[AReallyGoodName]

Not a fantasy. In Australia contactless payment using smart cards is now everywhere, even in the small news outlets, food stalls and coffee shops. I bought lunch at a small shop just a minute ago with one.

For things like buying second hand cards we also have a pretty good online direct deposit system where you can just transfer money online.

Cash is losing the war here, check out the graph in the following article showing the dwindling usage of cash.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/why-our-looming-cashles...

[Vanit]

Fellow Australian here, basically completely cashless. Only withdraw cash if I have an immediate reason.

[masklinn]

Many scandinavian countries are also 'round there. Icelanders seem to use card to pay for a pack of gum, cash is a tourist thing. The cash wankery seems to be a pretty uniquely american thing.

[sitharus]

Can't see the graph due to subscriber begging interstitial that redirects to the homepage :/

In New Zealand I haven't used cash since 2002 except for pop up stalls, and even those take cards these days. I've never used or possessed a cheque book. I did get paid by cheque for my first real job, but it's been direct credit since 2004.

[chewxy]

Except the occasional phó shops that still refuse to use eftpos for some unknown reason. They're the bane of my life - I feel like Viet but have to walk to Woolies to draw cash :S

[TulliusCicero]

When I was living in the bay area I used cash only very rarely, at farmer's markets or toll booths. Everything else was credit card.

[reustle]

Same in Japan! I use my suica card everywhere I can