Call me sad but I like a survey. I don’t always believe them, but I like to compare myself with those who’ve been surveyed.

One of the surveys that always intrigues me is about the business an ATM is meant to bring to a convenience store. I’m not disputing that basic fact, but what I am disputing is the claim that most people spend the money they’ve withdrawn from the ATM in the shop. I just don’t get it. If I withdraw cash it’s because I need cash. If I was withdrawing cash from an ATM inside or outside a shop then went inside, I’d use my debit card to pay for any items unless they were a couple of quid. Perhaps it’s just me?

Anyway after that mini rant, let me tell you about another survey. This one is from Visa and it’s called the UK Working Day Spend Report. It says that Brits spend an average of £10.59 on small and regular purchases throughout the day, which amounts to £2,541.60 a year.

Of this daily spend, £3.69 goes on lunch, £2.09 on hot drinks and £7.09 on food and drink for later that evening. Wow, just think if more of that spend came your way.

The survey also found that most UK workers withdraw cash once a week and carry less than £25 in cash at any one time.

The point of the survey was to plug contactless payments. So the key message was that workers are frustrated by the inconvenience of cash, with 23% of them regularly caught out by not having cash.

I must say I find it frustrating if I’m in a c-store and they don’t have an ATM and neither do they offer cashback. Blimey, it’s the 21st century, hand over the cash. But I’m a great fan of contactless payments, which I use all the time at the M&S Simply Food at the services near the Forecourt Trader offices.

The first time I did this, I worried that I was paying for everyone else in the queue’s shopping but as there’s a £20 limit and M&S prices are so errmm pricey, on second thoughts that seemed unlikely.

Some of my friends are quite nervous of the concept but I like the convenience especially the fact that you don’t have to remember what your pin number is for a particular card. You just swipe and go. Maybe contactless is something you could consider for your non-fuel customers in a hurry. Grab and swipe and go anyone?

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