Real, gone cash
In truth, there are at least 4 items I would love to be deeply cynical relating to UK politics tonight, all relating to one party, and their woes this week, but fine, I’m not allowed to, but I’m sure that if you want to go and find them, its not too hard, especially as 2 seem to have cropped up today. But being good, for once…Lets talk about something else.
I read earlier this week that yet another thing that may be approaching the end of its working life, quite remarkably, is actual cash. No, not currency as such, but having actual notes, and coins in your pockets, seemingly a matter of how much longer?
Personally, for all day to day spending, I use cash. Apart from being what I’ve always used, it suits me best. Yes, the notes, and coins have changed a lot over my life, including decimalisation here in the UK, but cash has always been good for me. I dont even have a debit card (due to an issue with Barclays decades ago) account, so basically I have 2 pre paid credit cards, one sterling, one I use for foreign currencies, and thats it! I use them for online purchases, and as guarantee cards at hotels, but thats it.
But basically, as fewer, and fewer people use cash to pay for anything, preferring to use debit cards, or these new contactless cards (I have seen someone buy a newspaper for about 50p, on a debit card, several times), cash is going out of fashion. In truth, when you see people fumbling about with their contactless cards on the bus, I’m sure there are times when it would be quicker to hand over cash, but I guess some see it as cool, or trendy?
The one thing that is going to have to change, if cash is going to die out in use, is the attitude of banks, and the like, towards those people currently unable to get debit cards from banks, for whatever reasons. I dont know, maybe after 16 years of reliable banking with them, Halifax might actually be willing to give me a debit card account, but given everything is based on what computers say, and not the use of common sense, I wouldnt wish to put good money on it. If you think about it, beyond pre pay cards (which probably dont count), I havent got any credit history in decades, and certainly none under my current name! And there are a lot of people in a worse situation than me, lets face it. What are they going to do? Those in shelters, no fixed abode, and all that?
Mind, nothing is perfect. When I was on holiday on the Algarve, in November, I wanted to buy some clothes, and had more Euros on my pre paid card, than in cash, but these shops were cash only! Card commission issues, as far as I could tell!
So yes, I hope actual cash lasts long enough for me, in my lifetime. Unsurprisingly, after that, I dont care! But yes, the prospect of a cashless society is fine, until all the computers go down at the banks, as seems to happen regularly, then chaos will ensue. Ah well…
OK, video time. Well, two words are the same as the blog title, lol!
stevielounicks 
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