Cash is what you use if you don’t have technology.
A lot of people like me find navigating the technological landscape problematic. Younger people will roll their eyes, say what we need to do is learn the technology and acquire the equipment, they declare it is no biggie and you ‘just’ do this or you ‘just’ do that. There was some hope with the simplicity of Oyster Cards, but even having a credit card can be a pain. Every time I enter my card details to pay £10 to Charlton TV for a stream Barclaycard oblige me to put the card in some god awful machine at home and do a dance with a series of numbers before approval. Even when out and using my card on a machine, some demand you put the card in and remember your numbers, or hold it over the screen, but oh no you have to hover it the other way round, or the magnet or whatever it is can be found at the end of the machine not the flat surface.
Or you have to have some kind of telephone with an appliance to wave around.
This is even before we get to systems not functioning for some reason. Leave cash alone, and let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it.
Cash is what you use if you don’t have technology.
A lot of people like me find navigating the technological landscape problematic. Younger people will roll their eyes, say what we need to do is learn the technology and acquire the equipment, they declare it is no biggie and you ‘just’ do this or you ‘just’ do that. There was some hope with the simplicity of Oyster Cards, but even having a credit card can be a pain. Every time I enter my card details to pay £10 to Charlton TV for a stream Barclaycard oblige me to put the card in some god awful machine at home and do a dance with a series of numbers before approval. Even when out and using my card on a machine, some demand you put the card in and remember your numbers, or hold it over the screen, but oh no you have to hover it the other way round, or the magnet or whatever it is can be found at the end of the machine not the flat surface.
Or you have to have some kind of telephone with an appliance to wave around.
This is even before we get to systems not functioning for some reason. Leave cash alone, and let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it.
You do sound like one of those Judges who ask questions about certain terminology - 'the internet - what is this of which you speak?'. Not a criticism, Seth - I find it quite endearing actually. Appliance ;-)
'Let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it' - that's pretty much the entire population of the world then!
The only time I use cash is to pay the window cleaner. My local pub is cashless and my father in law absolutely hates it when I take him there. Coincidentally, he’s also a window cleaner.
At the opposite end @stop_shouting , the pub me and you used to have a post work scoop off the train in remains Cash Only. Right pain.
So for 30-40 (50? ) plus years, no problem, suddenly "Right pain"?
Cash is what you use if you don’t have technology.
A lot of people like me find navigating the technological landscape problematic. Younger people will roll their eyes, say what we need to do is learn the technology and acquire the equipment, they declare it is no biggie and you ‘just’ do this or you ‘just’ do that. There was some hope with the simplicity of Oyster Cards, but even having a credit card can be a pain. Every time I enter my card details to pay £10 to Charlton TV for a stream Barclaycard oblige me to put the card in some god awful machine at home and do a dance with a series of numbers before approval. Even when out and using my card on a machine, some demand you put the card in and remember your numbers, or hold it over the screen, but oh no you have to hover it the other way round, or the magnet or whatever it is can be found at the end of the machine not the flat surface.
Or you have to have some kind of telephone with an appliance to wave around.
This is even before we get to systems not functioning for some reason. Leave cash alone, and let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it.
You do sound like one of those Judges who ask questions about certain terminology - 'the internet - what is this of which you speak?'. Not a criticism, Seth - I find it quite endearing actually. Appliance ;-)
'Let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it' - that's pretty much the entire population of the world then!
Some things have passed me by, in my defence I know more than average about Shakespeare and poetry generally, but such knowledge does not buy you a bus journey or a bunch of bananas. Not often anyway.
I am with First Direct, have been since they started, and you could telephone them and have a nice chat with somebody from Scotland or Yorkshire whilst doing your business. They then became slower to answer (still will after a short pause) but introduced ‘voice recognition’. I tried to fool it by speaking in different accents. Then the other day on the wireless I heard that artificial intelligence can clone your voice! Yesterday I got a cheque for £19.74 as a tax rebate and today will have to walk into Lewisham to find an HSBC to pay it in. A tax cheque as personal trainer.
Cash is what you use if you don’t have technology.
A lot of people like me find navigating the technological landscape problematic. Younger people will roll their eyes, say what we need to do is learn the technology and acquire the equipment, they declare it is no biggie and you ‘just’ do this or you ‘just’ do that. There was some hope with the simplicity of Oyster Cards, but even having a credit card can be a pain. Every time I enter my card details to pay £10 to Charlton TV for a stream Barclaycard oblige me to put the card in some god awful machine at home and do a dance with a series of numbers before approval. Even when out and using my card on a machine, some demand you put the card in and remember your numbers, or hold it over the screen, but oh no you have to hover it the other way round, or the magnet or whatever it is can be found at the end of the machine not the flat surface.
Or you have to have some kind of telephone with an appliance to wave around.
This is even before we get to systems not functioning for some reason. Leave cash alone, and let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it.
You do sound like one of those Judges who ask questions about certain terminology - 'the internet - what is this of which you speak?'. Not a criticism, Seth - I find it quite endearing actually. Appliance ;-)
'Let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it' - that's pretty much the entire population of the world then!
Some things have passed me by, in my defence I know more than average about Shakespeare and poetry generally, but such knowledge does not buy you a bus journey or a bunch of bananas. Not often anyway.
Maybe as you enter the bus and approach the driver you can recite 'Once more ...' from Henry V and you might get away with it.
The disadvantage of cash, Went to a restaurant where the card reader had failed and they shut the doors to new customers, our bill came to £110 out of the 4 families I was the only idiot to have cash on me (71 year old miserable old git who can use some technology) I had £115 paid the bill including a fiver tip and left with the other 3 families saying I will transfer the money over to, only one did. That will teach me to carry cash in this cashless age.
I can't remember the last time I received a cheque let alone wrote one (not even sure I have a cheque book anymore), was probably a school trip for one of my daughters so pre 2017.
I love my Apple Watch, pay for almost everything (when in person) with that, not sure what the limit is but have bought up to about £6k with it, although I did look very stupid once when trying to pay for a sandwich in Pret with my Omega . Online depending on the card often have to enter the banking app to authorise, good security just in case.
It's places where they don't take cash NOR card, such as parking, my father in law now doesn't go to a couple of places as he can't handle trying to pay by ringing.
The disadvantage of cash, Went to a restaurant where the card reader had failed and they shut the doors to new customers, our bill came to £110 out of the 4 families I was the only idiot to have cash on me (71 year old miserable old git who can use some technology) I had £115 paid the bill including a fiver tip and left with the other 3 families saying I will transfer the money over to, only one did. That will teach me to carry cash in this cashless age.
I think that says more about the families you were with...
Cash is what you use if you don’t have technology.
A lot of people like me find navigating the technological landscape problematic. Younger people will roll their eyes, say what we need to do is learn the technology and acquire the equipment, they declare it is no biggie and you ‘just’ do this or you ‘just’ do that. There was some hope with the simplicity of Oyster Cards, but even having a credit card can be a pain. Every time I enter my card details to pay £10 to Charlton TV for a stream Barclaycard oblige me to put the card in some god awful machine at home and do a dance with a series of numbers before approval. Even when out and using my card on a machine, some demand you put the card in and remember your numbers, or hold it over the screen, but oh no you have to hover it the other way round, or the magnet or whatever it is can be found at the end of the machine not the flat surface.
Or you have to have some kind of telephone with an appliance to wave around.
This is even before we get to systems not functioning for some reason. Leave cash alone, and let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it.
You do sound like one of those Judges who ask questions about certain terminology - 'the internet - what is this of which you speak?'. Not a criticism, Seth - I find it quite endearing actually. Appliance ;-)
'Let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it' - that's pretty much the entire population of the world then!
Some things have passed me by, in my defence I know more than average about Shakespeare and poetry generally, but such knowledge does not buy you a bus journey or a bunch of bananas. Not often anyway.
Maybe as you enter the bus and approach the driver you can recite 'Once more ...' from Henry V and you might get away with it.
@bobmunro if memory serves me well I believe you’re fast approaching your moment of retirement. It feels strange when others wish you the best on your ‘retirement’, hard to immediately assimilate the concept personally. May I take this opportunity to wish you all the best, and maybe these two quotes from the great man will resonate.
Come, Let's have one other gaudy night. Call to me All my sad captains. Fill our bowls once more. Let's mock the midnight bell.
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
been to a few (especially) seaside towns over the past few months where a large number of independent corner shops, cafes, used bookstores and similar small businesses refuse to take cards, cash is the only way to pay .. they all in my experience have signs in their windows etc pointing this out .. I suspect that the charges imposed by the card clearing companies impinge on their overhead as well as helping with cash flow, perhaps 'one for me, one for the taxman' is the name of the game lol
The only time I use cash is to pay the window cleaner. My local pub is cashless and my father in law absolutely hates it when I take him there. Coincidentally, he’s also a window cleaner.
At the opposite end @stop_shouting , the pub me and you used to have a post work scoop off the train in remains Cash Only. Right pain.
So for 30-40 (50? ) plus years, no problem, suddenly "Right pain"?
Yes mate, because your habits change. I don’t generally carry much cash with me and don’t think I’m alone in that.
I went elsewhere last Friday and my two rounds come to just under £80. I haven’t carried that in cash for about 5 years. Going to a pub and then mid evening having to go traipsing off to try and find a cash machine to top up and then walk back as you either wasn’t intending to pop in, or staying longer than originally planned, is just an unnecessary hassle.
If a busker, ice cream man or coffee seller on a bicycle can work card payments then so should an established pub or takeaway restaurant with a high turnover. Can be dressed up how they like but I can’t see anything other than book fiddling / tax avoidance as the reason imo
The disadvantage of cash, Went to a restaurant where the card reader had failed and they shut the doors to new customers, our bill came to £110 out of the 4 families I was the only idiot to have cash on me (71 year old miserable old git who can use some technology) I had £115 paid the bill including a fiver tip and left with the other 3 families saying I will transfer the money over to, only one did. That will teach me to carry cash in this cashless age.
I think that says more about the families you were with...
And the advantage of the restaurant still accepting cash to pay for the meal. Have been to many a restaurant where the card machines went down but fortunate they still accepted cash. Have also been to pret many times where they have had to shout to the queue of people 'cash only' the card machines aren't working with majority of the queue disappearing out the door 😁
End of the day, there are benefits to both sides and dangers.
A cashless society would be a complete invasion of privacy in some aspects, it could also lead to very complex financial issues. We have all had it where we are billed incorrectly and as quick as that money is taken away, it's usually a lot harder to get it back. It's not physical so it's more dangerous for spending habbits. It's a lot easier to part ways with 50 pounds in digital currency than an actual note. A lot of people's bad spending habbits are definitely down to how easy it is to spend online. There's also the real danger of cyber attacks and money being mistakenly blocked.
Lloyd's blocked my account once over a car payment and the next week or so was a real pain in the arse, where ironically had I had cash on hand, I would have got by just fine. Essentially I couldn't make any transactions until I passed some security checks and had to keep drawing money from the bank in person until it all resolved.
Then there is the perks of contactless and online payments. Less clutter, less chance of being robbed or losing real cash, can track your spending easier, you don't have to worry about 'running' out of cash. The danger of course is, you are leaving yourself wide open to people exploring your lifestyle and habbits, I had to submit a bank statement to a job I was going for and it made me feel rather uncomfortable. I didn't really have anything to hide but equally I didn't want some stranger looking at my spending habbits.
I personally believe a cashless society is dangerous and a breach of an individuals 'freedom'. All for the sake of convenience. I believe it will be a decision humans would regret if it happened personally
The only time I use cash is to pay the window cleaner. My local pub is cashless and my father in law absolutely hates it when I take him there. Coincidentally, he’s also a window cleaner.
At the opposite end @stop_shouting , the pub me and you used to have a post work scoop off the train in remains Cash Only. Right pain.
So for 30-40 (50? ) plus years, no problem, suddenly "Right pain"?
Yes mate, because your habits change. I don’t generally carry much cash with me and don’t think I’m alone in that.
I went elsewhere last Friday and my two rounds come to just under £80. I haven’t carried that in cash for about 5 years. Going to a pub and then mid evening having to go traipsing off to try and find a cash machine to top up and then walk back as you either wasn’t intending to pop in, or staying longer than originally planned, is just an unnecessary hassle.
If a busker, ice cream man or coffee seller on a bicycle can work card payments then so should an established pub or takeaway restaurant with a high turnover. Can be dressed up how they like but I can’t see anything other than book fiddling / tax avoidance as the reason imo
Yea no doubt many won't use a card machine until they are forced to for book fiddling. My local barbers, kebab shop and chippy are still cash only and I doubt they will change until they are forced to.
Card machine company's take the piss with what they take though. I pay thousands of my income a year to the card machine company which could be money in my pocket instead. Luckily the customers that tip me are mostly just paying it straight to the card company as shown below
Who needs Alex Jones and wild conspiracy theories when the reality is here and now - it took my breath away to find out that our current government, which is simultaneously corrupt and incompetent, now wants to have the right to access the bank account of anyone who receives a state pension.
I am with First Direct, have been since they started, and you could telephone them and have a nice chat with somebody from Scotland or Yorkshire whilst doing your business. They then became slower to answer (still will after a short pause) but introduced ‘voice recognition’. I tried to fool it by speaking in different accents. Then the other day on the wireless I heard that artificial intelligence can clone your voice! Yesterday I got a cheque for £19.74 as a tax rebate and today will have to walk into Lewisham to find an HSBC to pay it in. A tax cheque as personal trainer.
Many of the mainstream banks will let you 'deposit' a cheque using their mobile phone banking no need to leave the house HMRC will send you rebates direct to your current account if you just put the details on the rebate claim form or tax return, that doesn't require any technology at all
Some of the technology can be problematic the first few times we use them but more often the shift from old'n'familiar to new isn't quite the leap you might fear
As for some people's fear of a loss of privacy or breaches thereof - there's a much bigger danger to all of that about to happen without permission from any of us HMGov has just empowered itself to snoop in your bank accounts if you receive any state benefits - so eventually that's all of us with the old age pension - the tissue thin lie is that it's about fraud prevention but the power comes without any requirement for 'probable cause' or evidence of malfeasance - because they've got your bank details they're allowing faceless minions to spy on your incomings and outgoings - the anti fraud narrative is simple of course but is just a smokescreen - this is authoritarian overreach of the worst kind - this is the kind of thing peddled by Beijing, Tehran and Putin You have been warned
its the older generation I feel sorry for. My parents have to avoid certain car parks as you need the app, which their basic phone can’t have, or some only take cards which flusters them. Then all the banks are closing, in Bexhill they have lost Barclays, Nat West, HSBC and Lloyds in the last twelve months. Carrying too much cash isn’t a clever idea either. Those over 80 and those not tech savvy are being discriminated against. It this were affecting those under 40 the country would be up in arms.
Many smaller and medium sized towns are losing their high street banks. This means businesses are forced to work even harder to “bank” their takings, often using a post office where they are obliged to queue with others holding a bag holding hundreds or perhaps even thousands of pounds ? A robber’s paradise and a lot of hassle for the shops. I can fully understand why some businesses are not inclined to take cash. As @AFKA has pointed out, an intransigence to accept cards and insist on cash is in my view purely as a way of avoiding something. Eventually cash will be gone because all the people who can’t negotiate the technology will also be gone. It’s inevitable at some point.
I use cards and online banking but value cash and the right to use it. The last few bank holiday weekends at least one major banking outlet's computer systems has gone belly up. Being wholly reliant on technology which can be nobbled is not prudent in my opinion.
The consumer is king or queen or should be and has the right to choice in my view.
As someone who runs an online payment platform, trust me, we know fuck all about you, who you are and what you spend your money on. And the retailers who do, don’t need your payment details
Comments
A lot of people like me find navigating the technological landscape problematic.
Younger people will roll their eyes, say what we need to do is learn the technology and acquire the equipment, they declare it is no biggie and you ‘just’ do this or you ‘just’ do that.
There was some hope with the simplicity of Oyster Cards, but even having a credit card can be a pain.
Every time I enter my card details to pay £10 to Charlton TV for a stream Barclaycard oblige me to put the card in some god awful machine at home and do a dance with a series of numbers before approval.
Even when out and using my card on a machine, some demand you put the card in and remember your numbers, or hold it over the screen, but oh no you have to hover it the other way round, or the magnet or whatever it is can be found at the end of the machine not the flat surface.
Or you have to have some kind of telephone with an appliance to wave around.
This is even before we get to systems not functioning for some reason.
Leave cash alone, and let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it.
'Let those of us who grew up with it continue to use it' - that's pretty much the entire population of the world then!
Not often anyway.
They then became slower to answer (still will after a short pause) but introduced ‘voice recognition’. I tried to fool it by speaking in different accents. Then the other day on the wireless I heard that artificial intelligence can clone your voice!
Yesterday I got a cheque for £19.74 as a tax rebate and today will have to walk into Lewisham to find an HSBC to pay it in.
A tax cheque as personal trainer.
also, most banking apps allow you to 'pay in' a cheque via your phone
On another note, I am a massive fan of the Old King's Head in Borough as it still takes cash and a decent pint can still be had for four quid.
I don’t have any financial gibbons on my mobile telephone for fear of losing it or scams.
I love my Apple Watch, pay for almost everything (when in person) with that, not sure what the limit is but have bought up to about £6k with it, although I did look very stupid once when trying to pay for a sandwich in Pret with my Omega
It's places where they don't take cash NOR card, such as parking, my father in law now doesn't go to a couple of places as he can't handle trying to pay by ringing.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all the best, and maybe these two quotes from the great man will resonate.
Come,
Let's have one other gaudy night. Call to me
All my sad captains. Fill our bowls once more.
Let's mock the midnight bell.
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
Parking using an app like Ringo so much easier. If you need to buy more time, you can without paying too much in advance.
Let's embrace technology, it makes life easier.
A cashless society would be a complete invasion of privacy in some aspects, it could also lead to very complex financial issues. We have all had it where we are billed incorrectly and as quick as that money is taken away, it's usually a lot harder to get it back. It's not physical so it's more dangerous for spending habbits. It's a lot easier to part ways with 50 pounds in digital currency than an actual note. A lot of people's bad spending habbits are definitely down to how easy it is to spend online. There's also the real danger of cyber attacks and money being mistakenly blocked.
Lloyd's blocked my account once over a car payment and the next week or so was a real pain in the arse, where ironically had I had cash on hand, I would have got by just fine. Essentially I couldn't make any transactions until I passed some security checks and had to keep drawing money from the bank in person until it all resolved.
Then there is the perks of contactless and online payments. Less clutter, less chance of being robbed or losing real cash, can track your spending easier, you don't have to worry about 'running' out of cash. The danger of course is, you are leaving yourself wide open to people exploring your lifestyle and habbits, I had to submit a bank statement to a job I was going for and it made me feel rather uncomfortable. I didn't really have anything to hide but equally I didn't want some stranger looking at my spending habbits.
I personally believe a cashless society is dangerous and a breach of an individuals 'freedom'. All for the sake of convenience. I believe it will be a decision humans would regret if it happened personally
Card machine company's take the piss with what they take though. I pay thousands of my income a year to the card machine company which could be money in my pocket instead. Luckily the customers that tip me are mostly just paying it straight to the card company as shown below
HMRC will send you rebates direct to your current account if you just put the details on the rebate claim form or tax return, that doesn't require any technology at all
Some of the technology can be problematic the first few times we use them but more often the shift from old'n'familiar to new isn't quite the leap you might fear
As for some people's fear of a loss of privacy or breaches thereof - there's a much bigger danger to all of that about to happen without permission from any of us
HMGov has just empowered itself to snoop in your bank accounts if you receive any state benefits - so eventually that's all of us with the old age pension - the tissue thin lie is that it's about fraud prevention but the power comes without any requirement for 'probable cause' or evidence of malfeasance - because they've got your bank details they're allowing faceless minions to spy on your incomings and outgoings - the anti fraud narrative is simple of course but is just a smokescreen - this is authoritarian overreach of the worst kind - this is the kind of thing peddled by Beijing, Tehran and Putin
You have been warned
The consumer is king or queen or should be and has the right to choice in my view.