Do you carry cash?

AbbysMom

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I rarely have more than $10 on me unless I know in advance I need more. Today I went to get gas and my debit card wouldn't work.
I used my credit card, but then went to the bank next door to do a balance inquiry and it still wouldn't work.
I went to the credit union and apparently none of them are working and they have to issue new cards to everyone and it will take 5-10 days.
I constantly use my debit card and will be lost without it.

Anyone else use their debit card all the time?
 

twstychik

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I very rarely carry cash. The only reason I have $3 in my walet right now is because I picked up lunch for a friend. I do use my bank card all the time but I use it as a credit card. It's deceiving really because it pulls from my funds and there is no extended line of credit with it, but it can be processed as a mastercard.
 
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AbbysMom

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Mine is like that as well, but it is a Visa.
 

kara_leigh

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I have a debit card, but hardly ever use it. When I don't have a job it rarely has more than a few dollars in the account, so I can't really. I'll put some money in there if I know I'm going to the doctor or something (where they won't accept checks) or I need to get gas, but otherwise I mostly just use cash. I hardly ever buy anything, so I never have more than a few dollars of cash on me, anyway.

We do not have any credit cards at all, so sometimes debit is a necessity these days.
 

yosemite

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I try to have a bit of cash - $20 or so - but mostly I use debit. I rarely use my Visa unless it's for buying something online such as theatre tickets (getting tickets to see Seal
- just had to throw that in because I'm excited about it).
 

momofmany

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I withdraw $100 at a time when my wallet runs dry. Sometimes it lasts me a month, sometimes 2 weeks. I prefer to have some cash on me to pay for small things like lunches, etc. While most places take credit/debit cards, there are still a few mom and pop places that I visit that do not.
 

libby74

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I always have cash in my pocket---might be $3, might be $30, depending on the day. (yard sale days call for more cash, obviously)
I always have the check book in my back pocket. I have a debit card that I've never used (and probably never will), and I never carry a credit card unless I know I'm going to be using it that day.
 

going nova

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I never have cash. It's a great idea to have some in case of emergencies, but I wind up spending it!
I have something like $6 in my wallet right now, that I've worked hard at not spending.
 

white cat lover

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I always keep cash on me - I use my credit card more than my debit card, & pay it off monthly.....or else I use my debit card. Depends on what I'm buying - credit card for "family stuff" like mom/dad groceries - their pets supplies, etc. Debit or cash for my things.
 

keycube

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I rarely carry it, and need to get into the habit of doing so. Some, if not all, merchants pay a surcharge for a debit/credit card transaction, and since most of my transactions are in fairly small amounts, I end up feeling like a heel. I asked the proprietor of the local 'mom & pop' Dunkin' Donuts about this, and sure enough, they were subject to this as well. I felt like a dink and promised I would pay with cash next time.
 

missymotus

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I rarely have cash on me, pretty much everywhere excepts debit cards.
 

kara_leigh

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Originally Posted by Keycube

I rarely carry it, and need to get into the habit of doing so. Some, if not all, merchants pay a surcharge for a debit/credit card transaction, and since most of my transactions are in fairly small amounts, I end up feeling like a heel. I asked the proprietor of the local 'mom & pop' Dunkin' Donuts about this, and sure enough, they were subject to this as well. I felt like a dink and promised I would pay with cash next time.
That's why some smaller stores don't take credit/debit cards, b/c of the surcharge for ever transaction. It just isn't worth it for them, when most purchases are small. They surcharge would be more than the purchase.
 

rapunzel47

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

I withdraw $100 at a time when my wallet runs dry. Sometimes it lasts me a month, sometimes 2 weeks. I prefer to have some cash on me to pay for small things like lunches, etc. While most places take credit/debit cards, there are still a few mom and pop places that I visit that do not.
That's me, as well. I use my debit cards (mine and the household account) a lot, especially for groceries, but if the bill is much under $20, I use cash. Credit card for gas and larger purchases.
 

cruisermaiden

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I used to use mine all the time but recently I have started carrying cash and not using the card. I get out all the ‘spending moneyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] I allow myself for the week and tuck the debit card down in a deep pocket of my wallet for emergencies. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve been able to limit my spending when I have cash where with my debit card it was like carrying all the money in my bank account around in my pocket!
 

katiemae1277

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I hardly ever have cash, I'm like Nova in that I spend it if I have it
I use my debit card for everything
 

mrblanche

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I carry a little cash (usually less than $50) for meals on the road, etc. They give us $30 if we're going to have to sleep on the road.

However, we had a debit card and got rid of it, after hearing the advice from Clark Howard. He said never, never, never, ever, ever, ever use a debit card. Most are not protected like credit cards are (you can only lose $50 on a credit card--our debit cards could lose $1,000 per day!), and every use of it risks every penny you have in your account.

Don't use debit cards!

In addition, many gas stations block as much as $50 in your account as soon as you swipe the card, so that they can be sure the card will be honored. The block is supposed to be removed when the transaction is completed, but it CAN take as much as 72 hours to be removed. Same with a hotel; most block at least $100 when you check in, and some block more.
 

maddensmom

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I usually carry some cash on me for small purchases like a soda or a snack because I find the more smal reciepts I have to keep up with the more likely it is that I will forget to write one down!
 
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