How long could you live using cash only?
 

I have just gone just about a whole month without access to any sort of 'virtual' money through debit or credit card and boy has it been hard. On the day after Christmas I got a call from my American bank saying that somebody (they couldn't tell me who) that I had used my card with online had been 'compromised' and that because of that they had to cancel my debit card and issue a new one. Most of my funds go into that American account so I was worried a bit but they said it would take about a week to get to me in the UK and they gave me a day to take some cash out to tide me over. So, I took out as much as I thought I would need for a bit over a week. Well, two weeks went by and I still didn't have a card. I called and they said 'oops, it never got sent'. Three weeks, still no card. Then today, after much going mental on people, I got my card..a month later.

It has been a real pain with bills and stuff linked to the card. Making it clear that it is pretty much impossible these days to live just on cash.

How long could you go living just on cash with no ability to use a card (debit or credit) for any payments?

Ouch!

I use cash so little that I'm always shocked when I see we've got color on our money now.... and the faces are so big. Doesn't even look like American bills anymore.

2 years ago I swore off any and all credit

I have lived on cash only since then and it has been AWESOME

however, I do use a debit card, but that is technically cash to me....if need be I could easily remove that from my life and just cash checks and use them

My mom doesn't have any cards(debit/credit) and she is happy. Most ppl in the world don't even know what is it.

I almost never have actual money on me... it's been years since I've used cash for much of anything.

I always find myself not having any paper / metal money on me, I rely heavily on my debit card.

I haven't touched cash in 3 years. Everything is plastic. Debt and credit. Checks get deposited and cards are used. I hate checks and have never used those either.

Money is just digits.

I try to use cash as much as possible for day to day spending.

I don't think I'm able to do that!

bills have to get paid via bank account, mostly monthly automatic payments, other than that i use cash for everything.

Assuming I can still visit my local bank branch and remove funds from savings. Without breaking into any CD's, nor cashing in any stocks and bonds, or selling anything off. We both could live at normal means and pay all the bills, basically do everything like we do now for 9 months. Assuming no additional funds came in from anywhere.

We are hoping to have that pushed up to a full year from the 9 months that it is currently at. Neither of those also count any cash and other valuables kept at home either. Most of that is in the oh shit bags that are made for quick evacuations in such cases as a natural disaster.

I also have a 9 month supply on all drugs and medical supplies that I need. We are currently building up the wives drug supplies since she just started on a new medication and it takes a bit to stock up on them. Then we can add in a few months worth of food and other supplies to elaborate even more.

Cash only as far as possible.

Good tip..... I need to do that with my drugs too. Seeing as my MS medication alone is over $2k a month, and I only pay a $25 co-pay (Thank you Niche Money Medical Plan!) I don't think they'd ever let me get 9 months ahead, but if I timed it right I could probably get 2 months ahead within a year.

that sucks big time

as of today 18 months. But I hear you and feel your pain.

I love using cash.

Cash only here for all personal stuff, though we use the debit cards all the time. I went hog wild with credit cards in my early 20s. Digging out of that mess wasn't fun and I don't want to go that route again.

I don't use credit unless it's business related. I like collecting air miles.

Same here. Mostly use cash for my spending unless I'm buying something expensive or I'm drunk enough to hand the VISA to the bartender :Oh crap.

Got used to it but I'm sure necessity will make forget about it :1orglaugh i guess

When I transitioned from bartending I had to adjust to not having cash on me all the time. I know you can use a debit card for small purchases but I try not too and I never use it at the gas station. Cash only because I refuse to pay the difference!

I hate loans, debts and such.. I prefer hard cool cash, baby.

I am generally the same. I have one emergency credit card and I pretty much never use it. I didn't even use it in this period which did come down to qualifying as an emergency in my mind. I have a debit card and that is how I get my cash and it is used to pay bills. However, in this situation I didn't have the ability to even use my debit card and I found that when if comes to paying bills and the like I needed some sort of card. I can't pay my hosting bill, for example, with cash.

pick a country! ;)

I use mostly cash. Bags of it.

reminds me of many ppl who get paid and puts all their money in there pocket.. all 4-500$ and flashes it like they are rich and expect girls to be all over them.

I HATE taking money outta the bank.. it will get spent if I do.

example.. I go take out my max from epass and go put it into my bank and find out the bank is close.. and im like ah for fucksakes.. I may as well just throw the money into the air.. because its as good as gone on something.

Albania?

I try and use cash when i can now, only because so many people here who use their debit card etc are getting their money stolen from them with those dodgy machines which steal and store your details.

I knew a few people personally who have had this done to them...

I use cash for most things, an envelope method, and electronic debit for bills, writing maybe 2 checks a year now.

It was not easy. I at least had a doctor for awhile who was willing to to give me twice as much as I actually needed on a few meds for a bit. Then on others like pain pills, sleep meds, and muscle relaxers - those were much easier to stockpile as I only use them periodically and I get scripts that assume I use them 3 times a day every day etc.

I guess a whole lot has to due with them giving you a tiny bit more than you need each time, or if you can get them to double the dosage on pills that can be cut in half safely.

I never understand it.... it it really THAT hard to control your spendings?

Anyone could live all his/her life with cash only, with no problem.

:errorwith a girlfriend and 3 kids.. YES.

I don't need to explain.. was going to try.

I can go with just cash for a long time I think. All my monthly bills are paid from my bank account via direct debit. At the start of the month I withdraw a certain amount of money that will last me. More often than not I withdraw too much and have some left over for the next month :)

Cash as much as possible.only use the card for ebay on which gets paid off right away

cash rules ... how i hate the folks paying with their card ...
typing their PIN three times wrong and causing the line to
grow ... fuck plastic money - CASH COUNTS!

Weird, dude... I guess it would be difficult to use ONLY cash.

Best thing I did in awhile = cut up all cards, including the debit card

cash for everything is the best :)

i dont even have a credit card?! :/

No credit or debit here for the past 4 years now. I pay all my bills with money orders, and have all my payments sent into me via check that I cash and never deposit any of. My bank account hasn't gone above $100 in a loooooooong time. I dont trust banks, my grandmother lived during the great depression and her family lost alot when the shit hit the fan.
I do however trust my wall safe, and aside from me, my mother is the only person on the face of the earth that knows the combination. Honestly, I cant imagine what life would be like without cash as apposed to credit and debit.

I feel poor if I don't have $1000 in cash in my pocket all the time. :2 cents:

I used to be that same way. Until I went to get a house a few years back.

I did not have an auto loan for 2-3 years. Had paid off my Explorer. I did not have any credit cards. I used my VISA check debit credit card. Only credit line was my student loan.

The mortgage broker told me I had to go run up some debt and get some trade lines, and history to show credit worthiness. I then went crazy. Now I have been slowly paying them off, and canceling them out one by one.

i could do it. I write a check for mortgage. I just choose to use plastic to get points. I mean why not get free trips, etc. Just for using the card. I use my Amex except for places that don't take it. Then the other one I uses gives me their points. Paid in full every month.

If I was in your situation I'd have removed a couple grand. Come home put in safe and take money from it when I needed it. When my card is back up and functioning I'd put the money back into savings.

I use debit for pretty much everything, but recently started keeping cash at home for the groceries, which has strangely helped me spend much less on food.

I hope your card arrives soon, Sarah!

I do have lots of cards. Banks still keep sending me but I'm living with cash as much as possible.

the only place I use cash is the casino.

you people all need to start using cash more :2 cents:

the government wants us to all use electronic...... debit, credit card, banking online, etc.... we lose some important checks to our overall freedom when cash becomes more defunct (it has already happened to a certain extent where banks look at you strange if you ask for cash or bring in cash)

i've got a secret stash of cash so I could go a pretty decent amount of time I think with 0 access to cards

And how do you pay things like hosting bills then? Things where you can't go hand people cash.

:2 cents::2 cents:

Anything beyond the penny slots is too rich for my blood.