Should All Shops Accept Cash?
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Should all shops accept cash?
In recent years there has been a massive decline in people using cash and instead people are using cards and things like apple pay more.
Obviously yes because if the online services are down you're not going to pay squat, and old folks aren't too fond of using smart phones or cards.
Cash is protected by the U.K. gov at least for now:
www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-protect-access-to-cash
I personally don't like using my phone as a means of payment, that's just kind of weird. What's next, use your palm to pay for stuff? Oh wait...
I guess if you're okay with that then you won't mind CBDC. 
When will they launch that voucher currency? Who knows, maybe this year.
PhilipMarc cash isn’t protected, the right to access cash is. You should read before you cite sources.
No cash shouldn’t be banned, it’s legal tender. During the pandemic most shops would only accept card payments.
Cash should be accepted. Lots of people still use it to budget especially in cost of living crisis. Why should finance companies track our every move? There’s enough data on us flying around.
I always use cash so I know what I got same as a lot of older people they can't ban cash
Leannexxx I rarely ever use cash anymore, even the school is all digital payments for trips etc
Aside from the risk of power or technical issues, going cashless saves shops time, money and reduces the risk of thefts by staff or from holdups. Card/app payments are faster, staff don't have to spend time counting cash at the end of their shift, cash doesn't need to be physically taken to a bank. The handling of cash can also be unhygienic.
ACR I work on a till with both cash and cards. It really doesn’t take that much to count at end of a shift. Sometimes cash is more convenient because the card reader loses connection or goes wrong so at least by taking cash you can continue to trade. As for hygiene we continuously wash our hands throughout the day so not too much of an issue. Also banks charge card transactions to the business.
JLouM it takes significantly less time than running a z report on the EPOS and having to also manage shortages, as well as the physical storage.
Cashless means:
- no bank runs
- no floating tills
- no change runs
- no till shortages/downs
- no management required due to employees tills being down
all of these things take up time. It’s not just the time counting that being cashless saves
ACR About a month ago I was at an ATM, I inserted my Chase card, inserted the pin, and then it just stayed froze for roughly a minute. I thought the machine had malfunctioned and I'd have to order a replacement...
Turns out Chase had a massive outage that day and I didn't know. That really p*ssed me off as that crap shouldn't happen.
I'm going to stop using their card and back to cash so when that happens, it won't affect me.
PhilipMarc It would still affect you trying to withdraw cash as it already did though (if there was a technical issue)
I heard on the radio today that there has been a big uplift of people using cashpoints lately. Experts seem to think it’s because of the cost of living crisis and using cash helps people budget better, rather than just mindlessly using their cards.
So yes another reason why cash should always continue to be allowed in shops.
MrsChimp works in the local shops. She says that quite a few kids put their cash on the counter for her to take for their purchase because they just can't count. And they're not that young either.
I've been in shops where I've paid in cash and the people serving me have had to use a calculator to work out how much change to give and then they take an age to count it out. Much easier for both parties to pay by card/phone and the retailers wouldn't have to pay the card charge which puts prices up
TheChimp Guess they don't play shops anymore.I used to sell mum's spuds and eggs to my neighbour's kids for cheap and give change.
TheChimp Not knowing math is the problem while using cards is just a shortcut solution.
I recently used my card to pay for a coffee because I didn't have any coins around (used almost all on December 31) and it was embarrassing to pay with a card as there wasn't an ATM around yet (newly built gas station).
Love cash, it's all well and good just dinging the card, but that's how I lose track of finances, i don't keep me card in my purse anymore, I get paid, go online pay the bills, then get the rest out in cash, much easier to budget that way
Yes. They should accept cash also. Some people still believe in spend of hard earned money
I don't think that we should ever become a cashless society.
We use cash in many places around here and never have a problem, in fact, we have more problems with card connections as the signal around here is awful so many shops prefer cash.
I couldn't imagine going for my weekly fish and chips and using a card for a £12 bill? Indeed, our chip shop doesn't actually take cards! Many places don't.
I think we should also note that in a cashless society Big Brother is watching you absolutely all the time and who wants that? TBH they probably are watching now but it just gives them more power over the individual when they are watching you and your money...
Yes. I rarely use cash by choice. I prefer using my phone. But I read how those in abusive relationship get cash to save to escape. We've honesty boxes that some are cash only
A shop in our town centre had a sign saying "No cash transactions" it's got a closing down sign now, local people wasn't happy and boycotted it, cash is king....
You can not ban from people from using cash in stores. There are still loads of people which this is their only means. If shop ban cash then they will lose customers.
All shops, restaurants, charities, the homeless, school and other organisations fayres and fundraisers etc, should give the choice of payment of cash, debit, credit cards etc. They are all legal tender. It also costs the outlet you are paying a service charge for low amount transactions.
When "the system" goes down (and it will) only those with cash and businesses accepting cash will be able to function
Yes it is the king's tender and our country has lost enough of it's special things.
I think people should always have the choice. I mostly use cash and personally would never go back to anywhere that didnt give me the option to use cash. I am on a low income and it’s easier to budget with cash. It’s an instant reminder of what you have left to spend.
I wouldn't want to live in a cashless society, I use a mixture of card and cash these days.
I booked in at hotel this evening and they wouldn’t accept cash.
my elderly parents deal with cash and struggle because some shops won’t accept cash. They don’t trust their bank cards.
I very rarely use cash these days, but I cant see cash going completely for a while yet. I do see a few coins being dropped - really dont see the point of the coppers now.
didbygraham Found a 20 cent coin the other day and picked it up, it wasn't too much, but always nice to find loose change.
Mango4 A lot were mentally affected by the 2020 Health Crisis (let's call it that) and I've seen a few wearing masks today, I guess they think those masks will protect them from unmasked people. lol
If anything, it shows where they stand.
This poor doctor put his health at risk to show us how useless those masks are. However, those masks are good to hide your identity which criminals have been using since 2020. I'm thinking about getting a rubber one just to use when I go dumpster diving with CCTVs around.
This is where most of the west - including doctors, aren't knowledgeable enough about masks and think it's a superstitious trend. (I don't know what this has to do with using cash).
Edit <(omy the following looks longer than I thought, I apologize).>
To be fair the Dr in the vid and most people in the world don't put on the mask properly so there are gaps at the side of the face, maybe the chin - like the Dr said himself, the fumes were going out around the mask (did he mention through the actual filter of the mask? I didn't watch the whole thing) . Obviously, the nose bridge area will be more difficult to stop the gap and everyone's face is different for the perfect fit.
However, masks are designed partly to protect yourself, but greatly to protect others from your direct breathing and miniscule spitting if you have a cold or other illness. Therefore, in the East, it is the norm for people to wear them, even before the health crisis - as you refer, when they are ill. You'll probably be frowned upon if you were coughing everywhere in public without a mask.
The East basically learnt from, I think, the SARS outbreak, that masks were reducing the spreading.
If you wear it properly, it can partly protect yourself - reduce the chance of catching illnesses, i.e catching/breathing in someone's direct breathe/spit etc. I can't smell 2nd hand smoke and perfume when I wear a medical one; some people find it more difficult to breathe with it (note oxygen is 0.0005microns) ; so it's doing something.
~ if you think of a hepa filter that filters about 99% particles above 0.3microns, are you going to say it's absolutely useless because of the unfiltered air that's going around it, not through it? (Really, I can of many analogies - fireproof doors etc)
Medical masks are scientifically proven/designed to filter over 90% of airborne particles less than 0.3microns. And - not tested, but I'm sure 0% of what escapes around it.
They also have about max 8hrs life of filtering before you should change to a new one (did you not see the news of nhs nurses/doctors unable to change masks because there was a shortage? They had masks tight enough and on too long that left imprints on their faces.)
On that note, why would nurses/doctors bother wearing masks in surgery etc if they were 'useless'.
Why did the government suddenly require everyone to wear masks, when they were skeptical of it in the first place, thinking it was useless? Like how they were skeptical and thought covid was just a cold.
Obviously, like vaccines/medicines, it's something that reduces the chance ~ of you spreading and also catching an illness - it's not going to be 100%.
Someone's breathing/ spit can still get in your eyes, so someone wearing glasses would be safer - again not 100%.
However, even if you wear protective gear and you aren't aware where you touch things, then the gear isn't going to be that helpful.
If you touch somewhere that's contaminated (imagine wet, never drying paint) and touch wherever else; you remember to wash your hands though - but what about everywhere else you've touched, the shopping you bring home, the door handles?
A baby (from the uk news) probably got covid this way, when the baby never left the house or met new people and their parents didn't have covid.
If you had contaminated hands and rubbed your eyes, maybe touched your mouth/nose - in terms of covid , well, you got a high chance of it.
If you imagine the wet paint and people taking off the mask, put it in their pocket, then put on the same mask again, without cleaning their hands before and after - the mask can be contaminated with your breath on the inside and from others on the outside, as well as, the pocket you put it in etc etc.
Masks aren't foolproof but can still help protect you and others. It's better than doing nothing to protect yourself, when most people aren't wearing masks now - especially if they are immunocompromised or someone they live with / in constant contact with is.
A cloth mask will filter less but still not useless.
People wear dust masks to protect themselves in building/painting to protect themselves, which filters larger particles of 0.6 microns.
It's also helpful for hayfever.
YES, of course they should.
Although nearly everyone has a card or phone, there are still people out there who have not got a card, or do not like using the card or phone to pay for things, especially the older people and certainly not to pay for small amounts say below £1.00.
I myself will not use a phone to pay for things and I will not use it for any banking matters.
These people certainly don't mind taking cash if the banking system develops a fault and goes down, so they should accept cash all the time.
Yes definitely. People should have a choice between cash or cards. I prefer cash I can see what I've got and not spend too much. With a card I might go overdrawn and end up with charges.
A lot of older people prefer to use cash as they do not like using their bank card when I had my cafe. Most would pay with cash
Definitely, having paid with cash you know exactly how much you've spent and are less likely to lose track of your finances.
Yes they definitely should especially as some the older generation prefer to use cash instead of handing a card over and some don’t use smartphones, I don’t even use my phone to pay for items I prefer to pay cash then I know exactly how much I have spent
As a Blind person, with AUDIO SOFTWARE on my phone, my battery is constantly requiring to be charged. My phone often dies while "OUT & ABOUT" and for this reason, not feasible to have a payment card or train tickets, on it.
My debit card, is of no use to me, as my bank recently changed my card, and their Accessibility Department cannot change it back/alter the card. As the card has gone from "RAISED" information to "LASERED" information, whereby before I could tell the difference, between my DEBIT card, and my LOYALTY cards, as I could "FEEL" the difference - now, I cannot...!!
I "HEAR" negative comments, around me as I attempt to pay for my shopping, with my [just, for example] GAS card...!!
After a few minutes, the cashier would sarcastically say, "You cannot pay with that card...!!"
Sometimes, an impatient customer will flippantly say, "People like you, should be out with a Carer...!!"
As a highly INDEPENDENT person, I would totally disagree...
Just because, I have difficulty in using my debit card...
and...
"TOUCH SCREENS," on CASH MACHINES, are making it difficult for me to use a Cash Machine,
INDEPENDENTLY...
I was "trained" on a local Post Office Cash Machine, in my town, and could use the machine, by myself for over 15x years...
Then, the Post Office changed the machine, for a Touch Screen, last June and, I got upset, as it swallowed my card TWICE - the OPTIONS had changed...!!
[MOST MACHINES, HAVE THEIR AUDIO OPTION SWITCHED OFF].
That's why I prefer to handle CASH - All Bank notes, are different sizes and, have BRAILLE bumps in their corner...
[NOT that I can read Braille...!!]
and...
I know my coinage size...!!
To be able to pay via CASH or CARD, or BOTH would suit everybody's (young & mature) needs...
PS. Obviously...
Being BLIND, I "TOUCH" with my hands/fingers more...
and, I do SANITISE more frequently, than I did before COVID... xx
I work with adults with learning difficulties most of them can't manage a bank account so relay on cash.
Personally I always pay by card more convenient
I think shops should expect cash. But I guess the problem there isn't many banks on the high Street for them to deposit at anymore which in itself is so wrong
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