Sure there are apps for everything, including booking a ride, paying your bills, paying for groceries and even splitting the bill at a restaurant with your mates.
But there’s a bit of research out today from Bankwest which shows that cash is still king when it comes to splitting the bill at a restaurant or down at the pub.
And those “Baby Boomers” are the slowed to latch onto the move toward apps with 90% of Baby Boomers putting in cash to split the bill for drinks, and a similar amount for splitting the bill for dinner.
Not really alarming, to be expected – but when you dig into the numbers, the move to go cashless isn’t exactly struggling.
Just 30% of Gen Y are always carrying cash in their wallet – a number which goes up as you get older. There’s even a solid move toward never carrying cash too.
Gen Y are also the first to opt for technology when it comes to splitting the bill, using bank transfers more than they would cash.
Bankwest EGM Customer Solutions & Insights Pieter Vorster said: “These results are illuminating, as they hint at the social circumstances in which people still find physical cash preferable.
“Digital solutions have made life more convenient in many cases, but it’s clear there are times when people prefer the simple – and, perhaps, less socially-disruptive – option of physical cash.
“In social situations, splitting a bill by handing over cash might be preferred, as it means you don’t have to stop conversation for account details, or to upskill a friend on digital options.
“It will be interesting to see if and how those trends change in the coming years, as new digital services are introduced, and technology becomes even more ubiquitous and second-nature.”
We may be a long way from going cashless, and wallet-free – but the move is on folks – get on board!
