Is A Cashless Society Feasible?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43645676
I see the Olivers are giving it a go but a lot of older people are struggling. Oddly enough I only use cash in places like bars and cafes etc but it would not be much of a leap to go cashless. I know that Gregorys are on the way out but do you think bangers and mash will follow?

[naomi24]

Cards are fine until the system you're trying to use goes wrong. I wouldn't like to see cash disappear.

[ummmm]

And taking into account that sometimes the payments made on a card don't always go through instantly.

[Jackdaw33]

I have noticed that. If I draw cash it appears instantly on my statement. If I pay by card it does not show on my balance till the next working day. However the 'available' balance takes this into account. If I spend £100 it is 'ring-fenced' and I cannot spend it again, even though it is not yet shown on my balance.

[ummmm]

One time we got our bank statement and about 7 payments to the local shop had gone out in one day. No dispute about the payments but they weren't made on the same day. If I was living on a tight budget and checked my balance before that day I would have thought I had more money than I did at the risk of going overdrawn, and being charged.

[RobNorth]

I suppose cash will be needed for the foreseeable future to cover those who are still not confident with new technology. In any case we are still far away from guaranteed long term reliability of these systems due to glitches, hackers and power cuts.

[andres]

What is the one thing the world is trying to get rid of ? PLASTIC. If we go cashless we will disappear under billions and billions of small hard plastic cards that will never disintegrate .
Also can you imagine being in church and the cash machine being shoved under your nose.Who will decide on the amount.?
Then there will always be the problem of losing your card. No turning round to your friend and asking for the loan of a fiver.
Granted it will speed the world up but is that what we really want?

[hc4361]

We don't need plastic cards - I pay with my phone

[hc4361]

Plastic is used in making money now. Look at all the materials and energy used in making cash and transporting it. And of course the plastic used in making wallets and purses.
Most people have a smart phone, you don't need another one to pay with a phone.
When I pay by phone the receipt is stored on my phone, the shop doesn't need to print a paper receipt.

[Garaman]

Most people won’t need cash. Those that do could have a cash app on their phone. Those that are reluctant to use an app on their phone, or don’t have a phone, could use a cash card. The environmental saving of not producing and distributing all the paper money and coins would be huge. Card companies could be made to use biodegradable plastics as they should be anyway.

[Patsy33]

Or eventually microchipped....

[hc4361]

No, not every human needs a smartphone, it is simply another way of paying without cash.
It won't be long before those who choose to pay by phone can opt out of having a physical card.
I also pay for car parking by phone - I have proof of payment, the machine doesn't gobble up my money and not give change and I don't have to keep coins specially for the car park.

I don't think it will be long before people can opt to have a scannable chip implanted in their finger or hand.

[Patsy33]

Scary stuff Spath...

[ludwig]

It seems not only feasible but inevitable.

At some point you probably won't even need a card, you'll just have your retina scanned or something.

[hc4361]

Whole life? Hardly.