People Pay in Cash to ‘Forget About’ Guilty Purchases…Like Junk Food

Skipping the credit card makes it easier for you to forget.

If you’re cheating on a diet, you’re more likely to pay in cash to hide the paper trail. A new study out of Notre Dame found that people are more likely to pay in cash for transactions that are harder to justify. Maybe you’re grabbing a pack of cigarettes or a case of beer when you’re trying to cut back or you’re at the donut shop, cheating on your diet. Skipping the credit card keeps the transaction hidden from your usual account tracking and makes it easier for you to forget.