2,041 posts
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Post by 49thand8th on Nov 2, 2018 16:40:59 GMT
I always, ALWAYS carry some cash with me. Not only because I'm a Where's George aficionado, but I don't like the idea of every single financial transaction I make being tracked somewhere.
It's also way easier to split a bill with friends if you have cash. I can be the hero if I'm carrying small notes with me.
(Full disclosure: I do volunteer for an organization that does a great deal of twice-yearly in-person fundraising using cash, although of course, we take cards and checks too.)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2018 16:51:40 GMT
I mostly try to carry cash, as I never quite know when I'm going to need to get a (non-London) bus. But some days I very purposefully don't carry cash because I know I should be walking. I find it a little aggravating on holiday, actually, I budget how much I want to spend and I convert it into the appropriate currency, then I get to the holiday and discover half the places have decided they only want to take cards now. It really complicates the whole "here is a concrete pile of how much money I am willing to spend, cards need not apply" issue, and although I came in well under budget for my last holiday, I definitely went way over on the two before.
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3,580 posts
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Post by showgirl on Nov 2, 2018 16:53:15 GMT
When I volunteered at the local hospital shop, volunteers were given a pass for the staff car park (nowadays even staff have to pay and visitors have long had to do so, both of which charges I consider wrong), but if they had to pay to use a private overspill car park, the cost would be refunded and their petrol was if they claimed. I tried to walk (it was only 2 miles each way but most volunteers were much older and probably not used to walking much) but I would never have claimed the cost of any petrol; it was another form of donation, along with my time, as others have said.
However, the issue which always made me feel very uncomfortable was that the shop made most of its money from selling terribly unhealthy food (chocolate, crisps and over-sweetened fizzy and hot drinks) and staff were some of the best customers. Many staff and visitors were overweight and all of them would have done better to treat these products as occasional treats rather than a substantial part of their daily diet. No-one else ever mentioned this dilemma but with the crackdown on sugar, I wonder whether things have changed.
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3,580 posts
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Post by showgirl on Nov 3, 2018 5:51:04 GMT
Yes, I'd really have liked to see the shop selling fresh fruit and more sandwiches (a small, pre-packed range, some alas made with white bread and/or containing dressing in the filling) and displaying both more prominently than the unhealthy stock.
Although a minor, local example, to me this is part of the wider question about charities accepting donations/raising funds in a morally dubious way. Arts organisations, galleries and museums now face adverse publicity and even boycotts due to the source of some of their funding, so how can it be right for a hospital charity (above all!) to benefit from unhealthy eating habits when these not only affect their own patients and staff but cost the NHS a fortune?
As for the persistent smoking outside, again by staff as well as visitors, despite the ban, I despair.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2018 17:08:52 GMT
To be honest, I only give some coins if the actors are the ones holding the buckets at the foyer, as it is a chance to have a little chat lol.
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4,030 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Nov 3, 2018 23:13:11 GMT
I'm the same, though for a different reason. 3 shows that I see regularly do very frequent charity collections & if the people rattling the buckets know me by sight then I kind of feel obliged to put something in!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 10:42:02 GMT
I hate cash and change with a passion. Sadly I’m at that age where I’m no longer asked for ID, so I don’t even bother taking a wallet with me half the time nowadays, and just use Apple Pay. That said, I do carry change of less than £5 in my bag and have an emergency £10 in there too - the local Chinese doesn’t take card payments and public facilities in London demand coinage in emergency situations.
Plus you never know when you need an interval ice cream.
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19,799 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 4, 2018 11:35:48 GMT
I’m sure we’re not far away from the ice cream sellers having a mobile card terminal. Do away with all that scooping around a plastic tray for 5p coins.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 12:23:28 GMT
I’m surprised they don’t sell you interval ice cream vouchers in the foyer, alongside your programmes and/or interval drinks, that you pay for with a card.
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19,799 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 4, 2018 12:31:15 GMT
Ok so I’ve cracked it. When you book on line you get the option to add in your interval ice cream. This appears as a code on your ticket which you exchange for your tub! Totally cash free and super fast. Apart from that time when you ask for raspberry ripple and FO says “according to that code you you ordered mint choc chip” and you ask if you can change your mind and they say “NO!”.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 12:50:57 GMT
I don't know if they still do but Sherman used to sell ice cream vouchers you could book with tickets. Or presumably could do when you arrived at Box Office. Was very useful at Christmas because you didn't have to faff about with 50 kids and all their change.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 13:06:00 GMT
I carry £20 in my wallet hidden in like a little side pocket at the back almost always, but that is something my Dad just told me to do at Uni and it stuck. Because you never know whats gonna happen, and whether its you lose money, its there to grab, but also, if you run out of money for say a taxi or something, £20 generallt would cover you for something like that.
I don't kind giving a charity donation here and there. What I don't appreciate is beggers on the street almost attempting to force you to give them money. There was a woman once by the Aldwych who was begging and she came up to me and asked for money. I didn't have any on me other than my hidden £20. She said "oh come on, we can go to a cashpoint" and poked my wallet which she could see the outline of in my pocket. I said no and walked off but she walked alongside me so I got up to the Novello and she was still with me, sorry for those offended but I was angry, I just had to turn around and tell her to f*** off.
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