I use Monero primarily

I only use cash at places that have a purchase portal as complicated as giving change. You want to hand me a tip machine on a stick without tap pay and select a tip amount on a tiny shitty touch screen? You can count my change, thanks. Hopefully we see some traction in public opinion regarding privacy soon. Until then banks are selling your data, but the infra is required to live a modern life.

With the exception of my early college career (pre-dodd-frank) I never really stopped using cash. It's much harder to budget using a card even though these days you can check your bank balance from your phone.

Being able to use cash is a privilege, and we should not let governments take it from us, since then they can monitor and control everything money-related.

In the US, I've noticed several places, mostly restaurants that now charge a convenience fee for credit card transactions. Double bonus for cash. I've even started using checks again as they don't have a fee.

I rarely use cash. Nearly everything I spend is on supermarket and they know exactly what I buy because we're forced to use their "loyalty" programs anyway.

Then traveling: dealing with other currencies, coming home with unspendable money. And there's no interest on cash lying around.

But I hate the tendency for places to not accept cash at all, there should still be a choice.

One bonus is that I keep finding money on the streets in countries that love cash.

A small addition to the discussion - I pay in advance with cash for 10 coffees at a cafe I go to several times a week. Its an informal arrangement, and a very small independent cafe (these are common in my country). If you have a regular spend somewhere ask if they could do this. Obviously it doesn't work for all things. I wouldn't do it as a pay later type of tab though otherwise you’re back in credit land. It works for me as its the best coffee in my area, an indie outlet, and they threw in 1 free per 10 paid for. They get my loyalty I guess and money in their bank (or cash in the till)- also bypassing the 3 or so middle men orgs between my bank and their bank by way of visa etc. which is another big motivator for me - we are being reamed in our country with up to 3% charge for using a credit card. Maybe thats common globally?

I fantasize about getting it together enough to pull off what you are doing. Good for you — keep inspiring us.

I regularly consider doing this. Obviously it is great from a privacy perspective. But I hate dealing with cash, especially change. With cards I just have one thing in my wallet and it just works forever. My bank account is automatically charged at the end of the month. With cash I need to keep refilling my wallet and carry around annoying change.

I would love to have something digital but also private (like Monero). But so far I have been picking convenience over privacy.

I should start using cash too once I find my wallet. And that means I will be able to give some money to the homeless

Never stopped using cash. It works, is less trackable and most importantly is accepted for exchange of goods even outside of your typical store front. Say when buying hay or straw for horses and paying then and there.