$100 bills are hard to use.

[stepford]

I don't have any hundreds in my wallet these days, but still have a couple of 100 Euro notes in there that I never bothered to convert after the our trip. I expect they'll just sit there till the next time we go.

 

[Koolau]

Seems like old news. Heck, I can recall when $50s had been suspect, and probably $20s before that. Tendering any note much larger than the amount owed has long raised eyebrows.

When I was a kid, I recall one of my parents getting the tag number of a car for someone spending a $20 bill in their business. Heh, heh, times have changed.

 

[LateToFIRE]

I always carry a couple of crisp new $100 bills in my wallet though rarely use them for purchases. We mostly use cash to pay our housekeepers.

 

[CincyDave]

Never had an issue using hundreds, but they do use the pen to check them. ATM usually gives twenties, so that's generally what I have. Been using credit card more and more to get the cash back bonus.

 

[scrabbler1]

Knowing how some merchants won't accept $100s, and not wanting to use one for a small purchase, I simply went into the bank to break a $100 after its ATM for some strange reason gave me a $100 when I withdrew only $160 from it - and didn't give me a choice about it!

I'll get a few $50s once in a while if I withdraw more than $200 from the bank. I haven't seen any merchants reject $50s, and I try to use them for decently sized purchases.

 

[braumeister]

Many of the ATMs around here let you choose your denominations, 10/20/50/100. I like to have at least a couple of 50s in my wallet, but never bother with 100s because they are just too rarely needed.

 

[athena53]

Where we live, a lot of people carry cash. A good of number who do carry $50 and $100 bills. Which probably explains why one of the local ATMs we use offers up $10, $20, and $100 bills, with an option to select which ones we want. I rather like the $10 bill, usually snagging a few of those along with the $20 bills.

I wish we had that option; I remember machines offering various mixes 30 years ago but haven't seen any that offered a choice in decades. I'm guessing there are also a lot of cash transactions in my area since the grocery store ATM dispenses $100s.

I now get my cash from an unorthodox source; I'm the Garden Club Treasurer and many of our members pay for their membership and items they purchase from the monthly plant sale in cash. (I did bring them into the 21st Century with a Square account.) After a meeting I count and document all the cash receipts, write a personal check to the Garden Club and deposit it and then keep the cash. This allows me to deposit the check using the app instead of bringing the cash to the bank and it gets me a nice mix of small bills. I've been very open about this practice and my books were just audited and passed with flying colors so they're OK with it.

 

[Out of Steam]

There are a great many places with signs on the cash register that nothing larger than a $20 bill is accepted.

I pay with fifties at restaurants and have never been questioned, but I have read that the US$100 bill is the most counterfeited currency in the world, with millions of them in circulation.

I don't use $100 bills, but have never had any trouble buying things with $50s.

 

[Midpack]

The ATM spits out 20s, so that's the largest bill I ever carry. I would have to go through some effort to get a $100 bill. But then I don't give a rat's fat behind whether or not other people think I'm a macher.

Many BoA ATMs in our metro area spit out $100s & $20s OR $20s & $10s. They let you choose how you want your withdrawal on screen. That was not the case in Chicagoland when we lived there, at least pre 2020.

 

[rmcelwee]

Personally I wish they'd bring back $500 and $1000 bills

I'd love to see $500 bills brought back (never seen $1000). I buy a car or something big with cash from time to time and carrying $20,000 in 100's, counting it, then waiting for the seller to count it is such a PITA.

FWIW, I only carry $100's in my wallet and have never once had a single problem. I don't use them much but when I do it has never been an issue. When I get the change from the $100 I give it to my wife. I like a thin wallet.

 

[braumeister]

As a little kid, I remember going with my dad to the bank where he drew out 17 $1,000 bills. We then went to the closing on our new home where he paid in cash.
They went out of circulation over 50 years ago, so they are certainly real collector's items now.

 

[ncbill]

As a little kid, I remember going with my dad to the bank where he drew out 17 $1,000 bills. We then went to the closing on our new home where he paid in cash.
They went out of circulation over 50 years ago, so they are certainly real collector's items now.

Yep, anybody who comes into possession of any denominations over $100 should be selling those bills to collectors since they will bring far more than their face value.

 

[MarieIG]

I typically find it more convenient to request $20 bills.

 

[GrayHare]

Monty Hall seemed to have lots of $500s and $1000s. After inflation, that's close to $5000 and $10000 now.

 

[Time2]

According to today’s WSJ paying for purchases, especially small ones, is difficult with a $100 bill.

Oh man, I better start spending the money in the mattress!

 

[CaptTom]

Around here, the places which are sure to accept 100's are the medical marijuana dispensaries. It's a cash-only business because they can't use banks due to federal regulations.

 

[Koolau]

As a little kid, I remember going with my dad to the bank where he drew out 17 $1,000 bills. We then went to the closing on our new home where he paid in cash.
They went out of circulation over 50 years ago, so they are certainly real collector's items now.

And people complain that gold coins don't produce interest. Still, it'd be cool to have one - just to look at.

 

[Koolau]

I've never had a problem spending a $100 bill (yeah, they use the marker and look for the water mark.) Of course, I never buy a $10 item with a hundred. I have never liked $50s. For some reason, I can't seem to integrate them into a count with (for instance) $20s without a $10 to balance out the uneven 2nd digit in the count. It's monetary dyslexia I guess.

 

[Koolau]

I'd love to see $500 bills brought back (never seen $1000). I buy a car or something big with cash from time to time and carrying $20,000 in 100's, counting it, then waiting for the seller to count it is such a PITA.

FWIW, I only carry $100's in my wallet and have never once had a single problem. I don't use them much but when I do it has never been an issue. When I get the change from the $100 I give it to my wife. I like a thin wallet.

The gummint will never do anything to make using cash easier. It's not to their advantage as we are moving ever closer to digital currency. Practically speaking, digital will save gummint tons of money-printing (and counterfeit hassles) costs.

More importantly, digital will allow gummint to (literally) know who, where, what, when and why every dollar is spent. Realistically, with digital, there would no longer be a need for tax forms or even collection agents.

Priceless!

(Heh, heh, one reason I still spend cash when I could probably always use a CC instead.) Very much a YMMV sort of concept.

 

[badatmath]

I use mine okay. . . but maybe I should stop paying the hairdresser with them if it is annoying. (Hair color is not cheap).

I wish the ATMs had $50s - I can get $10, $20, or $100 near me.

 

[Out of Steam]

I use mine okay. . . but maybe I should stop paying the hairdresser with them if it is annoying. (Hair color is not cheap).

The woman who cuts my hair likes getting paid in cash.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Needed to get a tree trimmed a couple of months ago. This is not an inexpensive job. I got three estimates; one of the companies was about half the price of the other two but they would only take cash. I ended up paying him with $100 bills.

This company was busy so I imagine they get dozens of $100 a day. I wonder who they bank with and what the bank thinks when they bring in $9,900 in $100 bills for deposits.