We asked for your opinions on Sir Trevor McDonald’s article about cash deserving more respect and hundreds of you replied. Here are a selection of your views.
Sir Trevor McDonald really struck a chord with some of you when he wrote about his local café becoming “card only”.
He was so put-out that he’s now looking for a new place for his morning cuppa – and many of you agree that cash is king.
But we also received lots of replies from readers who find it easier to tap their card, phone or Apple Watch. Are you embracing technology or do you prefer to use notes and coins?
Here’s a selection of your opinions.
“Sir Trevor McDonald is absolutely right: cash deserves our respect. Cards are convenient and paying by phone is, frankly, needlessly intangible and a bit pretentious, but neither should replace physical money.
“Cash is tangible, immediate and universally understandable. It helps people keep track of what they are spending, offers privacy and, crucially, provides resilience when technology fails. A society that quietly removes cash risks excluding people who depend upon it and creating an entirely digital payment system over which ordinary people have little control. We should embrace convenience without surrendering choice.
“Cash may be old-fashioned, but losing it would be a very modern mistake.”
Tim Reid
“Absolutely card, or in my case, Apple Watch, to pay for everything. I am 80 and just love the simplicity of not having to put change in my pocket every morning. The speed too, of just waving my watch over the terminal beats people having to get out their wallet, from handbag or pocket.
“When I was in business, physical cash was the most expensive option pay into a bank. Now, we have few banks. It is, though, sensible to have perhaps a few £20 notes available, should there be an internet outage affecting card payment machines, although I have not experienced this.
“The elderly have seen many changes through their lives, this would just be another.”
Chris Monkhouse
“When it comes to cash or card, why should we have to choose? I feel cash is often easier for small amounts, but a card is safer for large sums.
“I queued for several minutes at a roadside cafe with cash and a sandwich in hand. When I reached the front I was told, ‘We only take card. Is that OK?’ I replied ‘No’ and left without my sandwich. What will we do if it’s card only and the machine fails?
“My local supermarket has many card-only self-service tills and few for cash. I can’t help noticing that it is the more disadvantaged people who therefore queue for longer: the elderly, who perhaps are scared of technology or can’t remember their PIN; and the poor, who may not even have a bank account.”
Patricia Dadd
“Cash is king! As dealers in antiques and collectables, a cash payment is best for us because every card transaction is subject to a charge from the card company. It may not sound much, but we lose anything up to £2 in revenue from a single card payment. If everyone pays for things with card, these charges add up quickly.
“It is the same for all traders, including the small shops and businesses.”
Jo Bartholomew
“Like Trevor, I like to pay by cash for certain things and that option should always be available in cafes, pubs and car parks.
“My biggest complaint at present is car parks. What a nightmare not to have a cash facility to pay. All use different parking apps and it’s complicated to read the instructions and put details in, particularly if there’s a queue behind you when pressure is on.
“Only two out of the 10 parking machines used had a cash facility on a recent holiday in Wales, and in the end, my daughter-in-law ended up using a choice of five apps she had on her phone to pay for them.
“I don’t want apps clogging up my phone, I just want to put coins or notes in a slot and be done with it.
“Of course I ‘tap and go’ for most things now, but I do feel strongly about certain choices that are simply taken away from us these days. Cash is one of them.”
NTB
“I tried going ‘card only’ for a month and my statement went from two to three pages long. I couldn’t remember half the transactions that were there: 50p to inflate my tyres, 80p for a TV mag, £1.50 for a newspaper for five days.
“So I decided to withdraw cash £200 when needed from the bank. I never use ATM machines, but I still have a local bank which is OK.
“Some shops like my local hairdressers charge a minimum of £10 to use cards because they incur charges for that service.”
Melvin Ling
“I will always fight for choice. Cheque book, cash or card. Do not take choice away. I use all these formats depending on the situation. Not everyone can use smartphones or ATMs.
“I worked in a bank for nearly 40 years before I retired and electronics are fine until the system goes down. You still can’t beat cash.”
Angie D
“Although I do use a card for my shopping at times I would not wish to be in a world without cash. The simplicity and ease of using cash allows people particularly older people to budget and control day to day spending.
“The closure of high street banks particularly in small towns is an inconvenience and reduces day to day contact in a world where there is an ‘epidemic of loneliness’.”
George B
[Some letters have been edited for brevity.]
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