How much cash to carry in London?

It's pretty hard to judge the personal need for cash. If you are paying for your lodging, at checkout time, then it's easy, take out a couple of hundred pounds and use up what you didn't spend when you clear your hotel bill.

Yes contactless payment has become very popular but IMHO always good to have cash.

I use cash in markets to buy bottled water, snacks, pre made sandwiches, crisps. Also use it to buy fresh produce, food, drink and gifts at Farmers Markets.

Tip your cabby.

For 4 days, 40 £.

I’m a math atheist so honestly my calculations are just a guess.

A math atheist would be an innumerate.

Or maybe non-numerate or anti-numerate.

Buskers and street people probably don't accept contactless payments yet, so factor that into your cash needs, too.
Various histrionic gestures of frustration or contempt don't look nearly as dramatic with a tap card or phone as they do if you tear up a bill or throw coins at someone's feet, either.

Lots of Buskers on this side of the Atlantic, are using the Square plug-in on their smartphone to accept CCs.

.>Buskers and street people probably don't accept contactless payments yet, so factor that into your cash needs, too.

In Manchester during the Christmas markets, there was a busker who had a sign saying "I now accept credit cards."

Except for cabs, I can''t remember the last time I used cash in London. It's good to have some on hand. I could have paid for cabs with my card but I prefer to pay for them in cash.

@avirosemail

Yep thats me. Without basic knowledge of arithmetic. Thats THE point!

You can use cash anyplace, so how much you have is up to you. Contactless payment is assumed most places, but we had no trouble using cash in early March. It would have been easy to go cashless for what we did. We just happened to have plenty of pounds left over from previous trips that we wanted to use to reduce what we had.

I brought £300 for 8 days, leaving tomorrow morning with £25 left. I liked the ease of tapping my credit card but using it for really small purchases feels ridiculous. A few places were absolutely cashless but old habits die hard so I will always have some with me.

I haven’t used any cash in the last four years.

I always carry at least enough to pay for a meal when going to a cafe or restaurant. I have had a few cafes recently had issues with their card machine and I have ended up paying cash. Generally, most of my purchases are by card.

I always have at least a hundred of the currency. There is always the possibility of a credit card failing so money is the final backup.

You can probably get away with none, but a few tens and some change for short term security and possible convenience isn't a bad idea.

It occurred to me yesterday that it is a long time since I saw an armoured security van going to banks and shops collecting cash and cheques. They were staffed by people in helmets and visors for protection. I imagine there is much less risk of theft now, and no need to transfer physical items now that transactions are recorded electronically.

I used to be reluctant to use a card to pay small amounts, but most places now prefer it as it makes accointing easier.

An excellent point. Small business can not like the transaction fees with paying via card, but they’re not at the risk of having physical notes stolen, never to be seen again.

Edit: You should check with your hotel (or whatever) in advance if you’re planning on paying in cash when you leave. More hotels are becoming completely cashless.

"Small business can not like the transaction fees with paying via card"

Those fees have now been heavily regulated downward in Europe, the same cannot be said for North America. That's why if I buy something from a mom and pop shop, here at home, I tap a debit card where the fees are lower than for CCs.

I think the best way to answer these kind of questions is to ask how much cash a person would carry with them if they were traveling to NYC, or LA, Hawaii, or anywhere within your home country. If you're comfortable with zero cash at all at home, then it would be no different in London or wherever. If on the other hand, you might want to have some cash backup, well, follow your own instinct.

I always take out the max my debit will allow on first arrival, and see how long it lasts. Then redraw as necessary, or spend what's left at duty-free on the return, if I didnt use it.

I took out 100£ when I arrived and by the last day was actively trying to use that cash. I was surprised by how prevalent and automatic “tap payment” was in London. I never use it in the states, but it was simply so expected everywhere I went and so convenient that I just rolled with it. I also found a coffee shop that just did not deal in cash at all. So, in answer to your question: you’ll probably feel better having some cash, but you could conceivably have zero cash on you in London and be totally fine.