Comments on: Your Take: How Much Cash Do You Carry?

By: karl

karl — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:17:34 +0000

I have no cash on me. LOL Use debit card only.

By: joe from nh

joe from nh — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:17:33 +0000

i usually carry between $500 to $1500 on me… it’s alittle higher than most, but i did win the lottery two years ago! lucky me!

By: Broke Like A Joke

Broke Like A Joke — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:38:45 +0000

I carry about 1100 dollars cash. you never know when you have to buy some plants, white, black, or some ease.

By: Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:50:08 +0000

Right now, about $12. I generally keep it under $20 at all times. Sometimes it’s only $2. This is a habit from way back in the past, before debit cards — if I ever got robbed, I didn’t want to lose too much money.
I never got robbed. The closest I ever came was in line for the subway, when one of a trio of teens behind me flipped a lit cigarette into the canvas bag I was using as a purse/carryall. “Hey, lady, he put a cigarette in your bag, lemme get it out,” one of them said, trying to pull the bag away to “help” me.
My wallet was in that bag, and although it held only $3 or $4, tops, I wasn’t giving it up. That teenager had probably never been pushed that hard by a pregnant 20-year-old woman before. “HANDS OFF, I GOT IT!” I bellowed, yanking the bag back in front of me. People turned to stare and the kids took off. I pulled the cigarette out myself. Punks.
Still don’t carry much cash around.

By: Typhex

Typhex — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:43:45 +0000

I’m a student, so I’m new to the whole managing my own finances thing. This blog helps me out a lot with that. I usually carry between $10-$30 in cash for “just in case” situations. I wouldn’t want to be out with friends and have to go to an ATM in order to pay for my share of a meal or something. It is also considered embarrassing to pay for small food purchases (soda/snack) with a debit card, especially if you’re on a date.

I find that if I carry a lot of cash, I’m prone to spending it. The reason is because it has already been withdrawn from my bank account, it’s as if I have already spent it, so I don’t feel as bad spending it as with my debit card. It’s silly I know, but that’s just how it is in my head. This is also why I don’t carry more than $30 bucks.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:12:21 +0000

Cash sitting in my wallet is a very rare thing though I’ve been debating attempting to use cash instead of debit as a means for helping me budget. I’ve gotten so used to just debiting everything that I can forget how much money I have or haven’t spent.

By: Mark Nelson

Mark Nelson — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:31:50 +0000

I tend not to carry any cash. I seem to spend cash a little easier than using my debit or credit card.

Using my debit card also lets me track my spending more than if I am just using cash.

By: marci

marci — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:36:00 +0000

$310 a month goes in. So I usually have $100-$400 in my wallet at any given time. That $310 is for groceries, gas, grandkids, gifts, and gadabout money. That’s how much I give myself per month – cash.

I’m just a cash kind of person. I don’t like having a credit card bill hit me at the end of the month, nor do I like having to keep track of a debit card. Cash works just fine. My utility bills & insurances are paid with a check. And that’s usually all my bills to be paid

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:57:45 +0000

I carry zero cash unless I’m traveling. Everything goes on the credit cards, which get paid in full every month. This way we earn a little back plus the detailed monthly statement make it easy to keep track of what we’ve spent.
When I travel, I take maybe $100 or so in case we need something from a store that doesn’t take cards.

cheers,
Ken

By: Elaine

Elaine — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:48:51 +0000

I try to keep as little cash on me as possible. I’m very good at controlling spending when I use credit cards, but if I have cash on me it flys out of my pocket.

By: Katharine

Katharine — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:27:41 +0000

I am a $0 girl. Unless I am going out to dinner with friends, I don’t bring any cash. And even when I go out to dinner with friends, I table bank if possible.

By: Adam

Adam — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:57:21 +0000

This morning I have $563.00 in my pocket, this is only because I had a good night of gambling last night. I usually don’t carry any cash, just a Chase Freedom, Amex Blue Cash, and an ATM card.

By: Paula

Paula — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:57:19 +0000

On work days I carry enough for transportation/parking/bus and one meal (even though I brownbag-it’s an emergency thing). On weekends, I try to carry what I need for what errands I’m running, plus an extra $20. When I go out of town, even for a day trip, I carry a bit more, but the amount varies $40-60. I have an older friend who recommends carrying enough for a tow truck and one night in a hotel–for emergencies. But i haven’t done that–most hotels take plastic.

I don’t keep enough cash at home, yet. Post-Katrina experts recommend keeping anywhere from a week to a month’s worth of expenses in cash–in case a disaster takes the ATMs off line. I simply can’t afford that, but think it’s probably a good idea.

By: Mary@SimplyForties

Mary@SimplyForties — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:16:35 +0000

I have $12 and that’s a little high for me. I carry very little cash as it’s harder for me to track my cash spending. I also tend to spend more when I use cash. My experience is that men tend to carry and use cash more then women do. I wonder if a survey of your readers would prove or disprove that theory. Good topic!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:36:10 +0000

Usually between $20 and $100 bucks, depending on whether or not I’ve been to the bank recently! Rarely more than $100… that just makes me nervous!