Or we could go back to LSD and re-learn our twelve times table, which would probably be simpler to figure out

And Guineas. Guineas make everything look cheaper.

I use money all the time. Probably around 60% of my grocery shopping is with cash. When I get bread from the bakers, that is cash.

Many smaller shops seem to either not take debit cards at all, or they have a 20€ minimum.

In fact, for most things under 50€, I will pay cash.


We have a bunch of family piggy banks, we fill them up with loose change and then use that as a family treat, when we cash it in. Last time, it was about 150€.

Yes but Germany is much more of a cash society than most so it would be much more protective of its coins. I do see that southern Europe will become much more cash societies as austerity creates a massive underground economy.

It's not just Germany; I've had issues in Holland and France using plastic too. They still use cheques in France! I'm not sure anywhere I've shopped in England still takes them.

I don't know much about Canada, but I'd guess it's more like the USA and UK in that everyone just uses plastic.

I tend to use cash in out local village shops (Butchers, Bakers, Cheese shop etc) but plastic for most other things

You have a local cheese shop? Awesome!

Yes very impressive. Though my butcher accepts cards, though I try and make sure that the purchase is enough so that the butcher is not penalised by the bank.

If we stopped using cash it would have some interesting consequences for the drugs trade at every level...

They will switch to something else like mobile phones or other goods which could be fenced. It will mean a surge in crime as the exchange of goods will only cover a third of the drugs so drugs will cost society more. You will find that drug dealers will alternatively demand goods in exchange from a wish list. I think Sweden is looking at a cashless society so that could be interesting to see what the impact on crime will be.

I have formed an opinion that we must never stop using cash. Once we do, we lose control over our own money; it ceases to exist as a real entity and just becomes numbers on a screen*. It would all be done electronically, using cards or whatever, and the supply could be turned off on a whim - and then where would we be?

Only a short while ago a lady in our local supermarket had two consecutive cards refused by the checkout. If she hadn't had a third that worked, she'd have been lost. For this reason I always try to carry a reasonable amount of coins and folding money with me.






*Some would argue we don't have real money any more anyway, but at least I can still go to a bank and get real money to the value of the numbers in my account.

It also makes small transactions very difficult. No more penny sweets or lower donations to charities as no where to deposit that loose change. I am against a cashless society. It could make life impossible if the bank collapses. It also means that we are all taxed by the banks for every transaction.

The app stores seem to manage micro payments OK, but yes I agree. Especially for children - how could you give them 2p for a sweet without cash? Every 2 year old would need a mobile phone with NFC or whatever. Not practical.

Yes but they are not really small payments. I think that the smallest I have made is 59p but it is usually because Apple has my credit card on record. It usually means that the purchases are aggregated and I get an invoice for a number of purchases at once.