COVID and cash use

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Hi everyone,

I'm curious to know whether you have decreased your use of cash because of COVID.  Are any of you out there actually trying to keep cash transactions alive in this day and age?

I am making a conscious effort to use cash whenever possible although because of COVID, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to do so.


Dean

I'm curious to know whether you have decreased your use of cash because of COVID.  Are any of you out there actually trying to keep cash transactions alive in this day and age?

I am making a conscious effort to use cash whenever possible although because of COVID, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to do so.

Same here, trying to use as much cash as before, often breaking $50 and $100 bills for purchases of $20 or less.

A lot of stores have been saying they wouldn't accept cash.  Most, if pushed, will acquiesce.  Those who have insisted on "no cash" have lost my business.

We used to get takeout from Mandy's salads at least 3 times a week.  No more.

I can't imagine as a business owner making such a decision.  Unfortunately, we are a tiny minority at this point.

Yes, I use cash about as often as I can (as I'm withdrawing Fives in search of the elusive new INB & IN_ prefixes on the $5) with no luck in the western regions of the GTA. So I'm left with plenty to spend. Most cashiers like the low denomination (they probably run low) so don't seem to mind though I've had a few speeches/sneers: that "they're dirty & credit is preferred."  I try to re-educate them (they cannot help the fact that they're bombarded by misleading propaganda by the "Better Than Cash Alliance" on tv/the Net) but rarely do they look receptive.  This is for LCBO's, grocery store chains & big businesses that have flourished since COVID19. 

For small businesses (who have suffered most) it's a completely different story: I've seen signs like "CASH accepted here!" since they need it (any revenue will do).

If any business refuses to take my cash, I simply take by business elsewhere.  This includes local restaurants.

I learned the hard way because I did not call ahead to ask about the cash policy at one particular place and I ended up having to put a $2 coffee on my credit card!  I think it is totally ridiculous for businesses not to accept cash.  It is also inequitable and discriminatory because a cashless policy excludes those customers without access to electronic payment methods.

Very interesting. My travels last year prior to COVID in Nordic countries showed the widespread use of credit cards.

I was at an outdoor temporary fruit market and even they did not accept cash.

If paying $2 worth of coffee with credit is strange. Try Staples printing on their self serve machines and you need a credit card to print one page at less than 10 cents.

If paying $2 worth of coffee with credit is strange. Try Staples printing on their self serve machines and you need a credit card to print one page at less than 10 cents.

I once had to do a small batch of printing at Staples when my printer broke a couple of years ago. Instead of using a credit card, the clerk gave me a reloadable "copy" card that he added credit to after I gave him cash.  I did however have to load the card with a minimum of $5 which was not all used at the time, so I had $4.50 sitting there on the card for months afterward!

I took a stack of Journey notes to my local Scotiabank and the teller flipped them over and looked at them like I was handing her Bird $2s. She commented that she hadn't seen them in a while, and then the supervisor in the corner stated that in Winnipeg they don't accept "paper" money anymore, only polymer. 
I quickly decided it wasn't worth trying to convince them otherwise...but now I wonder if there was some accuracy to her statement.

Craig

I took a stack of Journey notes to my local Scotiabank and the teller flipped them over and looked at them like I was handing her Bird $2s. She commented that she hadn't seen them in a while, and then the supervisor in the corner stated that in Winnipeg they don't accept "paper" money anymore, only polymer. 
I quickly decided it wasn't worth trying to convince them otherwise...but now I wonder if there was some accuracy to her statement.

Craig

TD ATMs in GTA still accept journey as of two days ago

Most places I go to in St. John's, NL do still accept cash.  In fact, I prefer to use cash because excess use of debit card transactions can add up service fees.  Withdrawing cash in one shot is just one service fee, as opposed to using multiple debit card transactions.

I always ensure that I have plenty of spare $5 bills, in case I need to call a taxi, and I have encountered cab drivers who claimed they didn't have change for a $20 bill.  I am not sure if they were making that claim just to scam a bigger tip, or they may really have had no change at the time and the cabbie was taking advantage of that situation.  And cab drivers ask me to hand them my bank card.  I initially refused, and told him it is my job.  I even told the cabbie that the local police force in my hometown do not recommend passing my bank card to another person, but regardless, the cabbie acted as if it was "his car, his job" - in an aggressive tone.  This implies that he probably wanted to scam me.  Luckily, I held on to the device until it said "approved", and I took out my own card myself.

Thankfully, in this day and age, I only pay cabbies cash.  Exact amount, or close to it.  I may leave a tip just to avoid any issues where I would receive $1 coins instead of $2 coins.  I understand the $2 coin has fallen in demand in the last many years, which explains the increase in $5 bills these days.

But, yeah - any business that does not accept cash has lost me as a customer.  I stick strictly to big businesses, such as Sobeys, Walmart, Dominos, Wendy's, McDonald's and Dominion Supermarkets (the latter not at this time due to its workers being on strike, though it may end soon).  Though the way the future holds, Dominion may go cashless due to a continuing development of self-scan checkouts, which I would have no problem with.

in Winnipeg they don't accept "paper" money anymore, only polymer.

LOL what? A bank "doesn't accept" bank notes for deposit because it's made from the wrong material? Haha too funny...

But, yeah - any business that does not accept cash has lost me as a customer.  I stick strictly to big businesses, such as Sobeys, Walmart, Dominos, Wendy's, McDonald's and Dominion Supermarkets (the latter not at this time due to its workers being on strike, though it may end soon).  Though the way the future holds, Dominion may go cashless due to a continuing development of self-scan checkouts, which I would have no problem with.

I'm curious why you won't do business with a cashless retailer, unless the cashless retailer also has self-checkouts, and then it's ok? I don't follow the logic but maybe I'm missing something.

I have a family member with a business who accepts cash sometimes in the amount of $10,000 or more.  We will always accept cash as long as its accepted by banks.  Most people do pay with credit card but we do at least one significant cash deal a week.  I get to look through the banknotes from time to time but have never found anything substantial.  Cash is king, my suggestion to those poeple who dont want to handle it is....Wash youre hands after touching it, and ALWAYS before you touch anything else. Simple.

Cheers

I'm curious why you won't do business with a cashless retailer, unless the cashless retailer also has self-checkouts, and then it's ok? I don't follow the logic but maybe I'm missing something.

To avoid the hassle over what change i get back ($2 coins vs. $1 coins, $5 bills vs. one $10 bill, etc.).  I have had issues with getting back multiple instances of smaller denominations when there is a larger form in the till.  But maybe the reason why they give out smaller denominations instead of the one larger denomination is because of counterfeiting issues over the years.  I remember back in the early 1990s, Empire Theaters were only allowed to give out loonies instead of $2 bills at the box office, but after the $2 coin got released, they had no problem giving out $2 denominations then.  I am not sure if counterfeiting issues might be a reason for not giving out $2 bills in the early 1990s, but regardless I hated it.

I understand there has been a counterfeiting problem with regards to $10 bills, but after realizing that, I have come to peace with regards to getting multiple $5 bills as opposed to just one $10 bill.  Cashiers refuse to take the risk with $10 bills - if they retain the $10 and give out $5 bills instead, at least the cashier might get reimbursed for the phony $10 bills, but if they give out a counterfeit $10 bill in change, the store is likely faced with a liability on their hands..

This is why I prefer to go to stores that I know there is a higher probability of getting the money I want (assuming I don't ask for it), and most of my purchases are at a supermarket close to where I am.  I ensure I have cash that is closest to the total of the purchase.