I only spent cash for one day and ended up saving a lot

But in a post-Covid world, more and more stores seem to be refusing cash and only accepting plastic in recent years.

With the advent of card-only bars, which have become increasingly popular across the UK, debates have arisen about the future of cash.

Some suspect that cash may one day disappear and be a thing of the past, while others believe that without physical cash, the economy would collapse.

While no one knows what the future of the economy currently holds, we can see if the rumors are true and if justice is really more difficult Checkout.

I was ready to see what a cash-only world looked like. (Image: Getty)

I only spent cash for one day and this is how it went

As someone who usually opts for a quick contactless tap when spending, I found the idea of ​​just spending cash a bit daunting at first.

While I was encouraged to stick with cash when I was younger to better understand spending and economics, now that I can do online banking with just a tap of my phone, the card is a faster solution for me.

But I also find that I like to spend a little more with the card-only option than if I had cash.

With that in mind, I prepared myself and headed out Checkout Machine ready to start the day and see if it would be as difficult as I thought.

With £60 safely in my purse, I went to the cinema with pre-booked tickets for National Cinema Day, needed a coffee and was willing to spend some money.

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When I went to the attached Starbucks and ordered my usual meal, I felt the need to first ask if they accepted cash for fear they would turn it down like many other big retailers.

But I was pleasantly surprised when the friendly barista happily took the money with no complaints or concerns that might slow the line behind me.

After enjoying my coffee and the movie, I made my way to the local mall to see how far away it was Checkout could really take me away.

Stores vs. Cash

While stores and physical forms of Checkout aren’t exactly a no-go, but it seems like they’re pushing for a map world.

In this case, however, I found the opposite to be true given the multitude of ticket offices that appear to offer faster service and fewer queues.

I happily strolled to the cash and card checkout with only one customer in front of me, unlike the many others who had opted for the card-only checkout.

Using cash, I gave the employee the correct amount of money for my new items and received change without any fuss.

So far the day has gone well. (Image: PA)

Whether luck was on my side or the world really was still pushing for cash, I didn’t seem to have any real problems with my cash.

Store after store happily complied and took the cash instead of waiting for the card machine to warm up and beep.

Needing some lunch, I first went to a cafe to enjoy a meal, but was turned away at first glance when a ‘Card Only’ sign was waiting for customers.

Unfortunately, this was not a one-off event. After wandering around for almost 15 minutes hoping to find a place that would accept cash, I finally ended up at a local pub knowing that they accepted cash.

When I went to the bar to order my food I realized I had gotten used to ordering via pub and restaurant apps and almost forgot to collect my drink, I could practically hear the bells around me Hearing “shame” ring.

I ended up saving money. (Image: PA)

Is this the end of cash?

On my cash-only day, I noticed one thing that a normal shopping day didn’t include: I had to ask if they accepted cash.

Every time I went to the checkout and asked if they would accept the money for fear of being turned away, I was overcome by a strange and almost annoying feeling, something you rarely encounter with card payments.

If there’s one thing I learned from my cash-only day, it’s that if you really want to budget, cash is the way to go.

It seems that the physical form of money helps you realize how much you can spend and makes you question whether you really need that thing in your shopping cart.

Whether you’re on a tight budget or you’ve noticed you’ve been overspending lately, cash might be the solution.

Only time will tell whether cash will one day become a thing of the past.