Is cash dead?
By Fleur
@Fleura (29126)
United Kingdom
May 9, 2022 4:10am CST
Every now and then we keep hearing that cash is now dead, and of course it is more convenient than ever to use cashless payment methods, especially after the pandemic when official guidance encouraged everyone to use contactless payment methods if possible.
I believe that in this country card payments outnumbered cash payments for the first time, and of course there are also other options such as PayPal, Apple Pay and even those crazy people who have had a chip embedded under their skin and can just wave at a payment machine.
Added to that, in this country we are losing more and more physical banking facilities. In my local town I used to have a choice of four branches of my national bank! Now only one is left, and that has barely any staff but just rows of machines instead. Many people face a long journey to get to a bank branch, making it more difficult to get any cash in the first place.
You may think ‘So what?’ When we have so many other options, who needs a pocket-full of dirty old coins anyway? But I still find there are occasions when I need some change.
After all, does the tooth fairy do contactless payments?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.
19 people like this
17 responses
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
9 May 22
I use cash all over the place. The government would LOVE everyone to go cashless but it ain't going to happen here any time soon.
5 people like this
@Hildasalom (937)
• Nairobi, Kenya
9 May 22
In my country we still use normal cash to make payments. I still love the idea of using cash
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (458259)
• Switzerland
9 May 22
I know, because the Government let us know, that Switzerland wants to become a cash free country in the near future. We can already also pay the parking using our phones. I think the tooth fairy will transfer money to the smartphone of the kid in the future.
2 people like this
@58lordstreet (1669)
•
9 May 22
no its what I use unless Im buying something on-line
3 people like this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
10 May 22
Absolutely. I use online banking a lot to make payments etc., mainly instead of sending cheques, but there are some things that can't be done online. My partner's bank has some app where you are supposed to be able to pay in a cheque by taking a photo and uploading it, but it never works!
Also of course if you have any problem you want to speak to a real person to sort it out. When they are there in front of you everything is so much easier to explain and you can insist on them sorting it out!
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
10 May 22
@JudyEv The bank manager used to be an important local figure, and getting on the right side of your bank manager was quite important! Of course that had good and bad aspects, but on the whole I think it was better than the current situation where you are at the mercy of some algorithm!
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15742)
• Raurkela, India
9 May 22
Here in India too we can do cashless payment in most of the occasions but yet there are instances where we have to draw money or go to the bank. This Saturday I had to draw cash from the ATM to pay at the doctor's clinic.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
10 May 22
@aninditasen True, but scammers who con people into handing over money electronically are far more numerous than those why try to steal physical cash!
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15742)
• Raurkela, India
10 May 22
@Fleura But digital payment must be made as much as possible as now a days thieves and snatchers are increasing.
1 person likes this
@Danielclark691 (1066)
•
9 May 22
Card has taken over from cash, though Cash is still preferred by many, especially the older generation. It should definitely not be phased out.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
10 May 22
I can think of a few places where there is currently no other option, for example coin-operated laundry machines, as mentioned by @Chellezhere, or shopping trolleys at supermarkets, which have to be released by inserting a £1 coin.
And what about those people who don't have a bank account at all? There are a surprising number of them who are at a significant disadvantage in all sorts of ways already.
1 person likes this
@Chellezhere (5363)
• United States
10 May 22
@Fleura, you are spot-on. Those without bank accounts are at a definite disadvantage without cash.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
9 May 22
I think there is still, and will remain to be a need for cash. But it is true that cashless payment methods are becoming more and more.
There was a time when carrying around a checkbook was a must. I hardly ever write checks anymore and know few people that do.
1 person likes this
@lazydaizee (6738)
• United Kingdom
15 May 22
I prefer to use cash and I do not trust all this online paying for things. My computer got hacked some time ago and since then I have not trusted the internet. I do not like using cards or cash machines because I find it difficult to remember pin numbers and I worry about losing the card because it may fall into the wrong hands.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28607)
•
15 May 22
I have been in several situations where the cards don't work due to computer problems, or whatever. If our power grid ever goes down, cash will be what works, not cards.
1 person likes this
