Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Find out how to let us know.
When was the last time you used cash to pay for something?
66Mustang
Community Co-Production Group Posts: 5,570 Disability Gamechanger
I used to withdraw about £50 every 6 months or so and it would slowly get used until I needed to withdraw some more. Mostly I would use my card but I would still use cash as well.
I don’t think I have used any cash since the start of the Covid problems. I have had 2 £5 notes in my wallet since the start of the Coronavirus and have just given them to a family member who needed them for something. I seem to use my card for everything now. The new contactless limit of £45 is helpful I think although it does make me worry about losing my card.
Has the amount of cash you use changed since the Covid problems started?
I don’t think I have used any cash since the start of the Covid problems. I have had 2 £5 notes in my wallet since the start of the Coronavirus and have just given them to a family member who needed them for something. I seem to use my card for everything now. The new contactless limit of £45 is helpful I think although it does make me worry about losing my card.
Has the amount of cash you use changed since the Covid problems started?
Tagged:
Comments
-
I haven't used cash at all since Covid started but even before that I rarely used it. I use Contactless in the supermarket and a smartphone app to pay for fuel. Anything else I buy online.
I think the last time I used cash would've been a car show entrance fee in September last year! I did make a small coin donation at a local fireworks display in November if that counts.
I do always keep some cash in my wallet in case the card fails though, I have a few old 20's in there so will need to spend those before they become obsolete! So far there's no end date for spending them and I doubt there will be before Corona has passed now. -
Thanks for sharing @OverlyAnxious
I wouldn’t mind being able to use my smartphone to buy my fuel, the keypads for [email protected] are often sticky which sets off my OCD
so I have to use the plastic gloves but sometimes they don’t have any. However, I go to Tesco as it is cheapest and I’m not sure they offer such a facility.
Just so you know, bank notes always retain their face value with the Bank of England. You can trade in any old coins or notes with them and receive the face value of the cash. Most of the time a regular bank will also provide the same service but they can refuse i.e. if you are trading in very old money (although that would probably be worth more than its face value to a collector anyway). However the Bank of England works as a last resort. That said it’s probably easier to just spend them.
-
I used cash yesterday to pay for my sons haircut at the barbers I also use it to pay for taxis as not many take cards
Also to give my son when he goes to the shop for me so I usually have some in my purse
I also pay my gardener and chiropodist in cashHere to help with my experience in hunan resources and employment rights -
Thanks for posting @janer1967 so you still use it quite a lot then!
-
Since lockdown I have started using a debit card for the first time in a couple of decades. I prefer cash and cheques to get cash from the bank or building society. I have found contactless payments take a long time to clear my account. When al this is over I am going back to cashing a cheque for cash at the bank and paying for shopping with cash. I don't use internet banking and my old phone can't cope with apps.
-
I've been taking my own gloves to handle the pump since Covid started, never used to before - a sensible safety idea or a new compulsion? Not sure!66Mustang said:Thanks for sharing @OverlyAnxious
I wouldn’t mind being able to use my smartphone to buy my fuel, the keypads for [email protected] are often sticky which sets off my OCD so I have to use the plastic gloves but sometimes they don’t have any. However, I go to Tesco as it is cheapest and I’m not sure they offer such a facility.
Just so you know, bank notes always retain their face value with the Bank of England. You can trade in any old coins or notes with them and receive the face value of the cash. Most of the time a regular bank will also provide the same service but they can refuse i.e. if you are trading in very old money (although that would probably be worth more than its face value to a collector anyway). However the Bank of England works as a last resort. That said it’s probably easier to just spend them.
I don't think any supermarket offers the app use yet but I use a small branded forecourt in town which costs the same as the supermarkets that are just off the dual carriageways. The app also automatically adds your points and gives offers, as well as emailing a receipt, so it is very useful. It isn't totally failsafe though, so I am tempted to try [email protected] in future...just not really sure of the procedure and don't want to look a fool haha! I'd definitely want gloves for a sticky keypad too!
As for the notes...definitely easier to just spend them I think!! -
@roberttaylor570 that is a good point. When you withdraw cash from your account it is instant whereas a card payment often takes days to come out so you need to keep a track of how much you actually have to spend compared to what it says you have in your account, so as to not go overdrawn.
-
@OverlyAnxious [email protected] is really easy, you put your card in and enter your PIN and it authorises a £99 payment then you can take as much fuel as you need up to £99. The one thing that is a bit confusing is that, with Tesco, it shows as a £1 transaction until the payment is actually taken which can take a few days, so for a few days it seems as though you have that money available to spend.
Example if my account has £200 in and I buy £50 of fuel, it shows as £1 taken and £199 available so it’s easy to go off and spend £199 then after a few days the £50 comes out and you go overdrawn haha. You do get used to just remembering how much fuel you put in though and budgeting accordingly. -
Use it or lose it applies here. When the Covid pandemic is over we should resume to use cash again if we value the little bit of financial freedom it gives. The problem with banks is that they are tied to the government and work hand in glove with them.
Would car boot sales be as popular if everyone used cards, I think not. How about selling your second hand car? I think we should keep cash as long as possible and I say that because it’s inevitable that They will get rid of it eventually...for our benefit of course. -
@66Mustang @roberttaylor570 my banking app tells me what my 'pending' payments are, which is quite handy, but I still have to do the maths if there are multiple payments in there to work out how much I need to take off my balance.
I really hate using cash because find myself getting nervy over whether I've got the right amount, whereas with card I only have to worry that I've got enough in my account to make the payment (which I hopefully do!). The last time I used cash was at the hairdressers the week before last and that's the only thing I use it for really now, other than the occasional one-off thing.Online Community Coordinator, she/her
Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.
Want to give us feedback? Complete our feedback form now. -
You are right @leeCal it is easy to “diss” cash but I think we would miss it if it were to go. I don’t think I would want to give up being able to use cash completely.
-
@Tori_Scope thanks for posting, good point about having the right money. I guess another benefit is that there is no chance of being short changed with a card as well!
-
Does anyone know what happens if say you lose your card and someone goes on a contactless spree with it? Can you claim the money back or is it gone?
-
Yes, that's also true @66Mustang! Although it is sometimes worth checking that they've entered the right amount into the card machine, especially in a bar or club.Does anyone know what happens if say you lose your card and someone goes on a contactless spree with it? Can you claim the money back or is it gone?
That's happened to me once before. They didn't go on a 'spree' as such, but they made one or two small-ish payments. I cancelled my card via the app as soon as I realised my card was missing, and rang the bank the next day to order a new card and tell them about the payments that weren't made by me. I was reimbursed the money with few questions asked, but that might just have been because it was a relatively small amount (under £20). I'm not sure what the actual policy is.Online Community Coordinator, she/her
Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.
Want to give us feedback? Complete our feedback form now. -
Thanks @Tori_Scope. Good point, I guess it only takes one button mis-press for £4.50 to turn into £45.00.
We have found 2 contactless cards on the ground over the years and handed them both in. I am hoping someone does the same when I inevitably lose mine but I dread them going crazy with it haha. Apparently it sometimes asks for your PIN to verify the card isn’t stolen but I’ve never been asked for it when using contactless.
-
@66Mustang I was denied when shopping in Iceland and they accepted cash, this was about a month ago. I took the card to the bank and they agreed to replace it. They did say that after a while it demands a reset by drawing out cash or using a service at the bank. I just want to go back to cash but it is too dangerous just yet. I used cash this morning for a special collection at church, I have moved my donation to fortnightly direct debit.
-
@66Mustang years ago Gordon Brown the then chancellor was convinced that the black market was worth over £5 billion a year, he wanted to reduce that and raise taxes by doing so. Ie if everything has to be accounted for then taxes can be levied, with cash sales and purchases that can’t be done.
im not condoning the black market but I do believe we should have some freedom in our financial dealings without everything being taxed and vatable. -
Yeah, mine was stolen off of me so that's why they made some payments I suppose @66Mustang! I'd like to think most people would hand them in.
I definitely get asked to type my pin in every now and again. I don't know whether it does it based on how much I've spent or how many times I've made a payment though.Online Community Coordinator, she/her
Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.
Want to give us feedback? Complete our feedback form now. -
@leeCal Most people buy used cars using instant bank transfer via phone apps nowadays. It's much safer than carrying a wad of cash around to a strangers house. Also takes days to get it out of the ATM in £300 increments if you don't live near the bank. The only trouble with that is that the seller also needs to have a device to check that it's gone through...last few cars I sold I didn't have a phone capable of banking apps and had to ask them to wait for 10 minutes while I fired up the laptop and online banking!
@66Mustang Regarding the contactless card, mine 'fails' roughly every 10 uses or so and needs to be inserted and put the PIN in. I've often wondered if that's a safety thing or just dodgy machines. I've never been asked to enter a PIN after a contactless tap. The bank track your spending, so they'll should be able to tell if someone else has used your card... Of course that's not a perfect solution...if you always got to Tesco on a Monday morning and buy £20 of food, you could drop your card on the way round and then someone else spends £20 at your usual time in your usual place...
-
Ahh that makes sense. Yes - most of my spending is at the same places and similar amounts and times of day so that maybe explains why I’ve never had to insert my card.
That said I did once go to a bar and buy a drink which should have raised alarm bells with the bank as an “out of character” transaction but that also worked fine hahaha -
I paid cash for our weekly shop last week and for the new shed, but I do use my card far more than I used to, I think in five years time we will be an almost cashless society.Offering PIP advice to people with epilepsy.
-
I used cash last week at my newsagents to pay for my weekend newspaper delivery. Which I do at the end of even month. But I can't remember any time before, or since I have used cash in a long time.
I used to pay in cash all the time and always had cash in my wallet.
Now when I think of it I have two ten pound notes in it that I had forgotten about.
Wow it's lovely to find money 😁 -
Finding money...that’s something that won’t happen in a cashless society I suppose! Then again, we wouldn’t lose it in the first place so it would be better...then again...the feeling of finding money is almost worth losing money a few months earlier for
-
I only use cash for a taxi, which is every so often. I find coins hard to distinguish between (because of my sight) so prefer to pay with card. I don't have a contactless card but do have Apple Pay on my watch and phone.Scope
-
Is that out of choice that you don’t have one, or does your bank not offer one?Chloe_Scope said:I only use cash for a taxi, which is every so often. I find coins hard to distinguish between (because of my sight) so prefer to pay with card. I don't have a contactless card but do have Apple Pay on my watch and phone.
I find it very handy but do worry about losing the card.
Out of curiosity does Apple Pay work well, and is it accepted in most shops? I am yet to set it up on my phone but maybe it’s safer than using contactless. -
Also interested to hear about how Apple Pay works Chloe, I've considered trying the Android equivalent but I'm not certain how well it would work. Plus my bank doesn't allow it anyway so I can't full stop
I very rarely use cash in normal times @66Mustang, same as Chloe I struggle to tell the difference between the coins and much prefer the convenience of contactless payments. I haven't used cash since before the pandemic.
Online Community CoordinatorConcerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.
Talk to our chatbot and give us feedback on the community. -
That out of choice @[email protected].66Mustang said:
Is that out of choice that you don’t have one, or does your bank not offer one?Chloe_Scope said:I only use cash for a taxi, which is every so often. I find coins hard to distinguish between (because of my sight) so prefer to pay with card. I don't have a contactless card but do have Apple Pay on my watch and phone.
I find it very handy but do worry about losing the card.
Out of curiosity does Apple Pay work well, and is it accepted in most shops? I am yet to set it up on my phone but maybe it’s safer than using contactless.
I'm yet to find somewhere that doesn't accept Apple Pay, I find it easy to use and with it using face ID or touch ID I feel it's more secure.Scope -
@Chloe_Scope thanks. I actually just set it up on my phone today. I’m going to try to test it next time I go to a shop.
Do you just double tap the home button then wave your phone near the card reader and it’s all done? Sorry for the questions I get a bit worried trying new stuff and prefer to know exactly what I’m doing when I do something like pay for stuff in public haha
-
@Ross_Scope sorry I thought I replied to you, I remember typing a reply out but obviously didn’t finish/post it!
I can imagine distinguishing the coins being hard with a visual impairment. Are notes just as hard to use as well? I‘m sure it wasn’t even designed for this reason but contactless card payments (or Apple Pay or equivalents) must be a godsend for people who can’t use cash for whatever reason. I guess one of the rare times disabled people benefitted by accident instead of the other way around. -
No worries @66Mustang, I've made that mistake on the community several times
Yeah notes are much easier, although I find myself spending quite a few seconds sometimes trying to find the corner where the big number is
That's an interesting observation actually, I'd agree with you on the whole. But much like with many other developments in this kind of technology, it presents new tasks, like trying to find the card reader to actually scan your card. But on the whole yes I agree with you, it's made things much easier.Online Community CoordinatorConcerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.
Talk to our chatbot and give us feedback on the community. -
I very rarely use cash, even before Covid, so for me it's no different now. Although i do withdraw some cash each week because i like to save in a jar at home. My hands don't work so well anymore and going into my purse for cash is a problem, so i avoid it where possible.Thankfully, with my banking app i can see the pending transactions and it also shows 2 different balances, 1 is account balance and the other is what's available. The only time it doesn't show is why i fill the car up with fuel and use my card to pay at the pump. Even though i fill the car up every time so it's usually about £50 of diesel, it only ever shows £1 for a couple of days at least.
-
Thanks for the post and yes exactly the same here - I am guessing you use Tesco?poppy123456 said:The only time it doesn't show is why i fill the car up with fuel and use my card to pay at the pump. Even though i fill the car up every time so it's usually about £50 of diesel, it only ever shows £1 for a couple of days at least. -
Hi @66Mustang, yeah you would double tap the home button and then keep your thumb on the button (not pressed) while it's held on the card reader.66Mustang said:@Chloe_Scope thanks. I actually just set it up on my phone today. I’m going to try to test it next time I go to a shop.
Do you just double tap the home button then wave your phone near the card reader and it’s all done? Sorry for the questions I get a bit worried trying new stuff and prefer to know exactly what I’m doing when I do something like pay for stuff in public haha
Here is more info which might help.Pay with iPhone with Touch ID
- To use your default card, rest your finger on Touch ID.
- Hold the top of your iPhone near the contactless reader until you see 'Done' and a tick on the display.
Watch the demo to see how it works.
Scope -
Thanks @Chloe_Scope
-
Just to say I used Apple Pay today for the first time and it worked really well. It is very quick isn’t it
I’m going to be using it more in the future. -
I have used my card alot more since covid began only because some shops won't take cash!
But I still pay cash where I can, and will continue to do so. With cash o know exactly how much I've spent. -
I think I spend more when using just a card. I will pick up numerous things in a supermarket without totting up how much I’ve spent and go to the check out. If I only have cash then I’m careful about what I spend because I don’t want to look foolish at the checkout for one thing.
If i allowed myself say ten pounds a week to spend on whatever I please in cash it would be easier for me to have the self discipline to keep to that amount. Having a card just means I can spend whatever I like within reason obviously but my cut off point is far higher. To conclude, I think I spend more because I have a card on me mostly always. -
Good points there. Also with a card you can spend more than you have and go into overdraft which will cost you money whereas with cash you can only spend what you have!!
-
@leeCal Me too. It almost feels like the transactions aren't as real without physically handing over money. My bank balance says otherwise.
Online Community Co-ordinator
Want to tell us about your experience on the online community? Talk to our chatbot and let us know.Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us. -
As does mineCher_Scope said:@leeCal Me too. It almost feels like the transactions aren't as real without physically handing over money. My bank balance says otherwise.
These days as well you can sit in a restaurant and order your food or drinks right from your phone. Not having to stand up and queue at a bar can often promote greater spending.Online Community CoordinatorConcerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.
Talk to our chatbot and give us feedback on the community. -
Really glad it worked @66Mustang!66Mustang said:Just to say I used Apple Pay today for the first time and it worked really well. It is very quick isn’t it I’m going to be using it more in the future.
Scope
Brightness
Categories
- 48.2K All Categories
- 9.6K Start here and say hello!
- 3.8K Coffee lounge
- 3.9K Disability rights and campaigning
- 1.4K News and opportunities
- 134 Community updates
- 11.3K Talk about your situation
- 1.6K Children, parents, and families
- 610 Work and employment
- 511 Education
- 930 Housing, transport, and independent living
- 903 Aids, adaptations, and equipment
- 236 Dating, sex, and relationships
- 245 Exercise and accessible facilities
- 19K Talk about money
- 1.7K Benefits and financial support
- 4.2K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 11.2K PIP, DLA, and AA
- 1.9K Universal Credit (UC)
- 3.5K Talk about your impairment
- 1.2K Cerebral palsy
- 574 Chronic pain and pain management
- 631 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
- 683 Autism and neurodiversity
- 815 Mental health and wellbeing
- 282 Sensory impairments
Do you need advice on your energy costs?
Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.
