# What US Currency Notes Do You Regularly Carry? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911 "2013-10-10T19:13:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/1 "2013-10-10T19:13:17Z")
OK, so this is geared for US-based Dopers, and anyone else who conducts their cash business in US currency. [Rather than hijack this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=704197), I created a poll. On a weekly cycle, what US currency notes do you normally carry in your wallet / purse / sock / pocket / backpack / whatever? FWIW, I never carry any bills worth more than $20.00 each. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/2 "2013-10-10T19:33:44Z")
I usually get the same amount of cash back after depositing a paycheck and it’s a combo of $20s and $10s. As soon as I spend something I’m likely to have singles and $5s, so those four notes were my choices. I very rarely have $50s or $100s. Never $2s because you just don’t get them in normal circulation. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/3 "2013-10-10T19:38:24Z")
I didn’t vote for 50s and 100s, because currently i don’t carry them around much. When I’m in a phase where I go to the casino more, it would not be unusual to have the larger bills. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/4 "2013-10-10T20:00:30Z")
I keep a C note in a hidden pocket of my wallet for just in case. Each week I take a hundred dollars in twenties out of the bank for incidentals like tips and drinks at work. I usually have tens fives and ones from change. I set aside coin change each night. When my five gallon water bottle fills up I cash it in and add to my savings. Otherwise it’s all plastic or auto withdrawal. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/5 "2013-10-10T20:01:36Z")
I get my cash from an ATM that gives out only $20. I get the $1, $5, and $10s from change. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/6 "2013-10-10T20:03:05Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > I usually get the same amount of cash back after depositing a paycheck and it’s a combo of $20s and $10s. As soon as I spend something I’m likely to have singles and $5s, so those four notes were my choices. I very rarely have $50s or $100s. Never $2s because you just don’t get them in normal circulation. If you’re getting cash at a bank anyway, just ask for some in $2s. They’re fun. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/7 "2013-10-10T20:06:14Z")
ATMs give out 20s. So I usually have 20s and below. If I am going somewhere that I’ll need a large amount of cash I’ll get it in hundreds. ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/8 "2013-10-10T20:07:24Z")
$20s mostly, because that’s what most ATMs give out. (The ATM at the laundromat gives $10, so I recently unexpectedly got $200 in tens. That was fun!) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/9 "2013-10-10T20:40:49Z")
Yep; ATM user, so twenties to begin with, and tens, fives, and ones as change. I’d _prefer_ to use debit exclusively, but it just isn’t as frictionless as it should be if it’s going to be universal. I only keep about $50 - $60 cash on hand, usually. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/10 "2013-10-10T20:44:26Z")
Regularly ones through twenties. I also have a couple of $2 bills hidden behind my license for luck. The only time I carry bigger bills is when I’m off to Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/11 "2013-10-10T20:47:36Z")
I voted for ones, fives, and twenties. I skipped tens, because I may go all week without seeing one; that said I pretty much _never_ carry twos, fifties, or hundreds. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/12 "2013-10-10T20:47:41Z")
Like everyone else, I get $20s from the ATM. I try to spend the lower denominations first. If I could choose what denomination the ATM gave me, I’d go with $5s. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/13 "2013-10-10T20:50:02Z")
I hardly eve carry any cash. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/14 "2013-10-10T21:10:15Z")
I make sure I have ones for the vending machines and the ATM spits out twenties, so the ones are a sure thing and there’s usually at least one twenty. After that, it depends on what I’ve bought and what change I was given. But I’ll use the fives and tens rather than running myself out of ones. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/15 "2013-10-10T21:29:06Z")
I answered for when I am in the US. Canada has no ones or twos, although I usually have a couple of loonies or twonies. Some of our bank machines give out fifties, but I try to avoid them. I pay cash surprisingly often. When I have to pay my doctor for the cost of a blood test, I have to give him cash or cheque. I never use plastic for less than $20 (and there is a Chinese grocery around here that won’t take credit under $20). ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/16 "2013-10-10T21:58:06Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I hardly eve carry any cash. Me too. Well I do carry cash, but rarely more than $20 or so at a time. Since I pay for everything with plastic (or online bill pay) I can go a month or two without using an ATM. Checks are reserved for rent, children’s birthdays/christenings/Xmas, and the odd donation. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/17 "2013-10-10T22:25:01Z")
Like others, all the cash I carry is either directly from the ATM, or change from another transaction, so I hardly ever see anything bigger than a twenty. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/18 "2013-10-10T22:39:45Z")
None. I don’t remember precisely when the last time was that I actually carried cash around with me, but I think it hasn’t been since sometime in 2011. It has been at least a year since I last visited an ATM. All of my financial transactions are done either online or with a debit card these days. I have absolutely no need for physical cash anymore for anything I do day to day. ---
**Author:** ![Fred\_Garvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c67d28/32.png) [@Fred\_Garvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred_Garvin)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/19 "2013-10-10T23:57:11Z")
I try to use plastic as much as I can but always have approx $100 in 20s or 10s. I don’t like smaller bills, so when I break a larger bill, I just give the smaller bills to my wife at the end of the day ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911/20 "2013-10-11T00:24:30Z")
I try to live cash only (aside from online purchases), so I see everything $20 and below almost every day. I also regularly carry a $20 and a $2 tucked away in my wallet. I rarely see anything over a $20. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-us-currency-notes-do-you-regularly-carry/670911.md?page=2)