Cashless Society

[angie_nrs]

We've had this discussion before within other threads, but I wanted to bring it up again as a topic all on it's own. I have seen the world going closer to a cashless society and I don't like it at all. The Millenials seem to pay everything with a card or with their phones. Many don't consider the lack of privacy as being an issue at all. They think that nobody will ever look or care about what they buy and when. I used to think that way, but I just feel that big brother is everywhere (and already knows too much) so I try and protect my privacy whenever I can, which is why I use cash as much as I can. In addition I don't like to support big banks and CC companies. They make money on every transaction, so I use CC's mostly when I can't use cash. That 1-2% cashback is not worth my privacy. However, with large purchases with warranties like appliances or electronics, I will break down and use the card to take advantage of the additional safeguards in product performance.

For every day purchases like groceries, gas, haircuts, restaurants, ammo, etc., I use cash. How much I drive, what food and drink I consume, where I go out to eat and how often is nobody's business but my own. It's just creepy thinking anyone would care about any of that, but lots of businesses would love to have that information. In addition I don't trust government not to over-reach and put together a profile on me and somehow use it against me. Geez, I sure hope not, but why leave it to chance? Perhaps my future health insurance premium will be based on my purchasing history taking into consideration food, drink, fitness purchases, unhealthy purchases such as tobacco, alcohol, etc......yet they don't disclose how they calculate the rate you pay. Kind of like your insurance scores right now. I have asked the insurance company exactly how they come up with my score and they won't disclose it, bascially saying it's too complicated.

Here's some interesting article links:
https://www.thebalance.com/pros-and-cons-of-moving-to-a-cashless-society-4160702

https://hbr.org/2019/07/is-the-u-s-on-its-way-to-becoming-a-cashless-society?ab=hero-subleft-1
According to this article, the FDIC states that cash represented only 30% of all payments in 2017.
Also according to the article, a "less cash" society is emerging and that an entirely cashless society is unlikely anytime soon, especially when 70% of Americans still report using cash on a weekly basis. Add to that 83% of small business owners in the US never plan to go cashless and 73% of people believe that America will never be a fully cashless society.

I don't think the US will go cashless in my time, but I do see it as being probable in the future. I've discussed this topic on other forums and people seem to think cashless is the way to go. I mention the downsides, but few of them seem to think anything bad can happen in a cashless society. What I find fascinating is how they think anyone who shuns technology is unintelligent or just plain stubborn and dated. LOL! Well, the stubborn and dated part might be accurate of me. If a CME or massive storm hits in my area, I'm likely to look a whole lot more intelligent to them then. But impressing others has never been a high priority for me, espeically people I don't even know!

 

[Amish Heart]

I like to use cash, too. Aside from the privacy issue, it keeps me on budget. When it's gone for the week, it's gone.
I'm pretty anti-tech, too, Angie. I think the young people of today are being trained to sit in front of a screen. Doesn't say much for humanity.

 

[SheepDog]

My drug dealers won't accept checks or my debit card so I have to pay in cash.

OK, I don't even know any drug dealers but I pay cash for gold, silver and guns and use a credit card for powder, bullets and primers - go figure.

 

[Caribou]

We wer visiting a friend and her daughter. The daughter was talking about going to the store and the net was down. That meant no credit cards and no cash dispensed from the kiosk. They both seemed to think it was the stores fault and they should have made some sort of provision to cover for their failure to have enough cash to buy a sack of groceries. Too many people go for the convenience of the plastic. They will not admit that the loss of privacy matters. OMG do you realise how many"points" I'd loose. The majority of people will willingly let them monitor everything. Us holdouts will eventually be insignificant.

 

[LadyLocust]

I use both but as stated already prefer cash for certain things. Along the lines of what @Caribou just said, wasn't it just a couple years ago that Greece's banks and ATMs were shut down? Hmmm.

 

[ssonb]

You cannot teach the finite availability of monies to your children with a card.....

 

[Sentry18]

It is a proven fact that spending cash results in the brain perceiving it as pain, where swiping a card is seen by the brain as a pleasurable event. This is because spending cash, or gold, or silver is seen as a loss even if you receive a good or service in trade. Where swiping a card or typing in a number is only associated with the pleasure you get from the item you receive in return. Big business and banks know this and use this to dupe people into spending more than they have, going deeper and deeper into debt in the process allowing big business and banks to make even more money on interests and fees. Many people are being lead like sheep to the financial slaughter house and because of their need for instant gratification don't even seem to care. There is little difference between Starbucks, Amazon.com, and Cocaine.

 

[Weedygarden]

In my house sitting/dog sitting business, I am often asked if I take Venmo? I always say check or cash. I had one younger man tell me he never has cash, doesn't go to the bank, and doesn't have any checks, and handles his life via debit and credit cards, and Venmo. He is totally going cashless. It is happening, and like all changes that someone who is higher up on running the world wants, our young people are being trained to not have cash.

There are many cashless apps out there. Venmo is the one that I hear most people using. Garage sales--do you accept Venmo?

 

[backlash]

I buy most things with cash, the exception is Amazon. I use a CC for gas and I pay it off every month. The CC gets me a 4% rebate every year.
My wife uses her debit card for almost everything. She has a loyalty card at the grocery store so they already know everything she buys there.
If I don't have at least $100 in cash I feel broke, not counting the several 100s I have stashed in my wallet.

I got a Venmo account so my son can pay me every 2 weeks for the 69 Nova I sold him.
It's handy, maybe too handy, and I also use it to move money from my bank to my Credit Union because there are no CU branches anywhere close to me.

 

[angie_nrs]

I think the young people of today are being trained to sit in front of a screen.

I agree. Younger folks have a lot of brain distractions that keep them from paying attention to what is going on. I remind my kids of the saying "if you don't watch your money, someone else will." I'm not sure how much impact I have, but I know they don't balance their accounts every month like I do. It's the start of a slippery slope b/c it allows banks and CC companies to impose small fees that they will never notice and everntually nickle and dime them to death. How many really look at their phone or TV bills every month? I do! If there's changes or extra charges on there, I pick up the phone and get them removed. I had a rather lengthy chat with my TV company a couple of months ago.......I got a better deal and should be set for 2 years without ANY extra fees. You can bet I will be watching.

The majority of people will willingly let them monitor everything. Us holdouts will eventually be insignificant.

That is my fear too, and it's why I chime in when this topic is discussed on any forum. Many are going to do what they're going to do regardless of what I say, but I hope they stop and think about it. I think many are on automatic pilot and don't think about the potential consequences of doing everything electronically.

It is a proven fact that spending cash results in the brain perceiving it as pain

I'm sure this was the ultimate design for the CC. It's to the advantage of the reatilers who accept CC's and the banks who make money with every transaction. I have to give the CC companies kudos for their integration of their product into society. It was genius! This flecing of our privacy and money are not considered as such by the users......almost like a drug. I also think it complicates the who issue of money so that people just give up on it. When you have cash and it's gone....it's pretty easy to figure out you're going without until you get more cash. With electronic payments and "credit", those lines are blurred and those not paying attention get themselves into trouble. The banks love those people! They make tons of money off their apathy.

You cannot teach the finite availability of monies to your children with a card.....

I agree with the premise of what you said, but there really is no finite availablity of money.......Uncle Sam prints it every day with nothing backing it. When the general public finally realizes this, our monetary system will be in trouble. However, I'd rather have a piece of paper or coin in my hand when this happens as opposed to digital numbers in an account. I think the physical currency in hand will psychologically have value longer than digital numbers IF people wake up to our sham of a system.

 

[Amish Heart]

We only accepted cash or checks the whole 18 yrs our business was running. No cards. Ever. Although I was questioned by our bank (Wells Fargo) where I got all the cash I was depositing in our business acct. Really? It was $3800.00 cash. Tuition payments. I do not look like a money launderer or druggie. We had that business acct for 18 yrs. I just glared at the teller, and said, "This is a business account".
Young people never carry cash. We were at the Greek Fest this weekend and our youngest daughter was buying a $5 bracelet. She handed the lady a card. Then she had to ask me for $5.00.

 

[The Lazy L]

I try and use the system to my advantage.

If "they" are bored or I become a person of interest a review of my electronic purchases will reveal a boring person with nothing out of the ordinary.

In school I was the quiet and obedient type. When a girl screamed because she was surprised by being squirted with a squirt gun I was never the one to be a suspect.

Plus credit card gives rewards which translates into free airline flights and hotel rooms.

 

[angie_nrs]

I try and use the system to my advantage.

If "they" are bored or I become a person of interest a review of my electronic purchases will reveal a boring person with nothing out of the ordinary.

I'm sure if anyone could track everything I buy, including my cash purchases they would wonder what the heck I'm raising a stink about. I'm boring too and am not much of a spender. I have nothing to hide, but that doesn't stop me from being private about my purchases. Once that freedom of using cash for privacy is gone.......it's gone. I don't want my kids or the next generations to have to deal with the consequences of such a system.

Plus credit card gives rewards which translates into free airline flights and hotel rooms.

I get what you're saying, but it really isn't free. Those rewards come at the expense of your privacy and by retailers raising their prices to comsumers to cover those perks.

 

[hiwall]

If any country ever could possibly go completely cashless, that government would have complete control of the citizens. Any person's money could be switched on or off at any time.

 

[phideaux]

All is leading to a one world
monetary system.
Then one world Government.

I do cash where I can , and that's getting to be harder to do.

Keep a small checking account ,no savings account, only to pay a couple utilities.

Amazon visa to use where I can't use cash. And buy from Amazon.

Jim

 

[Haertig]

I'm not overly worried about being tracked if I use a CC. I know I will be. But I also know I'm being tracked in many other ways too. So dumping the CC and switching to cash really won't help all that much. Before me buying that new rifle (let's say with cash to try to be anonymous), you'd see about 5 bazillion of my internet searches and forum queries for reviews and opinions on that rifle. Everything you need to know is right there, including what other rifles were in the running for potential purchase, and I haven't even bought the dang thing yet! Gosh, you'll even know that I prefer blued, heavy barrel, wood stocks, bolt action, and long-standing traditional calibers. You'll find that over the last few years, I've switched from cheap scopes to more expensive optics. You'll know that I'm set up to handload for the calibers I'm looking at. And buying the rifle with a CC is supposed to expose me? That horse has already left the barn for all of us.

Chances are, as you walk through that checkout line to buy your stuff with cash, you are being videoed. What are you going to do, wear a different disguise every time you go out? Unless you are willing to be a total hermit like that guy who lived in a cave in China for 17 years, you're going to be found and tracked. Oh wait, they found that Chinese guy too.

I do value my privacy. But I also recognize when it has been lost, and when there's nothing I can do about it.

 

[angie_nrs]

I do value my privacy. But I also recognize when it has been lost, and when there's nothing I can do about it.

I think lots of folks have given up. I will not. There are things we can do, but it takes awareness and effort. If it isn't worth it to folks to do so, then so be it. But I will still keep trying, if not for me, then for future generations.

Haertig, you are correct, there are lots of ways in which to lose privacy. Others that you didn't mention include wearing a fitbit, using an online food log, posting anything on the net, sending private messages on your phone/email, using GPS in your car, etc. Some modes will take a whole lot more digging to find information. If I am caught on a security camera buying my groceries with cash, the NSA would have to spend a whole lot of time trying to identify me and track that all down as opposed to just pulling up my CC statement. Could they? Sure, but I'm not going to make it easy.

 

[Supervisor42]

I have cash set aside in the safe in case of disaster.
Only time I use cash is an occasional trip to the casino.
Everything else is laundered thru my CC.
I pay no interest, get points, and risk THEIR money instead of mine should something go awry.
All of my expenditures are listed on one single page of paper once a month. One electronic payment and done.

But FEAR NOT!
The USA will never go cashless.
After I retired I found out why.
I learned about the underground economy.
If you draw social-security you are seriously limited to how much money you can make by something called 'work'.
Lots of independent contractor people working "on the side" have to have cash (or a check they can cash) so the SSA can't track it.
They make it and spend it and it's all under the table.
Once you see how many people are doing this, trust me, cash ain't going NOWHERE!

 

[Weedygarden]

Lots of independent contractor people working "on the side" have to have cash (or a check they can cash) so the SS can't track it.
They make it and spend it and it's all under the table.
Once you see how many people are doing this, trust me, cash ain't going NOWHERE!

I believe a whole bunch of people who work in the government are in on this as well. How did Pelosi get so wealthy on her salary?

 

[Supervisor42]

I believe a whole bunch of people who work in the government are in on this as well. How did Pelosi get so wealthy on her salary?

Heck no! They aren't about to dirty their hands with nasty-ol' cash.
Guess where her son worked?
First guess doesn't count - Ukraine?
Say it ain't so!
https://www.oann.com/son-of-house-speaker-pelosi-made-money-in-ukraine-used-her-in-ads/
Small world we live in, huh?
Can you guess now why she is trying to draw attention off of Biden's son?

Are you beginning to see how things work in the 'swamp'?
https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/it-becomes-clear-why-theyre-all-trying-to-destroy-trump/

"Nancy Pelosi’s son, Paul Pelosi Jr., is involved in oil importing from Ukraine and his company, Viscoil, is under investigation for securities fraud.
In 2015, Pelosi used the Air Force to fly her entire family to Ukraine at a cost of over $185,000.

You know, that popular vacation spot, Ukraine.

 

[angie_nrs]

Covid seems to be the blame for everythings these days! I went to a local store today and guess what? They no longer take cash at the self checkouts. Really?? Only debit and CC accepted. But, they would take cash at the checkouts with cashiers. WTH? Nobody touches that money with the self checkouts until they cash out the machines at the end of the day. Those people can't wear gloves OR wash their hands after handling the money? How much longer until all the stores use Covid as an excuse not to take cash? All these stupid rules in the name of CV is really starting to get on my last nerve!

 

[bkt]

I've read a number of places there's a national shortage of coins, of all things, so many stores won't take cash because they can't make change. So where'd all the coins go? This seems very contrived and it segues nicely into the notion that covid-19 is a cover for a very large global monetary/economic reset. And it looks very much like they're pushing for a cashless society.

 

[Bacpacker]

I read 3 different articles this week on the coin shortage and stores not taking cash. Sure appears something bad is in the works.

 

[Amish Heart]

Doesn't it cost more to make coins than what they're worth? Maybe we're broke. If hyperinflation is coming, there's no need to make coins because we wouldn't even use them. If govt control is coming, then the govt would want us on cards to track our spending anyway.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I have seen the world going closer to a cashless society and I don't like it at all. The Millenials seem to pay everything with a card or with their phones. Many don't consider the lack of privacy as being an issue at all. They think that nobody will ever look or care about what they buy and when.

I was chatting with my middle daughter the other day and it's scary as hell the way she thinks.

She is convinced that Covid vaccine is the way to go, she thinks that everyone should be chipped so as to make life easier. She thinks with the chip that life would be so much easier, so when a person buys something they can just scan the chip instead of having to deal with cards or cash. She also thinks that if everyone is chipped it would make the world a safer place, she thinks that we need a NWO as in a single government to run the whole planet.

I have no idea how she got so deluded, she sure wans't raised this way, other than the fact the guy she is dating is an uber liberal, I suspect he has convinced her of all of these benefits. She also relies on CNN for so called 'news'.

She is perfectly willing to give up her freedoms for a little perceived security.

So sad that our younger folks have been conditioned to fall for this crap.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

I use prepaid credit card for surfing the web in stores like Wal*Mart, Amazon.
But I fill said card with cash in hand.
I use prepaid phone card again filled with cash in hand.
No cash in hand no prepaid credit card usage that month.
These just works for me.

 

[Morgan101]

I use credit cards as little as possible. They had to drag me kicking and screaming to get me to shop on line which I also do as little as possible.

I am as Libertarian as they come, and I hate Government intervention in most things. I do believe it is reasonable for the Government to regulate currency, and to some degree commerce. IMHO a cashless society lends itself to fraud, counterfeiting, and identity theft or cyber crime. This doesn't even begin to address the "Big Brother is Watching" issue. See how well that worked out for the Chinese.

 

[hiwall]

We should change back to real silver coins. The silver kills viruses so they would be very safe to use.
As far as a shortage of coins, I think it is a designed shortage. There as always been plenty of coins and they didn't just disappear.
I believe evil is afoot.

 

[backlash]

We started using a CC to purchase things like food and gas because we get a rebate from the card. We can get a couple of hundred dollars back every year.
I had not heard anything about a coin shortage. I don't get out much anymore, not because of the China virus I just don't like going anywhere unless it's absolutely necessary.

 

[snappy1]

Covid seems to be the blame for everythings these days! I went to a local store today and guess what? They no longer take cash at the self checkouts. Really?? Only debit and CC accepted. But, they would take cash at the checkouts with cashiers. WTH? Nobody touches that money with the self checkouts until they cash out the machines at the end of the day. Those people can't wear gloves OR wash their hands after handling the money? How much longer until all the stores use Covid as an excuse not to take cash? All these stupid rules in the name of CV is really starting to get on my last nerve!

My "local store" said the same yesterday. Also, you can't get cash back at self check out. We are definitely being funneled in one direction!