I only use cash at places that have a purchase portal as complicated as giving change. You want to hand me a tip machine on a stick without tap pay and select a tip amount on a tiny shitty touch screen? You can count my change, thanks. Hopefully we see some traction in public opinion regarding privacy soon. Until then banks are selling your data, but the infra is required to live a modern life.
Privacy
A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.
Some Rules
- Posting a link to a website containing tracking isn't great, if contents of the website are behind a paywall maybe copy them into the post
- Don't promote proprietary software
- Try to keep things on topic
- If you have a question, please try searching for previous discussions, maybe it has already been answered
- Reposts are fine, but should have at least a couple of weeks in between so that the post can reach a new audience
- Be nice :)
Related communities
much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)
Being able to use cash is a privilege, and we should not let governments take it from us, since then they can monitor and control everything money-related.
I use Monero primarily
I'm interested in this, I did buy a small amount but struggling to spend it anywhere? Even when I bought a Trezor hardware wallet I had to use LTC... I know I can pay for Mullvad with it when my subscription expires in two years lol
I also can't find any no-KYC place to buy it now LocalMonero is closed.
Use haveno
I regularly consider doing this. Obviously it is great from a privacy perspective. But I hate dealing with cash, especially change. With cards I just have one thing in my wallet and it just works forever. My bank account is automatically charged at the end of the month. With cash I need to keep refilling my wallet and carry around annoying change.
I would love to have something digital but also private (like Monero). But so far I have been picking convenience over privacy.
A small addition to the discussion - I pay in advance with cash for 10 coffees at a cafe I go to several times a week. Its an informal arrangement, and a very small independent cafe (these are common in my country). If you have a regular spend somewhere ask if they could do this. Obviously it doesn't work for all things. I wouldn't do it as a pay later type of tab though otherwise you’re back in credit land. It works for me as its the best coffee in my area, an indie outlet, and they threw in 1 free per 10 paid for. They get my loyalty I guess and money in their bank (or cash in the till)- also bypassing the 3 or so middle men orgs between my bank and their bank by way of visa etc. which is another big motivator for me - we are being reamed in our country with up to 3% charge for using a credit card. Maybe thats common globally?
In the US, I've noticed several places, mostly restaurants that now charge a convenience fee for credit card transactions. Double bonus for cash. I've even started using checks again as they don't have a fee.
I rarely use cash. Nearly everything I spend is on supermarket and they know exactly what I buy because we're forced to use their "loyalty" programs anyway.
Then traveling: dealing with other currencies, coming home with unspendable money. And there's no interest on cash lying around.
But I hate the tendency for places to not accept cash at all, there should still be a choice.
One bonus is that I keep finding money on the streets in countries that love cash.
In what country are you forced to use loyalty cards?
I've never had a cashier tell me I couldn't pay without a loyalty cars. Usually I ask them to swipe their card, which 80% of the time they do because they get free gas or whatever
Czechia. In many supermarkets "discounts" only apply when you have a card/app. Essentially the "discount" is normal price, otherwise you'll pay nearly double.
I fantasize about getting it together enough to pull off what you are doing. Good for you — keep inspiring us.
I should start using cash too once I find my wallet. And that means I will be able to give some money to the homeless
Never stopped using cash. It works, is less trackable and most importantly is accepted for exchange of goods even outside of your typical store front. Say when buying hay or straw for horses and paying then and there.