The banking industry's (with government blessing) inexorable push toward a cashless society makes me wonder if anyone, other than day laborers, are still paid in cash.

All the arguments regarding direct payroll deposit - safety, convenience and timeliness - certainly make sense. Somehow, I feel we have turned a corner, historically, where hard cash transactions are about to become as quaint as the telegraph. A vestige from a different era that will never come again.

Tax return time too, makes me stop and think about the extent to which the federal government knows about our personal finances. Banks, school loans, home loans, IRA, mutual funds, etc, etc, are all required to report annually regarding our income and savings. Couple all that with the ever widespread use of credit/debit cards where every transaction is recorded somewhere.

The irony of all this hit home during today's workplace meeting regarding how to comply with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). One of the major provisions of this Federal act, is how to ensure a patient's privacy. Apparently privacy in healthcare is mandatory whereas financial privacy from our own government is prohibited.

Any of you still refusing to be cowed into a cashless society and still walk around with gobs of cash in your pockets?

 

cash is the best way to go. since im still young, some of my jobs have been green bills at the end of the day or week. i don't particularly like everything being electronic... id much rather see and feel the money in my hands and my pocket. i try to make as many purchases as i can with cash, although i will admit its much easier to pay for things with a credit card. i still don't like the idea that the government and financial institutions are tracking our monetary assests, that should be none of their business. maybe ill start filling coffee cans up with my savings and burying them in the woods

 

Myself I prefer cash..............end of the week......they better have a check ready

I don't use credit cards unless Its a.... have..... to case

I carry enough cash to not have to use credit cards...plus cash keeps you from making spur of the moment purchases that you may later regret.........

 

Taxes, untraceable cash. Hrmph

First off, increase the sales tax to 20% for everyone and everything. then get rid of all income taxes, all forms, all cheating, all sweetheart deals, all of the IRS and court costs.

Now everyone pays taxes, *****s, drug dealers, welfare recipients, lotto winners, pimps, theives, and the little people that have been doing it alone for the last 100 years.

Everyone pays, you can bury your cash in the backyard if you want but when you dig it up and spend it, you pay.

 

I never had a credit card, and never will.

I get paid by my clients with checks, and I deposit most of the check into my checking account and the rest I take in cash.
The idea of allowing some credit company to buy me something for a fee makes me sick! I have friends that are so far in debt due to credit that I doubt they will ever get out of it.

I use cash for anything that I can't write off, and the rest I pay by check for the paper trail (tax reasons, etc). I had a check card for 3 days, but after I used it for a few days I noticed that most people don't even ask for ID! I dumped that thing pronto. It seemed to me that some thief could just steal the card and use it, or take the numbers and order online all day. I never had credit and I never will.
They say you need credit to buy a house....Well I didn't, but I did have all my tax records and that's all they needed for the mortage. If I don't have the money to buy something I just don't buy it.
Being self employed and not knowing exactly when I will get more money makes me cautious about debt of any kind.

It suprises me how many people freak when I whip out a hundred dollar bill.

 

I am self employed and do collect some accounts in cash. Most of my income comes from third party payments which are usually checks which I deposit in the bank. However, some people pay for my services with cash and I use it to pay for non-deductible expenses. I do carry some cash on me at all times for unexpected expenses along with a handgun to protect the cash and me from someone wanting to make an unathorized withdrawal. I have a license to carry concealed and I do 24/7. I won't have time to dial 911 until afterwards!

 

Yeah I am the same way. If I don't have enough money to buy something, I don't buy it, that simple. That is how I avoid debt. It's pretty easy really. It's not a bad idea to have a credit card that you use once or twice a month just to establish credit, but at this stage in my life (po' college kid) it's just another complication I really don't need. I make good money for having a part time job at 19 years old and it all goes into my checking acount. The only real debt I've been in was when I bought my first truck, and I worked my *** off and paid it off within a year.

 

Seems like not so many people (not you guys ) think it's a bad thing anymore how things are going to a cashless society. It really ticks me off though.
This is all tied in to their way of "watching" us, conveniently made to seem convenient, safe, whatever. "They" is supposed to be ME and YOU, DA**IT! And, credit and electronic transactions helps ensure they get their 50% (and rising!) of our money. It's really unfortunate, because I love what this country was founded on. I would be more than happy to pay my taxes if they weren't taking so darn much. I don't think enough people are pissed off about this. They want the gov't to take care of 'em. Sounds like Socialism to me!
Back to the question: I use my cash unless it's impossible. Man, I wish I still had a cash-paid job.

 

being self employed, i do get a customer here and there who whip out cash instead of checks. but dont worry, the government gets their share of it; unfortunatly...

i dont think that the united states could ever be a "cash free" country. theres too much money out there thats cash, its convienience is tough to beat. BUT, thats not to say it couldnt happen.

heres a point id like to make---- how many drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes and such will accept a CREDIT CARD ? i dont think any will, but ya never know!

ok, so once we rid of credit cards that might cut off the money supply to these people, making their "professions" useless, but thay would just open the door to more people who know how to get away with credit card fraud.


someone previously posted something about their check card, and not getting ID'd... heres a tip for you... where you are supposed to sign your name on the back-- instead write SEE ID PLEASE--- that way, or it seems to work at least alot of cashiers ask for id.

 

Actually, very little credit is needed to buy a house. All you need is good proof of income. The reason? Because homes appreciate and they can always boot you out. Cars and other things that depreciate require good credit. I know lots of folks who had non-existant credit histories and bought homes.

 

I get paid with a check usually, but sometimes when I help a neighbor out or something like that I get cash. I don't have a credit card, so I usually pay with cash when I buy something. If I buy over $100 of stuff I will usually write a check. I've found though that if you carry large bills, such as hundreds, you aren't as likely to spend them, at least I don't anyways. There's just something about that bill that makes you realize just how much money it really is. I'd really like to get payed more in cash, so I wouldn't have to make a trip to the bank to get cash. I don't see them being able to get rid of cash. I think that direct deposit is really kinda for lazy people, or for people that just want their money in the bank faster so they can spend it.

 

I use cash half the time, Visa Check Card the other times. Sometimes I hide in my basement with a paper bag over my head worrying that the government is tracking me. Shhhhhh... I think I hear them gotta go

 

Oh yeah, I'm definitely a cash person. Call it inherited paranoya from having a truck driver for a father (anybody who does or has knows what I mean, cash is a NECESSITY), but I start flippng out if don't have at least $200 in my pocket. There are some things you just don't want to, or are far more inconvenient to, pay with plastic.

Go buy a pack of smokes. Hand em cash, you're out the door. Hand em plastic, and it turns into a 5 minute ordeal. I'm sorry, I thought that's why they called em convenience store...

I'm also a walking reason to aviod getting too far into credit. Common story nowadays... Went to college, find I never have money, even though I'm working 2 jobs and making it.. Get a BIG limit credit card, thinking "Well, at least I'll have it when I need it, I jjust won't use it unless I have to." Well, didn't take long to kill that, there's just too many things you want at that age, and I wasn't worried about it until it got out of hand. By the time I left college, I was nicely in the hole (20K), with nothing to show for it. Guess how long it took to dig out of THAT hole.... Gotta love interest rates..

 

A credit card is a tool, not unlike a hammer. You can build a house with it or whack your thumb real hard. Don't credit or blame the hammer for the results.

I use credit and cash, don't remember ever paying for credit. I pay the balance off monthly so I just use someone else’s money for free.

If a purchase goes very wrong, a credit card can be a very valuable tool. You have some recourse. Mine also extends the factory warranty for one year and has many other benefits.

Bank Draft vs. Credit cards.

With a CC you have some rights, some help and some free use of someone else’s money (and other benefits)

If someone billed something to my CC account by mistake, I'd protest it, pay the rest of the bill and it would be investigated. There would be no interest or other damage until it was straightened out.

With a share draft, the money is taken out of your account immediatly and stays taken out until the wheels of justice prove you didn't do it. I've heard nightmare stories about this procedure. I wouldn't have one.

 

I'm with 1997Ranger XLT. Credit cards are meant to be paid off in full each month..and you are using someone elses money for a month..while yours continues to earn interest. As already stated..credit card purchases earn you some rights with the merchant should things go bad. I always purchase airline tickets with a CC...especially important these days with airlines going under left and right. If your airline tickets end up worthless due to the airline going under all you have to do is notify the CC company officially and they will refund your money immediately..and they will deal with bankruptcy court. Obviously the key is paying them off immediately. I also deal strictly in cash...I don't carry my checkbook anywhere. Cash for groceries, gas, etc. However, I can see the advantage of a debit card...my parents are retired..and they put everything on their cards...that way they can track what they spend every month..very important when you are on a fixed income. Here's hoping I make it to retirement someday!!!
Lisa