Who carries no cash?

[MrBlues]

I only carry cash. The reason being that I am self employed and therefore, if I have it in my pocket I know what I have to spend. I did once decided to go without cash and just use a debit card. At the end of the month I was amazed at how much money I had spent and just did not realise. Normally, if the cash is not there, I cannot make spur of the moment spends thus save a little money.

[Miz Pat]

I carry no Money with me

I pay doctors with a debit card or an emergency check or a credit card if necessary.

I tend to carry very little money with me except a few dollars to give to homeless people and quarters for parking.

[BuckyBadger]

I frequently have zero cash with me. Sometimes I'll have some hanging around if I've recently come back from a trip. (I carry about $200 with me if I'm flying somewhere domestic or taking a road trip.) But on a day to day basis I often have no money at all.

If I split a meal with friends it's easy to give the server a card and specify how much to put on it. Frequently, there will be three cards given with instructions as to how much on each one. It works well.

But obviously if I know we're going somewhere where we'll need cash I'll stop by an ATM and get some, but on a regular day to day basis I have no concern if my wallet is cash-free.

[hamchan]

I have had my purse stolen before and I no longer carry cash any longer than I have to. I have had it stolen from my home too. It is safer in the bank. Carrying cash or keeping it in thehouse is a huge liability to me. I get cash tips most days at work but I deposit them asap.

[sherylgray]

Personal Finance

Today, many people do not prefer carrying cash while shopping or in any other trip or travel. Myself, also prefer carrying credit cards and debit cards instead of cash. I think, it is more convenient and safer due to the threat of being theft or lost. Some cash is necessary while travelling where there is no any option for plastic money. Moreover, it will be a bad day, if someone left his/her credit card at home, but it rarely happens.

[EarlyRetirementJoy]

I have to be honest - it would take a concerted effort for me to remember "Oh that's right, this one place that I visit on occasion doesn't take debit or credit." Eventually I would remember, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth, and would be something I'd have in the back of my mind should another incident give me pause to think about changing providers.

We do actually pull out cash each week for groceries and for our 'no-explanation-necessary' individual mad money, but not for anything else. So, while I could use some of the cash I always have on hand as a result,for a co-payment, I'd rather not. I'd prefer to charge it so I can easily mark the charge to the correct budget account, and also so that I can gleefully accumulate more reward points. And while I understand this is not the Dr.'s problem, at this point in our culture it simply feels like it's my sacred given right.

My next in line preference after a credit card would be a debit card.

[joshuaking]

I hardly ever have even a dollar in cash on me, although there are many times when I wish I did. Ideally I think I'd always have 100 cash in my wallet, just in case...

[MonkeyMama]

Like recent commented, we keep cash at home for emergencies. That has little to do with carrying around cash everywhere I go. Some might find it more prudent if they live somewhere with more frequent disasters. I worry about theft and loss of cash more where we live, so seems most prudent to keep emergency cash at home.

[~bs]

One reason I typically have some cash is simple opportunity. I live in a somewhat rural area where you frequently pass garage sales, items for sale, and small buisnesses that want a convienience fee if you use a CC. I imagine that this isn't as much of an issue in a large urban area.

That is a good reason to carry around paper money.

[~bs]

For those who think cash is irrelevant, please consider what you would do if your community and surrounding areas lost power for several days. Especially if there is something you couldn't easily live without such as prescription medications. I went through the Hannukah Eve wind storm of 2006 that hit the Puget Sound. Many places got up and running with generators, but it took some time, and not every place had a generator. I heard reports of drug stores staying open for people who needed to fill prescriptions, and writing down credit card numbers in a spiral notebook to run later when the power came back on. Personally, I'd rather pay with cash than have someone write down my cc info. And what if the stores had initiated a "cash only" policy. I think it's wise to always have access to at least a wee bit of cash.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukka..._storm_of_2006

I keep ~ $500 in paper money at the house in small bills for emergency situations along with food, water, and other supplies. That has nothing to do with carrying around cash on a day to day basis. Unless your plan is to carry a large wad of cash with you where ever you go in case there's an "emergency" outside your home that might require it. And big bills aren't really desirable either, as you'll also have to be lucky to have a cashier that's able to break it for you.And if you do run into a situation where you're outside your home, all power & computer systems are down, and you NEED to buy food, gas, or whatever else immediately, your situation is probably bad enough that you should be thinking of taking shelter and not on going shopping.

[feh]

I think it's wise to always have access to at least a wee bit of cash.

We always have some cash in the house. I just carry very little with me.

[scfr]

For those who think cash is irrelevant, please consider what you would do if your community and surrounding areas lost power for several days. Especially if there is something you couldn't easily live without such as prescription medications. I went through the Hannukah Eve wind storm of 2006 that hit the Puget Sound. Many places got up and running with generators, but it took some time, and not every place had a generator. I heard reports of drug stores staying open for people who needed to fill prescriptions, and writing down credit card numbers in a spiral notebook to run later when the power came back on. Personally, I'd rather pay with cash than have someone write down my cc info. And what if the stores had initiated a "cash only" policy. I think it's wise to always have access to at least a wee bit of cash.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah_Eve_wind_storm_of_2006

[GREENBACK]

One reason I typically have some cash is simple opportunity. I live in a somewhat rural area where you frequently pass garage sales, items for sale, and small buisnesses that want a convienience fee if you use a CC. I imagine that this isn't as much of an issue in a large urban area.

[Baby_nurse]

A little article that goes along with this thread.

http://money.msn.com/gen-x/article.aspx?post=9243b771-ab14-409f-b896-59a3103fb7fc

[disneysteve]

Like PP said, most of these are not a big issue at all

I agree. Most are very minor things. They are just among the reasons why I always have cash on me. And it isn't like I spend a lot of cash. It might take me a couple of months to spend $100 in cash (unless there is a casino involved in which case it might only take a couple of minutes ).