That time at the county fair taught me about cash vs. card

I was at the county fair last summer and watched a kid try to buy a funnel cake with his phone. The vendor's card reader kept timing out because of the spotty signal out there. The kid's dad ended up having to walk over to an ATM and pay a $3 fee just to get $10 cash. That moment really stuck with me. I realize we are moving toward digital payments fast, but there are still places where cash just works better. Now I always keep a $20 bill hidden in my wallet for situations like that. Has anyone else run into this at fairs or remote spots?

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pat_murray162d ago

That part about the kid's dad paying a $3 ATM fee to get $10 cash really gets me. Here's something nobody brings up though. Cash actually helps you budget better in places like that because you physically see the money leaving your hand. When you swipe a card or tap your phone it feels like free money until the bill comes later. I remember being at a music festival last year where vendors had no signal at all and people were literally trading items because nobody had cash. The whole "cash is dying" crowd doesn't think about rural areas or big outdoor events where the infrastructure just isn't there yet. I swear my grandpa was right about keeping a little cash on you at all times even if you never use it.