Cash Only Yesterday
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (110055)
United States
October 21, 2025 7:23am CST
There have been times when I have discussed the need for cash to be kept since you never know when electronic payment options will not be available. Usually, I am talking about disasters like a major storm or hurricane that knocks out power and makes payment systems inoperable.
If you have cash, you can still at least have access to certain needs and conduct transactions. So, it is beneficial, if not essential to always keep just enough on hand to "weather" something like that.
Yesterday offered a situation I hadn't considered. When I went into Casey's to grab some beer, there was a sign posted on the door that read, "Cash only. Our systems are down due to the AWS outage."
I don't know if other POS systems were impacted by this, but it did serve as just another reminder of the importance of not being totally reliant on electronic payment processing systems to be accessible.
I am on a nearly all cash system, so it did not pose a problem for me. But I am sure many people were impacted who only carry plastic.
Do you keep cash around for emergencies?
5 people like this
6 responses
@lovebuglena (48094)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Oct
Do you usually pay for stuff with cash? I prefer credit card. It’s faster checkout and I get 1.5% cash back.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (48094)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Oct
@porwest if you charge stuff and pay it off in full as soon as the statement comes are you really carrying a balance?
1 person likes this
@porwest (110055)
• United States
22 Oct
I am using cash these days. I find I can better manage my spending doing it that way. As for cash back rewards, they are a good thing, and I have used that as a cash generating tool for years (when I used credit cards). But the key is not carrying a balance. If you carry a balance, you're not really getting any cash back because the interest eats it up.
1 person likes this
@porwest (110055)
• United States
23 Oct
@lovebuglena No. And if you are doing it that way, then you are getting ahead. I was referring to those people who carry balances and pay interest.
1 person likes this
@porwest (110055)
• United States
21 Oct
It is always a good idea to keep at least some cash, I find. You just never know what's around the corner, and there's no worse feeling that having money and still being broke just because the method of payment has shut you down.
By the way, good seeing you around. Haven't seen you in a while.
@Traceyjayne (6088)
• United Kingdom
21 Oct
I always have a small amount of cash with me. The Mister tries to use cash whenever he can.
1 person likes this
