Wouldn't it be better to study, I don't know, Somalia or something?

Same way their neighbors in Europe are doing it. Working Middle Class, caught between the greedy Rich, who want every penny possible to line their pockets with, and the Socialists, who need every penny possible to buy the votes of the perpetually worthless. Let's see what happens when the parasites kill the host.

Only times I still use cash is for collections or lotteries at work, and that's just small coins. Oh, and I carry a single bill in my wallet in case by bank card kneels on me (again).

/norway

It's Bush's fault.

basemetal: Well, that would totally fark up the narco trade, so I'll say I wont see that here in my lifetime.

You better sit down for this grandpa, but try googling bitcoin + silkroad and see what comes up.

Tiiba: Wouldn't it be better to study, I don't know, Somalia or something?

This. People in the US think it's normal to write paper checks for groceries. And the stores still accept them. WTF? Welcome to 1952?

Sounds like a good idea.

Unless of course your chosen establishment has some sort of outage. Then you're just kinda screwed.

/the "B" is for "bork"

Sweden is awesome. I hope I get to move there one day.
Then I'll be a few thousand miles closer to the queen of my world.
Below, a new window can be made by her also...

spawn73: basemetal: Well, that would totally fark up the narco trade, so I'll say I wont see that here in my lifetime.

You better sit down for this grandpa, but try googling bitcoin + silkroad and see what comes up.

Holy shiat.

Yeah, no it isn't.

With the really expensive currency redesign coming up here (including a complete change in coins which is really farking costly) it is making a move towards using less cash, but a society without cash is not in the cards here.

Sounds nice, might suck if they experience a blackout for some reason.

That way the government can know exactly how you can spend all of your income. But hey, if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear.

/anyone with more money that me is evil

I don't want records of my bribes and hookers only take cash

Sybarite: I thought the Swedes had an Allen wrench-based economy.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnd we're done here.

...by taking all the money away from everyone???

Cashless society? Sounds like someone in the Ministry of Finance has had a little too much L.D.S..

_{and I don't mean Mormons}

So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Uncle Tractor: Only times I still use cash is for collections or lotteries at work, and that's just small coins. Oh, and I carry a single bill in my wallet in case by bank card kneels on me (again).

/norway

I have US Dollars and Russian Rubles in my wallet right now, but no Kroner. That tells you how often I use cash.

Hey, am I remembering incorrectly or was there no actual currency on Earth in the "Star Trek" universe?

Random Bastage: Hey, am I remembering incorrectly or was there no actual currency on Earth in the "Star Trek" universe?

Right. Money was basically written out of the ST universe until DS9 became the "gold pressed latinum" show.

Sweden was the first place I went into a grocery store, weighed my own stuff, printed out a price tag, and the cashier just trusted me. I think it's also the last (ok a few hippie places in America). Seems Sweden is the land of seems like a good idea until it fails in some obvious way.

Red Shirt Blues: [i.istockimg.com image 380x380]
Challenge accepted!

The solution is obvious.

Probably NSFW

Yes, let's computerize everything. There can't be a downside to that.

Step one: Send all money to Cambodia.

Jument: Tiiba: Wouldn't it be better to study, I don't know, Somalia or something?

This. People in the US think it's normal to write paper checks for groceries. And the stores still accept them. WTF? Welcome to 1952?

Oh my god, this. Who the hell still writes checks, and why?? Get a debit card, grayballs.

CrackpipeCardozo: [socioecohistory.files.wordpress.com image 523x283]

Its going by the book

CrackpipeCardozo: [socioecohistory.files.wordpress.com image 523x283]

It'll be a cold day in hell before they chip my ass.

zilong: So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Is the US the only country that still has 1 dollar bills?

And how are we supposed to bribe politicians without briefcases full of cash?

Hebalo: zilong: So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Is the US the only country that still has 1 dollar bills?

Heck, Japan still has coins, they make them out if aluminum.

mcreadyblue: Hebalo: zilong: So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Is the US the only country that still has 1 dollar bills?

Heck, Japan still has coins, they make them out if aluminum.

Lots of countries have coins, but I'm trying to think of another that still uses bills for $1.

When I moved to Sweden a couple of years ago, I had a cashier's check from my US bank. The banker here did a double-take when I brought it in for deposit.

Hebalo: mcreadyblue: Hebalo: zilong: So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Is the US the only country that still has 1 dollar bills?

Heck, Japan still has coins, they make them out if aluminum.

Lots of countries have coins, but I'm trying to think of another that still uses bills for $1.

Until/unless the govt mandates that all vending machines that take bills take dollar coins dollar coins will NOT catch on in the U.S., I'm not against the idea of Dollar coins, but as long as vending machines other than the post office don't take them they are worthless, no one wants them and tries to unload them ASAP when they do get them.

Oldiron_79: Hebalo: mcreadyblue: Hebalo: zilong: So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Is the US the only country that still has 1 dollar bills?

Heck, Japan still has coins, they make them out if aluminum.

Lots of countries have coins, but I'm trying to think of another that still uses bills for $1.

Until/unless the govt mandates that all vending machines that take bills take dollar coins dollar coins will NOT catch on in the U.S., I'm not against the idea of Dollar coins, but as long as vending machines other than the post office don't take them they are worthless, no one wants them and tries to unload them ASAP when they do get them.

Actually, the problem you describe would solve itself if the US just did what every OTHER country did when they switched: Switch, and take $1 bills out of circulation. Then, vending machine operators will HAVE to make their machines take $1 coins, etc.

Let me first greet you all in my native language, Bork!
With that out of the way I'll have you know that most swedes are in favor of getting rid of cash.
It costs a lot to haul that cash around from establishments to banks, heck, even the banks don't want cash anymore.

During the late 1990's and early 2000's there was an alarming increase in robberies targeted at armored cars transporting money, the banks wanted none of that and pushed for reducing the cash in circulation. It was a good idea since the population were more than a little worried of robbers setting cars on fire, laying down spikes and firing automatic rifles in the middle of the capital every other week.

I barely use cash anymore, I think I use my card for 95% of my purchases.
Our equivalent of a dollar is a coin (10 kronor) and when you break a 100 kronor bill the change it's often made up of fifty percent coins. Coins suck to carry around.

Shopping is snappy now that most grocery stores have self help terminals. They are often set up with eight terminals, two rows of four facing each other, with one member of the staff supervising.
Instead of having to stand in line with my three items I can be in and out of the store in two minutes,


Nick Nostril: Yes, let's computerize everything. There can't be a downside to that.

The card terminals have an offline mode that stores every transaction and runs them as soon as they are back online.

I help run a small business and I for one welcome our cashless society.

Greek: Oldiron_79: Hebalo: mcreadyblue: Hebalo: zilong: So if I don't have 1 dollar bills, I am not swiping my card into something...

Is the US the only country that still has 1 dollar bills?

Heck, Japan still has coins, they make them out if aluminum.

Lots of countries have coins, but I'm trying to think of another that still uses bills for $1.

Until/unless the govt mandates that all vending machines that take bills take dollar coins dollar coins will NOT catch on in the U.S., I'm not against the idea of Dollar coins, but as long as vending machines other than the post office don't take them they are worthless, no one wants them and tries to unload them ASAP when they do get them.

Actually, the problem you describe would solve itself if the US just did what every OTHER country did when they switched: Switch, and take $1 bills out of circulation. Then, vending machine operators will HAVE to make their machines take $1 coins, etc.

This.

Selector: Oh my god, this. Who the hell still writes checks, and why??

My tenants, because they don't want to be walking around with that amount of cash and neither do I.

Red Shirt Blues: [i.istockimg.com image 380x380]
Challenge accepted!

I'd imagine that for strip clubs, you'd probably use your credit card at the front to buy some sort of strip club currency that you could give to the performers that they would turn in and be reimbursed for at the end of the night.