Cash also helps staff (tips) and small business owners avoid taxes (assuming they don't declare cash). Obviously depends a bit on your own morals regarding taxation.

Although tips won't be taxed, that only affects federal taxes, starts 2026 and finishes 2028 (amongst other limitations).

I think you spend less if you pay cash because you see the money.

Nah, once the cash has left my bank account I see it as already gone and spend it freely.

Same. If it doesn't show up in my bank or savings balances it's effectively already spent.

> I think you spend less if you pay cash because you see the money.

This may be true for some people. Doesn't work for me at all. I see the money equally in digital and print formats.

One more advantage:

A number of random places will charge extra for a credit card.

Not a lot, of course. But something.

My credit cards, both the physical ones and the ones on my phone, work without an internet connection.

Cash "just works" until you run out, or have too large denominations that people refuse. And there are more stores now that don't take cash at all.

> or have too large denominations that people refuse

In the US, if you have actually incurred a debt (e.g. you've already eaten your meal, or you've already had the repair performed, etc), the business can "refuse" payment in cash, but by so doing, they have effectively declared the debt void.

US legal tender case law permits businesses to refuse cash for non-debt-mediated transactions, but if a debt has been incurred, they have to accept it.

Well turns out that even with cash, you can still carry your debit card, just in case... Good God it really isnt that big of a deal to carry cash.

Getting cash is usually the issue, I don't get paid in cash and I have to make a special trip to get it.

> My credit cards, both the physical ones and the ones on my phone, work without an internet connection.

Of course not. I guess you haven't been to shops that say their network is down, so it's cash-only until it comes back online.

It used to be shops had those credit card imprint sliders to handle payments when phones lines were down, but nobody has those anymore (many credit cards don't even have the raised numbers anymore).

Really?

I’ve had multiple places not able to accept credit cards due to internet issues.

Literally had that last week. (Library, they had to call me later for payment.)

Accepting an offline transaction is at the discretion of the merchant, a payment terminal is going to be able to certify that a payment card is genuine, however as the issuer of the credit card may have the card reported stolen in its database, the merchant takes the risk of fraud in card-theft cases. So if as a merchant you have a well-known customer in front of you, you can still do the sale. Every acquirer can configure this to be more or less lenient for each issuer, and the tendency has been to be less and less lenient.

That makes sense, because I have paid in remote areas (no internet) before, thanks.