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Royrogers · 61-69, M
It’s easy to understand why cash payments survive in areas with no banks at all.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@Royrogers There is a further point the cash-only enthusiasts miss or do not know - and the banks would not care about anyway.
I don't know about other countries but British society is full of all sorts of voluntary groups, charities, church and social organisations, hobby clubs, private honesty-box garden-gate sales, jumble sales, car-boots, and the like. In total, nationally, these must turn over a vast amount of money a year from innumerable, small-value, cash-only transactions, collecting-boxes and so on.
All these are payments that cannot sensibly be made in any other way than cash:
-You can donate on-line to a charity, or buy its merchandise that way, but you cannot make spontaneous payments by collecting-tin except by cash.
-You cannot realistically pay by card, 50p for a tea-and-biccy at a small-scale voluntary event like a public lecture, local coffee morning or hobby club's weekly gathering.
- Nor a couple of quid on the cake stall or your children's fare for a non-commercial donkey or miniature railway ride at the village fete - and plastic cards do not work on "Roll-A-Penny" boards.
-You cannot sensibly pay electronically for some "bargain" at a car-boot sale, or for a jar of home-made jam at someone's garden gate, or for a second-hand item via a householder's "For Sale" ad..
All these and more need cash, but I doubt the anti-cash brigade have the slightest idea all this goes on in the real world. (I don't what their world is, but it would seem rather narrow.)
Also, when you pay electronically in a shop, pub or cafe, the greedy banks take a slice of the retail price for the "service" despite it being easier and cheaper for the banks to operate that than handle real money; making it harder for small shops to keep trading.
Further, and this must upset the banks, more people now use cash for day-to-day living to ration their own spending as the cost of living rises and rises.
At the same time the banks are trying inexorably, driven probably behind the scenes by a few giant US and Chinese money, retail and IT corporations of murky practice, to give us less and less choice in anyhting we do, less and worse service; and to remove cash, ultimately risking destroying a hugely important part of the country's social fabric.
Why? Not for we customers. No: merely to suit a relatively small number of remote, undeserving spivs in Canary Wharf, Wall Street and Shanghai.
I don't know about other countries but British society is full of all sorts of voluntary groups, charities, church and social organisations, hobby clubs, private honesty-box garden-gate sales, jumble sales, car-boots, and the like. In total, nationally, these must turn over a vast amount of money a year from innumerable, small-value, cash-only transactions, collecting-boxes and so on.
All these are payments that cannot sensibly be made in any other way than cash:
-You can donate on-line to a charity, or buy its merchandise that way, but you cannot make spontaneous payments by collecting-tin except by cash.
-You cannot realistically pay by card, 50p for a tea-and-biccy at a small-scale voluntary event like a public lecture, local coffee morning or hobby club's weekly gathering.
- Nor a couple of quid on the cake stall or your children's fare for a non-commercial donkey or miniature railway ride at the village fete - and plastic cards do not work on "Roll-A-Penny" boards.
-You cannot sensibly pay electronically for some "bargain" at a car-boot sale, or for a jar of home-made jam at someone's garden gate, or for a second-hand item via a householder's "For Sale" ad..
All these and more need cash, but I doubt the anti-cash brigade have the slightest idea all this goes on in the real world. (I don't what their world is, but it would seem rather narrow.)
Also, when you pay electronically in a shop, pub or cafe, the greedy banks take a slice of the retail price for the "service" despite it being easier and cheaper for the banks to operate that than handle real money; making it harder for small shops to keep trading.
Further, and this must upset the banks, more people now use cash for day-to-day living to ration their own spending as the cost of living rises and rises.
At the same time the banks are trying inexorably, driven probably behind the scenes by a few giant US and Chinese money, retail and IT corporations of murky practice, to give us less and less choice in anyhting we do, less and worse service; and to remove cash, ultimately risking destroying a hugely important part of the country's social fabric.
Why? Not for we customers. No: merely to suit a relatively small number of remote, undeserving spivs in Canary Wharf, Wall Street and Shanghai.
ninalanyon · 61-69, T
@ArishMell
Such organizations manage electronic payments here in Norway with no difficulty at all but I think such things are easier here.
We have a system called Vipps that lets you use a smartphone to pay directly to someone knowing only their mobile number.
Of course charities, etc., also accept cash. In fact if you are operating a permanent shop in Norway you are required by law to accept cash. Only temporary sales locations and mail order are allowed to be electronic only.
all sorts of voluntary groups, charities, church and social organisations,
..
All these are payments that cannot sensibly be made in any other way than cash:
..
All these are payments that cannot sensibly be made in any other way than cash:
Such organizations manage electronic payments here in Norway with no difficulty at all but I think such things are easier here.
We have a system called Vipps that lets you use a smartphone to pay directly to someone knowing only their mobile number.
Of course charities, etc., also accept cash. In fact if you are operating a permanent shop in Norway you are required by law to accept cash. Only temporary sales locations and mail order are allowed to be electronic only.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@ninalanyon The complexity here in the UK is due to the money trade's practices!
However, we do have a vast range and number of events, club meetings etc in which electronic payment would not be necessary, practicable, easy or really, desirable.
However, we do have a vast range and number of events, club meetings etc in which electronic payment would not be necessary, practicable, easy or really, desirable.