Universal credit and cash withdrawals

Murphybear

Exodi said:

Out of curiosity, why do you withdraw the money in cash for every day spending?

Virtually all shops I use for every day spending accept card (many prefer it). I virtually never have cash on me, I can no longer think of a single place I need it - even car parks mostly accept card or payment by app (card). £1 for a trolley or locker, perhaps?

It probably just looks a bit odd. From their perspective, there are nefarious reasons someone might do something like this.

Some older parking machines where we live only take coins, supermarket trollies, many market stalls, window cleaners, a lovely greengrocer in our little market town, food fairs, one off Christmas fairs to name a few. 

It may be different in big towns but not so uncommon in rural areas.  I also remember 2 tea shops on Exmoor which only took cash because they were only open in the summer but still had to pay the card fees/charges when they were closed.  

Exodi

sgthammer said:

It's a good system that's worked for hundreds of years and I'm not sure why we should be bullied out of it.

I don't want to turn this into a Cash vs Card thread, but I'd remind that bartering with sheep and grain also worked for hundreds of years - just because something worked in the past doesn't provide any justification that it should be used indefinitely. I deal with inertia daily in my line of work and it is exhausting.

I have a feeling this is more due to generational familiarity, and would wager the 'cash is king' sentiment will mostly disappear in the next few decades. And please don't think I'm saying this from my high horse - I'm already seen as old-fashioned by my younger family members because I carry a wallet and cards round, they just use their phones.

HillStreetBlues

Exodi said:

I don't want to turn this into a Cash vs Card thread,

But that what happens when someone questions the use of cash.

Exodi

HillStreetBlues said:

Exodi said:

I don't want to turn this into a Cash vs Card thread,

But that what happens when someone questions the use of cash.

I won't do it again, I'm sorry.

TELLIT01

Having a set amount of cash in your wallet/purse at the start of each week is a great way to control your spending.  It's so easy to spend what you can't afford when simply tapping a card onto the reader.  You also have the potential to feel really smug when the person in front of you has their card declined but you can still pay.

born_again

TELLIT01 said:

Having a set amount of cash in your wallet/purse at the start of each week is a great way to control your spending.  It's so easy to spend what you can't afford when simply tapping a card onto the reader.  You also have the potential to feel really smug when the person in front of you has their card declined but you can still pay.

Declined card does not equal no funds.... 
Can just be that they need to enter PIN after too many contactless.

Spoonie_Turtle

born_again said:

TELLIT01 said:

Having a set amount of cash in your wallet/purse at the start of each week is a great way to control your spending.  It's so easy to spend what you can't afford when simply tapping a card onto the reader.  You also have the potential to feel really smug when the person in front of you has their card declined but you can still pay.

Declined card does not equal no funds.... 
Can just be that they need to enter PIN after too many contactless.

Or they could be accidentally using an expired one having forgotten to change it for the new one …  (Took me over a week to work out that's what had gone wrong!)

sheramber

Or wrong pin for that card. 

kingston1506

pumpkin60 said:

   I take my universal credit out in full, I take my pip out in full. I have done for years. When I was on esa I took that out in full. I had to send bank statements to esa every year as I had savings, no one has ever asked what I spent my money on. I wish they paid me enough to ' stash it '  My savings have gone down over the 8 years I've been claiming but not by much, I have never been asked why!
   Once the money hits your bank it is yours to spend as you wish. 

Have you had a Universal Credit review at all? If so did they question your cash withdrawals? 

Robbie64

I usually use a card when doing the weekly shop or making larger purchases but when making smaller purchases I usually use cash so always have some money on me. Plus a lot of local businesses prefer to be paid in cash as it appears to be cheaper for them.