How Much CASH Do You EDC ?

[N_N_R]

I was just thinking... we seem to often overlook one of the essentials in our EDC when we talk about EDC.

While if we have no money, we can't even afford a tiny bit of what we usually EDC.

So, let's talk some more about what rules the world - cash.

Do you carry any on you?
Do you use a wallet?
Do you carry cards only?
How much cash do you carry if you carry any at all?
What's your idea behind carrying cash or not carrying cash?

Just anything that may come to your minds

[lister]

I always have 170 euros on me. One bill for 100 one for 50 and ten 2€ coins. Just in case I wold need it.

[DazMechanical]

I carry a debit card, a credit card and up to $50 in cash in my wallet. Generally I only use cash where cards are not accepted. My cash is generally for lunch, drinks etc

Reason for up to $50? I lost my wallet a while back containing around $400 in cash. Cards can easily be cancelled and replaced. Once the cash is gone it's gone forever!

[Steinar]

Usually one debit card and one credit card in a simple leather card holder. No cash most of the time.

Why no cash? Because cash is a nuisance compared to paying by card. I sometimes carry a little "emergency cash", enough for a taxi or something like that, just in case the terminal network is down.

[kosmo]

I don't have any specific amount of cash, but it usually between $50 and $100.

I find it interesting that the largest coins commonly used in the US is a quarter $0.25.  (Smallest bill and commonly used $1).  The Euro's smallest bill is a €5 and the coin used is a €2.

I don't rely on a debit card except in a few places.  I recently had my bank teller ask me about my debit card usage and commented that they had security issues with debit cards in some stores.  I explained to her that I almost always use cash, but use a debit card in a few situations.  I'm not sure if the debit card uses the same security technology in the US as in Europe.

[Reinier]

Cards only, usually.
I have one client where they have a snack machine with delicious cookies, when I do a project there I always make sure I carry some cash, but never a lot.

[N_N_R]

I wish I could rely on cards only ...... really. Just a few plastics and no huge bulk of money... therefore a smaller wallet, too... more security, at least I think so.

Here, though, you can pay with a card only in the bigger stores, lots of small local stores or the market don't accept credit cards. You can't buy tickets for the transport, for example, either. You can't pay for a cab with a card either... at least not in my city.

Even the more interesting thing is that I get part of my salary in cash, part arrives in my account . So i usually keep what's in my account in my account and pay with a card where possible and still carry around 100-200 BGN with me for other things (100 USD = 170 BGN or so atm)

I once lost my wallet... with my money, ID, cards in it... and I had about 100 USD there (in our currency, using USD here to make it easier for ya)..... And that was a lot of money for me... it is a lot now, too. Since then I kinda stopped carrying lots of cash on me, but I've gotten in the habit again recently ...

[N_N_R]

I actually dread the moment when we'll start using the Euro (no idea when) and I'll have to carry kilos of coins on me   (now our biggest coin is 1, but with the Euro - 2)

[Reinier]

Yes but 2 BGN ≈ 1 EUR so that wouldn't make much of a difference

[N_N_R]

Well... how wouldn't it? With the Euro we'll have both 1 & 2 coins .... Or I'm just not getting what you mean.

[Reinier]

Probably the latter, but that's fine

Imagine you have five coins of 1 BGN. That translates to €2.50. Which is only two coins (€2 and €0.50).

[N_N_R]

Ahaaa... so that's what you mean. Ok, but I'm just not sure how exactly this transition will happen. Will everything be re-calculated as you say and now if yyou get a salary of ... say 1000 BGN, then you get a salary of 500 BGN, or will the digits remain the same and only the currency changes? i.e. you get 1000 BGN now and then 1000 EUR?


For some reason lots of people here fear this change, I'm not sure if I do or not. I don't as long as the income & salaries ... change in the same way, so to speak, lol.

For example, you get 1000lv now as your salary and a bottle of coke is 2lv.
Then, you get 1000 EUR and a bottle of coke is 2 EUR.

Or, you get 1000lv, a bottle of coke is 2lv...
then after the change you get 500 EUR, but the bottle of coke should also become 1 EUR....

Not like some people think, you'll get 500 EUR, but the bottle of coke will be 2 EUR...

[Crocker]

Two toonies in the key fob with my keys, and a few bucks in my wallet with a credit card. Self-sufficiency without money is best but I'm rarely in the best circumstances.

[Aloha]

There was a time when I was flush with bills.  I paid for nearly everything in cash now I rarely have cash on me.  My sugar momma pays 

[pfrsantos]

Ahaaa... so that's what you mean. Ok, but I'm just not sure how exactly this transition will happen. Will everything be re-calculated as you say and now if yyou get a salary of ... say 1000 BGN, then you get a salary of 500 BGN, or will the digits remain the same and only the currency changes? i.e. you get 1000 BGN now and then 1000 EUR?


For some reason lots of people here fear this change, I'm not sure if I do or not. I don't as long as the income & salaries ... change in the same way, so to speak, lol.

For example, you get 1000lv now as your salary and a bottle of coke is 2lv.
Then, you get 1000 EUR and a bottle of coke is 2 EUR.

Or, you get 1000lv, a bottle of coke is 2lv...
then after the change you get 500 EUR, but the bottle of coke should also become 1 EUR....

Not like some people think, you'll get 500 EUR, but the bottle of coke will be 2 EUR...

When changing to Euros, I think the local currency is paired in terms of value and the values are "translated" into euros. z.b. in Portugal, an Euro was worth 200$+/- Escudos. When the change ocorred, people earning 150.000$ started to receive €750. There was some slight raise in prices, but in general it was more or less equivalent. We had +/-1 year where receipts (and products on display) had the price in Escudos and Euros, so you could compare it.

[N_N_R]

@pfrsantos

Thanks, that helps

[N_N_R]

So, yeah, I've had the dilemma... to have more cash on me in case of emergencies ... or to carry less and not risk losing it.

[Reinier]

When changing to Euros, I think the local currency is paired in terms of value and the values are "translated" into euros. z.b. in Portugal, an Euro was worth 200$+/- Escudos. When the change ocorred, people earning 150.000$ started to receive €750. There was some slight raise in prices, but in general it was more or less equivalent. We had +/-1 year where receipts (and products on display) had the price in Escudos and Euros, so you could compare it.

Exactly. Here it also went like that (€1 was ƒ2.20371). So your bank account balance, your salary and all prices were divided by 2.20371. When we got the Euro (in 2002) it was actually illegal to raise any prices, but it was tempting to convert a price tag from ƒ0.99 to €0.49 instead of €0.45. I think most supermarkets and other stores did that, shortly after the transitional period when everything was priced in euros and guilders simultaneously.

[Serena]

I mostly carry around € 20,-. Everything else can be paid with cards.
I carry a SecrID wallet, really small, keeps about 9 cards and some paper money.

[Reinier]

Do you remember the gulden Serena? Good ol' time. Those bills were beautiful

[Serena]

Do you remember the gulden Serena? Good ol' time. Those bills were beautiful

Still miss it and still counting what everything costs in 'gulden'. I would go back right away!!!

[Millhouse]

I carry a wallet with a debit and credit card. I also keep some loose change for parking and usually about £30-40.

I also carry a £20 note with my keys. There are times when I have forgotten my wallet, but I always have my keys on me.

[Lynn LeFey]

I like to have about $50 in bills: a 20, a 10, and the rest in 5s and 1s. And I always carry a short roll of quarters on me. Until recently, it was $3 worth, but I've now bumped it up to $4, since the cost of sodas from a vending machine has risen. Ultimately, I'd like to have $200, but that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

I saw a video of a guy talking about his Urban EDC, and he starts by saying that, of course, the most important part of Urban EDC is a good knife. I nearly choked laughing. No, I'd say it's either a cell phone or cash. Then probably a flashlight, then an MT. In fact a dedicated folder for most urban folk is not all that important.

Cash is often understated in videos on EDC stuff, and I think that's simply because it's not very interesting. It's not like you can do a 40 minute review on the new kind of cash you got, and show off its new features. I THINK everybody gets it, but it's always good to reiterate.

I've never been mugged or lost a wallet, so I don't know the stinging pain of losing resources like that. There's also the simple truth of inflation, meaning that value slowly drains out of cash, but that's pretty darn slow, and there are lots of other resources that depreciate much quicker: batteries, medication, etc.

By weight, I'd call cash the absolute BEST urban EDC item. The pinnacle of 'multitool'. While most places take cards around me, they occasionally have down systems, and regardless, everyone always still takes cash.

The big thing I find myself using cash for is liquid. In the summer, St. Louis is just painfully hot and humid, and getting stuck anywhere

[N_N_R]

@Millhouse,

LOl, this with that capsule is an interesting idea. I don't think I'll ever forget my wallet (God forbid I did lol), it's an essential part if not the most essential part from my EDC. Then comes the phone, then everything else.

But cash on the keys... interesting. I may try something similar.



@Lynn,

Exactly, i also think N1 EDC for the city is money & phone. Depending on how much money you carry, cash comes first as it probably can buy you the cheapest phone and having money, you basically have a phone, too.

[captain spaulding]

I wrote out a big long explanation of what I do, but deleted it all. In a nut shell. I only spend cash. I never use my debit card to purchase anything EVER. Cash is king and as Lynn said sometimes systems go down and you cannot pay with a card. I had a situation like this happen to me the other day. It literally cleared out the entire line of people in front of me because everyone had a card. No lunch for you. 

[Steinar]

Perhaps a Danish member may chime in, but this is an interesting development: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/14/no-wallet-no-worries-denmark-considering-cash-free-shops

There are discussions about allowing businesses to deny payment with cash in Norway as well, but nothing concrete has come out of it yet.

And I totally agree the ability to perform transactions is the most useful urban EDC.

[N_N_R]

I also think not long ago there was news about Greece not allowing payments in cash over a certain sum... but I didn't listen very carefully.

[captain spaulding]

Perhaps a Danish member may chime in, but this is an interesting development: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/14/no-wallet-no-worries-denmark-considering-cash-free-shops

There are discussions about allowing businesses to deny payment with cash in Norway as well, but nothing concrete has come out of it yet.

And I totally agree the ability to perform transactions is the most useful urban EDC.

I personally find that completely ridiculous and at the very least would refuse to shop at any store that did this.

[Serena]

Recently they opened a 'Happy Italy' restaurant here. Only cards, no cash…

[captain spaulding]

Recently they opened a 'Happy Italy' restaurant here. Only cards, no cash…

I would go there to eat. Try to pay with my Library card. Tell they its the only card I have and I would pay in cash, but they do not accept it.