How often do you use cash?

Seeing the thread on the penny design made me realize how seldom I use actual cash and coins.
I use either my debit card or a credit card.
I can hardly remember what color paper money is now and I don't recognize the new designs on coins.

love me some cash. yes, I do.

1) I'm lazy and ATM nearest work isn't my bank's, so $$$ fees like crazy.
2) We like to track our budget, and the more we use cash, the more we have to write stuff down. Every debit purchase lists the store it's from in our online bank account - easy!

I can see how much I spent at the grocery store or for gas very easily.

:tinfoilhat: :scared:

otherwise, transaction fees are eaten by the merchant relative to the small transaction.

I pay exact change whenever possible and dollar coins save having to dig out my wallet for petty purchases.

And do you have to go to the bank to get the coins?

They are well integrated now. I still get them at the bank just to make sure I have them and they no longer ask if I want specific ones. I keep a few rolls in the car as backup cash. The Suzie's are still in wide circulation.

That's what I heard, anyway...

:yoiks:

Do not have a credit card,Debit card,Checking acct.My saving Acct is a safe deposit box...

After the way Wall St and the Banksters Screwed us? Fuck Them!

and pay at end of month

I use cash in a couple of places..

Any Farmer's Market I attend,

and

a local grocery store where I occasionally shop.

My big market and Costco, I use my debit card. Can't use that in the little market, or of course, the Farmer's Mkt.

it helps me track better.

I know how much cash I have at the beginning of the day and how much at the end.

Once gas,grocery and booze took cards,who needs to carry cash?

don't like to use plastic
don't trust it or myself

Except for things like hotel rooms, car rentals, airplane tickets, spur-of-the-moment purchases that cost more than the amount of cash I have in my pocket, and online purchases. Which is a longish list, but that stuff doesn't happen all that often.

Basically, I like months when I get no credit card bill, or it comes in showing that my balance is zero.

I don't use debit cards at all - the statutory consumer protections are much stronger for credit cards, so I use credit cards when I use a card.

I don't touch plastic or checks for anything less than $40 typically.

Note: Being older (Almost 50) I suspect this is much more common in my generation.

I pity the data miners trying to profile me. :P

Seriously though, using cash is a better budget management strategy for me and I make most small purchases with cash.

Most of the time it's less than $20. I like knowing I can account for almost every purchase using my Visa card. It helps me budget much better. Cash is too easy to spend. And frankly I hate dealing with change. I have to pass through metal detectors multiple times daily at my job, and coins are a pain. I have two jars in my dresser. One for quarters for the laundry, and one for all other coins. Coins go into the center console on my car, then into my jars.

Presumably the person or entity who receives it in that transaction will use it again. Coins-with-strings are the exception to the rule.

Using my debit card got me into a shitload of trouble. I simply lost control over my spending because I didn't keep track, plus I had a nice, easy and cushiony overdraft account, which is what really killed me. My Visa, the only credit card I have, has always been set up in a way so that the entire balance is deducted from my bank account on the first of each month automatically. And I requested to only have a €1,000.00 limit to begin with.

I realize things are much different in the US, where expenses such as an unexpected trip to the hospital can pretty much spell financial ruin, and people very often have no choice other than to use credit cards to make ends meet.

After much soul-searching and setting up a reasonable budget, I now withdraw the amount I need for everyday expenses (groceries, lunch money, the occasional trip to the beauty parlor, etc.) in cash at the first of the month and THAT'S IT. It was hard as hell at first, but has worked really well over the past six months or so that I've stuck to it. Until I crawl out of the hole that I've managed to dig myself into, this will have to do.

About the only time I use my debit card is when I'm pumping gas. I use my credit cards mostly online to get stuff and then pay them off. I prefer dead presidents.

I do and an AE card but I use it just enough to maintain credit.

I usually write a check for clothing, shoes, etc. I never carry more than $20.00 in cash.

I only use a credit card (or Paypal) for online purchases.

I use the ATM to get cash for most of my purchases. I got burned a few times by my bank stopping my debit card because of some suspicious activity (all of it my purchases) which sucks when you have a cart full of groceries.

Also I was going to pay for a major car repair, $1300 with my card and right before the card registered to the cashier "accepted" the line disconnected and so the guy ran the card again and of course the original was accepted but the second was rejected because I didn't have $2600 in my account. So they think I don't have enough money to pay them. I am glad I had my checkbook with me as a backup.

So I make sure I have the money first or at least enough cash with me in case the wonders of modern society fucks up again. And I use my checkbook for the larger things.

It's nice that the bank keeps an eye on my account but having to drive home to get a check...ugh! Never again!

Otherwise it's my student card.

been using that since I graduated from high school. I've never had a credit card of my own.

My Job requires me to make daily purchases, and I am conflicted as to whether to use cash or credit. I have made it to a point where I have no balance, so no interest due. Which means for the past year or more, I have been able to purely earn cash back when I use credit. Which I like. And I am religious with my register, which means i always know what Ive spent, and have it accounted for. Which is nice when i want to look back and make sure I am being responsible with what money I have.

On the other hand, I participate in www.WheresGeorge.com. And so I want to use cash, and get my bills out there.

In the end, the desire for the cash back, tiny as it really is, generally wins out. But there are stores and eateries that only take cash or debit. I rarely if ever use debit, and Ive used one check so far this year, and even that was only held as a deposit, never cashed.

On edit.. I also collect coins, so I usually get a few rolls whenever I am in a bank. Most just go back a week later, but my collection of really not that rare coins usually grows by a quarter or a penny every pay period.

:hippie:

When I deposit my paycheck I keep out as much cash as I will need to buy groceries, lunches etc. and the rest stays in the bank. It might not work for everyone, but it keeps me from overspending and it's accepted everywhere (at least for now). I just have always like the idea of having some cash on me, although I know people who never carry cash anymore.

If I don't have it, I have to pilfer it from my husband's wallet.

She HATES taking the nickel or dime rolls for lunch.

HATES it, she would rather skip lunch (!).

I don't get it.

Just for coffee, getting a few things at the grocery store, and small stuff like that--mainly because I'm embarrassed to debit anything less than $8. But 99% of my purchases are debited. I can make a $10 bill last two weeks.

I buy coffee every morning and it would seem ridiculous to use a card for something that small.

It's too damn difficult to light my Cuban cigars with a credit card.

Besides which, credit cards are essential, because no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

What I take out of the ATM every fortnight is to last me until the next fortnight.

Larger purchases, which seldom occur, will be carried by the debit card.

I only get the card out for online transactions and those movie rental kiosk things.

If I can't afford it with cash, I don't buy it. Of course, bills I send with checks, but that's different.

mostly the ones outside serving from carts.

Cash only, but they're still better than Olive Garden.

:hi: