Cashless means paying for things without using physical money like coins or bills. When you buy something at a store using a credit card, debit card, or phone app, you're making a cashless payment. The money moves electronically from one bank account to another, but no paper or metal changes hands.

Many countries are becoming increasingly cashless as more people use cards and digital payments. In Sweden, some stores don't accept cash at all anymore. In the United States, you might tap your parent's phone at a grocery store checkout or use a card to ride public transportation. Even kids sometimes have cashless ways to pay, like lunch cards at school that get loaded with money electronically.

Going cashless has advantages: you don't need to carry bulky coins or worry about losing bills. But it also means you need access to technology and bank accounts. Some people, especially older adults or those without bank accounts, prefer using cash because they can see and count exactly what they're spending. The word can describe a single transaction (a cashless purchase), a place (a cashless store), or even a whole society moving away from physical money.