You are walking around with that in your purse?

[lonnolan]

A few times when dealing with home purchases I have had to carry a large amount of cash on me, and I always had one personal policy about it. When I am carrying something like that, I have at least one pistol either on me or within my reach at all times until I am done with it. Though also, I would not let people know of it.

[Silent-Hunter]

I wonder if it's partly because the internet connection isn't the best where they live? I remember reading an article about Venezuela and how the mobile banking would fritz in the rain.

The internet connection in Kuwait is awful. I know because my dad currently works there.

[cindybubbles]

I carry more cash when I go to the CNE; this is because most of the vendors only accept cash, so I know that I will be spending a lot of it on games and food.

[Deserted]

If I could pay my rent online or via a money order, I would choose that method in a heartbeat.

Wait. Why can't you do so? Why can't you do so?

[nutraxfornerves]

I talked to a guy who led trekking expeditions in Argentina during a time of serious inflation. The porters insisted on being paid daily, in US dollars. The leader carried about 20 pounds (9 kilos) of money in his pack for a 1-week trip.

[workerbee222]

Where I live, weed has been kinda-sorta de-criminalized when used for medication. It's still a federal offense to grow or possess. A man came in and made a large purchase and paid in cash. He gave his email address and when Boss asked what he did. Customer deftly talked around the issue a bit, (agriculture) but he was growing marijuana. It's an all-cash business.

[Racket_Man]

Where I live, weed has been kinda-sorta de-criminalized when used for medication. It's still a federal offense to grow or possess. A man came in and made a large purchase and paid in cash. He gave his email address and when Boss asked what he did. Customer deftly talked around the issue a bit, (agriculture) but he was growing marijuana. It's an all-cash business.

BUT in this situation it is almost mandated because of the current US Federal Gov. banking regulations that DO NOT allow ANY money made from "illegal drug" sales to be put into the US banking system. This is true for medical OR "free range" states. I watched a documentary series on CNN about one town in Colorado. The Pot shop owners HAD to pay things like sales tax, rent, property taxes, utilities, etc. exclusively via cash because of the Federal banking regulations.

[wolfie]

I talked to a guy who led trekking expeditions in Argentina during a time of serious inflation. The porters insisted on being paid daily, in US dollars. The leader carried about 20 pounds (9 kilos) of money in his pack for a 1-week trip.

Without the boldface parts, a Brit might think those porters worked REALLY cheap.

[Gerrinson]

Re: who does that? Well, I know of at least one guy.

We had a vendor several years in a row who would insist on payment at time of service, then immediately take the check to our bank and cash it. They had to schedule a room for him for 20-30 minutes to hand count the cash for his $30K - $40K payment before he left. He would just stuff it in a duffel bag and be on his way.

That is no longer the case, fortunately, because YEEK! If anyone in the know ever decided they needed a quick cash boost, just check the calendar for the dude's last day and plan a mugging.

[taxguykarl]

One sign of my late aunt's dementia was that she insisted on having a large amount of money in her purse.

The great aunt in this thread had lots of cash hidden throughout her house. Yes, my mother secured guardianship over this and other matters 'til auntie died.

[wordgirl]

One group that tends to carry a lot of cash - and it can be big bills, due to the nature of their business -- are hairdressers. I pay mine in cash and she gives me a discount for that.

I also tend to pay my rent in cash, though my landlord doesn't mind a check (he's not a tax-ducker, just involved in a lot of bartering.) He's a good landlord, so I try to make things easy on him.