Got any change? Do you still carry cash?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (224741)
Walnut Creek, California
March 23, 2025 11:24am CST
Right now I have about $300 in cash in my wallet. I haven't made it to the (physical) bank since my last speaker restoration and last music gig. But I have no change in my pocket.
A dude standing outside Safeway, just asked "Got any change?" I thought I was back in the 1970s.
I thought of buying the dude a bottle of Gatorade in the store, but I chose not to. I'm not feeling "interactive" this morning. I have given beggars Gatorade before, but it's usually on a hot day, when I just bought an eight-pack.
While in the store, as I was buying olives and other random things, I wondered if beggars can still get "fifty cents", or whatever they want, from people walking by them. I generally only carry a 20 bill in my wallet (in case I find myself at a cash only taco place), and I rarely have pennies, nickels, dimes or quarters in my pocket.
Do you still have beggars where you live? Do you give them something if you have something to give? Do you even carry change any more?
16 people like this
14 responses
@cabuyogty (3399)
• Philippines
23 Mar
There's some beggars in my place but I'm sorry that I can't give any coins to them so that I can go home safely and sound. Of course , I have some cash and coins ready for my road trip.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (224741)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Mar
@cabuyogty I take BART now and again. But they have some confusing card involved. Cash is NOT king.
1 person likes this
@cabuyogty (3399)
• Philippines
24 Mar
@TheHorse I spend them on my public transportation, buy mineral water and buy something not available near at home , personal appointments or I'm working in my ID and important documents.
1 person likes this
I do worry having my card info stolen. Had it happen twice on the road before. Once on the 210 at a Love's gas station and the other was a Chevron outside Gallop.
@BarBaraPrz (49035)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Mar
I do have some change in my wallet. The Pantry at the Centre only takes cash, and to get a grocery cart at No Frills, you have to feed it a quarter to set it free from the chain gang. (The cart will spit it back out if you return it to the gang.)
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47586)
• India
23 Mar
A lot of my transactions are in Cards or by using Apps for payment through QR code scanners.
A popular platform in India which has been linked with systems in UAE and other countries as well is UPI - Unified Payments Interface.
So loose cash or change is uncommon.
Sometimes we have 5 INR/2 INR coins and Bank notes in denominations of 10, 20 etc. but not much.
Now, some innovative beggars carry QR codes to receive grants from those who have a lack of cash !
Now, such smart folks !
Well, I try to stay away from those begging.
That might sound harsh or rude to many but I have heard or felt that most beggars are forced by gangsters or those evil people who have big networks to make people beg.
Those folks beg and deposit to their "heads" (normally some criminal) ,
They get subsistence living in the end,
In fact, it is a topic by itself !
Well, I try to stay away from those begging.
That might sound harsh or rude to many but I have heard or felt that most beggars are forced by gangsters or those evil people who have big networks to make people beg.
Those folks beg and deposit to their "heads" (normally some criminal) ,
They get subsistence living in the end,
In fact, it is a topic by itself !
@kaylachan (76290)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Mar
We have a homeless population here. And, yes I've had people come up to me and ask for money. I never give them any, but I do carry a few dollars and some change. I do this because if I do manage to get robbed, the thief isn't going to get anything of real value.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (113486)
• Marion, Ohio
23 Mar
Don't see beggars in the middle of nowhere much. I still carry cash and sometimes change
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (348960)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Mar
We both like having some cash in our pockets but mostly everything goes on the credit card and we pay it off each month.
@sw8sincere (5525)
• Philippines
24 Mar
Yeah, we still have beggars around, but I almost never carry cash, let alone change. If I do have a couple bucks, I might give it, but mostly I just keep walking. It’s definitely not as common to have spare change these days—cards and phones took over.
1 person likes this
