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My card got declined buying a coffee and I finally saw the downside

I was at a small cafe in Portland last Tuesday, just trying to get a latte before my shift. The card reader was down, so they were cash only, and my wallet was empty. The barista said, 'System's out, happens a lot here,' and I had to leave. It hit me that I've gone totally cashless without a backup plan. Anyone else get stuck like this when the tech fails?
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3 Comments
wendy820
wendy8202mo agoTop Commenter
Ugh, been there. I keep a twenty in my phone case now for exactly this.
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angelarivera
My Portland moment and @wendy820's tip changed my cashless mind.
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xena_bailey18
Oh man, that phone case trick is GENIUS, but I gotta say, a twenty feels risky. What if it falls out? I keep a folded five and a single tucked behind my driver's license, @wendy820. It's way less obvious and covers most small emergencies. Learned that after a food cart totally lost power and my card was useless. Cash is just a good backup plan now.
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