SCOTS are withdrawing record amounts of cash rather than relying on credit cards as many return to traditional housekeeping methods.
Nearly £3.5 million more was taken out of ATM machines on a single average day last month compared with the same 24-hour period last year, a Scottish Mail on Sunday investigation has found.
The number of withdrawals also soared by more than 10 per cent, suggesting more people than ever are using cash rather than plastic.
The findings come as the country is caught in the grip of the credit crunch, with households forced to make severe personal economies.
Experts warn the days of running up huge credit card bills could be over as more and more Scots turn to the cash-only spending habits of their grandparents.
Evidence suggests more people are withdrawing larger sums of cash and budgeting to see themselves through the week to sidestep the damaging 'buy now, pay later' culture.
They are also making far more payments using debit cards - effectively the same as using cash.
Debit spending has doubled in the past three years, with £20 billion a month spent in the UK on cards linked to current accounts, compared to £10 billion on credit cards.
The survey, by ATM operator LINK, looked at all transactions carried out at its 5,000 Scottish outlets on Thursday, September 4.
It found that 529,099 withdrawals took place over the 24 hours, with £32,123,666 dispensed in notes.
This compared to a 10 per cent rise in withdrawals on the same day the previous year, when only 479, 087 transactions were carried out and £28,702,663 given out by machines - a 12 per cent increase in cash on the comparable day the previous year.
The study was conducted on a Thursday as the day is traditionally buoyant with late-night spending and covered all LINK's free and charging ATMs in Scotland.
It was done in conjunction with a poll of Scotland's main banks, except RBS, which did not supply figures.
The Clydesdale refused to dis- cuss figures, claiming the information was 'commercially sensitive'. However, it said the amount withdrawn from its 426 machines north of the Border on the same date rose by 23 per cent.
The Bank of Scotland reported an increase of £2 million in cash withdrawals from machines on the same date this year compared with 2007. It said £10 million was taken out over comparable Thursdays in a 24-hour period.
Last night, the prudent spending trend was welcomed by charity National Debtline. Spokesman Beccy Boden- Wilks said: 'If you use a credit card, you can lose a sense that it is really money.
'Taking out a weekly allowance from a cash machine is a very good way to budget as it lets you watch your spending.' The survey comes as personal debt soars to an all-time high. Amounts owed on mortgages, loans and credit cards is the equivalent of £24,000 of debt for every man, woman and child in Britain..
