Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis Of Presentation	1. Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of Cash America International, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The financial statements as of September 30, 2013 and 2012 and for the three- and nine-month periods then ended are unaudited but, in management's opinion, include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results for such interim periods. The year-end consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Operating results for the three- and nine-month periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year. These financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Through April 2013, the Company had a contractual relationship with a third party entity, Huminal, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican sociedad anónima de capital variable (“Huminal”). The Company qualified as the primary beneficiary of Huminal in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”). Therefore, the results and balances of Huminal were consolidated and allocated to net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. In May 2013, the Company acquired the remaining outstanding common stock of Huminal to increase its ownership to 100% of Huminal and, as a result, Huminal became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company as of that date. The Company accounted for this transaction as a change in ownership interests that does not result in a change in control.
Cash And Cash Equivaletns	Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers cash on hand in operating locations, deposits in banks and short-term investments with original maturities of 90 days or less as cash and cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are principally invested in short-term money market funds.
Goodwill And Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in each business combination. In accordance with ASC 350-20-35, Goodwill—Subsequent Measurement, the Company tests goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite life for potential impairment annually as of June 30 and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. The Company uses the income approach to complete its annual goodwill assessment. The income approach uses future cash flows and estimated terminal values for each of the Company's reporting units that are discounted using a market participant perspective to determine the fair value of each reporting unit, which is then compared to the carrying value of that reporting unit to determine if there is impairment. The income approach includes assumptions about revenue growth rates, operating margins and terminal growth rates discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital derived from other publicly-traded companies that are similar but not identical from an operational and economic standpoint. The Company completed its annual assessment of goodwill as of June 30, 2013 and determined that the fair value of its goodwill was in excess of carrying value, and, as a result, no impairment existed at that date. The Company performed its annual indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test as of June 30, 2013. The Company elected to perform a qualitative assessment in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2012-02, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment (“ASU 2012-02”), and determined that it was not more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible assets were impaired. Therefore, no further quantitative assessment was required.
Adopted Accounting Standards	Adopted Accounting Standards In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) — Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2013-02”), which improves the reporting of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. ASU 2013-02 requires an entity to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items on the consolidated statements of income that compose net income if the amount being reclassified is required under GAAP to be reclassified in its entirety to net income. For other amounts that are not required under GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income in the same reporting period, an entity is required to cross-reference other disclosures required under GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. The Company adopted ASU 2013-02 on January 1, 2013, and the adoption did not have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or other comprehensive income. See Note 7 for further discussion. In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU 2012-02. ASU 2012-02 provides companies with the option to assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If a company concludes that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, it is required to determine the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying value in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other. If a company concludes otherwise, no further quantitative assessment is required. ASU 2012-02 is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, although early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2012-02 on January 1, 2013, and the adoption did not have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-11, Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities (Topic 210) (“ASU 2011-11”). ASU 2011-11 requires a company to provide enhanced disclosures about financial instruments and derivative instruments that are either presented on a net basis on the balance sheet or are subject to an enforceable master netting or similar arrangement. In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-01, Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities (“ASU 2013-01”), which limits the scope of ASU 2011-11 by requiring additional disclosure about financial instruments and derivative instruments that are either offset in the statement of financial position or subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement. ASU 2013-01 requires retrospective disclosure for all comparative periods. ASU 2011-11 and ASU 2013-01 are effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning January 1, 2013. The Company adopted ASU 2011-11 and ASU 2013-01 on January 1, 2013, and the adoption of these standards did not have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations. See Note 13 for further discussion.
Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods	Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (“ASU 2013-11”), which provides guidance on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits when net operating loss carryforwards, similar tax losses, or tax credit carryforwards exist. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years (and interim periods within those years) beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. Retrospective application is permitted. The Company does not expect ASU 2013-11 to have a material effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations. In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05, Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830): Parent's Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force) (“ASU 2013-05”), which applies to the release of the cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a parent either sells all or a part of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a business (other than a sale of in substance real estate or conveyance of oil and gas mineral rights) within a foreign entity. ASU 2013-05 is effective prospectively for fiscal years (and interim reporting periods within those years) beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect ASU 2013-05 to have a material effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

1. Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of Cash America International, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The financial statements as of September 30, 2013 and 2012 and for the three- and nine-month periods then ended are unaudited but, in management's opinion, include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results for such interim periods. The year-end consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Operating results for the three- and nine-month periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year.

These financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Through April 2013, the Company had a contractual relationship with a third party entity, Huminal, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican sociedad anónima de capital variable (“Huminal”). The Company qualified as the primary beneficiary of Huminal in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”). Therefore, the results and balances of Huminal were consolidated and allocated to net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. In May 2013, the Company acquired the remaining outstanding common stock of Huminal to increase its ownership to 100% of Huminal and, as a result, Huminal became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company as of that date. The Company accounted for this transaction as a change in ownership interests that does not result in a change in control.

Cash And Cash Equivaletns

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers cash on hand in operating locations, deposits in banks and short-term investments with original maturities of 90 days or less as cash and cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are principally invested in short-term money market funds.

Goodwill And Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in each business combination. In accordance with ASC 350-20-35, Goodwill—Subsequent Measurement, the Company tests goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite life for potential impairment annually as of June 30 and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.

The Company uses the income approach to complete its annual goodwill assessment. The income approach uses future cash flows and estimated terminal values for each of the Company's reporting units that are discounted using a market participant perspective to determine the fair value of each reporting unit, which is then compared to the carrying value of that reporting unit to determine if there is impairment. The income approach includes assumptions about revenue growth rates, operating margins and terminal growth rates discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital derived from other publicly-traded companies that are similar but not identical from an operational and economic standpoint. The Company completed its annual assessment of goodwill as of June 30, 2013 and determined that the fair value of its goodwill was in excess of carrying value, and, as a result, no impairment existed at that date.

The Company performed its annual indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test as of June 30, 2013. The Company elected to perform a qualitative assessment in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2012-02, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment (“ASU 2012-02”), and determined that it was not more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible assets were impaired. Therefore, no further quantitative assessment was required.

Adopted Accounting Standards

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) — Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2013-02”), which improves the reporting of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. ASU 2013-02 requires an entity to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items on the consolidated statements of income that compose net income if the amount being reclassified is required under GAAP to be reclassified in its entirety to net income. For other amounts that are not required under GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income in the same reporting period, an entity is required to cross-reference other disclosures required under GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. The Company adopted ASU 2013-02 on January 1, 2013, and the adoption did not have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or other comprehensive income. See Note 7 for further discussion.

In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU 2012-02. ASU 2012-02 provides companies with the option to assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If a company concludes that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, it is required to determine the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying value in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other. If a company concludes otherwise, no further quantitative assessment is required. ASU 2012-02 is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, although early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2012-02 on January 1, 2013, and the adoption did not have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations.

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-11, Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities (Topic 210) (“ASU 2011-11”). ASU 2011-11 requires a company to provide enhanced disclosures about financial instruments and derivative instruments that are either presented on a net basis on the balance sheet or are subject to an enforceable master netting or similar arrangement. In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-01, Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities (“ASU 2013-01”), which limits the scope of ASU 2011-11 by requiring additional disclosure about financial instruments and derivative instruments that are either offset in the statement of financial position or subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement. ASU 2013-01 requires retrospective disclosure for all comparative periods. ASU 2011-11 and ASU 2013-01 are effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning January 1, 2013. The Company adopted ASU 2011-11 and ASU 2013-01 on January 1, 2013, and the adoption of these standards did not have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations. See Note 13 for further discussion.

Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (“ASU 2013-11”), which provides guidance on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits when net operating loss carryforwards, similar tax losses, or tax credit carryforwards exist. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years (and interim periods within those years) beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. Retrospective application is permitted. The Company does not expect ASU 2013-11 to have a material effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05, Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830): Parent's Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force) (“ASU 2013-05”), which applies to the release of the cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a parent either sells all or a part of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a business (other than a sale of in substance real estate or conveyance of oil and gas mineral rights) within a foreign entity. ASU 2013-05 is effective prospectively for fiscal years (and interim reporting periods within those years) beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect ASU 2013-05 to have a material effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for cash and cash equivalents, including the policy for determining which items are treated as cash equivalents. Other information that may be disclosed includes (1) the nature of any restrictions on the entity's use of its cash and cash equivalents, (2) whether the entity's cash and cash equivalents are insured or expose the entity to credit risk, (3) the classification of any negative balance accounts (overdrafts), and (4) the carrying basis of cash equivalents (for example, at cost) and whether the carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash Equivalents

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4273-108586

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 305

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2122427

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Financial Reporting Release (FRR)

-Number 203

-Paragraph 02-03

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Technical Practice Aid (TPA)

-Number 2110

-Paragraph 6

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 7, 8, 9, 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for goodwill and intangible assets. This accounting policy also may address how an entity assesses and measures impairment of goodwill and intangible assets.

+ References+ Details