How often do you use coins? cash?

[MickinMD ★]

There's a "Modern Marvels" episode on The History Channel right now, from 2008, about coin operated machines and the info blurb says, "Americans insert more than 3.5 million coins into vending machines every 15 minutes..."

I wonder what that number is now?  Some machines don't even have a slot for coins.

Most people I observe use credit cards like I do - preferably cash-back, no-annual-fee ones - as much as possible.  The self-service checkout area at Walmart and some supermarkets and hardware stores near me can only be used with credit or debit cards or a phone app - no cash.

I keep a couple quarters in my car because you have to insert one to unlock the shopping carts at Aldi, then you get one back when you return the cart.  But even before the pandemic, I've been using my own big insulated shopping bag at Aldi and I've even used my personal, fold-up, about 16" cube cage cart there - I bought it when I was in that 3rd floor apartment to save trips unloading groceries from the car and it's just as handy at home.

So I can't remember when I bought something with a coin in years. I have hunted around to find a nickel so I could use it as a screwdriver to open the battery compartment on a clock.

I used to use cash as much as possible - because the act of taking it out of my wallet had a braking effect on my spending.  But now I get 2% to 5% cash-back for every credit card purchase so now I get that braking effect by keeping a detailed spending record.

There's a sub shop I love that can't add a tip to the credit card so I keep ones in my wallet for that.  If a group restaurant bill goes on someone else's credit card, I keep cash to pay my share.  Then there's money in young relatives' birthday cards. I used to get cash from my credit unions ATM machine weekly.   Now it's more like every other month.

 

[Wilbur ★]

99% debit. 1% credit. 

[Road Runner]

Almost never.  But I never go into fast food places or 7-11's anymore.  Everything else is much easier to use a credit card.

[Razors Edge ★]

Just now, Wilbur said:

99% debit. 1% credit. 

In stores, it is 99+% credit. Less than 1% cash/coins.

I carry $$ on bike rides and also usually have some cash in my wallet, but as a percentage of the whole, cash is very little of the total.  A few hundred in a year at most? But I do pay some folks in cash like the dog sitter or a restaurant tip or similar, so in that case, the cash percentage would go up.

[donkpow]

I imagine restaurant workers prefer cash. In fact I know they do, I asked.

[sheep_herder ★]

Every day I go to town, and some days when I don't, if I have someone come over to help with chores..

[bikeman564™]

Every time I buy stuff, w/ the exception of groceries, I use plastic.

[Longjohn ★]

34 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

I keep a couple quarters in my car because you have to insert one to unlock the shopping carts at Aldi,

I’ve got a good percentage of the Aldi shoppers trained. I never plug my cart in and take the quarter back and lately when I go to get a cart there will be three or four carts not plugged in.  My favorite Aldi puts your groceries in the cart you cleaned instead of the one the customer in front of you used.w

[Longjohn ★]

5 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

Every time I buy stuff, w/ the exception of groceries, I use plastic.

Why don’t you use your card for groceries?

[bikeman564™]

1 minute ago, Longjohn said:

Why don’t you use your card for groceries?

I meant, groceries is the only thing I use the card for.

[ChrisL]

The only time I use quarters is for the fancy vacuum cleaner at my local gas station.  It works way better than our home vacuum.  But it can be process to get quarters as I have to buy something, option cash back & then ask for quarters. 

[Randomguy]

I charge most things now.  I used to carry all cash and just use that, but I want the cash-back rewards, plus I hate loose change.  It is faster now without all of the signing and assorted BS, so I suppose the chips and the pandemic are responsible for that happening.

[Kzoo]

Based solely on the number of transactions.  90% cash and 10% plastic.  I don't own a debit card.  Cash or credit.  WoKzoo has the debit card that I used once last year.

 

[maddmaxx ★]

Whenever I don't want womaxx to know what race car parts cost.

[MickinMD ★]

3 hours ago, donkpow said:

I imagine restaurant workers prefer cash. In fact I know they do, I asked.

Most of the restaurants I go into encourage you to add the tip to the bill.

On top of that, they often start with an 18% tip.  That pisses me off because it's been traditional for 15% to be the tip for excellent service.  They're basically saying: give our waitress/waiter a really big tip so we don't have to pay her/him so much.

[BR46]

35 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Whenever I don't want womaxx to know what race car parts cost.

She probably already knows 

[MoseySusan]

I was just thinking about this when approaching a panhandler this morning. No, I don’t have spare change/bills because I use a card for everything. There are some coins in the car from a couple of years ago.

[BR46]

I take all the change in my pockets at the end of the day and throw them in a coffee can. When the can is full I go buy myself something nice. 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

I use plastic connected to my checking accounts. Rarely use cash anymore. Panhandler in Seattle asked for some change. “No change”. Got a dollar bill or two? “No cash.” Can I use your credit card for five minutes? I admired his ability to keep up the ask. 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Japan is a different country for currency. Their smallest bill is the 1,000 yen (roughly $10) when I was there. Everything below that is coin. 500 yen, 100 yen etc. imagine if the smallest currency here was a $10 bill and the $1, $2, and $5 were all coins. We learned pretty quick to use plastic when we could. The currency exchange places at the airport don’t accept coins either. We spent coin at the bars and souvenir shops there. 

[Kzoo]

18 minutes ago, MoseySusan said:

I was just thinking about this when approaching a panhandler this morning. No, I don’t have spare change/bills because I use a card for everything. There are some coins in the car from a couple of years ago.

There is a panhandler near the office that I've gotten to know a bit.  I can't imagine spending a Michigan winter in a tent by the river....  Anyway, Juan is a real nice guy with some mental issues, or as he says, "people that think differently, like me."  I keep a $5 bill in my car visor pretty much all the time for Juan.  I might see him 2 or 3 times a week or I might not see him for a month.

[MoseySusan]

1 minute ago, Kzoo said:

some mental issues, or as he says, "people that think differently, like me." 

While you are there, he’s not so invisible. I’m glad you know Juan. 

ABQ has started converting an old hospital into transitional shelter and health care because…spending a winter in a tent by the river. What they’re finding is for the people who’ve embrace this way of life, it’s not easy to convince them to change. So, the facility will offer only transitional shelter to people who lost their home and need a place to stay while finding another. 

We don’t have a plan for those who think differently. And it’s getting cold out there. 

[JerrySTL ★]

Probably more than most people. I try to pay with exact change if possible as there seems to be a coin shortage.

My favorite ice cream place only takes cash and they definitely like exact change. I get an ice cream cone that costs $2.50 after some bike rides. If I pay with paper money, they give me a Kennedy half dollar as part of the change. The next time I go there, I return the half dollar.

[ChrisL]

51 minutes ago, BR46 said:

I take all the change in my pockets at the end of the day and throw them in a coffee can. When the can is full I go buy myself something nice. 

I had a jar in the kitchen & .would do the same. Usually buy something for the kids.  Over the years the jar got relegated to the junk drawer as we never have change to put in it. 

[maddmaxx ★]

As far as I'm concerned they can do away with the penny, nickle and dime.  At least then they can end the sham of $3.99 gas and $2.95 burritos.

[Kzoo]

32 minutes ago, MoseySusan said:

While you are there, he’s not so invisible. I’m glad you know Juan. 

ABQ has started converting an old hospital into transitional shelter and health care because…spending a winter in a tent by the river. What they’re finding is for the people who’ve embrace this way of life, it’s not easy to convince them to change. So, the facility will offer only transitional shelter to people who lost their home and need a place to stay while finding another. 

We don’t have a plan for those who think differently. And it’s getting cold out there. 

I have a sister who is a counselor for the VA.  She does a lot of work in this arena.  There are people that will never sleep in a building with other people... no way, no how.  The street is their safe place.  One size doesn't fit all.  Juan has a room in a safe place now.  He had no other choices for a while last winter.

[12string]

I rarely use cash.  Credit cards, Ca$h app, Google pay.  Never a debit card.

[Bikeguy]

7 hours ago, Wilbur said:

99% debit. 1% credit. 

I do it the other way.   99.9% credit then the rest cash.   If I need cash I use my debit card at an ATM for my bank.  That's the only place I use my debit card.

I don't like the idea of using a debit card because it's linked to my money.  I know there are some liability limits if it's lost or stolen, but I just don't want to deal with any issues.  I'd rather let the credit card company fight for their money.  

I seldom use cash... that's the 0.1% usage. 

The credit card gives me cash back.  And it's 100% paid each month, so zero interest and the account has zero annual fee.  

[Bikeguy]

2 hours ago, BR46 said:

I take all the change in my pockets at the end of the day and throw them in a coffee can.

We have a large plastic cup that we fill with change.  Since I don't use cash much, it takes a loooong time to fill up the cup.

I just too the cup to the bank a few days ago and $49 was deposited into my checking account.   

[shootingstar]

I almost never use debit. I might use cash ie. under $5.00  1-2 times / month.  There's a fee to the store /business owner for credit card use for tiny amounts too. Unless there's a deal VISA or Master Card have struck.

[groupw]

I try to keep $20 in cash for taco trucks and tips at coffee shops. My favorite coffee shop doesn’t have an app and they only charge the exact amount by card without a tip option. So I keep a couple loose dollars so I am put one in the cup. I like to tip when they aren’t looking. I don’t like to be showy about it. However when it rainy like today, they keep the tip cup inside the window so I give the dollar when they hand me the card. 

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

 

4 hours ago, Bikeguy said:

I don't like the idea of using a debit card because it's linked to my money.  I know there are some liability limits if it's lost or stolen, but I just don't want to deal with any issues.  I'd rather let the credit card company fight for their money.  

[Razors Edge ★]

13 hours ago, shootingstar said:

I almost never use debit. I might use cash ie. under $5.00  1-2 times / month.  There's a fee to the store /business owner for credit card use for tiny amounts too. Unless there's a deal VISA or Master Card have struck.

Generally, the "deal" is under $10 transactions can be exempted. Apparently, DEBIT using the Visa/MC network CAN'T have that limit.  I'm fine "helping" smaller places out by using cash for small purchases, and usually why I pay cash on bike rides regardless of the CC policy.  In fact, I don't even carry my CC on bike rides (but have my phone and Apple Pay if needed).