Oh, more than a year. I’m in Scandinavia. These days, around here, the only times you need cash (as opposed to using a card) are when dealing with hookers or drug dealers. And even that I’m not sure of. Maybe they’ve gone high tech since I last checked.
Of course, this corresponds to years when I haven’t managed to transport my ass out of Scandinavia to somewhere more exotic, or had any interactions with hookers or drug dealers. So, not necessarily the most fun times.
This. Except it was more like weeks.
Also, when I was stranded in Madrid due to my wallet being stolen, I was left with 14 cents in my pocket, my passport and a printout of my flights. With that, I was able to get home in four days, via Casablanca, Caracas and JFK … and sleeping, hungry, in airports. I learned several lessons on that trip.
I hear that it can be a bitch to get an exit visa out of Casablanca.
There is always cash in my wallet. Usually when I go for a walk I leave the wallet at home, so I’m frequently without cash for an hour or two at a time, and sometimes up to 3 or 4 hours.
I typically do not carry any cash on me, so we’re looking probably at between one month and six months. About the only time I need cash is for a couple of cash-only establishments I periodically visit (wait…that sounded a lot more euphemistic than I meant. There’s a couple of restaurants/groceries around here that are cash-only.) I do generally keep some cash reserves in the house somewhere, but rarely have anything on me. I wonder from time to time how much the transition towards a cashless society has affected the panhandlers around here.
Long ago, probably a month or so.
These days when dealing with feds, contractors, and others, there is a constant need to split checks lest someone pay for the wrong person’s soup, unleashing all manner of bad things. So I reload from my home stash and try to keep at least $80 on me.
I’m pretty sure I’ve gone longer than a year with out even touching cash.
I’ve been carrying a small amount of cash on me lately though because I have discovered two Mom & Pop restaurants that I can’t seem to get enough of. And they only accept cash.
Likely no more than 2 days since I was a very small child. I might just have a few coins in my pocket or just a dollar bill or two but when I’m that low I want to get some more. These days if I have $20 on hand I feel like that’s enough even to travel.
I always have four folded twenties in my wallet for emergencies.
I keep thirty dollars for routine spending at the stores or restaurants. I have always carried money since I was at least ten. Even if it was my $2 a week allowance.
I do buy bigger purchases on my cc card. Then pay that off in full each month.
Although I often use credit cards, I’d feel nekid with a hundred bucks in my wallet. As it’s spent, it’s replenished.
Although I use credit cards a lot, I also use cash a lot. I got a hair and beard trim and that cost $23, plus I gave her a $20 Christmas gift. The other day, I gave the guy who delivers meat to us $149 cash. I pay our cleaning lady $80 every week. My wife pays her hairdresser cash, maybe $50. Lots of reason to use cash in my life.
I try to carry emergency cash in the cars, in my suitcase, in my wallet, and at home. But it’s for emergencies. I can go a couple months without using any except the cash tips we customarily give to hotel van drivers for rides at work.
Sometimes my wallet stash gets empty and stays that way for a week or two until I finally think of it while I’m at home to replenish. But there’s still some in the house and/or the cars.
To actually answer the OP’s Q: My longest ever period with no cash on my person? Probably a monthish when out in the field in the military. That was 30+ !:eek: years ago.
I have many times kept a $50 or $100 bill in my wallet for emergencies, and also useful for a particular joke. But eventually I’ll spend that for some reason and don’t end up restocking it for a long time. I haven’t carried one now for years, and I think it’s just because credit cards are accepted just about everywhere now and ATMs are ubiquitous and I don’t feel the need to go out of my way to get a new bill.
I mostly pay by credit card, but I always keep some cash around because sometimes I want to buy something fast, especially if it’s an even dollar amount. For example there’s no faster way to pay a $20 charge than to give a $20 bill. You can do it through the window of a moving car, as when paying for parking. At special events a guy stands and collects $20 from each car. It’s much faster if each person just hands him a bill.
I wish for longer options than a year. I haven’t actually carried cash for a decade, I think. I just recently carried some coins to a vending machine, and even then only because the credit card slot wasn’t working.
I voted 24 hours or less, but that doesn’t include my childhood where I’m sure it was days at least. Unless I forget my wallet, I always carry cash.
I have rarely not had at least SOME cash on me since I was 14 or so. It might just be a few coins, but it is there. These days I use my debit card for almost everything but I tend to use cash for small (under $5) purchases. Because I have left my house without my purse more than once :smack:, there is a $20 bill stashed in my car for emergency gas purchases.
I voted less than 24 hours, because the restaurant at work only accepts cash, and for small transactions in shops because a) I think they get charged by the bank and b) I don’t want my card details being known by all and sundry, and taxi drivers only take cash in these parts. I don’t remember the last time I used a vending machine but the ones at work all only take cash.
While there are banks here ATM’s are not as common as the are in the US or UK, so we have to carry a fair bit of cash with us.
I frequently go a month or more without any cash at all. It’s very rare that I make any small purchases (candy, coffee, etc.) and there are no toll roads or bridges that require cash.
Perhaps strangely, the one place that I have to use cash (and have to plan for in advance) is at event parking. If I go to a show or concert that does not have free parking, I have to have $5 or $7 available when I pull in. No cards or electronic payment option.