How do you carry cash around?

Canada
May 31, 2007 12:01am CST
I had to call to the Grocery Store earlier in the day today. I just needed some sweetener for my hot drinks. A lady in front of me in the line had a shopping cart FULL of 2 liter bottles of Soda and Fabric Softener. She offered to let me go in front but I declined. I didn't mind waiting. Anyway, the girl at the checkout ran everything through, and the total bill came to just short of $180. Imagine my amazement when the lady opened a pocket on the front of her shoulder bag. She had a wad of $20 bills in there that must have been 2 inches thick! I'm not one to criticize people, but heck, if someone had half a mind to snatch her bag from her, she's lost a LOT of money! I don't carry cash at all if I can help it. I'm much more comfortable with a debit card. I don't use bags for the same reason. If I need anything, I carry my purse in my hand, that way I know someone is much less likely to snatch it from me when I'm out and about. So how do you carry cash? Are you like me, and tend to use debit/credit cards? Would you keep a thick wad of bills in a front pocket of your shoulder bag like the lady did today?
22 people like this
54 responses
@onerygirl (549)
• United States
31 May 07
I am lucky to have $5.00 in my pocket or purse. For me, it is too easy to spend cash so I limit the amount I carry. $5.00 will get you pops or small snacks if you want one. I do not have a debit card as I am afraid that it would be too easy to spend money and not write it down. I watch people use their debit cards and then just drop the receipt into the depths of their purses. How do they keep a balance?Call me old fashioned but I still carry a checkbook. That way I know where I have spent my money and usually think twice before I make a purchase. People that carry large sums of money put themselves at risk.
• Canada
31 May 07
I don't have a debit card, but my partner does. We both hate carrying Cash. We do also have a credit card that we rarely use. It's a prepaid one, and so if we do need to make big purchases, we just stick the money onto the Credit card and use that.
1 person likes this
@Gorgeous24 (1091)
• United States
31 May 07
Thats exactly the reason why I dont carry cash on me because what if I my purse was to get snatched they would take all my money :( but they wouldnt be able to get into my checking account hahaha! I use my debit/credit card almost 99% of the time because its accepted everywhere EXCEPT at the laundrymat when I have to wash clothes I pull $20 out and thats it!
4 people like this
• India
31 May 07
i do carry a card..... so no need to carry cash,,,
3 people like this
• Canada
31 May 07
Yes, a card is so much easier and a lot better than carrying cash.
1 person likes this
@Foxxee (3651)
• United States
31 May 07
I use a debit card for many reasons. It's easy and I don't have to worry about digging in my purse and counting out change and all that. Plus I don't like counting money with people standing over me. I just think a debit card is easier on me and the cashier. :)
4 people like this
• Canada
31 May 07
I totally agree with you. It's fast, it's simple and people have no idea of what you got in your bank account based on what you have in your purse Lol.
1 person likes this
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
31 May 07
I tend to use debit card also, but if I have cash on me it is usually only $20. I also have a neighbour who is like that woman at the checkout. We were walking past one day and he asked if we were going to the shop, could we get something for him. When we agreed, he pulled out his wallet, opened it up and pulled a fifty out of a thick pile of them. I just shook my head as I was walking off with my wife, and thought that if he did that in front of the wrong sort of people......! Guess somepeople don't like banks!
• Canada
31 May 07
I was thinking that about people not liking banks when the lady opened up her bag at the store today too. What I hate is those people who make a huge show of having all that money in their wallets or bags. At least the lady today did make an effort not to show everyone what she was carrying.
1 person likes this
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
31 May 07
Yes, and this guy wasn't actually the worst I've seen. Another old guy, well known around our small community for all the money he has, was in the pub one day, drunk, and offered to give me a blank cheque, signed!! This was for no reason, other than to let me know money wasn't an issue with him. I asked the publican to look out for him after I left.
1 person likes this
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
4 Jun 07
Thanks for the best response!
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
31 May 07
I prefer to use a debit card as well....I do not carry hardly any cash at all....maybe $5-10 for sodas or a newspaper or something small..... I do however carry a purse...I live in rural Arkansas in the USA and we have very low crime statistics here....I frequently leave my purse in my truck and just carry my wallet into the grocery store or Walmart.....I rarely take my keys out of the ignition of my vehicle...I rarely lock my doors... No, I would never carry that amount of cash around like that...If for some reason...I did have to carry cash,I would break it down into certain amounts and then seperate the areas that I carried them in...
• Canada
31 May 07
I couldn't carry that amount of cash with me no matter what lol. I'd be terrified. If we left something on show in our car, it'd get stolen for sure. It's not just our area either, it's a generalization. We also have to make sure our doors are locked, and I refuse point blank to let my partner keep the engine running if he has to nip in somewhere. It makes it too easy for someone to jump in and steal the car, even with someone in the passenger seat.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Jun 07
I'm from western North Carolina, and I once read in our local paper that around %90 of all cars stolen had the keys in them at the time. My Grandparents and Uncles would often just take the keys out of the ignition and drop them under the seat when they parked somewhere. Some guys took my Grandfather's truck for a short joy ride once, but that didn't stop the habit. Back to the topic though... I usually carry about $20 in cash and carrying anything more than $60 makes me nervous. My mom took awhile to start using a debit card everywhere, so she carried more cash, but wrote checks for purchases over a certain amount.
@kakuemmom (859)
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I don't like carrying cash i prefer to use my debit card. I find if i have cash i tend to spend it all. With my debit card I get only what i need. If I know i am going somewhere that do not have debit that would be the only time i would go to the bank and get money then its only what I need and no more. My husband on the other hand prefers to have the money in his pocket I think he likes how it looks when he goes into the store and has to pull out the money he makes a big deal of unfolding the money and counting out what he needs. LOL he is a show off at heart still.
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
LOL at your hubby! I'm like you in that I don't like carrying cash. It's not that I spend it all, it's just that I have this abnormal fear of having it stolen from me, or losing it somewhere. If I lost money, it would break my heart LOL. We usually have a little bit of money with us just in case places don't have debit, but it's never more than what we absolutely need.
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
1 Jun 07
Honestly I don't like to carry cash around on me in the fear of accidently dropping it and never seeing it again. I use a check card or my debit card when I go anywhere. It's just safer that way. If I lose my cards, I can call my bank really fast and report them missing. Now only time I do have cash on me is when I have to get lunch money for my daughter, and as soon as I get it, I put it in the zippered part of my wallet.
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I have the same fear as you do when it comes to losing money. I don't have to worry about School lunch money for my kids. They've started taking a packed lunch with them, and they enjoy sitting with their friends while they all compare what their parents gave them LOL *shakes head despairingly* I think it's a much better idea to use a debit card or credit card. I mean, how hard could it be to call the bank and report them stolen?
1 person likes this
@cipher2004 (1183)
• United States
31 May 07
I try not to carry cash either.But when I do I put it in my pants pocket.I babysit for strippers at night and they pay me cash in the morning.They usually pay me with small bills,so it looks like it is more money.It kinda scares me to have that much cash in my hands even when I am in the bank parking lot. try to go to the bank on a daily basis.I also put my atm card in my pocket.This way if someone grabs my purse I only have my drivers license to lose.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Jun 07
I thought of putting my drivers license in my pocket also.But sometimes when I change I just throw everything on the dresser that is in my pocket.If i go to run out of the house to pick up the kids I sometimes forget to put everything back in.This way I just grab my purse and don't have to worry about having my license on me.And I don't have to worry about having credit cards and cash on me.
• Canada
31 May 07
Thats a good idea with them paying you in smaller bills though. At least you don't have large bills of a distinctive color that might make you stand out to someone looking to steal money from someone. Going to the bank on a daily basis is a good idea too. The bank is the safest place without a doubt when it comes to your money. Why not keep your drivers license in your pocket too? That way if someone does steal your purse, you lose nothing at all.
@lisado (1227)
• United States
1 Jun 07
I don't carry cash at all. I always use my debit card. If we have any cash my husband carries it and it's usually less than $20. We get cash back for every purchase we make using our debit card as a credit card (It has the Mastcard logo on it) so we use it for anything we can.
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
Yeah, I won't carry more than $20 at a time on me. My partner will carry more, if he has to. Usually we use his debit card. It's so much safer and much more convenient too.
• Singapore
31 May 07
I normally carry both. I have some cash to deal with small purchases and card for the rest. I am not some freak spender anyway and I normally plan my purchases so everything is under control. :P That wad of $20 bills is nothing. I once came across someone right in front of me opening her purse. It was a 2 inches too but they were $50 and $100. Then again, this happened at a departmental store and not a grocery store. Let me guess - that lady you saw was not "young"? Usually it is the younger people who are more savvy with stuffs like cards. The source of her income is also important. There are some businesses that transact only in cash (I shall leave it to your own imagination :P), and since they receive loads of money in cash, they have to use it like that. Of course, those who are more savvy will deposit them into their account then charge purchases to their cards. I have seen people at the cash deposit machine who have loads of cash to deposit. Not that rare at all. Or, here's another thought. Maybe that lady you saw wanted to go deposit the money *soon*. Maybe there are no cash deposit machines for her bank around the area so she decided to do it the next day. So you happened to catch her when she still has those loads of cash which she just received from someone somewhere. Tomorrow, when you try to rob her, she will be a penniless pauper - if judged by what she has in her purse. :P
1 person likes this
• Canada
31 May 07
Lol warwiz. Now I feel guilty :P Actually you're right, she was probably in her late 40's, although I'm almost 30 and denying it all the way, so to me, she's still young! LOL. I don't think that your explanation about her bank not being in the area would wash though :P There are different banks EVERYWHERE in the area. If she's not a member of one of them, then she doesn't live in Vancouver LOL.
• Singapore
1 Jun 07
Not banks, cash deposit machines for that particular bank. ATMs are common enough, but they don't all accept cash deposits.
@kitkat1 (1227)
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I dont like to carry alot of cash but that is no problem i never have alot of cash to carry anyways lol. May as well laugh about it as to cry right. But i dont always trust my debit either i dont carry a purse or a bad. I carry my cash in my front pocket of my jeans and believe me if someone tryed to take my money from there i would be the first to know and so would they when i laid them out lol.
2 people like this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
LOL. Carrying cash when you have to, and in the front pocket of your pants is about as safe as you're going to get I guess. I trust the debit card more than anything because to use it, you gotta have the pin number. If you don't have the pin number, you ain't using it for sh*t lol.
@cpclos (24)
• United States
1 Jun 07
Maybe she was trying to show off? Just Playing, i agree it's extremely dangerous and people should be more careful about cash. Like you explained a debit or credit card is more convenient considering the fact that u can report it stolen and have it canceled.
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I didn't really get the feeling that she was trying to show off to be honest. She did at least keep the wad in her pocket of her bag while she was counting out what she needed, but anyone behind her could see what she was carrying in there. A debit or Credit Card is DEFINITELY safer and more convenient for sure!
@kjc1981 (45)
• United States
31 May 07
i carry my cash in my purse or hide at home but just last year i had 600$ stolen from me but i actually had 2000$ in there i keep it in seperate places for what ever reason so i guess it kind of saved me but even though that happened to me i still carry in my purse just not such large amounts
3 people like this
• Canada
31 May 07
Eeeeeks, sorry to hear you had that kind of money stolen. Having money stolen is always a harsh experience. It's just another reason I won't carry cash. A friend of mine had $90 stolen from her. She'd saved that up especially so that we could all go out and do things together when we went to visit her. She found out it was a "friend" of hers that had stolen it when he bragged to another friend about it. To this day she hasn't spoken to him.
1 person likes this
@leese29 (340)
• United States
1 Jun 07
I try not to never carry more then $40 on me and prefer to use Debit cards for the bigger purchase. I carry a bag but that is due to my little on is still in diapers but once she is potty trained I will probably be back to carry a purse.
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
Ahhh yes, the diaper years lol. That was the only time I ever carried a bag, but I still made my partner carry the cash LOL. He eventually got to giving me his debit card because I hated having to go out for groceries carrying cash with my sons in the pushchair lol.
@pinklilly (3443)
• Australia
1 Jun 07
I carry both cash and cards in my wallet, which is in a hand bag I used to just carry my purse but stoped once I had kids found I didn't have enough hands... I usually don't keep much cash in there anyway...
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I usually do okay with the kids lol, but then, they're old enough now to know that I will not tolerate them running off. They usually walk right in front of me, so I can see them at all times, yet they're close enough that nobody would think of trying anything funny.
@vanities (11397)
• Davao, Philippines
1 Jun 07
well right now im using a debit card..its must safer i guess..but i dont use any credit cards ..since i donthave one lol..
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I definitely think that carrying a debit card is safer lol. At least if someone does get a hold of it, they have to know your pin number to be able to use it. We have a credit card - a prepaid one - and we very rarely use it. It's there for if we want to make big purchases, but other than that, we stick to using the debit card as often as we can.
@pyewacket (43958)
• United States
31 May 07
I usually don't carry my ATM/debit card with me unless I know for sure I'm going to be using it..but as for the cash I carry..I always carry my money in a small change purse type thing that I actually made myself, and it fits nicely in my front pocket of my jean..not my back pocket mind you, as that is the most likely place a theft will pick--but my front pocket...I doubt a theft would be able to pick it there unless he/she was getting unusually "friendly" with me...LOL
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
LOL Pyewacket. Talking of having your purse or money in your back pocket reminded me of something I read a while back. Apparently, tourists in Rome are having a hard time during the summer months. Tourists visiting the Roman Coliseum have been greeted outside the structure by Italian children begging. A group of children surround the tourist and divert their attention whilst one of them slips their hand into their pockets or bags and actually manage to lift that persons wallet or purse undetected. Once the child gives a signal that they have the purse or wallet, they move on to the next tourist. Apparently, it takes seconds for them to do that!
• London, England
31 May 07
I prefer cash in my wallet or cash in my shirt pocket, which is the main reason, why I do not like to wear T-Shirts. I prefer cash to Credit/Debit cards as it gives me more control over my money. http://www.publishsuccess.com/ Make money but always carry it as cash in your wallet.I now it is not safe, but neither is your card.
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I agree that cards aren't safe, but there are ways and means of making sure that if your card gets stolen, that it can't be used. On the other hand, if cash gets stolen, what can you do? It's gone and being spent and you won't get it back. Thats why I prefer cards to cash any day. You just can't be too careful.
@vampoet (825)
• Singapore
31 May 07
I carry mine in my wallet. Used to carry it in my pocket cos I had lost my wallet a coupla times and was worried about doing it again. As long as the cash was in my pockets, I figured itd be safe cos I wont lose my pants. Lol but now Im back to carrying a wallet
1 person likes this
• Canada
1 Jun 07
My partner carries a wallet too, although he keeps his wallet in the pocket of his pants, so nobody would even think of trying to grab it. He's a little bit more comfortable than I am carrying bills around, but I just hate it. I've actually given him money that I've been sent for my birthday or Christmas from my parents, and asked him to keep it safe in his wallet for me LOL.