Do Americans carry a wad of dollars around?

You are travelling, so you are encountering more tipping situations (outside of dining) than most people do on a regular basis. Unless you are staying a hotel, you are not likely to deal with bellboys or parking lot attendants on a regular basis.

I think most people add the tip onto their card. I’m just now realizing that I’ve never stayed in a hotel nice enough to have bellboys. 

Usually no, because 99.9% of our life we aren’t at hotels and never interact with bellboys, etc. When we travel, yes.

Best Western and La Quinta don’t have anyone to tip 👍

If we're going someplace like a hotel with bellboys, housekeeping, etc., yeah we make sure to bring cash, but in cities there are always things that don't really take cards -- newstands, pizza places, fruit stands, etc. -- so it's always useful to have some cash.

Most of us carry a little cash all the time. But really very few jobs, outside of hotels, expect a cash tip.

Our rural town is essentially a cash-based society. So yes, we carry paper money. 😊

Literally never have cash unless I get it out to pay something specific.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I slipped someone a cash tip like you’re talking about, but I avoid valet parking like the plague and carry my own luggage when I travel.

I never carry cash

I usually have $50 in cash in various amounts

I try to have at least $20 in cash on me at all times, never know when a PoS system might go down or if a gas pump isn’t accepting card, plus there are like 2 cash only businesses near me.

I used to always carry around $100 in my wallet. But now I adjust based on where I am going. If I am going to the store I carry nothing. If I am going out to eat and drinks, I carry cash just in case.

Costanza wallet

I prefer to tip with cash rather than add it to my card. That way I am sure it goes directly to the person.

Cash is still king

I like cash.  So I always carry around 50 dollars in cash for tipping, giving to some homeless people or just because I can't be bothered to put in a pin number 

I carry a lot of cash, but I’m not down with the current tipping culture. Someone hands me a cup of tea and expects a $2 tip. Nope. I tip for table service and other things like hotel housekeeping. I’m not a cheapskate, but I’m tired of the tipping.

I carry cash all the time, while using my credit card only at major retailers (Home Depot, Walmart, etc.) and cash at all small retailers, convenience stores, gas stations or restaurants. Debit card only at my bank’s ATM machines.

Mom-and-Pop operations cyber security being typically crap, and I have avoided so far being hacked on my CC’s, debit cards and bank accounts. I hope to keep it that way.

I honestly hate the tipping culture. Went on a cruise from a country that had no tipping culture and it was expected to tip room attendant, restaurant servers, restaurant server manager??? All it did was force everyone to be over the top “friendly” to the point it was s actually cringeworthy and annoying. It really felt they were playing up just to get the tips which was completely fake and didn’t warrant being tipped in my opinion

I and my partner both carry around cash, as its better for use in local business, tipping, and giving money to panhandlers

Most people I know don't carry cash at all and we live paycheck to paycheck. As far as I know, we all just avoid services where tipping is expected other than an occasional order for pizza delivery.

Bellboys? You have too much money.

Cash is King always keep some

I do yes. Its not really for tipping though it does get used that way at time. I keep a mental tally of what is in my bank account so i know within a dollar how much is in there. Random purchases at the corner store would make it very hard to keep track.

Now if we ever do become a pure cashless society in my lifetime (highly unlikely) i plan to open a second account. One i use for random purchases and the other i keep a close eye on. As it stands right now its just easier to count the money in my pocket to know if i have enough for whatever im trying to do.

I pay my phone with almost everything

I haven’t carried cash in at least 10 years

I do because I still frequent places that are cash only, especially out in the country side. Plus I like to be able to purchase things in cash plastic fails for whatever the reason. I mean even at home I've seen the grocery store loose connection and not able to utilize credit cards. Luckily I had cash as a back up and was still able to shop for the week without any issues.

I also keep an emergency cash in my wallet for gas. That saved me on a business trip when my rental was running low on gas. Turns out all my plastic got maxed out by housekeeping staff. So thanks to the emergency cash I was able to get to my destination.

It's a good idea to always carry $40~60 on you.

I would carry a couple bucks like maybe $20 total in 3 fives and 5 ones just incase you want to tip on something you haven’t already paid with a card (you can add it there). PS reminder to everyone that tipping culture is the government not making wages higher and greedy businesses pretending paying a living wage is impossible. It is not the fault of the employee making $2-4 an hour serving wage. (Not that you said that, but some people get upset about it)

Yes, that’s called walkin’ around money.

Lots of Americans just don’t carry cash at all.

When I moved to Germany it was the first time I started carrying cash for years, because Germans don’t like cards.

I always carry atleast $150 in cash, I buy most things in cash when I can, I don't really like paying by card I find I spend more on impulse buys because I'm not physically parting with something, same reason I never save my card details anywhere.

All in all though, the amount of cash people carry has gone down pretty drastically for the most part. You can pay by card almost anywhere these days, some places also give you discounts paying by cash because they don't have to pay credit card fees on the transactions.

Tipping culture is pretty dumb yeah, originally tipping was a way to thank someone for going above and beyond and getting something extra as a reward it wasn't expected, and not employers using it as a way to cut costs.

For tipping if you don't have cash most places employees typically aren't supposed to do it but, you could always ask and then cashapp / venmo them.

I carry about $1000 in cash at all times. And keep $6K at the house. Sometimes you just need cash. See a good deal on a bike or truck? You're gonna need cash to negotiate. Drop into a card game? Cash. Also, most of the smaller service companies will give a discount for payment in cash. People who get use to paying everything with a card are chumps and costing the average consumer thousands a year in extra costs. 

Complaining about the tipping culture is getting tiring. If you don't want to tip, then just don't tip and shut the hell up. I don't like it,  but tip nonetheless. Because that's the way it is right now. 

I almost never have cash on me anymore. Unless I know I’m going somewhere that only takes cash.

I keep an emergency 20 broken down in 5s. That's it. I can't remember the last time I needed it. I keep change in my car for the shopping cart deposit at Aldi.

Pretty soon everyone will show you their qr code to tip them via venmo or whatever

I hate bellboys. Not personally. I just hate having someone handle my luggage. My wife and I travel light and I always insist on carrying my own stuff.

the reason people have cash to tip, is america is very far from cashless, many places don't take card or charge extra for it still. I work for a fortune 500 company and we just got chip readers on our card machines two years ago lol .

Of course, how else am I going to then just go to the Strip Club on a whim?

I'm American and I haven't used cash in 3 years

Sometimes we carry a fistful of dollars, sometimes it’s good to make room for a few dollars more. That way you’re prepared for the good, the bad, and the ugly

I never have cash on me. Don’t think I have any; it’s all on my card. But I’ve also never stayed in a hotel fancy enough for a bellhop. Didn’t know those still existed honestly - I’ve only ever seen them in Home Alone 2, lol. And restaurants let you put the tip on the card, so I don’t need to carry cash.

I don't tip bellboys. My bags have wheels and I move them myself. But I always have cash for emergencies.

I take care of this issue easily by never going anywhere but my house.

I saw a modernization just today! I was staying at a hotel in Indianapolis (Embassy Suites). There was a qr code to tip the bartenders (for the free drinks they give) and for the people who make your omelettes. I'm assuming valet will follow suit.

Wad of hundreds and magnum condoms. For feasting on the scraps.

I don’t carry cash unless I’m traveling or going to a restaurant as I prefer to tip with cash.

Maybe a couple, but not that many normally. Lots of times I do not have any cash on me.

I’m an American and I’ve had the same 20 dollar bill folded in my wallet for 3 years now. Mainly for an emergency like if I run out of gas or my cards get locked up. But there is no reason to keep a wad of cash or even use cash primarily.

If a business or an establishment seems dodgy, I will not expose my card info for protection. Also, I am seeing restaurants with 3.5% debit charges when a credit card is used (a financial tool to fight inflation). Tavern money is always cash; throw out a $20 and then pay as you go, including a cash tip at the end. The corner musician gets a buck or two if I am in the mood. Besides, cash is king in the underground economy. Don’t leave home without it!

Nothing to do with tipping, but I do carry a wad of cash with me at all times. I buy my vegetables at a farmers market and prefer to pay with cash so the people growing the food aren’t paying the credit card company a percentage of the sale. Same for food trucks, which is about the only place I eat lunch, and any other small-scale entrepreneurial business, craftspeople, etc., where the credit card companies are eating into their profits. The obscenely wealthy credit card companies.

I never carry any cash and never tip anyone at a hotel.

I’m mostly paying with card these days, but I always have some cash as a backup. Not a wad, but $60-$80 in $20 dollar bills. It’s going to be really location specific. When I visited NYC (pre-COVID) I ran into several businesses that were still cash only.

I always have 100-200$ in cash, usually in 5, 10 and 20 dollar bills. Rest stays in my bank. Not really a big deal to do lol

lol 98% of the people here can’t even afford groceries.

I haven't tipped anyone in cash in years

I don’t carry cash. I ask if they have Venmo etc. No venmo, no tip.

No, I carry $20 cash with me in case of emergencies, but that’s it. I rarely ever meet bellboys even when traveling, your hotel sounds fancy as hell.

I know very few Americans that ever carry cash, and I know fewer who have ever tipped (or even encountered) a bellboy.

i dont carry cash... idk why people think tipped labor should be tax free so bad they actually make considerably more than an hourly employee with the same skillset generally

There are homeless people in NYC with their Venmo/Cash App handles on cardboard signs. My barber shop has QR codes you can scan to tip each barber via Venmo. I’m sure hotels will eventually do something similar, maybe with a pestering email a few minutes after the bell boy etc finishes with your stuff.

Do you think that it’s possible to give an answer that covers all Americans?

I have always bene told to always carry a 20 you never know what sigltuation you may end up in where a 20 works and cards don't. I was also born in a very rural area and there's still shops that would prefer you pay in cash

Well, normal people carry wallets, and those hold cash

tipping is optional...

pro tip you can always decline a bellboy: "No thanks, I got it..."

No we don’t but neither does an average American use luxury services every day for a week/weeks. Even at sit down restaurants we can put the tip on a card. We don’t use hotels, bellboys, valets, etc on a daily basis.

Cash is king

I don't carry any cash at all. I pay for almost everything with my debit card.

Me and all of the people I know have left the tipping culture. As such none of us carry cash at all.

I stopped frivolous tipping, I tip 20% at restaurants. Everything else can fuck off. I put the do not disturb on the door at hotels, I don’t need the room cleaned everyday (or every other day now). I carry my own luggage up, I don’t need the services or luxuries.

I only carry about $20 with me at all times...but I use it to tip in cash when I can so people don't have to declare it as income.

I stop at the bank and ask for $20 worth of two dollar bills. When I give them as a tip, it catches people off guard but they love it. It’s unique and adds a little bit of special to their tip.

Yes, we do, and please, it's not really a "wad." I'll have about $100/$200 in twenties--sometimes it's just easier to pay in cash--ie if you're entering a pre-pay parking lot, or buying food from a taco stand or whatever; a couple of $10 bills to pay for valet (here in L.A.), maybe 4 $5 bills and 10 $1 bills to have handy for tips. Plenty of people tip bellboys and not just in America, please. What's the big deal? I carry the same equivalent assortment when I'm traveling, for the same reasons--not everyone takes a card, sometimes you want to leave a few Euro coins as a tip, etc etc.

As an American I like to keep at least 1,000 dollars rolled up with a rubber band at all times. On any typical day I may stop for fast-food 3 or 4 times, and it's just nice to have the cash on hand to tip the lady in the window as I pick up my Triple Burger with Sauce and my Devastator sized fries. Likewise with other chores, I like to be able to tip the gentleman who holds the door open going into the store, tip the pharmacist, tip the worker in the aisle who helped me find my 3 gallon ValueTainer of ice cream and the gallon of Gatorade to help replenish my electrolytes after a hard day of driving my SUV around. Similarly tipping the clerk at the register and finally paying for it all and paying for the plastic bags and tipping the young kid in the parking lot who complimented my SUV. Now obviously I'm being ridiculous and won't go through a thousand dollars in a single day, but after an exhausting day of walking close to 300 yards I am really too tired for the bank or atm and just want to turn on my Brighter Than The Fucking SUN headlights and drive my SUV back home and go to bed, so keeping a larger amount on me ensures I really only have to go to the bank once a week.

I haven't seen cash in ages. Every time something requires cash (like buying something used from an individual ) it throws me for a loop, I have to remember how to use an ATM or where my bank is. I absolutely remember when I had to go to the bank regularly to get rolls of quarters for parking meters and keep said rolls in my glove box, and I don't mind that those days are gone. I DO mind the fucking shit ton of financial surveillance but we lost a ton of personal liberties 23 years ago and it's probably going to take another 23 before we get them back. How do I tip ? It goes in the app or into the register. If I can't do it that way, sorry. Chances are it was a modern point of sale begging tips for nothing anyhow - like seriously I'm not going to tip you for handing me coffee over a counter. If I have contractors at the house then I do actually go get some cash for them to tip the men and women indivdiually after the job. I also feed contractors and offer them drinks, it's just how I was raised.

Like this: https://youtu.be/j_bDlJ2L8NA?si=1-v2dOHnDr0X2Ujx

I only carry cash when going somewhere I know I will have a service like a car park in the city. I don't carry a lot of cash but it's usually for people who handle my cars.

When I travel I carry a little extra cash for those things. When I’m home, I never have cash.

No

If your in Vegas or Atlantic city since they are gambling cities having money with you is kinda expected from staff and most venues, everywhere else no not really.

If I’m checking into a hotel I’ll get some cash. $2-$3 per bag is customary as far as I know unless things have changed.

I rarely carry cash unless I'm traveling . I always have cash on hand for tips.

I carry $20 in $1’s when traveling for tipping hotel staff and valet drivers. Other than that I carry probably $40 in $5’s to give to people who need it (don’t come for me for giving money to the unhoused, I don’t care), and $100 tucked into a pocket of my wallet for emergencies.

Beyond that all the tipping I do is on my card.

You carry what you think you might need for incidentals, which includes tipping. If you don't have cash, you go to the bank or ATM to get some cash for tipping or whatever you might need it for.

If you live in NYC where many places are still cash only, you carry some cash.

I just went to DC and I brought some smaller bills specifically for tipping.

I only carry cash when traveling. In those instances, a few $5 bills is plenty for bellmen, valet, etc unless you’re feeling more generous.

I bring $5s with me for tipping otherwise I tip on my card. Usually only $20-40 in cash because I always use my card.

When I travel I like to have some cash on hand but depending where you are you don't want to have a lot.

You can’t bribe a cop with a check