EDC - Money

[Tony]

Just wondering if any of you make a point of carrying cash with you as part of your EDC, I try to always ahve a tenner on me, more if I'm out and about away from home, but in this day and age it's easy to forget and just relay on phones and cashless etc.

 

[Herman30]

No, plastic only.

 

[Chris]

I like to have £50 on me if possible. Usually enough to get home/buy anything I might need in an emergency where my card won't work.

 

[Pattree]

I sometimes dig twenty out of the hole in the wall because there are a couple of cash only places around here.
That twenty gets eroded and if I remember or need to I’ll dig out another one but often I’m a vagrant in that I don’t have a shilling for a nights kip.

Otherwise, everything is on the phone.

Thanks for posting this Tony. You have reminded me that I need a little extra to pay for a couple of nights camping at the Newark Classic Camp Stoves gathering this weekend. I doubt that Ross has a terminal.
Some street musicians here do have one!

 

[Tengu]

Coins for car parking.

 

[oldtimer]

I like to carry enough for an unplanned taxi journey or a meal. Several times after a mishap it has come in handy. For example, we once had medical emergency when walking in France; the emergency services took us to a hospital and after an overnight stay, Madame was discharged on a Sunday and we needed a taxi to get ua back to our campsite. Usually I have two twenty pound and one fifty euro notes tucked away in a secure pocket. However, it's a long time since I used any cash.

I also carry a euro for supermarket trolleys: they work in France and England.

 

[bobnewboy]

I always carry cash, and try to always use it as a personal preference. I do have a card with me as a backup if I’m going away from home for a full day or longer.

 

[Megatramp]

Is this intel gathering on who to tap up at events?

 

[John Fenna]

I always have cash on me... most of my shopping is done in charity shops and, around here at least, not all of them take plastic. I do not own a "Smart" phone ...
One evening I had to organize getting my wife to hospital (no point asking for an ambulance - 4hr wait min) and I was not able to drive her myself. The taxi would only take cash and it was as well I had some - just enough to cover the fare!
When you are dealing with arterial bleeding from the mouth, with a patient on blood thinners, hunting for a cash point in West Wales is a non-starter!

 

[TeeDee]

I always carry cash, and try to always use it as a personal preference. I do have a card with me as a backup if I’m going away from home for a full day or longer.

I get what you are saying here ( I think ) - If you have £50 in your pocket and decide to ONLY spend that £50 for a day out or whatever - its very obvious when the money is gone and each decision on the journey to spending that money is minutely scrutinised - " £23 For a Gastro pub burger and a pint of Horse swill??? - I think not!! " - whilst if one was spending on plastic - you have no immediate yardstick of 'spend' for that day.

Its just a series of Ping-Ping-Pings across card machines and the next thing you know you have to end up go down the Pawn brokers with your spare Kidney and raise some pennies before the bills arrive.


And i know its purely a mental thing - but if I have fresh crisp notes in my wallet - I 'feel' richer or more prepared for the day.

That being said currently I have wallet lint in mine...

 

[Decacraft]

I try to keep £10 in assorted coins and at least a £5,£10 and £20 note. Should cover most things (parking fees, hospital or cafe vending machines). I prefer to use my card in shops because if I break into a note and the kids notice they more often than not end up with the change.
I do use the roundup function with my bank card and it goes into a Christmas spend pot.

 

[Woody girl]

Cash helps me budget. It's all to easy to be tempted with an unessasary or impulsive purchase with a card.
I carry cash, and pay cash. If they don't want my cash, they don't want my custom. Simples.
I always have a water bottle on me, and some snacks, as being gluten free, it's impossible to just grab a sandwich or pasty if I get peckish, so I don't need to bother about paying for that sort of thing....plus it's cheaper!
I always wonder how people will cope if the machines go down.
No cash, =no petrol, or anything else, whereas if you have cash on you the world keeps turning regardless.

 

[Wandering Fred]

I always carry cash & credit card with me & keep spare change for parking etc in the car.
Also, if I am travelling I normally stash some cash & a credit card in the car, just in case...

 

[bearbait]

I always carry cash, along with card.

I tend to shop locally so I pay cash for everything from local stores, and the market, up to around £50 - £60, then card. Cash lasts the local businesses longer than card payments.

Funnily, once or twice they've not had change so I've had to pay by card!

Card always for fuel for the car.

 

[Wayne]

I always have a dash cash fund floating around if needed fast. Plus where I go often its a challenge to get a signal. Plus as a small business I know how much card payment processing costs. its painful so if possible with a trusted supplier i will usually pay by Bank Transfer.

 

[Nice65]

I try to do everything with cash, always have some on me. If I’m away in the van I’ll have a few hundred, up to £1000 with me. I was at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere and on the yellow light but their card system was down. Cash needs using more, I went to a restaurant a little while ago that discounted 15% for cash.

And as @Wayne will tell you, go to a little wood fair in East Dean where there’s zero 4G signal and both traders and buyers will suffer as a result.

 

[Laurentius]

Yep I always have some readies because sometimes the card readers are down

 

[bobnewboy]

I get what you are saying here ( I think ) - If you have £50 in your pocket and decide to ONLY spend that £50 for a day out or whatever - its very obvious when the money is gone and each decision on the journey to spending that money is minutely scrutinised - " £23 For a Gastro pub burger and a pint of Horse swill??? - I think not!! " - whilst if one was spending on plastic - you have no immediate yardstick of 'spend' for that day.

Its just a series of Ping-Ping-Pings across card machines and the next thing you know you have to end up go down the Pawn brokers with your spare Kidney and raise some pennies before the bills arrive.


And i know its purely a mental thing - but if I have fresh crisp notes in my wallet - I 'feel' richer or more prepared for the day.

That being said currently I have wallet lint in mine...

I’m with Woody Girl in that using cash helps me keep to a budget (I’m retired), and the state of my wallet is a strong visual reminder of what I can afford to spend that day or week. I always try to have some change with me as well as notes, as that also helps in places that often seem to be moving away from cash transactions. Thus far it’s easy enough to find alternative shops to those that only take cards for most things without compromising too much on price or availability - and long may that last! I will resist paying for things with my phone, as some do, and only pay by card where it’s absolutely necessary.

 

[Billy-o]

Cash and cards, but probably only because I like the slightly roué feel of a cash economy.

 

[TeeDee]

I try to do everything with cash, always have some on me. If I’m away in the van I’ll have a few hundred, up to £1000 with me. I was at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere and on the yellow light but their card system was down. Cash needs using more, I went to a restaurant a little while ago that discounted 15% for cash.

And as @Wayne will tell you, go to a little wood fair in East Dean where there’s zero 4G signal and both traders and buyers will suffer as a result.

Agree massively with this - if the powers that be have their way - hard cash currency will become a thing of the past. A sad loss.