# Why do you never carry cash? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 1, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768 "2010-10-01T19:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/21 "2010-10-02T00:11:24Z")
I just don’ t need to carry cash. And I don’t need to lie to beggars when I tell them I don’t carry cash. I’ll swing by an ATM on my way somewhere if I need to have cash in my wallet for something, but that’s rare - maybe every other month or so. I’ve never needed anyone to take me to an ATM - that’s weird. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/22 "2010-10-02T00:48:08Z")
I don’t carry cash for the same reason I don’t carry live eels–it’s just very rarely useful for me to carry it around. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/23 "2010-10-02T01:47:48Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I just don’ t need to carry cash. And I don’t need to lie to beggars when I tell them I don’t carry cash. I’ll swing by an ATM on my way somewhere if I need to have cash in my wallet for something, but that’s rare - maybe every other month or so. I’ve never needed anyone to take me to an ATM - that’s weird. Beggars don’t bother me. I just pretend I can’t understand Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/24 "2010-10-02T01:52:07Z")
I almost never need cash. I can use my debit card damn near anywhere I go nowadays. Even the tiniest little mom-n-pop convenience store in the backwoods has at least a dial-up connection to a credit card company. And I used it overseas a couple months ago too - didn’t need to change my dollars for pounds. Unless you live in a country where cash bribes are a common thing, I can’t imagine why you’d carry a wad of bills at all. Plastic is more secure and more convenient. Plastic \> cash. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/25 "2010-10-02T01:59:52Z")
For me: because I never buy anything except online. In the real world, I’d only carry change for soda machines. I remember college which had vending machines in one building that accepted $5 bills, and how often I would use it to break one so that I could have change for the other machines, especially the ones that had problems accepting dollar bills. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/26 "2010-10-02T02:02:04Z")
I rarely carry cash because going to the ATM is not worth the effort compared to simply going to stores that accept plastic. In the past month, I’ve gone to two places that didn’t accept plastic. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/27 "2010-10-02T02:10:23Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > It seems like the other answer people give is because they lose it? Well, why don’t you lose you CC? Um, you do know that if you lose your credit card and the thief goes on a shopping spree, you’re not liable for those charges as long as you report it, right? I mean…that’s why we use credit cards, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/28 "2010-10-02T03:18:58Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I’ve never been in a situation where a credit card wouldn’t be honored, but then again, they now have this stupid law where merchants can refuse transactions under $10, apparently, so I’ll see how things go when I get back home next month. Wow. So you’ve never walked by a table selling Girl Scout cookies and wanted to buy a box of Thin Mints? Or had an arts and crafts fair set up in the lobby of your building and you wanted to buy a couple tomatoes from the Mennonite ladies? Or been dying of thirst and wanted a bottle of pop from a machine? Or wanted to tip the guy driving the cart at the airport when you’d hurt your knee and your gate was way at the far end of the concourse? Or gone to the huge chain of discount stores around here that only take cash or checks or Discover, and you don’t have a Discovercard? Or heard a great barbershop quartet singing in the Metro and wanted to toss something in the jar for them because they were fabulous? Or wanted to get your daughter one of those squish-a-penny souveniers at a museum? Or wanted to toss a coworker a couple bucks for parking because she’d come in to work for a few hours so that you could leave to get to a party, and she’s a bit broke? Or wanted to put something in the collection plate? Or tip the valet parking guy? Or pick up a bag of Equal Exchange coffee or chocolate at the table in Fellowship Hall after church? Or buy a ticket to the youth group’s baked potato dinner? Because these are all things I’ve needed cash for in just the past few weeks. Ok, the Girl Scout cookies were a few months ago… ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/29 "2010-10-02T04:39:26Z")
> [@](#): > > The problem that sparked the original post is that others I know apparently also find themselves in circumstances where a CC won’t do. Usually other people around them are inconvenienced because “Oh, I don’t carry cash, can I borrow some from you?” or “Can we go down the street first to the ATM? I don’t carry cash.” Some people really don’t carry cash. And other people are hoping that you’ll just cover for them, and then never remember to ask for the money back. I used to hang out with a woman who was always borrowing money from me, and it was never convenient for her to pay me back. If you suspect that this might be the reason…ask for an IOU. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/30 "2010-10-02T04:46:28Z")
Some places around here only take cash or charge you for charging it. Better excuse, I need none, to carry cash. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/31 "2010-10-02T05:01:46Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Every once in a while they will need cash for some reason and they want someone to drive them to the nearest ATM to get JUST enough to pay for that occasion (for some reason they also tend to not have cars). I drive a BMW. > [@](#): > > What is the reasoning behind this? I never need it and thus don’t bother to go to the ATM to get something I don’t need. Occasionally a friend will pay me back for something in cash and I’ll have a $20 sitting in my wallet for a month until I remember to spend it on something. Paying with a CC is often quicker than paying cash. > [@](#): > > Have you never walked into a mom and pop restaurant that didn’t take credit cards? Nope. Everyone takes credit cards. > [@](#): > > Those are some of the best establishments I know. The only places around here that don’t take credit cards are pretentious hipster restaurants. > [@](#): > > My Laundromat won’t accept CCs for bills under 10 dollars. I don’t go to a laundromat. > [@](#): > > Cash is easy to hand over for a collective food bill with friends. I tell the waitress to split it. > [@](#): > > I’ve had occasions where the planets were misaligned and the CC machine wouldn’t read my card. Have the guy operating the register key in the number. > [@](#): > > How does it hurt you to not carry cash? Are 2 twenties, a 5 and three 1s so thick that they make your wallet uncomfortable? It doesn’t hurt me. But it doesn’t give me enough benefits to warrant bothering. > [@](#): > > Cash can smooth out a few rare and uncomfortable situations in life, and have practially no requirements or downsides. Except that it can be stolen. And when you pay cash for something, you often get back coins for change. I fucking hate coins. I’m not against carrying cash. I just like the convenience and safety of using my credit card, and don’t go out of my way to carry cash. Usually, this means I only have a few ones in my wallet. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/32 "2010-10-02T05:20:51Z")
This is Phoenix, the Ma and Pa doesn’t exist. The only place I really use cash is at bars. There are a few smaller bars that I’ll go to that really hate doing credit card tabs, especially for someone like me who is a semi-regular. I’ll also use cash if I’m with a large group, even if the bar is fine with tabs. I don’t like nasty surprises on my tab. I’m also lucky that my bank refunds all the ATM surcharges so I don’t mind paying the ridiculous surcharges at bar ATMs. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/33 "2010-10-02T07:05:15Z")
I use credit cards for most things. But some things don’t take them, so I still carry cash. Here are places I shop for which I need cash: The dry cleaner. I get my work shirts laundered there, so I use them a lot. The vending machines at work. Parking meters. The taco truck. Various tiny businesses in Chinatown. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/34 "2010-10-02T10:41:32Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Wow. So you’ve never walked by a table selling Girl Scout cookies and wanted to buy a box of Thin Mints? My nieces sell me more Thin Mints than I need. [Quote=kittenblue] Or had an arts and crafts fair set up in the lobby of your building and you wanted to buy a couple tomatoes from the Mennonite ladies? Or been dying of thirst and wanted a bottle of pop from a machine? Or wanted to tip the guy driving the cart at the airport when you’d hurt your knee and your gate was way at the far end of the concourse? Or gone to the huge chain of discount stores around here that only take cash or checks or Discover, and you don’t have a Discovercard? Or heard a great barbershop quartet singing in the Metro and wanted to toss something in the jar for them because they were fabulous? Or wanted to get your daughter one of those squish-a-penny souveniers at a museum? Or wanted to toss a coworker a couple bucks for parking because she’d come in to work for a few hours so that you could leave to get to a party, and she’s a bit broke? Or wanted to put something in the collection plate? Or tip the valet parking guy? Or pick up a bag of Equal Exchange coffee or chocolate at the table in Fellowship Hall after church? Or buy a ticket to the youth group’s baked potato dinner? [/QUOTE] Nope. Even my church recognizes the advent of a cashless society and has introduced a program where my credit card gets automatically debited each Sunday. When we go out to dinner, or travel, I do make sure we carry lots of singles and fives for tips. Other than that, not having cash helps me not impulse buy. I’m trying to streamline my life, not fill it up with more crap. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/35 "2010-10-02T13:06:24Z")
I’m the opposite: I rarely have less than 100 dollars on me. I usually charge things, but I am not comfortable without some cash in my pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/36 "2010-10-02T14:00:44Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The only place I really use cash is at bars. Oh yeah, that reminds me of one situation where credit cards don’t help much: Strip clubs. But they always have ATMs. OrsoI’vebeentold I’ve found that when I use my debit card or credit card to pay for something off base here in Korea, I’ll get charged a small international transaction fee. But it doesn’t happen on base, which is where most of my spending takes place, so it hasn’t been a big issue for me. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/37 "2010-10-02T14:07:47Z")
Where I live you don’t need cash money. A debit card works for me and a few bucks for a soda or a tip. Even Dunkin Donuts takes debit cards. I traded in a heavy wallet for a piece of plastic. Quick, easy and painless and no change. In the winter I don’t need to go into a gas station, I just swipe the card. Even the Laundromats and car washes take debit. I don’t like credit cards because they are a rip off at 20 percent interest. With my debit card they have “Keep the change” and all the change goes directly into my savings like an electronic piggy bank. I even got my 70 year old Mom off credit cards and into online banking. She travels a lot and can pay her bills from her laptop. I think debit, direct deposit and online banking are what the internet was invented for. To make our lives easier. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/38 "2010-10-02T14:13:34Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I noticed on the “how much change do you have” thread that several people mentioned that they never have cash. I have also met people IRL that never or almost never have cash. Every once in a while they will need cash for some reason and they want someone to drive them to the nearest ATM to get JUST enough to pay for that occasion (for some reason they also tend to not have cars). I rarely use cash. I have a car. > [@](#): > > What is the reasoning behind this? Have you never walked into a mom and pop restaurant that didn’t take credit cards? Nope. > [@](#): > > My Laundromat won’t accept CCs for bills under 10 dollars. I have a washing machine. Bought it with a card. > [@](#): > > How does it hurt you to not carry cash? Are 2 twenties, a 5 and three 1s so thick that they make your wallet uncomfortable? It doesn’t hurt me. I just rarely need it, so don’t tend to go to ATMs to get it unless I know I’m gonna need it. It’s not a philosophical objection or anything, it’s just how things work out. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/39 "2010-10-02T15:32:24Z")
I pay for nearly everything electronically. I picked up that habit while I was a student at university, and my bank didn’t have any branches in my school’s city. Between my bank’s fees and the ATM’s fees it would cost me $5 to withdraw my own money, so I just used Interac for nearly everything. I kept the habit after I graduated and finally switched banks, and it’s had a nice side-effect. I can download all of my electronic transaction into Quicken. I had to spend a bit of time teaching it, but now it can automatically categorize 95% of my daily transactions as Groceries, Eating Out, Cable, etc. So for very little effort I can see exactly how I’m spending my money. It’s really helped to motivate me to not eat out as much when I can see how much money it costs me. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768/40 "2010-10-02T16:03:53Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > > [@Balthisar](#): > > > > I’ve never been in a situation where a credit card wouldn’t be honored, but then again, they now have this stupid law where merchants can refuse transactions under $10, apparently, so I’ll see how things go when I get back home next month. > > Wow. So you’ve never walked by a table selling Girl Scout cookies and wanted to buy a box of Thin Mints? Wants aren’t needs. I’m engineer, so good luck trying to convince me otherwise. > [@](#): > > Or had an arts and crafts fair set up in the lobby of your building and you wanted to buy a couple tomatoes from the Mennonite ladies? Never happened. > [@](#): > > Or been dying of thirst and wanted a bottle of pop from a machine? We have drinking fountains. > [@](#): > > Or wanted to tip the guy driving the cart at the airport when you’d hurt your knee and your gate was way at the far end of the concourse? No yet. > [@](#): > > Or gone to the huge chain of discount stores around here that only take cash or checks or Discover, and you don’t have a Discovercard? I guess I don’t have that chain. Sam’s used to work that way, but they take my Mastercard now, so my Discover sits unused. > [@](#): > > Or heard a great barbershop quartet singing in the Metro and wanted to toss something in the jar for them because they were fabulous? I don’t use public transportation. > [@](#): > > Or wanted to get your daughter one of those squish-a-penny souveniers at a museum? That’s a valid point. But I imagine that my kid would have cash. I’d promise to pay her back the penny. > [@](#): > > Or wanted to toss a coworker a couple bucks for parking because she’d come in to work for a few hours so that you could leave to get to a party, and she’s a bit broke? Why would anyone ever have to pay for parking at work? > [@](#): > > Or wanted to put something in the collection plate? Credit card payment slip. > [@](#): > > Or tip the valet parking guy? Don’t use them (other than what I said about my current, cash-heavy location). > [@](#): > > Or pick up a bag of Equal Exchange coffee or chocolate at the table in Fellowship Hall after church? Or buy a ticket to the youth group’s baked potato dinner? No. I’m not being difficult, but we just have different lifestyles. And for a church to not accept checks or credit cards in this day and age just seems so, antiquated. Well, maybe those evangelical churches that think credit cards are the sign of the beast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-never-carry-cash/555768.md?page=3)