How much do people use cash anymore?

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  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    Cash transactions include: $1 for parking at the gym. Money for babysitter... Money for neighbor who mows lawn. That's it!

    your gym charges for parking? wow
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    in jersey we only use cash and pay phones. can't leave a paper trail.
  • fitpilatesqueen
    fitpilatesqueen Posts: 337
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    Cash...I want to know how exactly much I have got to spread it over the month.
    + each trans action on debit costs here where I live and I only use my credit card in emergencies.
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 904 Member
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    Card is the way to go. I only use cash when I'm buying 1 or 2 very cheap items or if there is a fee to use your card.

    I mostly use cash. Checks are for large purchases (such as two large bags of dog food). The only time I break out the plastic is if I'm buying something online (on a secure site) or for a car-maintenance issue (the smog check/oil change places I go to only take cash, debit, or credit cards).

    In any case, I write down what I spend.
  • halobender
    halobender Posts: 780 Member
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    I use mostly cash.....why?
    Less of a trail. Maybe I don't want everybody tracking my purchases.
    And maybe I like slipping cash to people who help me out with things without the worry of our business going beyond the 2 of us.
    People help people who carry cash.
    Believe it :smokin:
    Word. Also banks are a product of Satan.

    Anyone hear about HSBC's money laundering scandal? How about when banks bet against themselves losing money with YOUR money, so then they still win when you lose? Man, awesome.

    Whatever, I use ONLY cash. I don't have a bank account. I will never, ever, ever have one again if I can at all help it. No matter how much money I have.
  • LilMissSunshine_
    LilMissSunshine_ Posts: 520
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    I prefer IOU'S.
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
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    I use cash over my card all the time ...if possible.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    100% cash. I used to never carry cash, but now that I do, you realize most of the world still is very cash heavy. Lots of ways it comes in handy. For instance, at least where I live, gas is cheaper. Ever notice that there's always two prices, one for debit or credit, and one for cash? The cash price is cheaper.

    I love garage sales.

    It's just easier and quicker.

    The banks and other orgs track your purcahses. You may not care, but I do. With cash, they have zero idea what you spend. This comes in handy. I have some potential legal issues and it's very handy that they can't just grab my bank accounts and see how my money is spent. Very handy.

    Aside form legal stuff, it seems that until you do it, you don't realize how much easier and freer it is. Plus, I am way better with my money with cash than I am with using a card.
  • McLifterPants
    McLifterPants Posts: 457 Member
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    I live in NYC, where a lot of places only take cash. I usually go through around $200 month in cash transactions
  • emmy3111
    emmy3111 Posts: 482 Member
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    I pay cash for most purchases... hardly use debit except to take cash out every Sunday. Use money jars ala "Til Debt Do Us Part" to budget for the week and save for things we want.

    Bills I pay electronically, mortgage by cheque... almost never use my credit card.

    My ex spent/spends money like it's going out of style - now I'm trying to teach my kids the benefits of having a budget and knowing where your money is going - cash works great to achieve this as you "see" it being spent.
  • doomspark
    doomspark Posts: 228 Member
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    Most of my bills are paid electronically, and my paycheck is direct deposit. I check the balance on my accounts every day - it may be anal, but I'd rather be able to jump on a problem sooner rather than later.

    I write 3 or 4 checks a month, and usually only keep five or ten bucks in cash on me.

    ETA: Everything else is done with the debit card.
  • BelleHeart
    BelleHeart Posts: 281 Member
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    I like cash. Just its a just in case thing!
  • gogospice
    gogospice Posts: 185 Member
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    I pay all of my bills online. But on payday I take out 300 bucks, and that is my spending money for the week. I find it helps me save more. With my debit card/credit card, I never paid attention. Got me into some serious trouble!
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I lived in NYC for two years. You have to have cash there. Loads of places are cash only.
  • _Refried_
    _Refried_ Posts: 194
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    I never have cash and if I do I spend it super fast, but I hate going to the gas station and having to put 1.00 on my debit card!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    The ONLY thing that I have gotten very irate about is parking garages. To use them, many of them are unmanned now, and you can only use a card to pay. So, I've gotten a little out of hand, and may or may not have broken things and just not paid. But, that's for another day and not the point of this thread.
  • rheelizabeth
    rheelizabeth Posts: 160 Member
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    I still use cash but maybe that's a UK thing...
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I only have cash when I know I'm going to a place that doesn't take credit or where cash would just be easier. Bars, bazaars, splitting a bill with friends, tattoos, flea markets.
  • cowgirlup327
    cowgirlup327 Posts: 58 Member
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    The biggest divider for me is if a bill is free to pay online, it gets paid online. If a fee is charged, I write a check. Other somewhat regular expenses like groceries and gas are easier to pay with a card, too. However, I do like to take cash out prior to the weekends (maybe $40-60) because I find it helpful to have cash when going out with friends - sometimes it's easier for splitting the bill, leaving a tip, or when going to events like flea markets or fairs, etc. I also recently read about a "$5 savings plan" in which you save your $5 bills rather than spend them. Although I don't use cash as the majority of my spending, I will be doing that when I have 5s.
  • DeadMarsha
    DeadMarsha Posts: 203
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    So yes .. I think cash is aging and being pushed in the same direction as postage stamps.

    NOO! Speak no such evils! I am an avid letter-writer, postage stamps are wonderful! =)

    I try to use cash as often as I can. It's simple and it's easy to keep track of (for me, anyway). It's far too easy to overspend with cards or electronic payments, though I use those just as frequently for online bills, purchases, and the odd case where I forgot to withdraw my weekly cash budget. ;)

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