Funnily enough mum's milkman stopped taking cash last year. I had one hell of a job setting up an account, mainly because mum couldn't remember any of her memorable words/names etc. for her bank card. She doesn't do much in the way of online transactions.
Do GWR guards seriously not take cash any more? TfW and Northern definitely still do. See my earlier post. My mate would have lost over half his takings if he had refused cash.
I have to say that even in the 1980s where I lived in Yorkshire it wasn't common practice to leave money on the step for the milkman. I remember our milkman used to come round on a Friday evening to collect the money. My mum kept it in a pot by the back door. If we were going to be out, we'd leave the money with the neighbour to pass on to him. Given that my mum was happy to leave a house key hidden in the garden(!) I imagine this was just 'how things were done' rather than being worried about thieves!
Does anyone know if this is correct or is it another example of staff making up their own rules?
Gus B said:
I don't know about that location but there are still large areas of the forest without a signal. The permanent venues would presumably use landline connections.
That was a plot line in a TV ,cop show years ago. They find that the restaurant the suspect supposedly visited wasn't serving meals.
I will pay any tradesman in cash if he offers me a reduced price. It is not criminal on my part - I pay him what he asks and his tax affairs are of no concern to me.
On that - I spoke to the guard at a station to ask him to come and sell me a ticket a few months ago (knowing that as there were purchasing facilities, I was just late, I could have been fined) and he beckoned at me to get on the wrong unit (and didn't come through) - I did buy a ticket as I thought that might not have gone down well with the guard on the next train!
Sorry but I disagree. It is indeed obvious why a lower price is being offered but I am aiding and abetting nothing. It is entirely up to the tradesman what price he quotes and what he does with the payment. it is of absolutely no concern to me. There is nothing morally wrong with a customer negotiating a lower price. In fact he would be stupid not to do so wherever possible. The notion that the customer has a moral responsibility to ensure the trader pays whatever tax is due is quite novel. Amazon, so I believe, pays very little in the way of tax relative to its turnover and profit. Should I suggest their prices are too low and offer to pay them more than they ask in an effort to ensure they pay their "fair share"?
I would offer to pay cash for work of a few hundred quid, which in Milton Keynes is basically getting your grass cut, but not for proper jobs that need a receipt or guarantee.
That is very cynical - they might just like me
It was XC - the girls had to change to get to Filton
It was 0720 in the morning, so unlikely
If someone was able to make a BACS payment on their phone then mobile reception is clearly good enough for a card machine.
Interestingly, I've just come back from Berlin and whilst yes it was a hell of a lot more cash focused than the UK is, I was surprised how many places did take card (after being told by people who had been there how cash based it was). Even managed to end up in a couple of places that were either card only or card preferred. Now granted that is Berlin so probably has had a lot of international influence which has caused that shift.
There is a card only supermarket in Amsterdam I used. Burger King is card only.
Our local ladies' hairdresser is "Card Only" (whilst my local barber is "Cash Only")
After about ten minutes trying to order a single cup of tea from BK's screen (every time it insisted on charging me for two) I went to the counter where the guy indicated he'd be happy to not only process it at the till, but also took cash, even giving change!
Was in Berlin last week and the only time I needed cash was for a luggage locker at Hbf. Finally a use for a dusty old €20 note I've had for years...straight into the change machine.
Makes sense considering how much more ladies' hairdressers charge than barbers!
