Discussion Thread: Do You Ever Carry Cash?

Do you ever carry cash anymore? Does anyone? Every once in a while, I need it for something specific and super inconvenient. I used to have a barber who wasn't set up to handle credit cards. I've never felt as poor as when I was halfway to his business and suddenly realized I needed to turn around and go to the bank. I guess it's better than the alternative of being in his chair when I remember I don't have the cash to pay. I can't imagine a more vulnerable time to be a deadbeat, although it would explain a few of my recent haircuts.

The worst thing about dealing with cash is getting coins as change. I don't want to carry around a clump of metal in my pocket. I don't have any use for it, unless I get mugged. Then I could throw it in my assailant's face as I run away.

The only other time coins come in handy is when I become the tooth fairy. My 8-year-old, Lucy, no longer believes in her, but the kid insists on payment all the same. When Lucy loses a tooth, she simply walks up to me and h…