It happened while I was gone
The United States has become a Cashless Society
Back in the 1990s, when I was still living in the United States, people used credit and debit cards, but you always wanted to have cash in your wallet, because not every place took a card.
When I returned to live in the States I realized, things sure have changed! Some of my friends here have told me flat out – “I don’t carry any cash.” Wow.
I would say that when I go to a store if I observe people at the checkout (especially the self-checkout), few people use cash. In fact, I would say fewer than 10% pay with cash. I don’t recall seeing anybody write a check for anything. Back when I last lived in the United States paying by check was the most common payment method for larger purchases.
Cards are the rule of the day
Plastic is the way that almost everybody pays. Credit Cards. Debit Cards. Prepaid Cards. Payroll Cards. There is a card for everything.
I even wonder, but don’t know… do kids even have cards now? I would expect that they probably do, especially teenagers. I suppose that the day is coming when at birth you will be issued your first card and your parents will bring it home and save it for you. 🙂
Data Collection and Tracking
In my last article, Self Checkout, some readers made comments on Facebook about privacy concerns. Things like data collection and tracking of your activities. To me, the use of any kind of cards, debit or credit, is more of a privacy concern. If you go into a store and buy something using cash, that is more or less untraceable (at least it can’t be traced through the payment method). If you pay with a card, that is very traceable.
However, data collection and tracking of our activities is more or less a lost cause already. The Internet makes such tracking a breeze. We are all more or less addicted to the internet, and add in all of the other things like cards, CCTV and such, and those who have access to the information know everything about us. It’s sad. 1984, right?
There have been so many changes
In the two decades that I’ve been away from the United States, there have been so many changes. That is why I am writing this series of articles.
I think that many people who have lived here all of these years don’t even notice the changes. It is not like you wake up one morning and everything is different. No, it happens slowly, and you don’t even realize the changes. But, for somebody like myself who left the country years ago, and has now returned, wow, the changes are huge!
Keep coming back, I have plenty more “it happened while I was gone” articles on the way.
Ah, my cousin and I just had this conversation just the other day. About how everything I do there in the Philippines is with cash and cash only. Here in the US I use my debit card for almost every purchase. And sometimes cash. Take’s me getting used to when I travel back to my apartment in Cavite. Anyways, I also still use checks here in the US for fuel purchases since I drive truck. My employer likes to use checks. I find it incredibly fascinating how many businesses do not train their employees how to accept or to run a check. Many places now who do accept checks use a company that converts the check into and “electronic check” very similar to a debit card. Much less do they know that a check is a “cash” purchase. So writing checks anymore is almost impossible anymore because of so many bounced checks that have occurred over the years. So many businesses have refused to accept them because of the “risk” associated with them anymore. Anyways, have a great day!!! You will get used to it all!! 🙂
Interesting, Quentin. I had not thought about people needing to be “trained” to accept a check. LoL, when I lived here before, checks were just the way we paid! Great to hear from you!
ya, it is sad. Most of the young generation here do not know anything about checks anymore. They are always asking upper management if they can receive it. too much time is spent trying to get someone to accept a check anymore. yes, I remember those days. I used to write checks for about everything at one time. lol
Amazing, isn’t it? I find it strange! I guess checks are a thing of the past!
We pay cash for everything. We are advocates for Dave Ramsey’s debt reduction system and it worked amazingly well for us.
We have just now started using a credit card for travel because of bonus points. However, we pay with the credit card and turn around the same day and pay off the credit card.
I like Dave Ramsey a lot, the guy makes sense. I don’t have a problem with credit cards for those who pay them off each month, as many are doing now. But, like you, I am very much anti debt.
I noticed the same thing when I moved back here in 2013. I guess credit/debit cards were widely used in 2002 when I left, but it seemed even more so when I returned. Now I rarely use cash for my day-to-day purchases. I also very rarely write checks.
The cards just seemed so ubiquitous now. It’s amazing.
Hi Bob,
And more and more establishments don’t take cash. I don’t understand how they can do that legally. My money says it is good for all debts public and private.
Personally, I pay for almost everything with a credit card now. I pay the balance electronically every month so I don’t miss a payment. Considering it’s bits in the cloud it might just as well be cryptocurrency as US dollars.
In your books about Davao, though, you talk about using ATM’s for cash. When I was in Scotland I found it hard to find an ATM, and I was told that Scotland was a cash society at the time (mid 2000’s). How hard is it to fins an ATM in the RP?
I keep reading these, because you have a good eye for seeing the differences between when you lef the US and your return and reporting on them.
Tony
Hi Tony. How are you doing today, my friend?
I plan to do the same as you.. pay everything with credit card, and auto bill payment monthly to pay off the balance. Seems like a good way to go!
In my opinion, it is easy to find an ATM in the Philippines, there are many. I would recommend using the HSBC ATM machines there.. they offer large withdrawals and dealing with a British bank, I found, offered excellent customer service.
Hi
Bob
I was almost cashless in 2000 and would make all the necessary payments with my debt card except for water and electric . Now all my bill are paid online which is less expensive then a check. But really have not thought of it being cashless since I can still pay cash it just easier to deduct it from my bank account.
Hi Nathan. I also pay everything online that I can, which is most everything. Good to hear from you.