NPR says German citizens far and away prefer to buy goods and services with cash rather than cards. Fully 75% of normal transactions are done with cash, according to the news service, and one of the reasons for this cultural anachronism is the nation’s spotted history with money – specifically, their historic bouts with inflation.
During the late 1920s, for instance, the oft-touted (but probably exaggerated) example was the lady who had to use a wheelbarrow to take enough bank notes to the bakery to score a loaf of bread.
Nevertheless, their culture is pretty much an upside-down version of ours in the U.S., where credit and debit cards rule the retail roost. Gratefully, Americans use more than enough bank notes of our own to support a healthy ATM business. And remember that Germans are blessed with one and two Euro coins to use, so if you have a sack of those in your pocket weighing you down, you might feel compelled to get rid of some to buy a beer and pretzel (but maybe not a Benz).
A cashier of a DIY works behind a glass protection as a preventive measure against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Munich, Germany, Thursday, March 19, 2020. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
