How is Cash "Inconvenient"?

Someone here told me it was. "Inconvenient", that is. How? Are those plastic dollar bills really so heavy? I've never had a credit card, nor have I ever bought anything online; I've only ever used cash. It's convenient (yes, it is), safe, anonymous and real.

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ArishMell · 70-79, M

Excluding regular direct-debits and very occasional bank-transfers, credit-card and cheques; I use a debit card or cash for all everyday purchases, depending on size of purchase and convenience.

One advantage of the card is allowing filling-stations now to have pumps with debit / credit-card readers. Such garages so fitted may now offer fuel round the clock even when the shop is closed for the night. (Virtually all filling-stations here have been self-service for years anyway, with payments made in the shop or kiosk: pump attendants are now extremely rare.)

The builders of battery-car chargers have yet to catch up on this, apparently demanding you pay via a portable 'phone you hope will work in that locality!

A disadvantage is that using cards requires much more self-control not everyone has. A wave of a bit of plastic and that amount of your money has either gone in an instant (debit card) or feeds a high-interest debt (credit-card); while holding two or more credit-cards is frankly ludicrous because it can encourage living permanently "on-tick".

An aspect the cash-free enthusiasts in the UK don't appreciate is Britain's vast variety and number of events, charity-collections, hobby clubs etc. that rely on very many low-value cash transactions and donations, in situations where electronic payment would be absurd or just not feasible. I do not know if anyone has ever tried to estimate the total yearly cash-flow across the country in this way, but I suspect it would be a staggering amount.

If cash were to disappear from British society the largest financial losers would probably be the charities, especially the smaller voluntary ones, who rely heavily on donation-boxes in public buildings and on collections made by carnival floats, village fetes, jumble-sales, coffee-mornings and the like.

Some years ago the banks had to drop plans to axe cheques when they were made to realise this is the best way to transfer money in many cases; and could not think of a suitable, satisfactory replacement.

I have noticed many people now use some "smart"-'phone facility even for small purchases in shops and for local bus fares. I have no such 'phone, but I do have a Senior Citizens' Bus-pass read electronically by the ticket-machine, and the choice of card or cash in the shops!