Cashed out: a fond farewell to coins and notes

If you're struggling to recall the last time you handled cash, you're not alone. As we click and tap our way to a digital world, Emma Beddington asks if we'll miss the pound in our pocket when it's gone

What's in your wallet? Do you even know where it is? In March last year I stuck a bank card in my pocket; since then, I've pretty much given up on the card, too. For the purposes of this exercise, I found and checked my wallet: there's a 5 note I accidentally ripped in half years ago, folded up very small, plus 38p. The 20 I've had since I was sent home from work on 27 March 2020," says one friend, fairly typically. The same 10 I've had in my purse for over a year." 10.70 - the last of the 50 I took out at the beginning of first lockdown."

And when did you last use cash? For me, it was a cucumber plant (1) two months ago. The plant guy is one of the few hold-outs among the off-grid types at the local food circle" market - every kale-selling hippy has a sleek contactless terminal. We keep coins for supermarket trolleys, occasional parking, and some window cleaners are wedded to cash. These and tipping - many of us don't trust big companies to distribute digital tips fairly, with some justification - are the few remaining pockets of semi- consistent cash use among my friends and acquaintances.

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