So who needs cash?
- people who ask for money on the street (some of whom will be homeless, tho most homeless people don't ask for money on the street), also includes chuggers;
- people who sell stuff illegally (and by stuff I mean mainly drugs);
- people who want to not pay tax;
- shite carpark companies;
- the elderly and confused (though whose number i am rapidly joining and I don't like cash)
- probably a few red-faced roundabout painters who think electric money is woke or something.
There are clearly work arounds for all but the latter and I'm not sure any of them should be driving things for the rest of us...
a) Have you seen the price of "smart devices" these days?
I’m all too aware, I have an iPhone 17 Pro Max
AH I see the problem here. Maybe Sir should consider a Samsung Galaxy A16 for £99 rather than a premium luxury very over priced model?
So who needs cash?
I’ve probably said it before but I’ll repeat myself, I like cash as an option and don’t want it taken away at present.
I own a launderette and these days the vast majority of payments are contactless and it makes my life so much easier. But on the rare occasions that the software/hardware/telecoms/etc goes down it is a big relief that people can still stick coins in the machines. Yes I’d survive half a day’s lost trade and a load of pissed off customers but I wouldn’t enjoy it. Options are good
There are clearly work arounds for all but the latter and I'm not sure any of them should be driving things for the rest of us...
Why should the 'rest of you' decide who uses cash?
'Legit' banking has many, many loopholes and money is moved around through shill companies, through offshore acounts, swiss bank account etc. all the time - just because it's not physical doesn't mean any less fraud is taking place.
Why should the 'rest of you' decide who uses cash?
that's how democracies work.
Legit' banking has many, many loopholes
Because of these bad things allow more bad things I don't find a persuasive argument.
The UK is already going cashless through choice. I see lots of points made about homeless people but they can get a basic bank account, I need an expensive device when you don’t, the government will control my every thought, it needs an internet connection, a POS machine doesn’t, what about drugs, well dealers take cards etc. etc.. Some people will always resist change because it’s change even when it’s more beneficial.
Fact is every objection has a simple workaround but some people always bang heads with the problem not the solution sadly.
Just paid cash in a restaurant in Charlottesville VA because it was 15% cheaper. But the car park insisted I register the car and a card to use ANPR magic to charge me $1.00. I am sure it all makes sense.
Just paid cash in a restaurant in Charlottesville VA because it was 15% cheaper
Which is illegal in the EU for good reason. Clearly the restaurant was evading tax, the card markup was punative, no way are card fees 15%. Cash collection for small amounts from multiple locations, e.g.car parking, is disproportionately expensive.
Well actually the card markup was 10%, the cash discount was 5%. Possibly the 10% was for credit cards.
Saw this in a local cafe near Rivington and paid cash.
that's the one they have on the bar of my costal local right down to the Brexiteer's apostrophe. it's bollocks basically as established above. I always pay by phone and usually tip a fiver, and the bar staff seem happy.
that's the one they have on the bar of my costal local right down to the Brexiteer's apostrophe. it's bollocks basically as established above. I always pay by phone and usually tip a fiver, and the bar staff seem happy.
Thought it was a normal apostrophe. Brexit bastards I'll boycott them
that's the one they have on the bar of my costal local right down to the Brexiteer's apostrophe.
I'm 99% certain it's word-for-word in the chippie round the corner. I'll check next time I'm passing if I remember.
I genuinely wouldn't use somewhere that had that cash is king sign - not for any ideological reason or making a point - but simply because I never carry cash and being hopelessly British I have a desperate need to follow rules even stupid ones imposed by the owner like this.
I wouldn't use a business like that because they are denying my choice of payment method (and are clearly evading tax).
Out of interest (as somebody who works in the card industry) how many people carry both Visa and Mastercard cards to provide backup should one of the schemes encounter issues? Spoiler, I do.
I just carry my phone which has a couple of cards on it, both MasterCard. I take a credit card when out of the UK which is visa.
My pub with the "cash is king" sign does the better chips and less unpleasant beer of the two at the bottom of the village. They (or rather the landlord) may prefer cash but I prefer card and I'm the customer. And it's a while since I've asked but the staff have told me they get tips made on card.
Finally and most controversially, I'm deeply relaxed about such incorrect use of apostrophes and think they should be banned, alongside cash.
Out of interest (as somebody who works in the card industry) how many people carry both Visa and Mastercard cards to provide backup should one of the schemes encounter issues? Spoiler, I do.
Whilst perhaps prudent (there's certainly no harm in it that I can immediately see), I can count on the fingers of one foot the time this has actually happened. Generally IME if there's an issue with card payment it'd affect all payments.
That's in the UK, anyway. In the US you're better off carrying a walletful. The last time I was out there places still had you specify debit/credit card before paying, which is fun when you have a prepay card which is neither of those things. More than once in the past I've had to frantically rummage or turn to a friend because they only accepted Mastercard and not Visa or vice versa.
I just carry my phone which has a couple of cards on it, both MasterCard. I take a credit card when out of the UK which is visa.
I do the same. Use my phone for payments 99% of the time.
Usually just take cash with me for tips so the people serving me get the tip direct. Will always ask the person serving if they get the tips when paying by card.
Some businesses don't give the tips to the staff when I've asked this before hence carrying a bit of cash.
Mate of mine always pays cash when we meet up for some beers. Choice is good I reckon.
I can count on the fingers of one foot the time this has actually happened.
It has happened more than once in the last 5 years. Not often but it does happen and sometimes for quite a few hours.
Generally IME if there's an issue with card payment it'd affect all payments.
Nope. As above we have lost Visa and Mastercard in the past and the other a scheme has been fine.
'Legit' banking has many, many loopholes and money is moved around through shill companies, through offshore acounts, swiss bank account etc. all the time - just because it's not physical doesn't mean any less fraud is taking place.
It's be interesting to know how much of a "squeezed middle" issue this actually is? How much does it effect legitimate small high-street businesses that do pay VAT and corporate/income taxes when their competitors find ways around them, whether it's Starbucks on the one side, or the cafe with the "cash is king" sign on the other?
Obviously the big companies are playing outside the spirit of tax law (and that's before we get to the issue of so called 'corporate welfare' subsidies).
And small businesses and trades either knocking 20% off for cash (and then saving themselves an additional ~30% in income taxes).
Usually just take cash with me for tips so the people serving me get the tip direct. Will always ask the person serving if they get the tips when paying by card.
Side note, why?
If the food was rubbish, would you still tip?
If the plates / glassware / cutlery were dirty would you still tip?
If the floor was covered in spilt food, would you still tip?
It always grated with me at 16/17 that for better or worse (mostly worse) FOH was done by the girls, and arguably the pretty ones at that. The boys were out the back washing pots, portering and unblocking the toilets for 6 hours. Waiting / Serving is one of the lest shitty jobs in hospitality (unless you happen to be a 16yr old girl being leered at by inappropriate customers), it's infinitely nicer than spending the shift elbows deep in industrial dish-soap, and I'm an introvert so interacting with people is rarely the highlight of my day!
Yes I can also channel that rage into how quickly the gender pay gap swings the other way as we get older. No I'm not saying women should stay in the kitchen and be paid less (although I sort of am, just sometimes).
If I'm out for a curry then the cleaner who has to deal with the aftermath of someone's poor phall + larger decision absolutely deserves the tip as much as their person bringing me my bahji.
Side note, why?
I'm guessing it's in case the management pockets the tips paid by card rather than passing them on to the staff. If giving cash it's easier to put it in a jar and divvy up later between pretty waitresses and grubby KPs.
Side note, why?
Because I've always done it. There are a few restaurants who keep the tip if paid on a card.
If the food was rubbish, would you still tip?
If the plates / glassware / cutlery were dirty would you still tip?
If the floor was covered in spilt food, would you still tip?
Wheres this McDonald's? No of course I wouldnt that would be stupid.
If theres a tip jar I'll pay cash to that or to the person serving. Maybe I should have been clearer.
Saw this in a local cafe near Rivington and paid
I’m afraid they’d be shit out of luck if I pitched up there, they either accept my trade with a card, or I take it somewhere else, because I hardly ever have cash these days, and I’m not making special trips to a cashpoint for the exceedingly rare occasion I might need to pay for a coffee and a donut or whatever.
The only reason I would make a special effort is for my tattooist, and she will take PayPal.
