With the rise of systems like Apple Pay, Venmo, Zelle and other non-contact payment methods, cash is becoming used less and less. Especially for younger generations, carrying cash is something that usually isn’t done. This new trend broaches the question if clubs should accept digital payments from services like Venmo and Zelle.

In school, with a large number of fundraisers going on now, especially because there are fewer COVID restrictions, carrying cash is imperative to buy food or other goods being sold during club fundraisers. Most clubs do not allow students to pay using Zelle, Venmo or PayPal because it is not trackable and clubs must track all the money that comes in and out of their accounts.

“Our school system isn’t set up that way yet [to accept online payments] and when dealing with big accounts that have taxpayer money and have so much money, we have to be really careful about which organizations we share that deposit information with,” Student Activities Director Sarah Struebing said.

All payments made using Apple Pay or other non-contact payment methods are trackable. Struebing also says that there will be an Infinite Campus option come in spring for students to pay through. 

Some clubs would also benefit from the use of electronic payments. “Being allowed to accept electronic payments would definitely make fundraising easier. It makes sense to collect virtual payments, especially considering that UNICEF USA, for example, has made Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF entirely virtual,” President of UNICEF Club Prisha Singh said. In the past, members of the UNICEF club would carry around small boxes to collect change from students, but with the change in the system, students no longer have to carry around boxes of change. 

Some other students also feel that electronic payment methods would make club fundraising more convenient. “[Only accepting cash] makes supporting clubs much more challenging, most places don’t take cash so I rarely carry it. I love supporting club fundraisers, however, I rarely do it because I don’t have any way to pay them,” senior Sadie Pimlott said. 

Some students do not have a preference when it comes to clubs accepting different types of payments other than cash. “I like contributing to fundraisers because clubs sell some great things. It seems like it is easier for clubs to accept cash, so I don’t really mind carrying it in school,” senior Alyssa Louie said. Even with the current system of accepting cash, fundraisers still continue to make money and fund clubs and other student organizations.