Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Estimated Useful Lives

	Buildings and building improvements(a)	7 to 40 years
	Leasehold improvements(b)	2 to 10 years
	Furniture, fixtures and equipment	3 to 7 years
	Computer hardware and software	1 to 10 years
(a)	Structural components are depreciated over 30 to 40 years, and the remaining building systems and features are depreciated over 7 to 20 years.		a a
(b)	Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the terms of the lease agreements with a maximum life of 10 years.

Reconciliation Of Numerators And Denominators Of Basic And Diluted Earnings Per Share Computations

		For the year ended December 31,
		2013		2012		2011
	Numerator:
	Net income attributable to Cash America International, Inc.	$	142,528	$	107,470	$	135,963
	Denominator:
	Total weighted average basic shares (a)		28,657		29,514		29,602
	Shares applicable to stock-based compensation(b)		72		174		251
	Convertible debt(c)		1,884		1,764		2,138
	Total weighted average diluted shares (d)		30,613		31,452		31,991
	Net income – basic	$	4.97	$	3.64	$	4.59
	Net income – diluted	$	4.66	$	3.42	$	4.25
(a)c	Includes vested and deferred restricted stock units of 307, 287 and 231, as well as shares in the Company's nonqualified deferred compensation plan of 31, 31 and 32 for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
(b)	For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, includes shares related to unvested restricted stock unit awards. For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, also includes shares related to outstanding option awards that were exercisable. Although there were no stock option awards outstanding as of December 31, 2012, the dilutive effect of stock-based compensation is based on weighted amount of outstanding awards during the year; therefore, a portion of the stock option awards outstanding during 2012 are included in this amount.
(c)C	The shares issuable with respect to the Company's senior unsecured convertible notes due 2029 (the “2029 Convertible Notes”) have been calculated using the treasury stock method. The Company intends to settle the principal portion of the convertible debt in cash during 2014; therefore, only the shares related to the conversion spread have been included in weighted average diluted shares.
(d)	For the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2011, there is an immaterial amount of unvested restricted stock units that are excluded from shares applicable to stock-based compensation because its impact would be anti-dilutive. There were no anti-dilutive shares for the year ended December 31, 2012.