We’re Still a Cash Society
Friday, March 13th, 2009
Despite years of promises, hard cash still trumps electronic payments.
I had a somewhat comical evening yesterday that shows how we’re still a cash-based society.
My wife and I went to see Spamalot and were running a bit late. I was out of cash, but didn’t have time to stop at an ATM. I asked my wife how much cash she had and she counted only eight dollars.
“That should be enough to park, and then we can go to the ATM inside the theater,” I told her.
When we arrived at the parking garage we were surprised to see parking was $10. We pulled up to the cashier and asked if she took credit cards.
Nope.
So we dug around the car and pulled together 8 quarters to add to the eight dollars. The line to get into the parking garage built up behind us as the cashier carefully counted eight singles and eight quarters. It seemed like she was trying to show everyone behind us that we were paying in coins.
We walked into the theater and asked the ticket taker where the ATM was.
“Sorry,” she said. “The nearest ATM is 2 blocks away.”
This wouldn’t have been a big deal had there not been a huge sign behind her that read:
“All drinks and concessions tonight are CASH ONLY.”
I ran to the nearest ATM and inserted my card. The ATM said it was rejected. I called the bank, which informed me it was transitioning ATM networks and I would need to find a STAR ATM, not a Pulse. I ran to another ATM but it, too, was Pulse.
As I slogged back to the theater, I realized just how important carrying hard cash is. Weren’t we supposed to be able to use our mobile phones to pay by now? Or have an RFID chip in our wallet we could just wave by the cashier to pay for our drinks?
Like many promises of new technology, we’re still waiting.
Further Reading:
Cash is cash. It feels good. You care more to spend it. Cash is god.
Had a similar yesterday…car problems at apartment #2…my other car was parked 60 miles away…train station across the street where the window was closed so cash only on the train…$6 cash and a credit card, only we never used cash advance and didnt know our PIN#.
finally got $40 from the card…
stayed and fixed the car and paid with card but was a lesson to always carry enough cash to at least rent a limo
Hi Andrew,
I hope you and your wife loved Spamalot as much as my family and I did, we went to see it when we were in New York last November.
Your right about the cash! For the past 20 years I always carry $500 in a separate zip compartment of my wallet away from my regular day to day cash.
It has saved my bacon more times than I can remember. Some people are shocked that I always have it in there and are worried about my wallet being stollen or lost.
Small thinking in my opinion. It is worth the risk of losing knowing that it is there as an emergency backup.
Its amazing how much better you feel knowing its there, you should try it.
Regards
Ed Keay-Smith
http://www.ozdomainer.com
Electronic payments = debt.