It's less likely that we now carry a wad of notes in our pockets as our seams bulge with plastic.

A third of us use our credit cards regularly for everyday spending according to a survey of the nation's cash-carrying habits by leading personal finance website Fool.co.uk.

Debit cards account for over 37% of spending, and cash only now accounts for 29%.

Fool.co.uk's research also shows:

- 19% of us use cash and cards interchangeably - 33% of Brits generally have less than £10 in cash - On average we carry £33 on us at any given time

Fewer of us carry cash these days, with nearly half of us (47%) withdrawing money once a week or less.

1 in 5 of us think cash and cards are interchangeable, and 1 in 6 we use our debit cards as the most convenient way to pay.

Meanwhile, 11% of us have a more considered reason for using our plastic; we do so to keep track of just how much we spend!

Money men!

The findings also reveal that men generally carry around £20 more than women.

Men typically have around £40 on them while women have a little under £20 (probably because they know they can borrow £20 off the man...)

85% of ladies keep their cash in a traditional purse, while 57% of men fold their notes in their wallet but keep their coins in their pockets.

A very brave 12% just keep all their money in their pockets while 1 in 200 go to the other extreme and secure it in a bum bag (so some people do still use them?)

Flash with cash?

A few of us are a lot more flash with our cash!

5% of us apparently carry over £100, and 2% have over £200 in notes, with half of these securing it with a smart money clip (who are these people?)

But unsurprisingly, cash-laden individuals are a minority, and 18% of us only carry enough to cover realistic daily expenses such as a bus fare or sandwich in an emergency.

Cash flush fifties

It seems that the amount of cash we carry increases proportionally with age, and older people clearly prefer a cashier to an ATM; young people between 18 and 24 carry around £14, which is less than a third of their 58-plus elders, who have on average £43.

David Kuo, Head of Personal Finance at Fool.co.uk, commented on the growing penchant for plastic:

"Plastic can be fantastic, but relying on money we can't see is a reflection of how easy it has been to rely on credit in recent years.

"But since you are not paying in cash, it is all the more reason to take care as credit becomes more difficult to obtain.

"It is therefore more important than ever to build a decent savings pot because one day when you need to pull a rabbit out of the hat, you could find that all you have is a dead duck in your pocket."

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