How often do you use CASH?

[MacLeod]

Rarely, If I ever lost my wallet, I can insure my cards against loss, I can't insure cash.

Roll on the days of a cash less society. We are already getting there, with I believe card payments have a slight edge over cash payments in the UK at least.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I only have a debit card but I only use it online. I buy all my books and Dvds online, pay all my bills online, buy most online. I prefer to use cash for purchases in brick and mortar shops especially as I often send my sons to the stores to buy thing for me.

 

[auntiehill]

Auntie, I'd say you were a part of my family....except that, aside from me, my family sucks at handling their money.

The only person in my immediate family who sucks at handling their money is my evil-sister. And, sadly enough, she how works at a bank as a loan officer. I kid you not. Apparently, she's OK with other people's money, but her own? Not so much. She's 46 and still asks my parents for money every year.

 

[SmoothieX]

Straight cash homey!

 

[Mike Ram]

I use debit for nearly everything except gas (two twenties) and small purchases (up to $10). I do keep small bills with me on bike rides in case of an emergency though.

On a semi-related note, I never use change and in fact took the time to roll up the bag of coins I accumulated over a couple years. The total was $74!

 

[Sam_I_Am]

Well I'm from the UK and used to use card all the time. Now I have moved to Paris and have to use money most of the time. Card seems to be accepted less here and if it is, the minimum payment is higher than England. That's not the only way retail shopping lags behind the UK: there are no self service checkouts, everything closes on a Sunday and sweets and crisps only seem to be available in multipacks, annoying me no end when I feel like a bar of chocolate or something and don't want to lug around a multipack for the rest of the day.

 

[maneth]

I use a card all the time. Mostly debit but credit is safer for shopping online. I only seem to use cash for buying coffee at work.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Well using the debit card really isn't any different from using cash I suppose, just less papery and more plasticy. Though I guess you could run into the problem of overdraft charges, but many banks now offer the option to have purchases declined if you go over your account balance, instead of making the purchase and getting an overdraft charge, so that's what I do. Though I don't ever really come close to $0 anyway, I keep on top of my account balance regularly.

I guess I've always figured that if I have cash, I can only spend the amount I physically have on me. With a debit card, I can always go to the nearest ATM and get more cash to spend. This way, I have some restraint on myself.

 

[Warp Coil]

I mix things up. When I get paid, I go to the ATM And take out a set amount of cash that I will use for the next two weeks (until I get paid again). I try to use this cash as much as possible for most of my every day purchases (food, primarily, but maybe a few random low-cost things as well). I only use my credit card for larger, more expensive purchases or anything I buy online (naturally).

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Usually for $5 and under i use cash. Over that i go to the credit card or debit card. Mostly because i rarely HAVE more than $5 cash on me.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The only times I use cash are when I go to places that don't take credit cards (such as certain restaurants), or if somebody gives me cash - like "thanks for housesitting for me this weekend, here's $20" - and I don't want to waste time going to the bank to deposit it. Other than that, I pretty much use my debit card for everything, no matter how small the purchase. (and despite what some stores may tell you, they are required to accept such cards for any and all purchases, no matter how small)