In Germany, something curious is happening: more and more people are stopping using cards and returning to making payments with cash. And the reason has less to do with nostalgia and more to do with a question of privacy and financial control.
According to Talent24h, a website specializing in economics and work, German consumers are preferring cash to protect their financial lives from digital tracking and commissions associated with electronic payments.
The trend contrasts with what is happening in Portugal, where the use of cards and MBWay is almost a norm, even for small everyday purchases.
The value of privacy in physical money
According to the same source, many Germans see money as a way of preserving their independence from banks and big technology companies. The logic is simple: the less data about your consumption habits is shared, the greater the financial freedom.
A Spanish resident in Berlin told the website that, there, “it’s not about avoiding taxes, but about limiting the amount of financial information that is accessible”. And that’s why, even in cafes and supermarkets, you still see customers paying with notes and coins, something increasingly rare in Portugal.
The numbers that show the difference
According to data cited by , in 2019, 74% of payments in Germany were made in cash, and only 19% by card. In southern European countries, such as Spain and Portugal, the proportion is almost the opposite.
With the pandemic, the use of cards grew, but without eliminating physical cash. In 2020, 58% of Germans said they paid by card at least once a week: an increase, yes, but still far from the total digitalization seen in southern Europe.
What the Portuguese can learn from the Germans
According to the publication, the German example is not a setback, but a sign of balance. Using only digital means makes life easier, but leaves a trace in all transactions. Cash helps to better plan expenses and reduces exposure to commissions or technological failures.
Experts recommend maintaining a mixed routine: using a card for larger or online purchases and using cash at local stores. In addition to being faster, it helps small businesses and avoids additional costs that often end up reflected in prices.
More control, less dependence
The message is clear: it is not about rejecting technology, but about using it consciously. In times when everything is traceable, cash continues to play an important role, not only practical, but also symbolic, as an expression of freedom and privacy.
While Portugal becomes more and more accustomed to ringing the payment terminal, Germany seems to remind the rest of Europe that the sound of coins still has value: perhaps more than many imagine.
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