Recent trip to UK with Qatar air- A very sad, heartbreaking visit.

[youreavinalaff]

19 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

Still need a pound coin for shopping trollies in

Incorrect. This works fine.

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

29 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Complete and utter rubbish. 

 

Nearly all payments are done by card these days in the UK , very rarely do you still see anyone trying to pay with paper money 

[Keeps]

3 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   All payments are done by card these days in the UK , very rarely do you still see anyone trying to pay with paper money 

Complete tosh. This morning I have been to a newsagent's, a bakery, two grocery/supermarkets, a chemist and the dentist. Paid in cash in all of them other than the dentist. Could have paid with cash in the dentist if I had wanted to but it was a considerable sum of money so paid with card. 

[youreavinalaff]

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   All payments are done by card these days in the UK , very rarely do you still see anyone trying to pay with paper money 

I have to disagree with that.

 

Many purchases being made in cash. In my local COOP many people use cash. The main culprits are tradesman. That's obviously how they get paid for a few "VAT Exempt" jobs.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

1 minute ago, Keeps said:

Could have paid with cash in the dentist if I had wanted to but it was a considerable sum of money so paid with card. 

Why not visit the dentist in Thailand? 10th of the cost of UK dentists.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, youreavinalaff said:

I have to disagree with that.

 

Many purchases being made in cash. In my local COOP many people use cash. The main culprits are tradesman. 

 

 

 

Where is your local COOP ?

[Keeps]

1 minute ago, youreavinalaff said:

Why not visit the dentist in Thailand? 10th of the cost of UK dentists.

I am lucky enough to still have access to a NHS UK dentist and the associated charges. It was a bit of an emergency. I do use a dentist in Chiang Mai who I find to be excellent. It depends where I am at the time and whether urgent or not. 

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Complete tosh. This morning I have been to a newsagent's, a bakery, two grocery/supermarkets, a chemist and the dentist. Paid in cash in all of them other than the dentist. Could have paid with cash in the dentist if I had wanted to but it was a considerable sum of money so paid with card. 

 

  That is you . 

Some people such as yourself still do use cash , about 90% of other people would be using cards to pay

[jayboy]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

Virtually everyone that does not have health coverage through their job, is covered by a government plan. Almost 20% of the population is covered but Medicaid (welfare), and about another 20% are covered by Medicare (Social Security), that leaves about 60%. About 54% of people have heath insurance through their employer, so how many does that leave? 

 

The problem is that the government has made private health insurance unaffordable. The people that get hammered, are people with money and assets, that are self-employed, and do not buy insurance. These people are the ones that go bankrupt. But even then, you have to be provided medical care. And you can not have your primary residence or vehicle taken from you to cover medical bills. 

 

Your statement is partially correct but contains inaccuracies and oversimplifications:

Coverage Breakdown: The claim that “virtually everyone” without employer coverage is on government plans is false, as 10.2% have private direct-purchase plans, and 7.7% are uninsured. The percentages (20% Medicaid, 20% Medicare, 54% employer-based) are close but slightly off (18.9%, 18.9%, 53.7%). The remaining 6–8% includes both uninsured and privately insured individuals, not just the uninsured.

Affordability and Bankruptcy: The government’s role in private insurance costs is overstated; systemic factors like provider prices also drive costs. Self-employed individuals who skip insurance are at risk of bankruptcy, but no data isolates them as the primary group. Emergency care is guaranteed, but non-emergency care is not. Asset protections exist but vary by state, making the claim about homes and vehicles partially true.

Remaining Population: After 53.7% (employer-based), 18.9% (Medicaid), and 18.9% (Medicare), about 8.5% remain, including 7.7% uninsured and 10.2% with direct-purchase plans, with some overlap.

[Nick Carter icp]

What percentage of UK transactions are cash?

 

 

Cash use dropped again last year to 12% of all payments, according to UK Finance, and 22 million consumers were primarily cashless. 

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, samtam said:

 

Just curious about use of e gate: I presume you hold a UK passport, but were able to utilise the e gate with that and it correctly read your EoS Non O visa? Also, were you in Fast Track because you're a Qatar Airways Gold card holder, or were you travelling in Business Class?

 

Thanks.

 

2 hours ago, samtam said:

 

Just curious about use of e gate: I presume you hold a UK passport, but were able to utilise the e gate with that and it correctly read your EoS Non O visa? Also, were you in Fast Track because you're a Qatar Airways Gold card holder, or were you travelling in Business Class?

 

Thanks.

 

I was in fast track through Gold member.

[youreavinalaff]

7 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

Where is your local COOP ?

At the end of my road. 🤣🤣🤣

 

Devon.

[youreavinalaff]

5 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

What percentage of UK transactions are cash?

 

 

Cash use dropped again last year to 12% of all payments, according to UK Finance, and 22 million consumers were primarily cashless. 

You said "all payments are done by card".

 

Your figure likely incorporates online purchases too. Shop purchases with cash are higher and rising.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1el81lenq1o

[Yellowtail]

5 minutes ago, jayboy said:

 

Your statement is partially correct but contains inaccuracies and oversimplifications:

Coverage Breakdown: The claim that “virtually everyone” without employer coverage is on government plans is false, as 10.2% have private direct-purchase plans, and 7.7% are uninsured. The percentages (20% Medicaid, 20% Medicare, 54% employer-based) are close but slightly off (18.9%, 18.9%, 53.7%). The remaining 6–8% includes both uninsured and privately insured individuals, not just the uninsured.

Affordability and Bankruptcy: The government’s role in private insurance costs is overstated; systemic factors like provider prices also drive costs. Self-employed individuals who skip insurance are at risk of bankruptcy, but no data isolates them as the primary group. Emergency care is guaranteed, but non-emergency care is not. Asset protections exist but vary by state, making the claim about homes and vehicles partially true.

Remaining Population: After 53.7% (employer-based), 18.9% (Medicaid), and 18.9% (Medicare), about 8.5% remain, including 7.7% uninsured and 10.2% with direct-purchase plans, with some overlap.

Now what percent of the population are illegal aliens? 

 

The government drove up the cost of insurance by mandating low deductibles, and acceptance of pre-existing conditions. 

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

You said "all payments are done by card".

 

  Nearly all payments are done by card 

[Nick Carter icp]

9 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

At the end of my road. 🤣🤣🤣

 

Devon.

 

   How many people did you see making cash payments and how many did you see making card payments in that COOP in Devon ?

   What numbers are we talking about ?

[Scouse123]

3 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

How long did you stay in UK?

 

It seems you traveled to every town, city and so many supermarkets. In fact, it seems you literally traveled "everywhere". 

 

A month.

 

I went to Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Oldham, Sheffield and Huddersfield.

 

Also, To see friends and a bit of sightseeing I went to Harrogate, Aysgarth, Richmond, Whitby and Pickering.

 

Supermarkets were Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury, Home Bargains, Aldi.

 

I was doing some business in some places, and others were for my pleasure.

 

So yes, I covered a reasonable amount of ground.

[Denim]

7 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Nearly all payments are done by card 

 

Wish they did that here. Fast and efficient.  One tap and done. 

 

Sick and tired getting  stuck behind some dinosaur trying to use a phone app and making heavy work of it.

 

They have swipe pay here so why don't they use it ?

 

I prefer cash here but swipe in the UK because it works like it's supposed to.

[Upnotover]

2 hours ago, samtam said:

Just curious about use of e gate: I presume you hold a UK passport, but were able to utilise the e gate with that and it correctly read your EoS Non O visa?

There is nothing special about departing from BKK through the e-gates.  I have done it multiple times and never had any issue on return.  It doesn't "read" anything other than your main passport page, but the system knows your status.  I am certain if you would be on overstay then the gate would stay shut.

[youreavinalaff]

6 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   How many people did you see making cash payments and how many did you see making card payments in that COOP in Devon ?

   What numbers are we talking about ?

 I would say 60/40 in favour of card payments. Approximately 200+ purchases.

[youreavinalaff]

7 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

A month.

 

I went to Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Oldham, Sheffield and Huddersfield.

 

Also, To see friends and a bit of sightseeing I went to Harrogate, Aysgarth, Richmond, Whitby and Pickering.

 

Supermarkets were Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury, Home Bargains, Aldi.

 

I was doing some business in some places, and others were for my pleasure.

 

So yes, I covered a reasonable amount of ground.

Indeed, but not "everywhere".

[Scouse123]

3 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

Wish they did that here. Fast and efficient.  One tap and done. 

 

Sick and tired getting  stuck behind some dinosaur trying to use a phone app and making heavy work of it.

 

They have swipe pay here so why don't they use it ?

 

I prefer cash here but swipe in the UK because it works like it's supposed to.

 

 

Happens all the time in the local Lotus up here trying to use phone apps and failing.

 

Even worse when they get that 10,000 baht or whatever as a government allowance and then the fun and games begins when the cashier is trying to process the payments. 

 

I use my UK tap card or QR code through local bank.

 

I even did the TDAC in paper back up so as not to annoy the immigration officer when I returned by messing with a phone.

[youreavinalaff]

16 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Nearly all payments are done by card 

Getting there.

[Scouse123]

3 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Indeed, but not "everywhere".

 

Everywhere I went.....😁

[Scouse123]

6 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

There is nothing special about departing from BKK through the e-gates.  I have done it multiple times and never had any issue on return.  It doesn't "read" anything other than your main passport page, but the system knows your status.  I am certain if you would be on overstay then the gate would stay shut.

 

It was for me as the first time I have used them.

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

 I would say 60/40 in favour of card payments. Approximately 200+ purchases.

 

   Did a websearch and it says that nearly 90 % of payments are done by card .  

   The 10% of cash payments done in the UK seem to have been done in a COOP in Devon  

 

 

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

6 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

Everywhere I went.....😁

That's not what you said. 

[youreavinalaff]

2 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Did a websearch and it says that nearly 90 % of payments are done by card .  

   The 10% of cash payments done in the UK seem to have been done in a COOP in Devon  

 

 

 

 

I did a webseaech, and posted a link, that says 2 in 5 shop purchases are in cash and the figure is rising. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1el81lenq1o 

 

Here it is again.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, youreavinalaff said:

I did a webseaech, and posted a link, that says 2 in 5 shop purchases are in cash and the figure is rising. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1el81lenq1o 

 

Here it is again.

 

   Headline to your link says 

 

One in five shop purchases now made in cash

 

 

and

 

Some older people and those with mental health issues were also far more comfortable using cash, the Treasury Committee heard, or did not have the digital skills or mental capability to operate only with cards, computers or phones.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

12 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Headline to your link says 

 

One in five shop purchases now made in cash

 

 

and

 

Some older people and those with mental health issues were also far more comfortable using cash, the Treasury Committee heard, or did not have the digital skills or mental capability to operate only with cards, computers or phones.

 

 

It does, I apologise.

 

However, it's still more than 10%, and says rising. Your comment, prior to your edit, was incorrect.

 

The paragraph you quoted is irrelevant.