Street performers face setbacks due to Cash's downturn, yet digital platforms ensure continuous financial flow
In the bustling streets of New York City, musicians and magicians like Gabriel Aldort and Danny Tangelo, who entertain crowds in subways and ferry terminals, are facing a new challenge: the decline of cash payments.
A survey found that more than 40% of Americans think "tipping culture is out of control," and rising costs of housing and food may lead audiences to save money by not tipping street performers. As a result, only 5% of Aldort's tips are digital, according to him.
To adapt to this changing landscape, performers have turned to digital alternatives such as displaying QR codes for payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App, allowing passersby to give tips electronically.
This shift changes the tipping dynamic in several ways. Performers report fewer physical bills and coins in their tip jars even during busy times because audiences often don't have cash on hand. The introduction of digital tipping may alter the traditional interaction, as the immediacy and visibility of physical tips create a different atmosphere than electronic transactions.
One performer, Natalia Paruz, known as the Saw Lady, has found that cash tips are often higher than digital tips. However, she displays QR codes for digital payment apps Venmo and PayPal for commuters to send digital tips. Paruz says 70% of her tips still come from cash.
To further support performers, a nonprofit payment site called busk.co was created by Berlin-based filmmaker Nick Broad in 2012 while working on a documentary about street performers. Busk.co allows tips via Apple Pay, Google Pay, and credit card.
The cashless trend is expected to continue, with nearly half of U.S. adults never using cash in a typical week, according to research from Capital One. By 2027, 94% of U.S. transactions won't involve cash, according to a bank's anticipation.
While some performers, like Tangelo, are indifferent to the method of payment, as long as they receive tips, they acknowledge that digital methods are not perfect substitutes for cash and can involve fees or delays. Despite these challenges, they represent the primary alternative many performers now rely on.
Paruz, who performs music with a musical saw at the Herald Square station in midtown Manhattan, is still struggling. She makes less from cash and digital tips than she did when she began performing in the 1990s. The decline in cash payments has significantly impacted street performers, with many like Paruz making less than they used to.
However, the adaptations are crucial as the cashless trend grows, allowing performers to sustain their income despite changing public payment habits. The shift towards digital payments is a necessary adaptation for street performers to continue thriving in the modern world.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/10/business/cashless-economy-street-performers.html [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/10/street-performers-are-struggling-cashless-economy-heres-how-theyre-adapting/ [5] https://www.npr.org/2019/06/10/733335145/street-performers-are-struggling-in-the-cashless-economy-heres-how-theyre-adaptin
- Street performers, such as Gabriel Aldort and Danny Tangelo, are turning to digital alternatives like Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App to replace the declining tips they used to receive in cash.
- The cashless trend, with nearly half of U.S. adults not using cash in a typical week, is expected to continue, potentially affecting 94% of U.S. transactions by 2027.
- Performers like Natalia Paruz, also known as the Saw Lady, display QR codes for digital payment apps, but she acknowledges that cash tips are often higher and can be more reliable.
- To support performers in the digital age, a nonprofit payment site called busk.co was created, allowing tips via Apple Pay, Google Pay, and credit card.
- Despite the challenges of digital payments, like fees or delays, these methods are necessary for street performers to continue thriving in the modern world and adapt to changing public payment habits.
