idea. I mean, up to a $20 sure, but not much more.
I dont do electronic banking nor do i have a bank app. Too many years as a Banking Security consultant.
For this and other reasons. Also if I lose my phone, all i lose is a few contacts.
Well, not more expensive- usually, but certainly not free.
Cash does have costs- the labor for two employees to count, recount and check the cash. A bank fee for large deposits (usually 1%), employee theft, armored car service, etc.
I use checks and sometimes Wire.
Someone sends the funds for a pontoon boat thru the mail??? 
The USPS says not to send large amounts of cash thru the mail. I would never pay for anything expensive with cash thru the mail.
I will bet that drug buys, hookers, lap dancers, and similar things are all still cash only. 
No, typically we meet at a notary to transfer title and they hand me the cash before we go in. Other times we’ve done the deal at the marina.
You do understand I was responding to someone saying they were restricted to $500/day to their own adult children?
Yes there are limits for various reasons, with money laundering being high on the list. That doesn’t explain why one late-middle-aged Doper has $500 limits and another has $5000 limits despite not transferring that much ever.
Yes, I read that. There are various limits for money laundering reasons. Even as low as $500. Why that SDMBer has those limits I do not know.
There are two ways to get Zelle: 1. Via your bank or credit union (and only some banks/credit unions offer it) 2. Directly with Zelle (anyone can do this whether or not their bank offers it).
If the second:
If your bank or credit union does not yet offer Zelle®, your weekly send limit is $500 and your weekly receive limit is $5,000 in the Zelle® app. Please note that you cannot request to increase or decrease your limits.
And if your bank or credit union offers it the limits are determined by the bank–and some banks/credit unions are more risk adverse than others.
Cool. Thanks everyone.
I don’t see “mail” as a qualifier in the OP.
Yes, I get very annoyed when I give an organization my bank account (including the physical address where the account was opened, which for some incomprehensible reason is often requested), and then they want me to provide the SWIFT code/routing number. Geez guys, that sort of info should practically be on autofill. It’s not exactly secret.
That’s a feature, not a bug.
Cash App
I transfer small sums to pay my yard guy and other maintenance services. I usually keep a $100 balance. Only because I’m treating it like a petty cash account.
It’s very easy. I indicate the amount and press Pay. Then search the persons name. People I use regularly are Favorites. It goes into their cash app account. They can spend it from there or move it to a bank account.
I’m in the midst of closing my office as we are going fully virtual. Someone bought some desk chairs off me and paid me $750 in cash. I haven’t handled that much cash in total in the last 5 years.
I need to remember to go to the bank and deposit it so I can spend it on my credit card. It’s a shame you can’t deposit cash through my banking app like I can with a cheque.
Mostly Cash App, especially for small amounts. At buffets and such where one pays before dining, the waiters all have laminated cards with their Cash App handle.
For larger sums, like when we were remodeling, I would go to the bank and get cashiers checks to pay the painter and flooring person.
That is true…
My best friends call me cash.
Yeah, I suppose I have a PayPal account still, although its login details are hidden in some browser or computer I’m not sure where. I’ve had to resort to those third-party companies even recently…not my favorite.
Wire transfers, in the US, are a no-go, because of exorbitant fees. However, ACH transfers can be free as a bird, depending on one’s bank or credit union.
Failing that, money orders are cheap enough and can be bought just about anyplace (convenience store, grocery store, at least). I don’t remember if there’s a hard limit on the amount per money order…probably depends.
Failing all those…I dunno…sack of gold pieces or an IOU, I guess.
Cash.
Or take it in trade. ;D