●Stories
●Firehose
●All
●Popular
●Polls
●Software
●Thought Leadership
Submit
●
Login
●or
●
Sign up
●Topics:
●Devices
●Build
●Entertainment
●Technology
●Open Source
●Science
●YRO
●Follow us:
●RSS
●Facebook
●LinkedIn
●Twitter
●
Youtube
●
Mastodon
●Bluesky
Follow Slashdot stories on Twitter
Forgot your password?
Close
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
Load All Comments
Full
Abbreviated
Hidden
/Sea
Score:
5
4
3
2
1
0
-1
More
Login
Forgot your password?
Close
Close
Log In/Create an Account
●
All
●
Insightful
●
Informative
●
Interesting
●
Funny
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
byPowercntrl ( 458442 ) writes:
Is there really any reason we can't just make pennies out of plastic instead? Personally, I haven't used cash in ages anyway so I'm really neither here nor there on running out of pennies, but it seems like if the problem is just that they cost too much to manufacture, make them out of something cheaper.
twitter
facebook
byserviscope_minor ( 664417 ) writes:
Or just scrap them as a denomination. I'm in the UK where pennies are worth fractionally more. It is now worth considerably less in real terms than the 1/2 p coin when that was scrapped. I, personally in favour of scrapping copper coinage completely. Round the tally to the closest 5 and be done with it.
Parent
twitter
facebook
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
I don't even regularly carry cash anymore. Phone generates a random credit card number for anonymity when shopping, that's good enough.
byViol8 ( 599362 ) writes:
"Phone generates a random credit card number for anonymity when shopping"
Huh? How can you pay with some random card number? And no payment method is anonymous , you simply move who knows from the shop to apple/google and your bank still knows you spent money either way.
Also I don't understand people who pay with a phone when contactless bank cards are simpler to use and faster. Just smacks of showing off.
Parent
twitter
facebook
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
Also I don't understand people who pay with a phone when contactless bank cards are simpler to use and faster. Just smacks of showing off.
For most people I know that do this, it's just one less thing to carry - they'll have the phone with them anyway, so why carry cards/cash as well?
byViol8 ( 599362 ) writes:
Because not everywhere accepts apple or google for payments and if you're phone is lost or stoken you're screwed. Also it means giving apple or google your bank details in the first place.
byjonbryce ( 703250 ) writes:
In the UK, everyone, and I mean everyone accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay. I never carry cash when I go outside now.
byAnonymous Coward writes:
Big Brother is watching you shop. I hope you like it.
byKisai ( 213879 ) writes:
Big Brother was watching you shop with Cash too. Those serial numbers are not just for anti-counterfeiting.
bypostbigbang ( 761081 ) writes:
And you've surrendered your soul and privacy to tracking. You've become a loyal tool of the state, your history laid bare to the government or the next hacker looking to forever phish you with bad emails, snarf your wallets, and find out about those tawdry condoms you're buying. Welcome to The Hive. You've succumbed.
byiAmWaySmarterThanYou ( 10095012 ) writes:
You're online, posting at slashdot with a 6 digit uid.
Your computer has an IP, you pay for that access with a credit card associated with your name, address and bank account. Your email is hosted somewhere that also knows who you are. Your every search, purchase, post, article read, hooker hired, porn viewed and everything else you do is logged in a government database somewhere.
What privacy are you talking about? No normal person has any privacy on the net. 99% of privacy nuts fool themselves into thinking they do running a government owned vpn.
It is possible to be anonymous on the net but so restrictive almost no one would do what's required.
Parent
twitter
facebook
bypostbigbang ( 761081 ) writes:
Or I'm on Tor, the email on an obscured host.
Privacy is fleeting, we'll agree. And some of us try, because it's the right thing to do, rather than give it up to the man.
And we do so diligently, stay out of the system, whatever system that might be. And we don't leave tracks, and leave no trace. Yes, there are sniffers everywhere. The good news is that most of them are stupid, and have only hazy ideas of how to harvest the petabytes of info they already have.
But we're not "nuts". We're entirely deliberate. And often, we're successful. Conversely, sometimes we're not. You can profile my /. entries, sift me, but you don't know who I am, not that I care if you do. Rather, I fight the invasion, a matter of dignity and the right to be as anon as I please, not how you please. You can call this a fantasy or obsession, I prefer: Diligence.
Parent
twitter
facebook
bypostbigbang ( 761081 ) writes:
You're a bully.
You move the cheese, breast-thumping about "unlimited government resources". Your delusion is believing your own BS.
Tor exit nodes are known. Your data, where stored, is for sale somewhere; we know this. If you are stored in fewer places, there is less to rob, the benefit of thinking about actual liberty and what privacy adds to it.
That you don't care anymore is your problem and sad demise. My data, what little there is, is tough to join together by purpose, not sloth. Your paranoia is not my
bypostbigbang ( 761081 ) writes:
Maybe too many testosterone patches? You should really pull them off when they're expired.
byViol8 ( 599362 ) writes:
I'm in the UK and no, they don't. Go into plenty of small cafes and you'll be lucky if you can even pay by card. There's one in Romford that still only takes cash.
byUn-Thesis ( 700342 ) writes:
I've lived in the UK for about a year on and off since 2015. I've lived several months each in Bristol, Bath, Manchester, Glasgow, Stockton-on-tees, Teeside, Middlesbury and about 6 months in London.
I have never once found a store that was cash only. I've never found a single store since 2021 that didn't accept Google Pay via tap.
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
Because not everywhere accepts apple or google for payments and if you're phone is lost or stoken you're screwed. Also it means giving apple or google your bank details in the first place.
Well maybe - just maybe - for the people that dojust carry the phone - all the places where they need to make payments do take payments by phone! And maybe (rightly or wrongly) those people don't have your misgivings about giving their credit card details to Apple/Google. And let's face it, if your cash/cards are lost/stolen, you are equally screwed.
You don't have to agree with their reasons. But they're fairly easy to understand, and there's no element of showing off (I'm not even sure how that would work - hey everyone, I'm doing this thing that loads of other people can also do!) involved.
Parent
twitter
facebook
bydfghjk ( 711126 ) writes:
" And let's face it, if your cash/cards are lost/stolen, you are equally screwed."
It's not about theft, that is only one problem. Are you suggesting if you can't solve every problem, don't bother solving any? I mean, "let's face it", why bother paying for anything at all?
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
" And let's face it, if your cash/cards are lost/stolen, you are equally screwed."
It's not about theft, that is only one problem. Are you suggesting if you can't solve every problem, don't bother solving any?
No, I'm suggesting that some people feel that for them, carrying extra cards is—on balance—not likely to solve enough problems for them to be worth the extra inconvenience.
I mean, "let's face it", why bother paying for anything at all?
You're right! Some people don't carry any means of payment at all. Sounds pretty inconvenient to me, but, if it works for them *shrug*...
byDayze!Confused ( 717774 ) writes:
And potentially less screwed. Someone finds your wallet with cash and credit cards, they can use those. Straight out take the cash, and attempt to use CC's. At least with a phone the wireless payment doesn't work without unlocking it.
byUnknowingFool ( 672806 ) writes:
Because not everywhere accepts apple or google for payments in the US.
Fixed that for you. Some European countries have been ahead of the US regarding payment systems. For example, chip credit cards were everywhere long before US banks shifted towards them. Phone payment has been a thing in some European countries for years. In Asia, they have been the majority of payment types in countries like Singapore, China, India and Japan for years now.
byUn-Thesis ( 700342 ) writes:
I live in Colombia, Panama, Egypt, and the UAE almost all year.
I have never once found an actual store that doesn't have tap-to-pay that supports both Google Wallet and Apple Pay. Only street vendors in Colombia and Egypt want cash.
Most street vendors in Colombia accept digital wallet Neqi now, too. It's like Paypal via Bancolombia.
byLetterRip ( 30937 ) writes:
That's an American problem. Funny given that the tech is American. But then the US has always lagged behind with contactless payments.
Most of the world has widely used public transport that use contactless payment, so it is a fairly obvious transition in most countries. The US lacks decent public transport for most people, and thus they have no experience with contactless payment for public transit, hence the slow adoption.
byMalc ( 1751 ) writes:
New York City has a decent public transport system. I couldn't believe when I was there in 2016 that it was still using physical tickets so many years after London, Hong Kong and many others had gone contactless. I hear it's improved recently with OMNY, maybe with a bit of help from Andy Byford.
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
Funny given that the tech is American. But then the US has always lagged behind with contactless payments.
The "E" in EMV is Europay. Apple just forced any credit card issuing bank to give them a cut in order to enable their NFC chip for EMV payments. They could have just acted as a secure enclave for issuers to directly link an account. Their innovation is marketing and skimming off the top.
byMalc ( 1751 ) writes:
IÃ(TM)ve had countless time where I seen people fucking around with their phone in front of the POS terminal.
Amateurs ;)
Admittedly there is more that can go wrong. But, is it just that they weren't prepared and didn't choose their card in advance?
byIamthecheese ( 1264298 ) writes:
>... why carry cards/cash as well?
Because anonymity is a cornerstone of liberty. When everything you buy is easily tracked (and we're almost there) the government will know where you have been and what you have been doing in great detail. A social credit score is only the beginning of what they'll do with that information.
bydfghjk ( 711126 ) writes:
...and randomized credit card numbers do absolutely nothing for that, they only address "man in the middle" problems. All randomized CC numbers map back to the same payment source.
This is the reason people use cash, privacy.
bysarren1901 ( 5415506 ) writes:
The illusion of privacy anyway. Unless you don't carry your phone and you walk to where your going and you conceal your face, you are going to be tracked. The place you enter probably also has cameras up and though the quality may be bad, they would likely hand the recordings over to police and maybe even without a warrant.
Please keep fighting the privacy fight though. It's not a bad fight and maybe it will help preserve something. Thank you for your efforts. Sincerely.
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
They do, but a merchant can't grab that without paying a data broker. But if they collect a hash of your same card number every time you shop, then they can sell to a broker. Or give away the data in exchange for even more data on you. So it's a slight increase in privacy by reducing the number of entities that can snoop.
bydfghjk ( 711126 ) writes:
"For most people I know that do this, it's just one less thing to carry..."
Except it's not. "Most people you know that do this" need to discover wallets.
"...they'll have the phone with them anyway, so why carry cards/cash as well?"
In case they lose their phone or stops functioning? They need. to have an ID with them anyway, carrying cards/cash takes not extra effort because, you know, wallets.
It's almost as if you think that every app needs it's own phone, at least when it suits your narrative.
byreanjr ( 588767 ) writes:
I rarely take my ID when I go out. There's no necessity to carry an ID.
bysarren1901 ( 5415506 ) writes:
It may not be "necessary" to carry ID but it certainly get make things easier. I know if for whatever reason I may have police contact, I'd rather just show ID instead of having to go down to the station to be identified instead.
I can't remember the last time I even had police contact, but for that one single reason it's worth always having ID.
Also, whatever if you get in an accident? If you have ID on you, it's easier for all the emergency services to figure out who you are and contact your loved ones, etc
bytepples ( 727027 ) writes:
You must be fortunate to be 1. a citizen, 2. living in an area with adequate public transportation and bicycle infrastructure, 3. without a medical condition that requires you to use prescription-only or behind-the-counter medication.
Many regions require noncitizens to carry a passport on their person at all times. Many regions require a driver of a motor vehicle to carry a driver's license on their person at all times while the vehicle is in operation. Many regions require someone picking up a prescription
bycayenne8 ( 626475 ) writes:
I rarely take my ID when I go out. There's no necessity to carry an ID.
You don't drive?
I'm guessing your not one of the majority of Americans.
EU maybe?
byThurstonMoore ( 605470 ) writes:
In the US you're not required to carry ID.
byIngenium13 ( 162116 ) writes:
Yes, this was a weird thing to me in Spain. People were shocked that I didn't carry an ID, because it's required there and I didn't know. I never considered it unless I was going to a place that checked ID (no bar or club checks ID in my experience), or was driving. Otherwise I didn't see a reason to carry it.
byKsevio ( 865461 ) writes:
I always have my phone with me anyways and it's easily accessible. I usually have my wallet (though not always, sometimes I don't bother), but it's usually less convenient to get it out. Paying by phone is just more convenient for people like me, plus it's more secure.
For some older people, using a phone doesn't come as naturally so it might not be a good choice for them if they have to figure out how to unlock it or whatever. They can stick to writing checks
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
"For most people I know that do this, it's just one less thing to carry..."
Except it's not. "Most people you know that do this" need to discover wallets.
A wallet that's big enough to fit a smartphone in? My wallet's pretty chunky, but it won't fit my phone. But even if it did - Idon't mind having a chunky wallet and a phone in my jeans pockets, but plenty of people do... especially if they're wearing a dress or skirt instead of jeans.
"...they'll have the phone with them anyway, so why carry cards/cash as well?"
In case they lose their phone or stops functioning?
Wallets can get lost too - and if you're suggesting they keep their phone in their wallet then they've still lost everything.
They need. to have an ID with them anyway, carrying cards/cash takes not extra effort because, you know, wallets.
Why would they need to have an ID with them?
It's almost as if you think that every app needs it's own phone, at least when it suits your narrative.
I have no idea what you're saying here. What is my narrat
bytepples ( 727027 ) writes:
I don't mind having a chunky wallet and a phone in my jeans pockets, but plenty of people do... especially if they're wearing a dress or skirt instead of jeans.
Places I've stuck a phone, wallet, or other items while wearing a skirt include a jacket pocket, an apron pocket, and a pouch on a belt.
Why would they need to have an ID with them?
Existing as a noncitizen, driving, or buying medication.
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
I don't mind having a chunky wallet and a phone in my jeans pockets, but plenty of people do... especially if they're wearing a dress or skirt instead of jeans.
Places I've stuck a phone, wallet, or other items while wearing a skirt include a jacket pocket, an apron pocket, and a pouch on a belt.
And did that work for you? Great! But other people may prefer to do something differently, including the people I'm talking about.
Why would they need to have an ID with them?
Existing as a noncitizen, driving, or buying medication.
Non-citizens are not required to carry ID, nor are drivers, and I've never needed ID to get medication. So it's actually pretty common for people not to need to carry ID, including the people I'm talking about.
bytepples ( 727027 ) writes:
Non-citizens are not required to carry ID, nor are drivers, and I've never needed ID to get medication.
I guess it must depend on the jurisdiction. Some require all noncitizens and drivers to carry ID on their person at all times. Some countries that had a methamphetamine use epidemic 20 years ago still have a law on the books requiring customers to show ID to buy pseudoephedrine in much the same way as they must for spray paint, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, or lottery tickets. (Search keyword: Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005)
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
> ... are not required to carry ID, nor are drivers
In the USA...it's never that simple.
Drivers are required to carry an ID if you are operating a motor vehicle that requires one. This includes a broad category of specialty vehicles and uses (eg Commercial), as well as specific regional requirements.
You also need an ID if you want to get on an airplane legally or if you want to get prescription medication because you need an ID to get a prescription anyway.
If this has not been the case, in your experience, someone else has fucked up.
... or I'm not in the USA?
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
Non-citizens are not required to carry ID, nor are drivers, and I've never needed ID to get medication.
I guess it must depend on the jurisdiction. Some require all noncitizens and drivers to carry ID on their person at all times. Some countries that had a methamphetamine use epidemic 20 years ago still have a law on the books requiring customers to show ID to buy pseudoephedrine in much the same way as they must for spray paint, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, or lottery tickets. (Search keyword: Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005)
Things are different in the US, but here in the UK I don't need ID for any of those things. Personally I do tend to carry my driver's licence (occasionally it comes in useful, and I generally carry a wallet anyway so it's nbd), but many people just don't carry any ID around. Indeed, there are people who don't have a passport and can't drive - and they may not even have any ID to carry! (Probably the most common reason for people to carry ID is to purchase alcohol, but once you get beyond a certain age (or a
bypsmears ( 629712 ) writes:
> ... or I'm not in the USA?
What's your point? Nobody is going to ask what country you're from. It's irrelevant. The UK you don't. The US is varies. AUS you do for buses and trucks. So what?
The post you responded to was literally about the USA.
The post I responded to literally said "If this has not been the case, in your experience, someone else has fucked up.". I was simply pointing out that there is another explanation than "someone fucked up".
If it has nothing to do with you, nobody cares weirdo.
IDK, you clearly cared enough to reply!
bysarren1901 ( 5415506 ) writes:
I could make payments with my phone but tend to do the CC with the tap option. I don't use my phone as I don't want Google, Samsung or whoever else offers these services to have my transaction data. This way, my CC knows all and the bank just knows the CC gets money every week.
Cash is really only useful if you are buying something you know in advance will be cheaper with cash, which for me happens to be buying gasoline with cash versus card.
My change tends to pile up until I remember to grab a hand full to
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
When you pay with Google Pay, and I think Apple Pay as well, instead of giving them your real credit card number it generates a single use one. The bank knows to tie it to your account, but the retailer can't use it to match up with other transactions.
My phone is faster than my bank card. I don't have to open my wallet, and the card sometimes requires a PIN for security, where as the phone always uses fingerprint unlock so never fails to approve first time. Plus it's in my pocket for easy access, and I have
byViol8 ( 599362 ) writes:
"My phone is faster than my bank card."
Not IME. If I'm stuck behind someone struggle to pay in a queue its either a pensioner or a hipster trying to pay with their phone.
"I don't have to open my wallet"
Neither do I. I only have the 1 contactless card, the rest I've disabled NFC.
"The shops are barely worth visiting most of the time, apart from grocers. They have hardly any stock, never what you want. "
Can't disagree with that.
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
It's the other way around for me. It's usually someone trying to pay with contactless card and getting refused, so they have to insert the card and try to remember their PIN number. My phone never fails.
byserviscope_minor ( 664417 ) writes:
Not on the train/tube at rush hour. It's always someone futzing with their giant iPhone 19 pro max ultra turbo, haphazardly jabbing at buttons while a big queue of people using cards forms behind them...
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
Ah but iPhones went to shit when they removed the fingerprint unlock. The face thing rarely seems to work, and it's extra awkward to use for payments. Fingerprint sensor works every time.
bydfghjk ( 711126 ) writes:
"Obviously the bank knows about these transactions, but that's life in the UK now. "
So "good enough" privacy for you is no privacy, because all you care about is "the retailer" as it suits your narrative. You know what "the bank" doesn't "know about"? You using cash. You know what doesn't require a PIN OR a "fingerprint unlock"? You using cash.
"So most stuff I just buy online instead."
But we knew that from what you said already.
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
I'm not saying it's good, but it's better than using your card.
The reality in the UK is that all you can really buy in shops is groceries and basic necessities, and maybe some clothes. So you are already screwed and have to buy everything else online. It's unavoidable. Bad, and unavoidable.
bysarren1901 ( 5415506 ) writes:
You do understand why most brick and mortar can't carry everything under the sun though. Having every known esoteric widget just sitting on a shelf waiting for the day someone needs to buy it is a waste of money and shelf space.
Consider this. You have a 1000 sq meter shop. There is only so much floor and shelf space available. You naturally make money moving product and not storing products. You will want the highest demand items on your shelves because that's what drives sales.
For simplicity sake, we'll sa
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
Sure, but these days they don't carry basic stuff. Stuff that you can easily get anywhere in Japan.
bydrinkypoo ( 153816 ) writes:
Having every known esoteric widget just sitting on a shelf waiting for the day someone needs to buy it is a waste of money and shelf space.
Yes, you are absolutely right about this. But what I have noticed when I try to shop for things in local retail stores is that they don't just have poor selections, they tend to have a "selection" of essentially identical goods. I want options with differing features, and different quality levels, not basically (or sometimes exactly!) the same shit with different brands painted on it.
P.S. Be neat if some really industrious person could setup an on demand widget factory and the items just got delivered to your door :)
That's coming, but as you no doubt have figured out already (as I interpret your emoticon) it's not practical yet.
byF.Ultra ( 1673484 ) writes:
that is not what he is talking about though, he is comparing the UK pre and post Brexit.
byfafalone ( 633739 ) writes:
Some stores ask for the PIN when I use Google pay from my phone. Most don't. But e.g. CVS does even for purchases under $5.
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
That must be a US thing because it doesn't seem to happen in the UK or Japan.
The only issue I've had is that one chain of cafes (Tully's) has machines that just don't work with my phone so I have to use the card.
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
I wonder if their card is a debit card. In the US, only debit cards have PINs assigned. Transaction fees are lower on debit transactions vs credit cards. If you don't enter your PIN it is processed through the credit card network instead of the bank debit network and the fees are higher. Since Europe usually has a PIN for all the cards, there's a more consistent payment flow.
I should mention that bank debit cards in the US are almost always co-branded as Visa or Mastercard. This allows them to work any
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
Ah, that's interesting. In Europe the EU told them to stop taking the piss with credit card fees so there isn't any advantage to using debit card.
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
It's optional at least for Google Pay. It's a different number than on the physical card, but it's persistent. This is good for me, because a receipt usually only shows the last four of the card number so I would have no other way to know the payment method later.
My phone is faster than my bank card
Marginally. And only because it's quicker to get out. Most cards have the same exact tap tech - you just enter the PIN after instead of before (phone unlock).
byPowercntrl ( 458442 ) writes:
Also I don't understand people who pay with a phone when contactless bank cards are simpler to use and faster. Just smacks of showing off.
Apple Pay gives you an extra 1% cashback when you use the phone's contactless payment feature instead of the physical card. Those digital pennies actually add up.
byiAmWaySmarterThanYou ( 10095012 ) writes:
My cc gives me an unlimited flat 2% cash back on all purchases on and offline no matter how I pay. Even my online PayPal purchases which are backended by that card get 2%.
I paid 50k to have my entire back yard and patio redone. 2% back. In hindsight I should've maxed that card for partial payment when I bought my house. I did put my Model 3 on it, though. 2%.
I have an Apple Card. It's good for buying Apple stuff to get the bigger discount. I pay my 99 cent/month Apple storage fee with it, too. I s
byznrt ( 2424692 ) writes:
not the phone, financial or payment entities generate virtual credit cards via an app on your phone. the point isn't anonymity but safety since they tend to be one-time-use, so you don't have to worry abut the shop's crappy database being pwned.
there is some degree of weak anonymity though because even if the credit card number is leaked only the payment entity can trace it back to you.
byRegistered Coward v2 ( 447531 ) writes:
"Phone generates a random credit card number for anonymity when shopping"
Huh? How can you pay with some random card number? And no payment method is anonymous , you simply move who knows from the shop to apple/google and your bank still knows you spent money either way.
Apple must have some sort of agreement to allow them to generate 1 time valid credit card numbers, or maybe assigned a batch to use randomly. I once went to return an item and there was a lot of confusion because the CC number on the receipt was not one of mine, when we finally figured out is was paid with an iPhone we could make it work by returning it to the phone instead of a physical card.
Also I don't understand people who pay with a phone when contactless bank cards are simpler to use and faster. Just smacks of showing off.
No need to carry a wallet. Also, additional security because the CC number can't be cloned and used again. Thie
byMBGMorden ( 803437 ) writes:
Huh? How can you pay with some random card number?
Its a one-time use credit card # where its still attached to your account, but it has a limited expiration and limited funds available. Its just a way to mitigate damage in case your card # is leaked.
Also I don't understand people who pay with a phone when contactless bank cards are simpler to use and faster. Just smacks of showing off.
It all depends on your habits. The phone is dirt simple for me - there's no apps to select or anything - you just press your thumb to unlock and then hold up the phone. Particularly if you're already walking around with your phone in your hand its significantly faster then having to pull out my wallet, then
byLuckyo ( 1726890 ) writes:
Most of the "random credit card number" applications works by creating a virtual, single use credit card that is linked to the specific account automatically within bank's own systems.
It's not anonymous by any means, as it's linked to a specific account by the bank, and name on the card must still match the name of the payer. But it has the anonymizing effect of not being a usable credit card number after that transaction. I.e. it prevents things like skimmer attacks.
As for contactless cards, there's a reas
byViol8 ( 599362 ) writes:
"As for faster... it's much faster to double-click the side button on one's Apple Watch and then tap it to the payment terminal than to fish a card out of your wallet..."
Why do you have to fish a card out of a wallet? Any sensible person just keeps a single contactless on one side of the wallet
then flip that side on the reader. No button press required and neither to you have to spend $500 on some ridiculous watch on top of your phone.
bydfghjk ( 711126 ) writes:
"Phone generates a random credit card number for anonymity when shopping..."
If's for security, not anonymity, and it's not very useful for "shopping" in person, it's for online. It's not good enough.
byLuckyo ( 1726890 ) writes:
Germany due to its history is still a cash economy. It's also the main net payer for EU largesse.
byZocalo ( 252965 ) writes:
No reason why we couldn't in practice, and like the US it costs us more to mint the copper coins than their face value (the Royal Mint is a cagey on the point, but I believe the breakeven point of production vs. face value is currently either the 10p or 20p coin!). Between, contactless, inflation, and self-checkout tills, tranactions where you might use cash in the first place are already mostly a thing of the past anyway, although some people do like to pay over the odds for those special edition coin set
byZ00L00K ( 682162 ) writes:
The pennies are obsolete.
Basically any denomination below 25 cent could be dropped.
As for banknotes - when more and more payments are done with plastics then the coins could take over for the small payments up to $5 while all banknotes can be scrapped. Robbers would then have to run away with bags of coins that slows them down considerably.
byKisai ( 213879 ) writes:
Let's be real.
The rate of inflation since the 80's (when billions of pennies were made) has increased at a level that doesn't justify having the "1's".
Most prices in Japan, for example, even though they are approximately similar (eg 100 yen = 1 dollar), are denominated in 100's. It just means you have to give up seeing prices marked as '99c'. So just start listing all prices in 10 cent increments, and the problem is fully solved. Then one day we can re-decimalize the currency, or remove it entirely, and now everything is in dollars.
Pretty much the only reason why pennies have to exist was before electronic payments so people could pay sales taxes and stores could play games with their inventory control using the 1's digit. Fun fact, some stores use the last digit to indicate to the staff if an item is on sale or not, and YOU can figure this out by finding something that IS on sale in the store, look at the 1's digit and go find other things on the shelf that don't have a sale price on them, but still has the same 1's digit. (usually 4 or 3)
Parent
twitter
facebook
byIgnitusBoyone ( 840214 ) writes:
Our non inclusive sales tax setups are going to make things complicated. Lots of places have like 8.5% or 8.25% tax rates. Presumably it's simple to amend the laws, but I just have never thought out the process of well the cost of something is $1.00 and that is $1.0825 so we say 1.08, credit cards make this easy in cash you have to give me $1.10 is that 2c profit? I mean it would add up over an entire day. Should that then be subject to sales tax, who pays the sales tax on the $2.00 in 2c over charges yo
bydryeo ( 100693 ) writes:
Here in Canada, they have to round to the nearest nickel. $1.07 becomes $1.05, $1.08 becomes $1.10. It averages out. When we first switched, some stores advertised they always rounded down so you could actually come out a few cents ahead.
Thing was it was a law passed by Parliament, which included the rounding thing rather then a proclamation.
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
It just means you have to give up seeing prices marked as '99c'.
If sales taxes were pre-added to the displayed prices, we would be using round numbers. Otherwise, making an uneven number is a huge inconvenience. When the item costing 99 cents actually totals to $1.07 or $1.08 the psychology is more useful than a round number.
bykriston ( 7886 ) writes:
American pennies are plated with copper and have miniscule scrappage value.
byLuckyo ( 1726890 ) writes:
I would recommend the Finnish model instead. What happened when we adopted Euro back in early 2000s (and Euro was way more valuable than today) is that we didn't mint or otherwise put into circulation our 1 or 2 cent coins (every nation mints their own Eurocent coins, with number side being the same, and emblem side being specific to each nation for each coin). Smallest coin in legal circulation here was 5 cents.
But other Eurozone countries' 1 and 2 cent coins were acceptable currency as per Eurozone regulation. However by law, companies can receive them, but do not need to give exact change back. Instead change must only be rounded to nearest number divisible by 5 and that change is to be given back.
This isn't applied to bank, card etc exact payment transactions, only to cash transactions. Since rounding errors are half up (ending in 3,4,8,9) and half down (ending in 1,2,6,7), for pretty much any large number of transactions, it evens out and for low amounts of transactions, it's going to be too small of a sum to be relevant. It's a very functional system to take smallest coinage out of circulation for reasons of reducing minting costs, without actually meaningfully impacting economy or fairness in transactions.
Parent
twitter
facebook
byallcoolnameswheretak ( 1102727 ) writes:
Counterfeiting, durability, even more plastic pollution in the environment... yes, plenty of reasons.
Parent
twitter
facebook
bythegarbz ( 1787294 ) writes:
That applies to currencies in general but in the case of the penny no one is going to be counterfeiting them. And the average penny doesn't live long, they are the most thrown away coin in any modern economy.
Pollution is an issue though.
bygeekmux ( 1040042 ) writes:
Is there really any reason we can't just make pennies out of plastic instead? Personally, I haven't used cash in ages anyway so I'm really neither here nor there on running out of pennies, but it seems like if the problem is just that they cost too much to manufacture, make them out of something cheaper.
One, the world is being forced to eat enough microplastics through our food supply.
Two, the FUCK do you want or need to save the US penny for. They mattered when shit cost pennies to buy.
bythegarbz ( 1787294 ) writes:
Why have them at all? Many countries have done away with such worthless schrapnel and there's been no impact as a result. Heck many good actually got cheaper technically as people rounded to avoid hitting the whole number purchasing barrier (people are far more likely to think they are getting a good deal at $19.99 than at $20, so most such products got changed to $19.95 as a result when 1 and 2c pieces were abolished).
byls671 ( 1122017 ) writes:
Even Canada got rid of pennies eons ago. If you pay through electronic transfers, it doesn't change anything. I you pay cash, then the amount is rounded to the next nickel. Sometimes you lose 2 cents, sometimes you gain 2 cents. Everything is working fine.
byKisai ( 213879 ) writes:
Just don't make pennies at all. Canada already got rid of theirs entirely. Japan doesn't make 1 Yen coins except for non-circulating mint sets. Australia and South Africa got rid of theirs.
The only reason the penny remains in circulation at all is because the US likes dragging their heels on things. Still no Metric system, Still no Health Care. What is with Americans wanting to be known as the land of the ideocracy (sic.)
While I may disagree on a lot of the moronic EO's he's spitting out, getting rid of the Penny is a no-brainer. The mere fact that it isn't accepted in change/vending machines, and change machines don't give it out, is enough reason to get rid of it. People end up collecting pounds of pennies just to bring it into a bank to have counted by a machine the BANK owns.
Parent
twitter
facebook
bydrinkypoo ( 153816 ) writes:
Ideocracy is what we want, idiocracy is what we've got.
bydryeo ( 100693 ) writes:
One of the big reasons for America still having pennies is the zinc lobby.
bypiojo ( 995934 ) writes:
Is there really any reason we can't just make pennies out of plastic instead?
Do you really want to be known as the first world country that couldn't afford metal coins?
byGilgaron ( 575091 ) writes:
Presumably they'd be less durable which would make it pointless. We probably should get rid of the penny, although I believe this sort of thing at the mint is supposed to be routed through congress, so it's a sensible idea being routed in a way to erode norms further.
byAskmum ( 1038780 ) writes:
In the Netherlands, pre-euro cents were abolished and every transaction, when done in cash, was rounded to the nearest 5 cent (the next higher coin). Prices were still in cents, but buy one item for 99 cents, pay 1 guilder, buy two items for 99 cents, pay 2 guilders, buy 3 items for 99 cents, pay 2,95. You can game this by paying electronically when the rounding is not in your favour. But really, how much do you gain.
And yes, this was also because the cost of producing a cent was much higher than its value.
Post-euro, the practice continued. 1 and 2 eurocent coins are not used in the Netherlands and every transaction is rounded to the nearest 5 eurocent. Some retail even refuses to accept 1 or 2 eurocent coins even though they are still legal tender.
Parent
twitter
facebook
byeth1 ( 94901 ) writes:
The annoying thing is, if it weren't for the "this is why we can't have nice things" crowd abusing the system, the government could buy back people's penny jars for 2c each to put them back into circulation, and still save money.
bylarryjoe ( 135075 ) writes:
Is there really any reason we can't just make pennies out of plastic instead?
Plastic coins don't last as long and might end up costing more. There might also be a security issue in terms of being easier to counterfeit. Oh, and they might be harder to squish into souvenirs. Also harder to play penny hockey.
byUnknowingFool ( 672806 ) writes:
Besides the fact that then pennies would be cheap enough to counterfeit? One of the main reasons pennies are not counterfeited is that the cost to make them is more than the penny's value.
byLuckyo ( 1726890 ) writes:
Durability.
byHans Lehmann ( 571625 ) writes:
American pennies are made from almost entirely zinc, with a thin copper veneer. The zinc industry lobbies (bribes) heavily to ensure that pennies are not discontinued, the cost to manufacturer them be damned.
byjenningsthecat ( 1525947 ) writes:
Is there really any reason we can't just make pennies out of plastic instead? Personally, I haven't used cash in ages anyway so I'm really neither here nor there on running out of pennies, but it seems like if the problem is just that they cost too much to manufacture, make them out of something cheaper.
I hate to agree with Trump on anything, but in this (rare) case I think he's right. Here in Canada we ditched the penny about a dozen years ago and it has not been missed.
Long before the Mint stopped making them they were considered to be mostly a nuisance, and huge numbers of them were squirreled away in drawers by people who didn't want their pockets weighing them down but couldn't be bothered with the effort of taking a hundred of them to the bank just to get a measly buck in return.
Ditch the penny - you
bywonkavader ( 605434 ) writes:
In order for a new shape or weight of pennies to work, machines which take them would have to be changed. Essentially they'd have to take a new coin type. It would be expensive and would be done slapdash, and those plastic pennies would be at times useless.
It's better to just stop making them. I cannot believe that trump is doing something which I actually agree with.
byberj ( 754323 ) writes:
Canada made pennies out of aluminum for several years before abolishing them.
No we didn't. According to the Royal Canadian Mint the compositions over the years were as follows:
1908 – 1920
Composition: 95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc
1920 – 1941
Composition: 95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc
1942 – 1977
Composition: 98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc
1978 – 1979
Composition: 98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1980 – 1981
Composition: 98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1982 – 1996
Composition: 98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1997 – 1999
Composition: 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating
2000 – present*
Composition: 94% steel, 1.5% nickel, 4.5% copper plating OR 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating
https://www.mint.ca/en/discove... [www.mint.ca]
Production ceased in 2012.
A google search does show this AI-generated nonsense, however:
Canadian pennies were made of aluminum in 1973, 1974, and 1975. The 1974 aluminum pennies were 96% aluminum with trace amounts of other metals.
And then as a supporting link it gives a wikipedia page about an American aluminum penny. God AI is useless.
Parent
twitter
facebook
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
I know that copper clad steel is used for wire and such without any worry of galvanic corrosion, but the minting process might affect how well that bond works. Steel
It would also change the weight of the coin. That means updating the firmware on just about every vending machine that has anti-counterfeiting measures. Might be within the margin of error, though. We could also go back to the 1943 zinc-plated steel penny formulation. A little closer in weight to the modern penny.
bydryeo ( 100693 ) writes:
Canada's last pennies were copper plated steel, worked fine, weight didn't seem to matter especially as at one point the penny got thinner before the steel plated thing. As for vending machines, haven't seen one that accepted pennies in 50 odd years.
We also have changed our other coins from nickel to steel plated with nickel, it was done in such a way the vending machines accepted the new coinage. It's also kept in sync with American vending machines, eg the American dollar coin and Canadian dollar coins ar
There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.
Slashdot
Discussion
●
●
Submit Story
/* Halley */
(Halley's comment.)
●FAQ
●Story Archive
●Hall of Fame
●Advertising
●Terms
●Privacy Statement
●About
●Feedback
●Mobile View
●Blog
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
Copyright © 2026 Slashdot Media. All Rights Reserved.
×
Close
Working...
Working...