Paying with Cash is necessary in a solar flare, EMP, during fires, during hurricanes, during tornadoes, during Floods or you name it: Otherwise you cannot do ANYTHING!

I heard a few years ago a rumor that Australia gave up cash entirely for credit cards and ATM cards. But, with solar Flares and Electromagnetic pulses I realized immediately that is a really stupid idea.

I have even had an experience when because of a forest fire, I wanted to buy gas in Buellton and couldn't with ANY Credit Card or ATM card because the satellite relays for card authorization of payments was down.

So, any Solar Flare or EMP will prevent the use of your credit cards or ATM Cards. Any fire can prevent the use of your credit Cards or ATM Cards. Any Flood can prevent the use of your credit cards or ATM Cards. Any Tornado or high temperatures (because electronics don't work at high temperatures if the air conditioning goes off where they are either.

So, for Australia to give up Cash is really really stupid because nothing works if anything goes wrong. So, because of this I always carry cash for emergencies. Because I'm not as stupid as governments tend to be. All you have to do is to go to your local ATM machine and pull out 100 to 300 dollars and you usually are good to go for most situations locally. If you are 100 to 500 miles away from home with your family maybe you want either a money belt or to sew 100 dollar bills into your jeans where the belt goes like a friend of mine did years ago when traveling to India. But then again he couldn't wash those jeans either while he had several thousand dollars sewed into the jeans around where the belt goes either.