Gone are the days when people wanted to spend in cash. It’s a thing of the past. We have been living in a plastic world, where everything is artificial, even money. Modern times call for fast transactions and easy payment options and cards are the new reigns in the money market.
But while we know that spending from credit card has its own perks like reward points and cashbacks, but paying in cash shows you the reality on how much you can actually afford without disturbing your budget.
So let’s see why cash is better than cards;
Overspending: What is a credit card? Paying for things with the money that you don’t have or that doesn’t belong to you. You plan to buy a 75” TV on your card which cost approx. INR 200,000/-, you won’t realize the money is leaving your side when you pay by card but try paying that in cash and it will pinch you. Many studies have found that people tend to spend more when paying by card than when they have to pay in cash. When paying in cash, you will stick to what you really wanted and budgeted for and not go for the additional features and fancy stuff which you really don’t require.
Doesn’t disturb your budget: When you are on a tight budget and your goals are in place, you know how much you can spend. Swiping a card allows you to pay next month but you have invariably disturbed your next months budget by incurring an expense this month.
Less Security risk: We are all aware about the security risks and account hacks that happen when dealing in card payment specially when paying online. Though cards come with security pins and codes, it’s easy to get the identity stolen and theft happening. And, what if you forgot to take your card from somewhere or dropped it by mistake and didn’t realize it till the next day. You have a long bill coming your way with the swipes done by the person who found your card and is now on a shopping spree.
Accepted everywhere: There is no place where cash is refused. Cards can put you in a spot when the card machine is not working, or your payment gets declined. You just get embarrassment and nothing else from that counter. So, cash is your true friend.
Cash transaction are private: We know that when you pay by card, your basic details are shared as these stores can sell your purchase data and history to a third party. While, when you pay in cash, your transaction cannot be traced back and it values your privacy.
There are two sides to every situation. In a situation when your expenses are already planned and you have budgeted for it and the amount is big, like buying a flight ticket for your family. When buying it online, you have to pay by card. You need to keep a mix of both when planning your budget and going for your next purchase. While paying in cash will stop you from overspending, expensive but planned purchases can get you some perks when paid by card.
If you really want to pay and spend by card itself, there are certain ways in which you can plan it out. Cards give you a good 30 to 45 days times to pay back. In such case, make the purchase just in the first few days when your new billing cycle starts. This was you have the whole month till the bill comes and also additional days till your due date, giving you a good 3o to 40 days’ time to pay back. But if you swipe the card close to the end date of your billing cycle, your bill will be generated in the next few days and you just get 10 to 15 days to pay that up.
So next time when you step out, make sure you have both, cash and card with you.
Stay around, in my next blog, I will be talking about the benefits of budgeting.
Till Next time
Save well and spend more wisely
This blog is a part of Blogchatter’s #blogchatterA2Z challenge.
20 replies on “Cash or Card- What should you use?”
yes, I think with cash I can keep a tab of how much I am spending. Cards are really convenient though
Cards had bece the convenient option and then came along wallets which is more faster and disturbs the budget way too much. True that you have to have a balance of both, cash and card!
Most my friends’ expenses shot up as soon as they got a credit card. That’s why I stick to a debit card. That way I know how much I’m spending.
Perfect. I too am not a fan of CC unless it’s a planned big expense.
Cash anytime for me! I am just now getting the hang of debit card and online transactions but that’s about it.
Nice post on the pros and cons of credit cards and cash.
Yes cash is always the king.
[…] cash over card: In my earlier blog Cash or Card- What should you use?, I have highlighted how spending in cash can help you refrain from unnecessary expenses and […]
Cash is always better than card. The biggest advantage is we have how much to spend decision in our hand.When we see money going out then we are more likely to control it.:)
Great pros and cons of cash and card, Hansa. I never use my credit card. I have a small budget and I hate overstepping the limit. My card is used by someone else. But I feel the wallets are a very easy mode of payment. Especially during the pandemic without touching cash.
yes, cash and card both have their pros and cons. you have explained everything regarding this, so well in this post. personally, I always prefer cash over card. as you said, I feel use of cash is more secure and convenient.
Both cash and cards are hassle free options, sometimes it entire depends on the situation in my case. I find card convenient to keep track of expense
This is an awesome list of why we should steer clear from those cunning credit cards. We wind up paying more for sure. Debit card is better. What you have, you use. I prefer paytm too now. Lol.
I am person with both the option sometimes with card and sometimes with cash I feel card is the convenient option..
Cash and card both had their own pros and cons but I prefer more of card as it is not just convenient but less of human touch and keeping track of account is also easier
This is such an insightful post. Every post of yours is a detailed lesson into investment and planning. Thank a lot for sharing the tips.
That’s a wonderful post stating the clear pros and cons of cards and cash. Since the day I have started earning I haven’t used a credit card yet. I strongly belive that these cards are a huge trap every month if we are not mindful.
I feel that both cash and cards have their own pros and cons and I usually keep both for handy use, as you stated:)
Both have their pros and cons. But in current times I am only using digital or card because I don’t want to visit an ATM or the bank.
Yet another wise article, thought provoking too, I have always used a card but will love to switch to cash
It is indeed important to be financially independent and with the right information in hand on how to manage the finances. I started earning quite young and learned the hard way of proper usage of cards. I am sure this post is going to be super helpful for many 🙂