Cashless Society

Tony Bev · Guru

Cashless Society

Gundog · Guru

Tony Bev, I am basically a cashless person, everything is basically paid for by Card or Direct Transfer, in saying that years ago, I was one of those people who had hundreds of dollars in his wallet.

FWIW when I was a cash carrier I rarely saved much, but since I became a cashless person I actually save a lot.

The question is how do you protect yourself from scams, my method has worked effectivly for many years, my main bank account cannot be accessed with a card, all transactions must be transfered to Mastercard Debit Card, the MDC has almost zero on it , therefore it's not untill I need to pay for anything I transfer the correct amount from the cardless acount to the spending card to pay for the purchase, If we go out for dinner I may put a couple a hundred dollars on the card and at end of the night I transfer the unspent amount back to the cardless account.

I do not use ATM's, if I want cash out I ask when making a purchase, I never give my card to anyone I always use the tap and go never insert or swipe the card.

I am a user of the phone wallet app, you will be surprised how many young sales assistants are amazed that I use it, often saying their parents or grandparents are unsure of using it.

Bicyclecamper · Guru

I am currently going back to cash full on, actually prefer it, and in 50% of my transactions with people here in the bush, they don't have access to eptos machines nor is their a phone signal to run one. You guys in the city can go cashless but leave us in the bush with our cash! Otherwise the government, will have to PAY FOR TELEPHONE TOWERS TO BE PUT UP EVERY 30KM THRUOUT THE BUSH everywhere, if they want the country to go cashless.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Tuesday 29th of August 2023 11:01:05 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

We are cash for everything where possible & it's simple to know exactly how much one is burning through.

Don't do internet banking.

Also cut the aerial in the cards so paywave won't work. Not prepared to pay the paywave service percentage. Also do get discounts here & there for cash.

Gundog · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
We are cash for everything where possible & it's simple to know exactly how much one is burning through.

Don't do internet banking.

Also cut the aerial in the cards so paywave won't work. Not prepared to pay the paywave service percentage. Also do get discounts here & there for cash.

For an educated person, I sense you are very paranoid about technology banking almost to the point you are scared of it.

If you dont do internet banking, I assume you go to a bank for cash, do you use the ATM's ?

Where is the aerial on a card so paywave is diaabled ?

I dont pay a paywave percentage anywhere, sure in the eary days of paywave you were limited to the number of free transaction, after which you paid a service fee, that is long gone.

I'm just curious how do you pay for a big ticket say a car repair for $4000 ?

I recall you in another thread that you used a cheque books, like cash they are an inconvenience for business you either have make a daily trip to the bank to deposit and or get change, or you require the service of a money mover, if you in a country town, where's the bank ?.

An easy way to prevent some crimes is to become cashless, the soft target for a impulse robbery was a bottle shop, then it became gaming rooms, since they went cashless thats almost gone.

Does Cash make you a softer target for juvernile chrime, cash is required for drugs, your phone (if modern) can become cash, your car is a joy ride or cash for a drug gang.

Whenarewethere · Guru

When we bought our new car we paid a cash deposit.

North Sydney RTA doesn't take cash. Have to go to Chatswood for rego to pay with cash.

A few places for lunch I go to, one few example, $6 by card $5 by cash. Most buy with a card. The big name fast food outlets you have to enter your order yourself. I don't eat that stuff.

I don't have credit card details saved on the phone.

Actually, where I paid our building levy at the Post Office. Couldn't pay it in cash anymore, $3k a quarter. It wasn't the PO, it was the company issuing the levy notice. Even the PO worker was surprised & blurted out the tens of thousands they get each day in cash.

dogbox · Guru

what i have noticed is that when you pay with a card a lot of places are starting to charge a fee to use a card

Dougwe · Chief one feather

A mates daughter told me a little trick at Aldi. Use your credit card and they charge a fee. Use your bank ATM card, insert, choose chq a/c and key in pin, no charge. I wonder if that works at other places? I tend to use a credit card for nearly everything then pay credit card a couple of times each month. Works for me!

dogbox · Guru

i do much the same, use to see signs that said some cards not accepted or that a fee was charged for their use , Aldi has always passed the cost of using a CREDIT CARD on, no charge for debit card. the banks must have increased the cost of using all cards as i have noticed that some businesses have started to charge a fee to use a card. recently had a bill to pay and if i paid with a debit card there was a $20+ fee (passed on from bank) but if i did a transfer no charge.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Sorry, double post.

-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Wednesday 30th of August 2023 09:48:21 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

Using cash is simply easier. I have taken $50k cash with a days notice, from one bank to another, are people that shit scared.

The bank I took the funds from had a customer who did the same with $800k. I get on well with the bank employees & they said people often move cash from one term deposit to another that way to avoid fees.

In a previous life, a sales person used to carry >$2 million of product in a decrepit rotting reed basket & the worst of "Vinnie's" clothes. He looked like a hobo for disguise of utterly worthless value. Product was high value gem stones. I was in the gold smith industry.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Often small business is not passing on exorbitant paywave fees. To help them out at the very least least swipe & use pin number.

yobarr · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
Using cash is simply easier. I have taken $50k cash with a days notice, from one bank to another, are people that **** scared.
The bank I took the funds from had a customer who did the same with $800k. I get on well with the bank employees & they said people often move cash from one term deposit to another that way to avoid fees.
In a previous life, a sales person used to carry >$2 million of product in a decrepit rotting reed basket & the worst of "Vinnie's" clothes. He looked like a hobo for disguise of utterly worthless value. Product was high value gem stones. I was in the gold smith industry.

Friend is a "Minder" for wealthy Asian businessman, regularly carrying $1 million CASH into the Casino for his client.

Often leaves carrying a lot less cash too! Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 30th of August 2023 05:22:02 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

Probably should have carried a cane basket from Coober Pedy & various places. Would have left with substantial positive funds!

Gaylehere · Guru

I mostly pay bills on line with BPay or Direct Debit, but I pay my gas bill by PayPal as the gas company charges a fee for card payments but not for PayPal. For general shopping, usually use a debit card but have a bit of cash (not much) just in case. Always had some cash for donation camping. If you owe me money you can pay me with your card as I have a Square. Square charge around $1.00 per fifty dollars received. I got the square as I do an occasional market or car boot sale and quite often you get asked can I take a card payment. I do have a cheque book, but it's been so long since I've used it, I have no idea where it even is. So I do some of most things at the moment. Cheers.

Mein · Senior Member

Microwave ovens became a common household appliance in the early 90s (in my observations). However, my dear old mum (God rest her soul) refused to get one.

Among other things, my mum believed; microwave food was radioactive, microwaves gave you cancer, microwaves removed all nutrients from food and microwaves were prone to blowing up.

It was around 1998 that my mum finally got a microwave and during my first visit to her after she got one, she couldn't shut up about all of the wonderful things her microwave could do.

Imagine if/when Australia becomes a (almost) cashless society. Will there continue to be house break-ins and thefts in general if thieves can't dispose of stolen goods for cash?

It's fine to vent about / discuss Australia's progress towards becoming a cashless society but, the reality is, it's happening and we all going to have to adapt and adopt.

dorian · Guru

If cash were to disappear, my mother would lose her financial independence. She is completely reliant on paper money.

I think cash will remain until people like her have passed on.

Izabarack · Guru

Local power loss and internet failure caused some local shops and a Woolworths to shut their doors until Internet access and EFTPOS was restored. If Govt is going to impose a Cashless society, who gets sued if the Interwebs go down? In this particular example, losses for Woolies would have been considerable given loss of turnover and staff wages for idle workers.

Possum3 · Guru

We were in Longreach (Qld) when Telstra had an outage for a week back in 2000 - It was devastating for local shops that were unable to utilise EFPOS - Some shops still had the old "click/clack" readers so were able to carry on business without using cash - I truly doubt that those manual readers would still be around now.

dorian · Guru

I would argue that most people don't carry enough cash to pay for a week's shopping, so the problem of EFTPOS going down would be moot. I would think that the larger retailers should have checkouts backed up by UPS plus other redundant systems. In fact, I expect that this will be the way they will go in the not-too-distant future.

Gundog · Guru

dorian wrote:
I would argue that most people don't carry enough cash to pay for a week's shopping, so the problem of EFTPOS going down would be moot. I would think that the larger retailers should have checkouts backed up by UPS plus other redundant systems. In fact, I expect that this will be the way they will go in the not-too-distant future.

You are correct sir, before I retired the company had a system that could approve and store all local transaction, when the system came back on online it updated all transaction to head office and then to banks.

As for the click-clack machines they are basically redundant because new card dont have the number embossed on card anymore, there is a way around that, put the voucher into the machine swipe to emboss the store details and then manually write the card holders details on the voucher inc the 3 number CVC, then ring for authorization if purchase was over the floor limit.

valiant81 · Guru

Hi all; for the last 10 odd years we have used debit cards for all our transactions we do not have credit cards or need them. Traveling in our caravan and we have never come across a place or a buisness that would not take our card. Last year and this year we traveled from Tasmania to the main land to catch up with family and yes we did take cash, but it was keeped in the safe in our caravan. we took several thousand dollars, and guess what ! it was not used and put back into our account on returning home. We also have set up dirrect withdrawalls ( fortnightly or monthly ) for all our utilities and general bills, same with all our insurance ( 3 cars, caravan house and content and all with the same company ), and car repayments. The only thing that we get a bill for is the rego on cars and caravan or my amature radio licence. Paying bill this way has worked for us. We do not get a mail delivery at home and have to go around to the local post office for mail , if there is any !!

If i do have to pay for something ( Ebay etc ) i pay by Pay Pal and never had a problem with that and also if your purchase does not turn up, Pay Pal will refund you the full amount back into your bank account.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Mein wrote:
Microwave ovens became a common household appliance in the early 90s (in my observations). However, my dear old mum (God rest her soul) refused to get one.

We have one but haven't used it for decades, should chuck it out, probably doesn't work (another task for the tip).

There are a few very young couples in our building that don't even have microwave ovens.

Quite frankly the food has no redeeming qualities. It's very easy to reheat food conventionally, which has far better inherent qualities.

msg · Guru

The problem is not so much paying by cards etc. but the issue (for me) one of Digital Currency and Digital ID cards.

Using cash, as far as I can see, would be the only way to demonstrate that you don't want either. It's a matter of privacy, and not giving them the opportunity to control my spending. (If that's where this is going and its not a conspiracy theory). I haven't been near the bank or used cash for about four years.

Anyway, I'm about to go and test the bank and draw out the daily cash limit my bank will allow, to take with me when I go away outback for three months.

I wonder if I will be questioned by the bank as to what I am up to. They will probably use the pretext of being concerned and grill to me to make sure I'm not being coerced or scammed. Banks are not that caring though.

I may even get in a couple withdrawals before I go. (Just to test) The bank's response (or lack thereof) to a lack of transactions over a three month period will be interesting.

Maybe they will send the police around to my house on a welfare check. Ha Ha It could be an interesting scenario. My son is here. (He will be paying my bills as is the usual arrangement when I am away and I just reimburse him when I get back) Would they take him into custody I wonder. Charge him with doing away with his poor (silly?) old mother. lol.

yobarr · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
We were in Longreach (Qld) when Telstra had an outage for a week back in 2000 - It was devastating for local shops that were unable to utilise EFPOS - Some shops still had the old "click/clack" readers so were able to carry on business without using cash - I truly doubt that those manual readers would still be around now.

Hi Possum, That's the very reason that although I use my card if it suits, always I have $1000 in my wallet!

Cash is king! Cheers

Whenarewethere · Guru

msg wrote:
Using cash, as far as I can see, would be the only way to demonstrate that you don't want either. It's a matter of privacy, and not giving them the opportunity to control my spending.

The longer I can prevent data mining for other entities profit, I will use cash, about the only option I have left.

dorian · Guru

It's a joke, but perhaps it's prophetic.

Millennial Sighs as Birthday Cheque From Nan Means She Now Has To Visit One Of Those Bank Thingys:

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/humans-of-betoota/millennial-sighs-as-birthday-cheque-from-nan-means-she-now-has-to-visit-one-of-those-bank-thingys/

Whenarewethere · Guru

dorian wrote:
It's a joke, but perhaps it's prophetic.

Millennial Sighs as Birthday Cheque From Nan Means She Now Has To Visit One Of Those Bank Thingys:

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/humans-of-betoota/millennial-sighs-as-birthday-cheque-from-nan-means-she-now-has-to-visit-one-of-those-bank-thingys/

Got to laugh!

I gave my niece a cheque for $200 for her birthday & she didn't bank it.

After 12 months I saved $200!

Whenarewethere · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Possum3 wrote:
We were in Longreach (Qld) when Telstra had an outage for a week back in 2000 - It was devastating for local shops that were unable to utilise EFPOS - Some shops still had the old "click/clack" readers so were able to carry on business without using cash - I truly doubt that those manual readers would still be around now.
Hi Possum, That's the very reason that although I use my card if it suits, always I have $1000 in my wallet!
Cash is king! Cheers

Travelling around we have had a handful of places with blackouts. People with cash were ok.

In Pemberton WA the privately run supermarket was writing all the sales on paper with pencil. The girl could add up! We could even help out with some additional coins.

Blinman SA regularly has a network issue, were only taking cash, twice we were there!

Nth west WA a network blackout. A big sign on fuel pump, cash only. Quite a lot of stranded people.

We have also had a few network outages in Manly - Sydney. A bit embarrassing for the city to say the least. One time the telephone exchange in Balgowlah had a fire & the entire area was stuffed, some of it for days. Including the 000 network not working.

When they put the main road through Manly Vale decades ago all the business in the area had no phones for 2 weeks due to Telstra main cable failure. There were some exciting work arounds. I worked from home & gave my personal phone number to every customer I could think of so they could place orders.

Gundog · Guru

Out Of Order Ticket Machine.jpg

but i"ve only got cash