Cashless society ?

[Frank7]

CanAm said:

The Mad Monk said:

Are you British?

It is not normal practice to tip bar staff in Britain! Grumpy, cheerful, or otherwise.

Ah, you'll be a southerner then.

I don’t think that you meant that as a ‘put down’, more of an observation.
I’m a Southerner, London born and raised, I started going in pubs in the very late fifties, early sixties, no one tipped, it just wasn’t done, nor expected.
It was ever thus, until the chrome and polished wood places like All Bar One, and Slug and Lettuce came on the scene.
Their bar staff began the continental habit of putting your change on a small plate, hoping to browbeat punters into leaving some shrapnel on the plate.
If you went into The Ship Aground in Bermondsey, you’d never see anyone tipping, but walk 4 or 500 metres to the Kings Arms, Tooley Street, and the new young breed of drinkers were tipping like crazy.
I still don’t do it, if I sit down, ask for a couple of drinks, and the wait staff fetch them to me, I’ll pony up 12.5 to 15% as a tip, if I walk to the bar, ask for “Stoly rocks, no fruit please”, and the guy places it front of me on the bar, I’ll pay and say “Thanks”, that’s it.
In the U.S. it’s a different ball game, I’ll spray dollar bills around like they’re going out of fashion, it’s the U.S. way, and I’m observant, plus if I’m getting low, I just have catch the barkeep’s eye, and he’ll reach for a glass with one hand, and dig his little shovel into the ice bucket with the other.

[CanAm]

Frank7 said:

I don’t think that you meant that as a ‘put down’, more of an observation.
I’m a Southerner, London born and raised........

Indeed. I was raised up north, and it was quite common when getting a round in to add, "....and take one for yourself." The accepted practice was for the barman to take the price of a half. I learned my lesson after moving down south when the barmaid replied, "Thank you very much my dear, I'll have a large gin and tonic."

[markcoznottz]

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

As an aside how the hell do those places present thier accounts etc.

What problem does cash present when preparing accounts ?

Quite a lot when you can't establish how much has passed through the business, basically a work of fiction.

[wiggy001]

markcoznottz said:

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

As an aside how the hell do those places present thier accounts etc.

What problem does cash present when preparing accounts ?

Quite a lot when you can't establish how much has passed through the business, basically a work of fiction.

Reminds me of the old urban legend about Aberdeen Angus steakhouses and the fact that even if they were fully booked 24/7 365 days a year they still wouldn't generate the revenue that was put through their books.

[Frank7]

CanAm said:

Frank7 said:

I don’t think that you meant that as a ‘put down’, more of an observation.
I’m a Southerner, London born and raised........

Indeed. I was raised up north, and it was quite common when getting a round in to add, "....and take one for yourself." The accepted practice was for the barman to take the price of a half. I learned my lesson after moving down south when the barmaid replied, "Thank you very much my dear, I'll have a large gin and tonic."

Fair enough CanAm, I could see a liberty taker like that barmaid would make you wonder if you’d made the right move when you came to the Land of Milk and Honey.
I don’t recall any barman or barmaid pushing the envelope with double scotches etc., but when I was “in the life” from my late twenties until my forties, I moved with half a dozen regular friends, who were all dockers, printers, lightermen, and Black Cab drivers.
We were all high earners, and didn’t turn a hair if a barman or barmaid asked for a cognac or Baileys, when after being served, we said, “Yourself?”, but as I said, no one ever took the pi$$.

[98elise]

markcoznottz said:

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

As an aside how the hell do those places present thier accounts etc.

What problem does cash present when preparing accounts ?

Quite a lot when you can't establish how much has passed through the business, basically a work of fiction.

That's not problem with presenting your accounts. When I had a cash only business we simply had an entry for the day's takings, backed up with the till report.

[gothatway]

markcoznottz said:

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

As an aside how the hell do those places present thier accounts etc.

What problem does cash present when preparing accounts ?

Quite a lot when you can't establish how much has passed through the business, basically a work of fiction.

No issue at all; it's just a question of record keeping. Not difficult.

[OzzyR1]

I still tend to take out cash from an ATM for day to day stuff, the main reason being that I prefer paying cash for petrol having had 3 cards cloned at filling stations (2 definite and one suspected).

I'd also feel a bit of an arse buying a drink or a pack of chewing gum with a card but perhaps that's just me.

I also wonder about the data collection side, personal spending itemised by location and on a transaction by transaction basis as it is on a card could potentially be categorised and used for any number of reasons.

[bloomen]

https://blogs.imf.org/2019/02/05/cashing-in-how-to-make-negative-interest-rates-work/

Even if cash remains alive it looks like they're looking into punishing you for not toeing the line. If you stick with their 'e-money' you get billed every month for the honour of storing your money in a bank.

Now go out and spend your meagre savings before they reduce them to zero.

[markcoznottz]

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

As an aside how the hell do those places present thier accounts etc.

What problem does cash present when preparing accounts ?

Quite a lot when you can't establish how much has passed through the business, basically a work of fiction.

No issue at all; it's just a question of record keeping. Not difficult.

Been to a hand car wash recently? Lots of illegals (maybe) who can't understand each other, they don't have any h&s, cosshh safety sheets , contracts, tills, safety wear, high viz jackets, customer toilets, etc etc it just goes on and on, plus suspected modern slavery,wage theft, passport confiscation and unfit sleeping areas . Surely the worst run businesses since Victorian times.

[gothatway]

markcoznottz said:

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

gothatway said:

markcoznottz said:

As an aside how the hell do those places present thier accounts etc.

What problem does cash present when preparing accounts ?

Quite a lot when you can't establish how much has passed through the business, basically a work of fiction.

No issue at all; it's just a question of record keeping. Not difficult.

Been to a hand car wash recently? Lots of illegals (maybe) who can't understand each other, they don't have any h&s, cosshh safety sheets , contracts, tills, safety wear, high viz jackets, customer toilets, etc etc it just goes on and on, plus suspected modern slavery,wage theft, passport confiscation and unfit sleeping areas . Surely the worst run businesses since Victorian times.

All true. But you're mistaken in making a massive leap to assume that all cash-handling businesses are run like that.

[Tempest_5]

The canteen at work went cashless which was a bit inconvenient as I ended up never bothering with cash so never had any when I actually needed it! All my petrol & weekly shop transactions are done on the card as well.

However, I am a bit wary of being completely cashless as many years ago in the 90's I put my wallet down right next the some fairly powerful speakers. None of the cards worked after that. The large magnet had apparently messed up the coding on the cards magnetic strips. Luckily I had enough cash to see me over the week whilst my new cards arrived.

[wiggy001]

OzzyR1 said:

I'd also feel a bit of an arse buying a drink or a pack of chewing gum with a card but perhaps that's just me.

I was the same when you needed to enter a PIN, but with contactless it's quicker than paying by cash so preferable in every way.

[J4CKO]

Just went down to our canteen to get lunch with two colleagues, two of us wafted out cards, the other who said he doesnt pay for anything with a card if he can help it "Cash is king" he said, took several times longer as he produced a fresh twenty and got basically all of the tills change.

£2.84 paid on card, job done, not got a pocket of change.

Other chap said his local had gone cashless after three robberies, I did ask where the hell he lives but its actually in Didsbury, quite a nice area, just its near Manchester.

I am not sure why anyone gets all spendy on a card as it isnt cash, if anything, for me seeing the transaction pop up in all its glory highlights exactly where my money is going, rather than getting £100 out and then wondering where the hell it all went.

Got some cash as we had an urge for a dirty Chinese meal on Sunday night, was meant to be a healthy home made stir fry but we both decided, after a bottle of Champage (Mumm as well, thats how we roll - once or twice a year) we fancied some MSG, lumps of "meat" in stuff, tasty bones, greasy rice and red sauce that make you cough. I was despatched, went and diligently bought a Picnic bar from the McColls shop to enable cashback (otherwise its like two quid from their machine) and then the bloody Chinese was closed ffs, even the really sketchy chippy/Chinese was closed as well, pondered it over a pint in the pub over the road and abandoned it.

So, doubly annoyed with them now, probably off on their yacht !

[wazztie16]

Tempest_5 said:

However, I am a bit wary of being completely cashless as many years ago in the 90's I put my wallet down right next the some fairly powerful speakers. None of the cards worked after that. The large magnet had apparently messed up the coding on the cards magnetic strips. Luckily I had enough cash to see me over the week whilst my new cards arrived.

I'm not sure if all or most banks offer it, but i know NatWest offer Get Cash, which if you use the banking app you get a code which enables you to put it in any RBS cash machine, which includes Tesco ones, and withdraw up to I believe £250. Not sure if that's daily or one off.

I sometimes do that on the way to the machine and don't even bother getting my card out, no worry of it being cloned etc that way.

Worth looking into for people on the thread that aren't aware of the option.

[PF62]

For the first time since I can't remember I actually needed some cash today, and embarrassingly I didn't have any.

Bought a car at the weekend and the previous owner had let their dog climb up into the boot so the top of the rear bumper was covered in scratches along its whole length. Nothing too deep, but all very noticeable (I wasn't too bothered as the price of the car was right), but as the rest of the car was immaculate it was annoying.

On the way back home from dropping the wife at the station this morning I popped into a smart fix bodyshop for a quote to see how much to fix it - Given the extent of the damage I was expecting it would be a reasonable amount.

Guy comes out to take a look and says "no that will just polish out, give me a few minutes with the buffer" - And it did! It has completely transformed it, and now only if you look incredibly carefully can you see anything.

Clearly a situation to reward him with a good drink, but I had not thought to put my wallet in my pocket when we left for the station as I was only expecting to get a quote.

Fortunately home was just a few minute drive away to pop there and back with some cash.

[anonymous-user]

J4CKO said:

Just went down to our canteen to get lunch with two colleagues, two of us wafted out cards, the other who said he doesnt pay for anything with a card if he can help it "Cash is king" he said, took several times longer as he produced a fresh twenty and got basically all of the tills change.

£2.84 paid on card, job done, not got a pocket of change.

Great yet again 3rd time in 4 days in 3 different establishments in 3 towns no card machine working/being erratic.
Good job I slid £100 out of a cash machine yesterday or no lunch for 5 again today.

Or maybe it's just 3rd world tech in that country just west of Cheshire?
Problem is it happens everywhere now and quite frequently

[gothatway]

wazztie16 said:

I'm not sure if all or most banks offer it, but i know NatWest offer Get Cash, which if you use the banking app you get a code which enables you to put it in any RBS cash machine, which includes Tesco ones, and withdraw up to I believe £250. Not sure if that's daily or one off.

I sometimes do that on the way to the machine and don't even bother getting my card out, no worry of it being cloned etc that way.

Worth looking into for people on the thread that aren't aware of the option.

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that but I see that Barclays do it (up to £300) as long as you're signed up for Mobile.

[Kermit power]

speedyguy said:

Great yet again 3rd time in 4 days in 3 different establishments in 3 towns no card machine working/being erratic.
Good job I slid £100 out of a cash machine yesterday or no lunch for 5 again today.

Or maybe it's just 3rd world tech in that country just west of Cheshire?
Problem is it happens everywhere now and quite frequently

I honestly can't remember the last time anyone told me they couldn't take a card payment, except for our window cleaner. With him, I have to get all old school and do an online bank transfer.

[bigdog3]

Kermit power said:

I honestly can't remember the last time anyone told me they couldn't take a card payment, except for our window cleaner. With him, I have to get all old school and do an online bank transfer.

You're lucky he doesn't insist on cash or at least a cheque