Filthy cash:
Just one example of a large body of work going back many years.
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My MIL used to iron all the cash that went through their house.
She claimed that made it look more tidy and less crumpled, but we all knew she was killing the germs.
These days you’d probably have melted money if you tried that.
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Not forgetting it’s far from impossible for cyber attacks these days to freeze systems from internet banking to cash points…if you needed hard cash.
I know from professional experience over years with a major global credit check & platform provider we are in a constant condition of “vigilance” 24/7 every second of that day.
I’ve seen what “benign” system failures can do, but they were usually outside the UK.
Think…imagine you have a half gallon in the tank but you are 150 miles from home.
Not even the fuel pump dispenser will reset to fill up never mind pay by card. The simplest things…
One reason I keep a cash stash available.
We all just expect everything to work perfectly and seamlessly day in day out.
Except…
Edited:
I have to say I never once saw a cyber attack. Was always done to a platform failing…usually during so called “security updates” or migrating “improvements”. They were priceless sometimes. Wish I had transcripts ( for personal amusement & consumption!) of the international panic sessions.
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Perhaps if you re-directed your energy away from the moans about “dole cheats”, benefit scroungers etc etc, and applied yourself to some pressuring of government representatives to reform social care…, that might achieve something useful. The congenital liar who is now PM promised before a general election, that he had ‘oven ready’ plans for social care.
There goes an exercise in futility.
Might as well make Hiroshima use thicker paint!
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It’s all a cunning plan.
Once we are truly cashless, then they can ditch income tax etc and merely take a slice off every transaction, be it salary, purchase, etc.
If we look at modern multi-source manufacturing there is an opportunity for a slice at every step in the chain. One might have earned a nominal £100 and spent £100 on the new shaver, but all the slices might add up to 90% and only 10% is real business.
No escape then except to go back to barter or keep everything ‘in-house’.
While what you say is true we have to bear in mind that the best laid schemes o’ mice 'an men, and politicians worldwide, gang aft a-gley during the current pandemics.
I think some people would get a bit of a start if they took time to study, maybe construct a simple bar graph, of how little of their gross salary they retain every month after both direct & indirect taxes. It’s very little. I’ve often held the view Road Fund, for one, should be abolished and simplify it at the fuel pump instead as it would reflect better the amount of “highway & byway” damage (?) the vehicle exacts pro-rata per mile.
However, that is very complex in itself. Per 100 miles, my stinky old Roadster probably emits many times what a new 1.2 cc hybrid does over 500. Probably a lot more…
Our cars are taxed, MOT’d, and insured as normal but like so many thousands, have had zero impact on the environment for a year nearly…and that is set to continue. We could SORN, but we have potential dependents we could need to get to.
So saying…I figured a few days back we have jointly “saved” over £1.5k…probably 2k… in fuel fills…not to forget another 1k in gym direct debits, plus a few other cut backs like expensive Garden Centre meals…plus not bringing home more useless plants & shrubs.
Probably around £5k better off…however much I detest it.
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That did impress me.
What’s your Clan Tartan? 
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Unfortunately it will not be long before road charging, ie pay per mile will be introduced, with possibly different rates for different roads and times of day.
There is the technology for it already and as more electric cars come on the road the HMRC will have to move away from fuel tax otherwise they will have no income.
It has to start in the next 5 years max…and there will be a huge public outcry - especially as there will be a mix of taxes, so most road users will pay more in the short term. It will also be deducted straight from your account and this will cause issues, as there will be a lot of payment collection issues and this will cause more frustration.
Cash is clinging on, but its days are definitely numbered as the Government will force the banks to make it difficult to use. So far they are making a cashless system easier to use and trying to get a natural uptake, but the last 10% of users will hold on.
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There are some benefits in being old then! 
If I could only remember what they are! 
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There’s always a role for cash where there is a black economy, grey economy…, or whatever you want to call it. With all those whose jobs will go as the results of Covid continue to come through, plus all those who previously had been doing all right who had never previously given a moment’s thought to how miserable welfare ( Universal Credits ) really is in this country…, suddenly discover that their over £16000 savings disqualify them completely from UC…, what I see is an increased black economy, and a continuing role for cash.
I always take about £50 a week in cash for incedentals
I can buy stuff for the cars and boat without it appearing on bank statments !!!
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I rarely use cash now, and struggle if I have to. I have kept a small tin over the years to keep 5p or 10p loose change, which stops me jangling when I walk. I use this to pay the bin cleaner. I think being cashless is becoming the new norm.
Car parking is the main reason I need cash these days.
Yes you can pay with apps etc but it tends to cost more and in this holiday area, you can only access any cheap winter rates with cash.
Btw, it riles me when you are expected to pay to park in the winter but they close the toilets for the winter season. If you still have to pay, they should still provide the toilets.
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The only reason I need to use cash is when I collect the odd Chinese take away, who still require it. Everywhere else seems to be tap-and-pay and the new higher £45 tap limit means I rarely have to use a PIN.
Gone, by law, is the extra charge some retailers used to bung on for using a card, although one hardware shop I went in insisted they had a £10 minimum spend to pay by card, so I left the stuff at the till and bought it cheaper on Amazon with free next day delivery.
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Car Parks. Sheesh, why don’t they all get together and use the same system? I’ve got 5 different apps to pay for parking, one for Cambridgeshire (home county) one for Norfolk (holiday county) and 3 I’ve picked up from touring around the UK. I do carry a bag of £1 coins, 50p’s and 10p’s in the centre cubby just in case. Mind you since June I don’t think I’ve been in a car park!
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Just a point on the take-aways. One near me only takes cash on a Saturday, they say their card machine signal can’t cope. Is it legal to only take cash and refuse a card payment? A bit annoying when I have to go to the cash machine especially. Puts me of going, their loss I guess.
It was in the 70’s in Glasgow mind, but a good client of mine owned 3 ethnic restaurants.
Lunch Time “Business Lunches” were cash only ( cough) which perhaps went towards his flash suits and Interceptor… 
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