Paying with cash hurts!

Cash is a tangible piece of paper having monetary value attached to it. You have less of it in your wallet when you spend it. You notice it and process it. However, with the growing use of credit cards, transactions have become less transparent. It's easy to convince yourself, without ever realising it, that when you use on your credit or debit card, you're not spending "real" money. That is technically correct.

My finding stemmed from personal experience. I forgot my debit card one day and had to pay for a cup of Spanish latte with cash. I'm not sure if I was correct or if it was simply a feeling, but it was tastier that day, even though I thought the price for a cup of coffee was excessive. When I use my debit card, I don't usually get that feeling.

According to research, when we spend money, we experience pain. This is because we, as humans, prefer to prevent loss wherever possible. Purchasing using cash has been found to be more painful than paying with a credit or debit card. When we hand over physical cash rather than swiping a piece of plastic, our loss of money is more visible to the brain.

Expressing her thoughts on this topic, Ruqaya remarked, "Honestly, I love to pay with a credit card so that I remain joyful after any purchase, without thinking of the money that I have just lost. When I get the bank SMS or e-mail for the transaction, I dismiss it without reading it. However, by the end of the month, I understand I have wasted a lot of money, but I continue to do the same thing every month."

Ruqaya, on the other hand, stated that when she donates in cash, she feels happier and values the money in her hands. "I also spray some perfume on the note to make it aromatic. When I spend money on anything else, I never feel the same.”

"It is always painful". Muna also verifies that she has cash in her wallet, yet she continues to pay using her credit card. "Paying through a credit card feels less painful. I feel secure knowing that I will always have that sum of money with me. However, I place a higher value on items when I pay for them in cash. I keep telling myself that I paid a lot of money for those goods to appreciate them more."