Hi Readers, it’s Emily and William here this week talking about some of the different ways to spend money!

These days, and especially since Covid and new technology, spending with notes and coins is almost becoming the old fashioned way. We both like using cash as you have to use your maths! You should see my, Emily’s purse when I go shopping with support staff. I end up with loads of coins because it’s easier to use notes, and I don’t like holding other customers up in a queue while I count out my money.

What most people use now is bank cards, which is easy as you simply put them in a machine and enter your password. Even easier is contactless, which we both use too. We’d like to set our own limits on the cards as £100 is a lot if it’s stolen and used. Hopefully if it was lost, it’d be found by a good person who’d hand it in.

Although we don’t use our phones to pay for things, we think it’s a good idea as you only have to take your phone out with you, instead of remembering your bank card or cash too. Laura, who helps edit our column, can pay on her watch which is great as long as she remembers her password!

We think it’s important places still accept cash, as some people may never be able to pay by card. Having cash also helps some people budget better. You can’t see so easily when you pay by card but you can if you only have £20 for the day, so it’s easier to stay in your budget. We’d love to have a crystal ball and see how people are paying in 100 years time. What do you reckon?

The writers of the Our View column are supported in their editing by The Friendship Club– a project for adults with learning disabilities, run by People First Dorset. Find out more at: https://www.peoplefirstdorset.org.uk/friendshipclub