Despite the rise of contactless payments, 18 to 24 year-olds are the biggest users of cash in Ireland, according to a new survey.

A new study from An Post has found that despite a rise in card and digital payments, young people are the biggest users of cash.

According to the research, which was conducted by Empathy, 35% of people between the ages of 18 to 24 use cash every day.

Nearly three in every 10 adults use cash at least once a day, while one in 10 use it four to six times a week.

Just 2% of respondents said they never use cash.

Cash habits

According to the study, 44% of adults use cash most often for buying groceries and small purchases. 

38% of people use cash as gifts for their loved ones, while 37% use it to tip servers in bars and restaurants.

30% or respondents use cash to tip hairdressers, barbers and beauticians and 17% use it to pay tradespeople, gardeners and cleaners.

Gifting cash

According to An Post's study, four out of five 35-44 year-olds would gift cash to a child as a present, while two in five said they "always" use cash for a teenager's birthday.

On Lunchtime Live, The Home Show presenter Sinead Ryan said she prefers using cash as presents for her nieces and nephews instead of transferring the money digitally.

"You get the joy of opening the card and having the notes fall out instead of saying, 'What's your Revolut? I'll send you the money’,”  Sinead said.

She also said she likes to have cash on hand to use supermarket trolleys or to donate in charity buckets.

Safety and privacy

Many adults see cash as a safety net, with eight in 10 adults keeping cash on hand in case of an emergency, with 47% of respondents keeping €40 in emergency cash.

One in five adults said they use cash for privacy reasons, with 18% choosing cash over card for privacy reasons.

[Cash] mightn't be king anymore, but it's queen,” Sinead said.

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