Keep up your cash confidence

While going about my day-to-day business I am continually astounded by the number of people relying on their credit or debit cards in order to make the simplest and cheapest of purchases. Customers in shops express shock and horror when the kindly clerk explains that, no, they won't allow a card payment for a 35p pack of chewing gum, but really, is this so surprising?

So many of us have become worryingly attached to our plastic, and it seems to me that this obsession has not only become rather unhealthy, but also slightly dangerous.

Perhaps I sound slightly melodramatic, so allow me to explain myself. Aside from the utter inconvenience of not having cash handy when you come up against the "no card transaction" barrier, living a cash-free existence has a number of other more sinister downsides.

For example, should you find yourself at the end of a rather wild night out, you go to stumble into a taxi and realise that your credit card is missing. Whether you're in the centre of London or just the last to leave a raucous party at the local pub, finding yourself stranded and alone, without any means of transport can be a rather terrifying situation.

I admit that credit and debit cards do bring - in certain situations - a rather carefree method of payment (which in itself can sometimes prove dangerous for those trying to watch the pennies), however carrying your card around in no way guarantees you access to cash or finance at the touch of a button. Cash machines - quite often - break, credit and debit cards go missing and sometimes shops just will not take them.

Do yourself a favour, carry with you some cold, hard cash confidence and be safe in the knowledge that you have your emergency fiver, tenner or even fifty (for the more cash-heavy among us), safely stashed away for a rainy day or perhaps the next cab ride home.
 

Monday, 5th September 2011

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