One-in-five people in Ireland never carry cash, a new survey has found.
The research from Royal London Ireland said that, of those that do, almost one-third would carry €20 or less.
Half of those aged 18 to 24 said they never carry any cash.
The survey found men are more likely than women to never carry cash; however, the men that do tend to carry higher amounts.
A man hands over €50 notes from a large bundle of cash. Picture by: Paul Maguire / Alamy Stock PhotoPeople in Leinster are the least likely to carry cash, according to the survey.
One-in-four people in Dublin, and almost one-third of people in the rest of Leinster, say they never carry cash.
Only one-in-10 of those living in Ulster and Connacht never carry cash.
The survey found the top five reasons people needed cash regularly was to pay for small daily items like milk and bread (58%), to pay service providers who prefer cash (38%), to buy lunch or take-away coffee (34%) and to give tips (32%).
Cashless and contactless payment with smartphone in a nursery. Image: Robert Kneschke / AlamyRoyal London Ireland Proposition Lead Barry McCutcheon said the findings aren't too surprising.
"We've seen an increase in cashless payments in Ireland in recent years, so the numbers of people who carry very little cash, or any at all, is unsurprising," he said.
"Despite the increasingly digital nature of Irish banking and payment systems in recent years, we can see from the survey findings that cash still plays an important role in Ireland’s society and economy, with many people relying on it when going about their day-to-day routines.
"Our survey gives weight to the assertion that the younger you are, the less likely you are to carry cash.
"It’s clear that there is a need for cash, with 80% of people surveyed carrying some amount daily.
"It would appear that pocket money in the form of cash hasn’t gone out of fashion either - more than a quarter of people between the ages of 35 and 54... carry cash for this reason," he added.
