Letter: Why we should return to cash

SIR – What would we do without credit cards? But I have often thought that they are one of the basic reasons why so many people find themselves in financial difficulty – they no longer budget or (as we did years ago) see actual CASH dwindling in their pockets.

A recent rather silly personal experience brought this to mind rather abruptly. I don’t use my credit card for minor purchases and carry a small specific amount in my purse to cover them, topping up to that amount at the end of each week.

Preparing to do that top-up a couple of weeks ago I opened my purse and found it almost empty. What had I spent it on? Nothing much to show for it.

Thinking back over the past week it dawned on me that, for some reason, I’d gone into town every morning and succumbed to coffee and cake. This must have cost me in excess of £30 in total.

Had I paid for all this by credit card it wouldn’t have registered or bothered me but, seeing the actual cash disappear from my purse made me check and think about that rather unnecessary expenditure.

Of course, indulging in coffee and a sticky bun surely isn’t a dreadful thing but it’s an example of how cash can slip through one’s fingers on non-essentials without thought, particularly if money may be in short supply.

Perhaps greater use of actual cash in one’s purse or wallet is a remedy and worth experimenting?

Phyllis Inglis,
New Milton