I get credit card points, so that is why I charge everything.
ya’ll are polite, have strategic maple syrup reserves, AND no pennies! what a society
Unfortunately this will marginalise the homeless and those without bank accounts even more.
By doing so it falls upon those in charge to make sure they are looked after or they are condemning people to death or criminal actions (then likely injury or death).
I prefer using cash generally because mostly I buy everything in person.
My cashless use is likely to increase obviously, but thankfully I don’t use credit or debt, so can only ever spend what I actually have.
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And we know how to die happy eating poutine and beaver tails 
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I prefer to give to homeless charities than individually. Homelessness is a social problem that governments should deal with. Adelaide has quite a homeless problem that increased when the number of mental health places reduced. The homeless, during this pandemic, are being housed in motels to reduce the risk of infection. Why can housing not be provided during better times? There are ways of producing cheap housing.
For people with no bank accounts, there are ways around that too - look at M-Pesa in Africa, that is mobile phone based and no bank account is required.
It’s a matter of choice to use cash. During this weird time we are living in, going cashless is a way to reduce the risk of spreading infection. You could always disinfect your coins and polymer notes of course; I don’t recommend spraying alcohol on paper notes 
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And how many of those homeless have a mobile phone?
The grandparents of my step-children don’t have mobile phones (or computers, or tablets or an Internet connection, it just doesn’t interest them and they don’t “need” them).
A lot of older people still don’t have mobile phones - they often only leave the house to go shopping or to the doctors or for a short stroll, so there is no need for a mobile phone, it is just an added expense they can’t afford and “don’t need”.
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You’d be surprised how many homeless have mobile phones. I see quite a few with them - they are their main connection to getting any aid.
It’s not a perfect solution by any means, and cash is and should still remain an option for people as a lowest common denominator. However, handling money is a vector of infection no matter how small; those who have the option to use contact-less should. Contact-less doesn’t just mean using a phone - all credit/debit cards are EMV enabled now. Even prepaid debit cards are EMV enabled and I would suggest that would be a good way to go for any kids or parents that either don’t have a bank account or an account with no card option.
Anyway, I started this thread to suggest cash-less payments are a good way of reducing contact. I realise that not everyone has the option, but I would say the vast majority in modern society do and is a pretty easy way to reduce your risk of infection.
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I agree, if you have the option, you should use it.
That said, I would say most of the homeless I see are really homeless - not enough money for food and drink, let alone a phone. Yes, there are some “beggars” who have a smartphone, but they are the exception, at least around here.
There’s a mix here - some are “just” sleeping rough and have basic jobs to pay for food and phone. Others just have nothing, turfed out of mental health facilities as they are closed up. I don’t think handing them money does much good. More needs to be done to rehouse and rehabilitate these people. But that’s a different topic…
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I barely use cash. Credit card (paid off in full each month) or direct pay from my bank account. The added benefit is that this data can go directly into my budgeting software.
I HATE writing checks and maybe write one or two a year. My handwriting is terrible and I always wonder if my signature will be valid since it changes so much!
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The internet banking system can be shut down by a Government, to try to save an economy. While battling this epidemic, then you would be broke. Cash on the other hand along with gold and silver will buy you food and water in a very bad times that may come if things get worse. It all depends how you look at the situation ahead. And get your garden growing to can some food, it might come in handy.
I am still bothered by the fact that when I go to the supermarket, and attempt to use Google Pay for my groceries, the error I get back requires me to use my card.
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Yeah, my grocery store (or their clearing agent) enforces a maximum transaction amount of $100 for cardless/touchless/NFC transactions, and that is rarely enough to buy many meaningful groceries.
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I’m not even buying that much.
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My local grocery store chain finally turned on tap to pay on their card readers this week. They up graded all the card readers in their stores a year and a half ago but just never turned on tap to pay. The cashier and I were both very excited by this turn of events, even if it took a pandemic for them to do it.
I love tap to pay, when it works.
I’ve just been shopping on my local grocery store chain’s website - pay online, and they deliver to your door. They drop it all off, walk away, and then you get your stuff. Last night I got my 2nd order. You just can’t get it for 4 or 5 days after you place the order, because they are so busy…
Once I bring it all inside, I wipe everything down with an alcohol wipe afterwards. And, I throw away whatever packaging I can (take the bags of cereal out of the box, and throw away the box)… Really no good way to do it. Either go to the store and be around others, or have it delivered, wipe it down, and hope the delivery person is not sick…
I got 8 fruit salads for a penny, and that was the old penny (240 to the pound, 12 to a shilling)
I’m very glad I was born post-decimalisation Though I think we still had the piddly little half pence coins in the early 1980s.
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Yes, I remember getting fiddled by a shop keeper when they charged 1new pence ( worth 2 old pence) for my eight Fruit Salad, they should have given me 16 for that !!!
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