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Cash in hand experiment

File under: News from the front.

Reach into your pocket and please report how much paper cash you have in hand at this moment. This research will be used to get a sample of the denominations and amount of actual cash folk have in their pockets today. It has been reported that only 3% of the actual money in the US is in cash, all the rest is electronic. This sampling should be interesting. This experiment evolves from an experience I had at the bank earlier this week where I asked for 10 dollar bills and 5 bills and I was asked to sign a digital pad prior to receiving the cash.

Me: $62
3-20's
2-1's
«1

Comments

  • WeissWeiss Posts: 9,934 ✭✭✭✭✭
    $191
    $20 x 9
    $1 x 11
    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
  • TomohawkTomohawk Posts: 667 ✭✭
    $76
    3x20
    1x10
    1x5
    1x1

    Pretty diverse...I'm so pleased with myself!image
    ASE Addict...but oh so poor!
  • For me: $161

    7 * $20
    1 *$10
    11 * $1

    Many, many perfect transactions with other members. Ask please.
  • $98

    4-20's
    1-10
    1-5
    3-1's
    "If you hit a midget on the head with a stick, he turns into 40 gold coins." - Patty Oswalt
  • $551

    (5) $100's
    (1) $50
    (1) $1
    "When someone tells you nothing is impossible, ask them to dribble a football"

    MANY positive BST Transactions
  • CiccioCiccio Posts: 1,405
    $115:
    5 x $20
    2 x $5
    2 x $1
    3 X $1 coin
  • konsolekonsole Posts: 788 ✭✭✭
    $0

    actually I don't have my wallet on me

    From what I read there is around $800B physical dollars in circulation as of the end of 2007. Nice to know the national debt is like 10 times greater then the amount of money in circulation. You can bet that the TARP program didnt plan on actually printing all that $700B, just send it wherever electronically.
  • secondrepublicsecondrepublic Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭
    Usually I don't have much cash in my wallet -- under $50 -- but today I have $191, comprised of:

    One - $100 bill
    Four - $20 bills
    One - $10 bill
    One - $1 bill
    "Men who had never shown any ability to make or increase fortunes for themselves abounded in brilliant plans for creating and increasing wealth for the country at large." Fiat Money Inflation in France, Andrew Dickson White (1912)
  • bestmrbestmr Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭
    $0
    I almost never have cash unless I happen to go to a place that only uses cash. I'm a debit person.
    Positive dealing with oilstates2003, rkfish, Scrapman1077, Weather11am, Guitarwes, Twosides2acoin, Hendrixkat, Sevensteps, CarlWohlforth, DLBack, zug, wildjag, tetradrachm, tydye, NotSure, AgBlox, Seemyauction, Stopmotion, Zubie, Fivecents, Musky1011, Bstat1020, Gsa1fan several times, and Mkman123 LOTS of times
  • konsolekonsole Posts: 788 ✭✭✭


    << <i>$0
    I almost never have cash unless I happen to go to a place that only uses cash. I'm a debit person. >>



    same with me I often have $20 or less because I can use my debit for 95% of my transactions.
  • DrBusterDrBuster Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Goose egg here, which is rare. Although I consider my $100 slot ticket that will be cashed at the bar for happy hour money money money. It's paper, it's worth a hundred, and will be $100 cash in about 4 hours.

    to add: I loathe plastic for in person transactions. Cash is king.
  • PreTurbPreTurb Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭
    $290

    2 x 100s
    1 x 50s
    2 x 20s


    Do I count the emergency 5 x 100s in the belt?
  • cohodkcohodk Posts: 18,549 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A lot more than usual--$1525. Usually only about 2-300. Never heard of having to sign when receiving cash. I like small banks. image

    6-$100
    11-$50
    18-$20
    1-$10
    5-$1
    Excuses are tools of the ignorant

    Knowledge is the enemy of fear

  • dontippetdontippet Posts: 2,581 ✭✭✭✭
    $66

    3 - 20
    1 - 5
    1 - 1

    And to think I wasted my 1,000 post on this.
    > [Click on this link to see my ebay listings.](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=&amp;_in_kw=1&amp;_ex_kw=&amp;_sacat=0&amp;_udlo=&amp;_udhi=&amp;_ftrt=901&amp;_ftrv=1&amp;_sabdlo=&amp;_sabdhi=&amp;_samilow=&amp;_samihi=&amp;_sadis=15&amp;_stpos=61611&amp;_sargn=-1&saslc=1&amp;_salic=1&amp;_fss=1&amp;_fsradio=&LH_SpecificSeller=1&amp;_saslop=1&amp;_sasl=mygirlsthree3&amp;_sop=12&amp;_dmd=1&amp;_ipg=50&amp;_fosrp=1)
    >

    Successful transactions on the BST boards with rtimmer, coincoins, gerard, tincup, tjm965, MMR, mission16, dirtygoldman, AUandAG, deadmunny, thedutymon, leadoff4, Kid4HOF03, BRI2327, colebear, mcholke, rpcolettrane, rockdjrw, publius, quik, kalinefan, Allen, JackWESQ, CON40, Griffeyfan2430, blue227, Tiggs2012, ndleo, CDsNuts, ve3rules, doh, MurphDawg, tennessebanker, and gene1978.
  • (3) $20's = $60 USD
    (1) 100,000,000,000,000 Zimbabwe dollar note

    also:
    (1) 1922 Peace Dollar (silver, not paper, I know)
    Successful BST transactions with: gsa1fan, Coll3ctor, SNMAN, tychojoe, Hyperion, Littletweed, AgBlox, Robb, Steve27, ajbauman, kalshacon, tydye, gdavis70, 1jester, mrmojorisin, bestmr, guitarwes, PerryHall, mhammerman, DGJohn and DNADave.
  • FlatwoodsFlatwoods Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭✭✭
    $300.00


    1-$100.00
    4-$50.00

    Kind of an unusual number. I usually have more small notes.
    But that's what I got.
  • laserartlaserart Posts: 2,255
    One $5, a quarter and one nickel.











    But in my mind I am rich.
    "If I had a nickel for every nickel I ever had, I'd have all my nickels back".
  • $5.00 and that is it. The wife went shopping and I was robbed. Thats fine she is going ot buyt me an ounce of AG in the big city later today.
    Posative Transaction as Buyer: Aherensdad, cwazzy, ciccio, mkman,dropdaflag


    www.NebraskaSilverCoins.com


    Seller, SamByrd, HTubbs
  • dimplesdimples Posts: 1,286 ✭✭✭
    $27

    1-Ten
    17- Ones
  • renman95renman95 Posts: 7,037 ✭✭✭✭✭
    $ -398.00
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
    $407

    2-100's
    9-20's
    1-10
    3-5's
    2-1's

    A little low at the moment. I usually have between $500-$1000 in the wallet/pocket ready to go for "whatever" pops up. If you asked me to count my hidden "emergency" stash it would be larger.

    roadrunner
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • trozautrozau Posts: 3,455 ✭✭✭
    $58 broken down as follows:
    2 - $20
    1 - $10
    1 - $5
    3 - $1
    trozau (troy ounce gold)
  • ksammutksammut Posts: 1,069 ✭✭✭
    $63 but had $260 more an hour ago (just got back from my local B&M and bought some 90%

    2 $20
    1 $10
    2 $ 5
    3 $ 1
    American Numismatic Association Governor 2023 to 2025 - My posts reflect my own thoughts and are not those of the ANA.

    My Numismatics with Kenny eBay Store Over 6000 listings and growing with more than 35,000 items sold

    My Numismatics with Kenny Twitter Page

    Instagram - numismatistkenny

    My Numismatics with Kenny Blog Page Best viewed on a laptop or monitor.

    ANA Life Member & Volunteer District Representative

    2019 ANA Young Numismatist of the Year

    Doing my best to introduce Young Numismatists and Young Adults into the hobby.

  • DrBusterDrBuster Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    After cashing in my slot ticket, hitting happy hour, gambling $30, vodka at the liquor store, the gas station, I have the following:

    1 $20
    3 $5s
    4 $1s

  • illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    $760

    6 - $100
    5 - $20
    3 - $10
    10 - $2
    10 - $1

    for some reason I'm the guy everyone in the office goes to when they need to break a larger bill image
  • 57loaded57loaded Posts: 4,967 ✭✭✭
    $4.00
    all paper no $2bills no "golden" dollars

    my ATM card looks like a very worn $20 bill
  • StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
    At the moment I am unusually low in US cash. I generally have around $40-$100 in cash starting in twenties from the cash machine.


    Right now (and understanding by pocket, you mean purse image):

    2 dollars ($1 bills, don't laugh, I get the $2 ones occasionally just to mess with people)

    and

    20,000 yen (I'm usually carrying between 10,000 and 50,000 as I hate getting hit with the foreign transaction fee on my cc for normal purchases and we pay our utility bills in cash at the convenience store around the corner).


    (I live in Japan right now and work on the Navy base. US cash is pretty much limited to buying my meals)

  • mhammermanmhammerman Posts: 3,769 ✭✭✭
    oops
  • DoubleEagle59DoubleEagle59 Posts: 8,174 ✭✭✭✭✭
    0 US dollarsimage
    "Gold is money, and nothing else" (JP Morgan, 1912)

    "“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)

    "I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
  • $8

    $5 x 1
    $1 x 3
    image
    To support LordM's European Trip, click here!
  • $9

    1 - $5
    4 - $1

    (I had more this morning) image
  • Had $54 dollars today at 12 noon, took son to lunch at Fridays restaurant, brought back carry out for spouse after bill/tip now have 4 - ones ($4). And they say no inflation!image

    That's ok, the stash is hidden and growing.
  • renman95renman95 Posts: 7,037 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>$ -398.00 >>



    That was a credit card receipt for two gym memberships.

    Now-

    $710

    6 $100
    5 $20
    1 $10

    Rent was paid early in cash. I love that.
  • 1201reset1201reset Posts: 185 ✭✭
    $80
    4 - $20

    I've been robbed! I had $90 when I went to sleep last night!
    Hooonneeyy!!! have you been in my wallet ...

    _Reset
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    not any pockets in what I'm wearing right now... but there's got to be over $4000 in cash I could lay my hands on with a few moments notice.

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • about 9 USD in hand
  • sinin1sinin1 Posts: 7,500
    2 $1 bills

    and a roll of WA DC quarters
  • fishcookerfishcooker Posts: 3,446 ✭✭
    $198

    3 - 50's
    2 - 20's
    1 - 5's
    3 - 1's

    Since $20's don't buy anything anymore, I've moved to $50's. Tried $100's, but that's too much for me.
  • guitarwesguitarwes Posts: 9,237 ✭✭✭

    $163

    1-100
    1-50
    1-10
    3-1

    usually carry in between 100-200 all the time, but use my debit card for regular purchases not involving something I'm going to keep (i.e. gas, food, etc). If I can negoiate ANYTHING down with cash, I'll use cash.

    @ Elite CNC Routing & Woodworks on Facebook. Check out my work.
    Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
  • $65

    20 x 3
    5 x 1
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭
    $266.03

    11 X $20
    1 X $10
    5 X $5
    6 X $1 (bills)
    5 x $1 (coins-sac)
    3 x 1cent

    A lot of businesses in my area do not accept anything larger than $20 bills. The $1 coins are tip money.
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231
    $189 total

    $100 (1)
    $20 (2)
    $10 (2)
    $5 (5)
    $1 (4)
  • fastrudyfastrudy Posts: 2,096
    $25

    2-10s
    5-1s
    and the lint covered gumball
    Successful transactions with: DCarr, Meltdown, Notwilight, Loki, MMR, Musky1011, cohodk, claychaser, cheezhed, guitarwes, Hayden, USMoneyLover

    Proud recipient of two "You Suck" awards
  • JimDepotJimDepot Posts: 957 ✭✭
    $63
    2 - 20's
    3 - 5's
    8 - 1's
    image

  • mhammermanmhammerman Posts: 3,769 ✭✭✭
    Experiment called at 46 respondents.
    RESULTS:

    Sample=46
    Sum $=6925
    Av. $/sample=$150
    Distribution of Sum $:
    ($)
    100 31
    50 21
    20 123
    10 22
    5 34
    2 10
    1 143
    (I know it doesn't add up exactly but they wouldn't give me a grad student and I have to do all this stuff myself and so there you go)

    $1 coins=$8
    $0=6
    20,000 yen not in sample
    Error of sample results +/-5% (wag but seems reasonable)

    Summary of results:
    The average PM Forum nerd has about $150 in their pocket, as cash, at any moment. Six had no cash at all, one had 20,000 yens that didn't count (About $160 if I remember correctly so it wouldn't affect the average either way.). Strange that folk seemed as likely to have a $50 bill in their pocket as they were to have a $10 in their pocket (smallest number in the sample by the way except the stray $2's and coins). People with a $100 bill in their pockets were as likely as someone having a $5 in their pocket. People were as likely to have no money in their pockets as they were to have $60 to $70 in their pockets. People were almost equally likely to have more than a $100 in their pocket as they were to have less than $100 in their pockets. By an almost 5:1 ratio, folk had $20's and $1's in their pocket. The biggest guy had $1525 in his pocket and the smallest guys didn't have any.

    Samplings of results:
    21% had greater than $200 in their pocket
    23% had between $100 and $200 in their pocket
    15% had between $60 and $70 in their pockets
    20% had less than $10 in their pockets
    13% had no cash in their pockets

    Conclusions:
    Not many $50's or $10's circulating. A lot of $1's and $20's circulating; probably because of atm's and change from cashing one of 'em. People had enough money in their pocket, on the average, to buy a tank of gas, a few beers, and dinner with the wife or husband or significant other. Almost enough to buy a weeks worth of groceries or enough to go out on Sunday to a major market ball game. Enough for a half a car payment, months worth of taxes on a middle class property, a very nice silver coin or a smallish gold bar or maybe just enough to stash a little for the great crash of cash. All in all, the dividing line was $100 in the pocket as half the sampling had more and half had less.

    Extrapolations:
    If 3% of the money supply is in cash and $150 is the cash part of one's where with all then we all must have an average of $11300 in credit and readily available money (in some form) at any given moment. In the case of a banking holiday, coin nerds would have about $150 till they ran out of rope unless they had put some physical cash stashed away in some place where that they could put their hands on it at a moment's notice.

    Got cash?

  • WeissWeiss Posts: 9,934 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting survey, mhammerman. Thanks.

    I'm surprised by the number of $100 bills in the survey. I appreciate they pack a punch, but to me they're a hindrance. Aside from my coin dealer (which might be why we sampled so high with them), almost nobody wants them. $50s are about the same way. The grocery stores in town make you break them at the customer service department rather than have the cashiers accept them. Fast food, gas stations, even lots of sit down restaurants here in town won't take them or give you grief about them.
    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
  • 25, one hundred dollar bills and .47 cents in change and 1 silver eagle
    Many successful BST transactions ajia
    (x2,Meltdown),cajun,Swampboy,SeaEagleCoins,InYHWHWeTrust, bstat1020,Spooly,timrutnat,oilstates200, vpr, guitarwes,
    mariner67, and Mikes coins
  • curlycurly Posts: 2,880


    For God's sakes brother, I'm settin' in front of a computer at home. I ain't got any pants on to reach into. So I guess zero is my answer.
    Every man is a self made man.
  • drei3reedrei3ree Posts: 3,430 ✭✭✭✭
    $1
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