Paying Cash Only Challenge!!!

[sylvia]

I wonder if there is anyone paying cash for purchases still? I tried paying cash and realized how much I was spending physically seeing the money go. Debit cards are handy but we don't really see the money leave our pockets. I will try to pay cash for groceries and gas. No one really goes to the cashier's office to pay bills.(Remember the good old days-with people interactions good or bad included).I want to save up for something when I get the money I will buy it with cash. I do get a discount at my gas station for paying with cash-that's an incentive.:cool:

[The Storyteller]

Absolutely. We were using debit cards for many things, but have gone back to cash only for in-person purchases. It is a way of being more mindful of spending. And there is much science to back that up.

We do use cards for gas, but that is because of pay at the pump.

[Jilly]

I can see how this would be very helpful.

I cannot pay most of my expenses in cash; rent, utilities and Internet are not local enough to do that. I pay cash for everything else, including my car and renter's insurance. For me it is easy because I have only fifty dollars or so left over in my monthly budget for anything else.

[ToomuchStuff]

I still use cash quite a bit. I pay for all my gas in cash (have to go in and prepay, aka leave money to cover a fill up), then pump, and go back for the change (not a big deal). I could easily pay all my utilities via cash (couple miles from water dept, that also takes gas bills) on the way to work. Cable company office is close to work, phone bill is a once a year cell phone thing, under $60 that I go and pay cash for. I use a CC instead of a debit card, mostly. I feel I am better covered, don't pay interest as it gets paid off, and I could (and have) bought more expensive items for work, for which they try to pay me that day (I have them wait until the day I get the bill, then go pay it off in the next few days, long before due). I pay it off in person and pretty much only use it for online stuff (used it a few times on holiday's when the credit union is closed and working on house stuff). House payment would be easy if I had one (paid for).
The ONLY one that comes to mind as possibly difficult, is the insurance bills. Most agents I know, don't keep cash (change drawer) on hand.
I don't online bank (know enough about computer security and stuff to close to me for the risk verses benefit), and still use a checkbook (mailing my monthly bills, simply convenience for me.)
Cash is easy, and cash is king.:+1:

[Rogar]

I am about the opposite. I use a debit card for most all of my purchases, which avoids any interest charges. At the end of the month I get a statement that shows where all my spending was and I've used these statements for budgeting or plugging holes where I was spending too much. I've even done some trend analysis or averaging using several months of statements. Seems extremely convenient. I'm pretty practical in spending habits, so don't get carried away just because it's plastic.

I've considered going to cash for other reasons, like identity or credit card number theft. I don't bank or do bills online, but use checks and would not especially mind setting the clock back 20 years in terms of how we buy things.

[Spartana]

I pay cash for everything except my household bills like utilities. For those I write a check (I actually pre-pay most of my utilities because I travel a lot and that way they are taken care off for several months at a time). I find using cash really allows me to control the amount I spend since I usually don't carry much into a store with me (no more than I want to spend) so almost never make the kind of impulse purchases I might make using a debit card, credit card or even a check where I have access to all the funds in my bank account. Can't spend more than you have on you when using cash only. I do use credit cards (and pay them off in full when due) when travelling for airfare, car rentals, and motels, but generally pay cash for gas when travelling and when at home as it is cheaper by about 10 cents per gal when paying cash. Sometimes I will use a CC with large ticket purchases too. Again pay it off in full when ever the bill comes. I don't like to use debit cards or CCs because of the ID theft issues either. I also don't online bank and have very very simple, uncomplicated finances which makes life easier for me. Take some cash out of the ATM once a month and use that for everything.