How much cash do you still use and how (card) light is your wallet?

drinae

I was talking to some of my colleagues at work and discovered that many of them still use cash quite often, and carry a lot of physical cards (not only debit and credit, but also rewards cards) with them, and they don't use Google Pay/Apple Pay/mobile pay features. I don't think of myself as being the first one to adopt new things - either technology or new ways of banking but, as compared to my colleagues, I realised that my purse was quite light...

So, just for fun: how light/heavy is your purse/wallet, usually? 

1. How much cash?
2. How many debit and credit cards? Which ones?
3. How many rewards/loyalty cards? Which ones do you carry?
4. What else do you carry in the wallet? (e.g. gym pass, travelcard, etc) 
5. Do you pay for things with your phone? Which app?

You can specify how many and also the names of the cards/apps if you want. My answers below.

1. £0. I only take cash out if I know I need it for something specific, and it never stays in my purse. 
2. 1 debit + 1 credit: Barclays and Barclaycard (*)
3. All are on Google pay, except one loyalty (stamp) card from my local coffee shop. 
4. Driver's license, Oyster card, Gym/library card, a couple of 1st class stamps
5. Almost daily, using Barclays contactless. 

* When abroad, I use a different combo: Nationwide FlexPlus and Halifax Clarity, as both are no-fee currency withdrawals and purchases. I actually don't have other debit and credit cards apart from these 4 (except when I apply for switch incentives, but these usually get closed straight away). 

blue.peter

drinae said:

So, just for fun: how light/heavy is your purse/wallet, usually? 

1. How much cash?
2. How many debit and credit cards? Which ones?
3. How many rewards/loyalty cards? Which ones do you carry?
4. What else do you carry in the wallet? (e.g. gym card, travelcard, etc) 
5. Do you pay for things with your phone? Which app?

1. About £50. I really ought to cut this down: £10 would be enough. (There are one or two small businesses that I use that don't accept card payments, so some cash is unavoidable.)
   
2. Three debit cards (will reduce to two when I dump RBS in the summer) + three credit cards (AmEx, Visa and MasterCard).
3. Two - Nectar and myWaitrose.
4. Driving licence, library card, stamps, credit/debit card vouchers until I get home, a note of the keypad numbers for my mother's care home.
   
5. No.
   

Caraway90

I only get cash out to pay for my Zumba class, or if I were going to a pub and money for taxi.
I've started paying for most things with Apple Pay.

AstonSmith

1: I keep an emergency £20 note. I know some people steadfastly refuse to use cash, but I'd rather have the backup option.

2: 1 credit and 1 debit card. I also have two more cards safe at home, in case my wallet is lost or stolen.

3: None. Not very MSE I know, but I don't like the idea behind them.

4: Library card and PAYG top-up card.

5: Yes, I put all my cards into Apple Pay and prefer to use that over the physical cards when possible. (Sometimes terminals don't support contactless amounts over £30, but that's less common now.)

Robin9

Like Aston I only carry an emergency £20 or so.

 I got caught out last week when my local ASDA had an internet failure and couldn't accept cards. All the customers were scrambling for cash and ASDA was also struggling to find coin for change.

chelseablue

1. How much cash? £0, only get cash out if needed for something specific. Cant remember the last time, even the window cleaner accepts bank transfer now
2. How many debit and credit cards? Which ones? 2 debit cards, Halifax and Nationwide. 1 credit card with Barclaycard that I hardly ever use 
3. How many rewards/loyalty cards? Which ones do you carry? Just had a look and surprised at the amount! Currently have KFC, Superdrug, Tool Station, Nandos, Boots, Nectar, Ikea, Morrisons and Tesco
4. What else do you carry in the wallet? (e.g. gym card, travelcard, etc) Driving Licence
5. Do you pay for things with your phone? Which app? No, don't have any payment apps 

chelseablue

Thought I'd have a look and see when my last cash withdrawal was, was on 21st December for £20
Cant remember what I did with it which annoys me 

northwalesd

I usually carry very little cash (normally < £10), however I'm going away this weekend with friends, so currntly have £85 in my pocket.

As for my wallet, 2 x debit cards, 5 credit card (one if which is a company card), 3 membership cards, 5 reward/loyalty cards (some of which I no longer use and should ditch). I also have my driving licence in there. And a few old receipts, bizzarely.

EssexExile

I get cash out in £200 lumps so there is always somewhere between 0 & £200 in my wallet. Lots of people around here prefer cash.
I carry all my cards just in case, they're no use at home. 2 debit & 2 credit.
There's probably a Nectar card in there somewhere.
Driving licence, bus pass, membership cards, prescription
My phone doesn't have NFC

sal_III

1. Emergency £20, since the local convenience store started accepting card payments for purchases below £5 last year, the only time I have used cash recently was when I assisted my kids in spending the cash they got from the grandparents.
2. 1 physical Debit card, about a dozen personal and business digital in the apple wallet
3. 1 DC
4. Drivers license, work ID, that's it. Dropped the Oyster about an year ago in favour of contactless
   
5. Apple pay via the watch is first port of call, fall back is the physical DC I carry. So far I haven't had to rely on the emergency £20

oli356

Lucky if I have £5 in my wallet. 
Carry my Monzo card, usually 1 other debit card, work Amex though I only use it a few times a year, Costco card, driving license.. that's pretty much it. 
Don't pay for things with phone.