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1949threepence

Will we ever become a cashless society?

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Someone once posted this in a forum, it's worth posting here too! 

Me. "Hello"
Random Bloke (RB) "Good morning sir how are you today?"
Me "Itchy"
RB ".....Ok.....do you know your Windows computer has been sending out random messages for the last two weeks?"
Me "Really?"
RB "Yes sir, do you have a few minutes and I'll help you fix it?"
Me "Thats rather splendid of you"
RB "Will you turn your computer on, I'll give you a few minutes"
Me "Its on"
RB "Its on now?"
Me "Yes it starts instantly"
RB "Can you see your desktop with all the icons?"
ME " I don't have any icons on my desktop, they make me feel itchy"
RB ".....OK.....On the bottom left of your keyboard there a ctrl key, can you see it?"
Me "Yes"
RB "Can you tell me what key is to the right of it?"
Me " alt"
RB "And to the right of that?"
Me "cmd"
RB "No, no , no, sir at the bottom left of the keyboard is a ctrl key, what is to the right of it?"
Me "alt"

RB "And beside it?"

Me "fn and alt"
RB "You should be able to see a key with the Windows symbol on it"
Me "Nope"
RB "Its next to the ctrl Key"
Me "Nope"
RB "There's no Windows key?"
Me "Nope, its a Mac and they don't have a Windows key"

RB "Its a Mac?"

Me "Yep"
RB ".....Ok.....can you go onto Google for me?"
Me "Nope"
RB "You just need to go onto the internet with Safari and go to Google"
Me "Can't"
RB "Can I ask why?"
Me "Yes"
RB ".........You can't go on Google?"
Me "Nope"
RB "Why not?"
Me "I'm not connected to the internet, it makes me feel itchy"

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2 hours ago, Paddy said:

... ah but by saying "may" they give themselves a let out cause. If it is in their interests to find a recording of the call, they will do. If it is in YOUR interest, then that call was conveniently not recorded. Murphy's law applies.

 

Spot on Paddy. :)

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8 hours ago, Peckris said:

My calls to HMRC or DWP invariably begin with me saying "This call is being recorded for quality and monitoring purposes". :lol:

The calls that really infuriate me are when someone calls ME and then says "I'm going to take you through some security questions before proceeding with the main reason for the call." I always reply by saying "Hold on a moment - YOU called ME. You prove you are who who you say you are or I'm not answering any of your so-called security questions."

Indeed, they are not only infuriating, but also totally incomprehensible. Surely, surely, any organisational management with even half a brain, must know that confronting the public with such inane questions on an outgoing call, is going to wind them up, and accordingly arrange any outbound campaign to exclude any questions which might give rise to having to ask questions which require data protection laws to come into effect (GDPR now)   

Or write to them.

Or arrange for all customers to have a reverse means of identification - eg: they have a password which they ask the caller of the organisation concerned to say before the call is proceeded with. Security is two way, not one.

 

 

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Your last bit Mike about the company having a password is the one Mike ,I owned call centres and had sixty thousand business customers that we continued to look after the intitial sale and build a relationship with.

Unfortunately we had that big a share of the market that competitors phoned up saying they were us as an easy introduction and assumptive.

We therefore had passwords to ensure both parties were familiar with each other before the call was continued :)....So yes secutity works both ways.

However in the early days when we had know customers being polite ,courteous and listening to what the persons business wanted worked quite well :)

Not all call centres tell lies and try to have people over and most reputable ones have a phone system that will record everything (even if the call is unanswered ) ,although the costs involved are high especially if you have hundreds of lines.The regulators should monitor the smaller groups of telesales teams just as much who in some cases have know other interest than making a quick few quid and are happy to lie to get it.

All good fun and the choice is our own as to weather we listen or not.

Pete.

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I rue the day we become a totally cashless society. It's bad enough as it is imo (nuff said). With disbelief, I witnessed first hand the distressing effects on a couple of Greek friends with whom I was working in the US in 2016. The financial crisis hit home and from one day to the other they had no access to funds, their bank accounts were frozen and their credit cards were blocked. Technically, 'someone' decided to  render them penniless overnight. Luckily for them they were not stuck in Greece at the time where no-one could buy anything without cash.

I see it as relinquishing power to someone who has no regard for who I am, in which situation I am and views me purely as a cow to milk. 'They' would have the power to sentence me to a life of penury without recourse.  They could incite chaos and anarchy at the push of a button so to speak. No thanks. With cash in pocket we have the power to make at least some decisions and choices if the etherial pot of electronic money ever decides to go pop again. Call me paranoid, a Luddite, or more appropriately here maybe, a Ramage if you will, but I honestly believe that it should be resisted at all cost.

That said, and in answer to 1949threepence thread question, Yes, I think we probably will.

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40 minutes ago, Diaconis said:

I rue the day we become a totally cashless society. It's bad enough as it is imo (nuff said). With disbelief, I witnessed first hand the distressing effects on a couple of Greek friends with whom I was working in the US in 2016. The financial crisis hit home and from one day to the other they had no access to funds, their bank accounts were frozen and their credit cards were blocked. Technically, 'someone' decided to  render them penniless overnight. Luckily for them they were not stuck in Greece at the time where no-one could buy anything without cash.

I see it as relinquishing power to someone who has no regard for who I am, in which situation I am and views me purely as a cow to milk. 'They' would have the power to sentence me to a life of penury without recourse.  They could incite chaos and anarchy at the push of a button so to speak. No thanks. With cash in pocket we have the power to make at least some decisions and choices if the etherial pot of electronic money ever decides to go pop again. Call me paranoid, a Luddite, or more appropriately here maybe, a Ramage if you will, but I honestly believe that it should be resisted at all cost.

That said, and in answer to 1949threepence thread question, Yes, I think we probably will.

Hear, hear, hear. Very well said Diaconis.  

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Excellent article by the editor, in the June 2020 edition of "Coin News" about this issue.

It appears that the anti cash brigade are attempting to accelerate its demise by using the excuse of cash being a potentially unhealthy carrier of Covid 19.

Although most people and stores are still accepting cash because they would lose a certain percentage of trade if they didn't, and at the moment they need every penny they can get (no pun intended). As the florist who was interviewed last night said "if I had a £50 bouquet and someone offered me a £50 note, of course I'm going to accept it".  

 

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On 6/21/2018 at 5:31 PM, Diaconis said:

I rue the day we become a totally cashless society. It's bad enough as it is imo (nuff said). With disbelief, I witnessed first hand the distressing effects on a couple of Greek friends with whom I was working in the US in 2016. The financial crisis hit home and from one day to the other they had no access to funds, their bank accounts were frozen and their credit cards were blocked. Technically, 'someone' decided to  render them penniless overnight. Luckily for them they were not stuck in Greece at the time where no-one could buy anything without cash.

I see it as relinquishing power to someone who has no regard for who I am, in which situation I am and views me purely as a cow to milk. 'They' would have the power to sentence me to a life of penury without recourse.  They could incite chaos and anarchy at the push of a button so to speak. No thanks. With cash in pocket we have the power to make at least some decisions and choices if the etherial pot of electronic money ever decides to go pop again. Call me paranoid, a Luddite, or more appropriately here maybe, a Ramage if you will, but I honestly believe that it should be resisted at all cost.

That said, and in answer to 1949threepence thread question, Yes, I think we probably will.

A well articulated and well thought response.

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Not for ideal reasons, but it looks as though the use of cash in the form of notes and coins, is rapidly increasing after a long decline, accelerated somewhat during covid.

Many people are now turning back to cash as a means of helping them budget effectively.

link to article
 

Quote

 

extract from article

People are going back to cash to keep tighter control on their spending as living costs soar, according to new research by the Post Office.

Post offices handled £801m in personal cash withdrawals in July, the most since records began five years ago.

That's up more than 20% from a year earlier.

Natalie Ceeney, chair of the Cash Action Group, said it showed people are "literally counting the pennies" as they grapple with rising prices.

"It's absolutely because of the cost of living crisis," said Ms Ceeney, who chaired the government's independent Access to Cash review.

"People will be taking out cash and physically putting it into pots, saying 'this is what I have for bills, this is what I have for food, and this is what's left'."


 

 

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Had to laugh yesterday afternoon. A local coffee shop which I sometimes frequent to have a cappucino, became card only recently, but yesterday when I went in, the machine had gone wrong and wasn't operating. So they were forced to accept cash (fortunately had a spare tenner), and give IOU notes to the customers in place of change.

It was either that or an empty shop.

  

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I unexpectedly went to B&Q today and realised I didn't have my wallet. I had a £20 note and thankfully there was still a till that accepts cash.

Might be I use cash once a week these days.

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1 hour ago, Sword said:

I unexpectedly went to B&Q today and realised I didn't have my wallet. I had a £20 note and thankfully there was still a till that accepts cash.

Might be I use cash once a week these days.

I always hold some cash as the gardener and other tradesmen much prefer it. 

 

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4 hours ago, 1949threepence said:

I always hold some cash as the gardener and other tradesmen much prefer it. 

 

I prefer paying takeaway deliveries with cash as I don't like small businesses using my card retails remotely.

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Shop I work in, we don't get many cash sales. Perhaps two or three a week. I think people still like to give cash for birthdays and the like, and of course there are those that trade mostly in it, so we still keep a float. Essential if we have to give refunds things that were bought with cash. And also for any of our petty cash (mostly postage costs and the window cleaner) needs.

Personally I always keep about £10 on me, usually in case I want an drink or ice cream when I'm out running. The plastic notes are brilliant. I no longer have to worry I'll find a soggy mess in the laundry if I forget to check my pockets!

So while the majority of people use cards or their phones/watches to pay contactlessly, I can't see cash disappearing completely any time soon.

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On 7/2/2023 at 7:16 PM, 1949threepence said:

Had to laugh yesterday afternoon. A local coffee shop which I sometimes frequent to have a cappucino, became card only recently, but yesterday when I went in, the machine had gone wrong and wasn't operating. So they were forced to accept cash (fortunately had a spare tenner), and give IOU notes to the customers in place of change.

It was either that or an empty shop.

 

The local Cote Brasserie only accepts card payments and have done ever since after the first lockdown. I'm hoping I enoy a good meal there and then their card machine breaks down! I don't carry cash ...

 

On 7/2/2023 at 9:43 PM, Sword said:

I unexpectedly went to B&Q today and realised I didn't have my wallet. I had a £20 note and thankfully there was still a till that accepts cash.

Might be I use cash once a week these days.

 

I did once unexpectedly go to B&Q. I looked around, wondered where I was for several minutes, then went up to the counter and asked for a packet of frozen peas. And four candles...

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16 minutes ago, Peckris 2 said:

 

The local Cote Brasserie only accepts card payments and have done ever since after the first lockdown. I'm hoping I enoy a good meal there and then their card machine breaks down! I don't carry cash ...

 

 

I did once unexpectedly go to B&Q. I looked around, wondered where I was for several minutes, then went up to the counter and asked for a packet of frozen peas. And four candles...

Don't you mean fork handles? 

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7 hours ago, Peckris 2 said:

 

The local Cote Brasserie only accepts card payments and have done ever since after the first lockdown. I'm hoping I enoy a good meal there and then their card machine breaks down! I don't carry cash ....

I imagine they only need to manually write down your card details and you will still be charged later.

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On 6/15/2018 at 9:41 PM, 1949threepence said:

On a recent trip to Kew Gardens, I was appalled to find that the cafeteria there, would not accept cash, so I had to use my contactless card. Also, bus companies up and down the country won't accept cash either. Moreover, there are young people now who claim they never carry cash, and just use cards. Although this must be difficult with smaller items, as a number of places still do not hold contactless technology. You'd look mighty strange getting your debit card out to pay for a bag of crisps. Also, how do you contribute to office collections with a debit or credit card?

All that said, cash does remain very popular and billions of transactions are still carried out each year using cash. I believe it remains the most popular monetary transaction medium. Especially abroad, where in many countries it is still actively preferred to cards.

I am filled with horror at the thought of cash no longer being available, as this negates any chance of anonymity when buying an article, or paying someone for any kind of service, such as tradesmen who frequently offer a discount for cash in hand.

I can't see us going cashless for some time yet, if ever. Although I am sure there are those who would like to see this for their own ends.

What do others think about this question? 

       

The whole point of a cashless society IS to make sure you’re NOT anonymous. Govts will control your bank account and if they don’t like what you’re buying then you won’t be able to pay for it, Legrade said as much when asked about going digital.

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1 hour ago, azda said:

GB News have got a petition to save cash if anybody's interested in signing it.

https://www.gbnews.com/cash

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23 hours ago, 1949threepence said:

Don't you mean fork handles? 

Just mind your peas and cues...

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What happens when civil society breaks down, even just a bit, as in Rhodes. Nothing electronic works and cards can't be used, so they return to cash. A lot of the ATM's don't work either. So withdrawals in cash from a bank branch are necessary. 

 

 

Edited by 1949threepence

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6 hours ago, 1949threepence said:

What happens when civil society breaks down, even just a bit, as in Rhodes. Nothing electronic works and cards can't be used, so they return to cash. A lot of the ATM's don't work either. So withdrawals in cash from a bank branch are necessary. 

 

 

Anarchy?

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2 hours ago, Diaconis said:

Anarchy?

Not exactly anarchy at that early stage, but you need an alternative to electronic payments in case they break down. Notes and coins are infallible. 

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