# Would you rather be given £300 a day for life, or unlimited £5 ATM cash withdrawals for life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972 "2017-02-27T19:37:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/21 "2017-02-27T22:36:38Z")
I’d pay somebody $100 a day to stand there and exhaust all the ATM machines in sight, then bring me the money once a week. ---
**Author:** ![guitario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@guitario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guitario)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/22 "2017-02-27T22:39:19Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I’d pay somebody $100 a day to stand there and exhaust all the ATM machines in sight, then bring me the money once a week. Given a lot of homeless people sit directly beneath ATM’s, there’s a huge pool of potential employees right there! ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/23 "2017-02-27T23:04:16Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Who’s paying the ATM fees? I’m gonna bankrupt someone $3.50 a shot, withdrawing my $5 😉 > > Also, I’ll need an ATM that lets me withdraw five bucks. I haven’t seen one of those in years. > > Hypothetical fighting aside, I’d probably take the $300 'cause I’m lazy. I’d like to think that I could spend eight hours a day pushing buttons for $1,600 but the reality is that I’d give up that nonsense within a week and eventually probably slip under a $300 average. Buy a private ATM and set the fee for a billion dollars. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/24 "2017-02-27T23:18:25Z")
I’m with the majority sentiment: give me the £300 a day for life. I wouldn’t want to spend a couple hours a day of my well-deserved 😉 retirement punching buttons at an ATM just to get a bit more, when £300 a day would more than suffice to maintain my lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/25 "2017-02-27T23:32:14Z")
Not trying to be dick in fighting the hypothetical but I’m pretty sure no ATM in existence is going to allow that kind of user behavior. The serial ATM withdrawals would be stopped after (guessing) 6-10 at most by almost all bank ATM software in existence as being anomalous and suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/26 "2017-02-27T23:39:56Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Not trying to be dick in fighting the hypothetical but I’m pretty sure no ATM in existence is going to allow that kind of user behavior. The serial ATM withdrawals would be stopped after (guessing) 6-10 at most by almost all bank ATM software in existence as being anomalous and suspicious. It’s the bank that would shut it down not the ATM. Anyone can own a ATM it’s just a machine that provides a service like a Coke machine. I’d assume that whoever is depositing the money would make arrangements with the bank to have daily restrictions lifted. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/27 "2017-02-27T23:41:14Z")
£300 (or $300). It’s a nice sum and the extra money wouldn’t be worth the hassle of spending two hours every day at an ATM. ---
**Author:** ![guitario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@guitario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guitario)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/28 "2017-02-27T23:41:26Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Not trying to be dick in fighting the hypothetical but I’m pretty sure no ATM in existence is going to allow that kind of user behavior. The serial ATM withdrawals would be stopped after (guessing) 6-10 at most by almost all bank ATM software in existence as being anomalous and suspicious. Cheer up! It’s not hard to imagine a situation whereby a bank issuing unlimited money will find a way to switch off the red flag software for your specific chip. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/29 "2017-02-27T23:43:21Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Not trying to be dick in fighting the hypothetical but I’m pretty sure no ATM in existence is going to allow that kind of user behavior. The serial ATM withdrawals would be stopped after (guessing) 6-10 at most by almost all bank ATM software in existence as being anomalous and suspicious. Yeah, that was part of my thinking too - given that the only rules are those stated in the OP, we still have to deal with the reality of standing in front of the ATM, repeatedly drawing out one fiver after another. It’s the sort of thing that is going to draw unwanted attention from the bank staff, from members of the public, from the police, from criminals, etc. Not want. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/30 "2017-02-27T23:49:14Z")
Th 5 per withdrawal. If lines are a concern, hire armed security and go to an ATM late at night. Sure it’s boring, but a lot of work is boring and this is pretty well-compensated work. I imagine your hands would get sore and maybe 8 hours a day is too ambitious. But say you can get in 4 hours/day and 60 transactions per hour. L5=$6.25x240=$1500/day. 5 day week is $7500 for 20 hours of work. Even assuming you’re paying all taxes, that’s a pretty good living. Plus, don’t go crazy with spending and invest a good chunk of that–at some point you will stop making those withdrawals at all. ---
**Author:** ![MrNobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@MrNobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrNobody)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/31 "2017-02-27T23:51:44Z")
Easy… the 300 dollars. Where can you find an ATM that gives people money in 5s… Never seen one… ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/32 "2017-02-27T23:57:26Z")
I’d take the 300 a day, even if I needed to get it exchanged. I know what would happen if I tried to to out do that at the ATM. First, I would eventually go days without using the ATM. The 300 would still amount to more. And even if they don’t say it I can imagine people thinking “Are you going to monopolize that all day?” “Uhg, that guy again.” “It’s not a freaking slot machine!” “Is that free cash? I could use a few hundred, you know.” and thus begins a new beggar class. Now, most ATMs have a $20 minimum. That might tip the balance to the ATM scheme. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/33 "2017-02-27T23:58:45Z")
> [@MrNobody](#): > > Easy… the 300 dollars. Where can you find an ATM that gives people money in 5s… Never seen one… I have. In 1982. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/34 "2017-02-28T00:17:04Z")
Some ATMs used to give coins! But in the OP’s hypothetical, you can get L5 from an ATM. So I’m assuming that in the US, you can get $6.25, because all ATMs still give coins. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/35 "2017-02-28T00:30:06Z")
£300 pounds a day is over a hundred grand a year. Taking it as income, taxed accordingly, that’s just shy of £69,000 a year for doing fuck-all. Yeah, that’s the option. Or you could spend significant amounts of your day withdrawing fivers I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/36 "2017-02-28T00:31:26Z")
I would just get a private ATM like you see in convenience stores ( I could buy my own convenience store if I had to) and hire people to make withdrawals from it for me 24/7. They get $1 for every withdrawal so even they could make a decent living doing it if they can make a withdrawal every two minutes or less. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/37 "2017-02-28T00:41:00Z")
£300 a day. I don’t have my shit together enough to go to the bank more than once a week, let alone every single day forever. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/38 "2017-02-28T00:45:02Z")
I’ll take the $300. First off the weather sucks 50% of the year in most of the country it’s either too hot, too cold, rainy or whatever else. Plus I’d have to get up from my beach vacation to go push buttons. No thanks. I’d rather have the money there no matter what. If I kept my current job and took the $300 I’d make about $4K/week. I’d have to work 13 1/3 hours per week pushing the button to work out even. So I guess the question turns into how crappy of a job would you take to drop from working 40 hrs per week to 13. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/39 "2017-02-28T00:45:20Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > $300. I could make more money in the next 20 years doing the withdrawals but I couldn’t retire and god forbid I was incapacitated. My comatose vegetable brain could make $300 per day for a long time. I’d rather have the £300 a day. 😃 When I lived in England around 1990, the pound exchange rate was £1 = $2. Thankfully my wife worked as a British nurse as my American Dollar pay wasn’t going very far. The exchange rate is closer to 1 to 1 now, but the £ is still on top. ---
**Author:** ![guitario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@guitario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guitario)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972/40 "2017-02-28T00:49:57Z")
> [@MrNobody](#): > > Easy… the 300 dollars. Where can you find an ATM that gives people money in 5s… Never seen one… England! Natwest do it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-given-300-a-day-for-life-or-unlimited-5-atm-cash-withdrawals-for-life/780972.md?page=3)