Demonetised India: How I lived completely cashless for 50 days

Here are a few tips that can come handy in the demonetisation era, reports Tech In Aisa

Pro tips to live completely cashless for 50 days
Rohit Tneja
Last Updated : Jan 16 2017 | 2:42 PM IST
A surprise trigger was dropped on the Indian economy on November 8, 2016, when our prime minister Shri Narendra Modi banned the use of existing 500 and 1,000 Rupee notes. The most significant point to remember here is that these notes account for 86 percent of the total currency in circulation in India. As expected, and as conveyed by the government as well, there was some short-term pain for everyone after the announcement. Note that the word “short-term” in itself is subjective and varies from industry to industry as well as person to person.

Yes, trade across all facets of the economy was disrupted, and cash-centric sectors like agriculture, fishing, and the voluminous informal market were virtually shut down, with many businesses and livelihoods going under completely. (Not to mention the economic impact of millions of people standing in line for hours to exchange or deposit canceled banknotes rather than working or doing business.)

This all happened with a higher goal in mind that will become apparent in the coming years (despite the skeptics screaming otherwise). Remember, “short-term” is subjective.

I run Mypoolin, a fin-tech venture, so the whole economic machine is of keen interest to me. I had also been thinking for a long time about living a completely cashless life on a daily basis. This seemed like the perfect time to begin my journey and leave cash behind altogether. Note that the real test here was to see two things for myself:

Whether living completely cashless is even possible in such a nation (or in some cities).
 
If yes, then how easy/comfortable would life be after going cashless?
This is an excerpt from the article published on Tech In Aisa. You can read the full article here.

One subscription. Two world-class reads.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

Next Story