// HYPOTHESIS_LOADED
We spend money digitally. It doesn't feel real. A swipe. A tap. $50 vanishes.
Studies say "Pain of Paying" is higher with cash. When you physically hand over paper money, you spend less.
The Experiment: 7 Days. No Credit Cards. No Apple Pay. No Venmo.
I withdrew $300 in cash on Monday. If I ran out, I stopped eating.
> DAY 1: THE COFFEE SHOP ANNOYANCE
I went to a hipster cafe. Total: $6.50.
I handed them a $20 bill.
The barista looked at the bill like it was an alien artifact. "Uh, do you have card? We're actually
cashless."
I had to leave. I couldn't buy coffee.
Insight #1: Cash is no longer King. Cash is a nuisance.
> DAY 3: THE SPENDING HALT
I went to buy lunch. A salad was $16.
I looked at my stack of twenties. I physically felt the loss. "Do I really want to hand over one of
these precious papers for some lettuce?"
Result: I walked out. I ate a granola bar from my bag.
Digital money is invisible. Paper money is finite. Seeing the stack shrink actually stopped me from
spending.
> DAY 5: THE SOCIAL AWKWARDNESS
Dinner with friends. The bill came. Everyone threw down credit cards.
"I'll put it on my card for the points," said Mike. "Venmo me."
I pulled out a wad of crumpled bills. $42.00 exact.
"Whoa, drug dealer money," Mike joked.
I felt archaic. I was the guy slowing down the transaction.
> DAY 7: THE COUNT
ENDING CASH: $145.00
TOTAL SPENT: $155.00
Usually, I spend $300+ a week on random nonsense.
I saved 50% simply because paying with cash is annoying and painful.
> FINAL_VERDICT
The world is designed to make spending frictionless. "One Click Buy." "Tap to Pay."
Friction is good. Friction saves you money.
CONCLUSION: I am going back to cards because I live in 2024 and need to buy things online. But for discretionary spending (bars, food)? Cash remains the ultimate budget hack.