Author Topic: Throwing Change  (Read 20173 times)

Squirrel away

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #50 on: May 31, 2015, 03:53:27 AM »


I teach in a middle school and my students throw their change on the ground all the time. I always say "Thanks for the raise!".

Haha. :)

big_slacker

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #51 on: May 31, 2015, 03:29:10 PM »
I actually leave change in the grocery store self checkout machines. Usually under 10c. Don't care if it's anti-mustachian. I figure at the best someone will not have to break a larger bill and at the worst someone will get a very short burst of 'hell yeah' for getting some free money.

Now someone calculate out .16c a week and tell me how much earlier I could retire. :)

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #52 on: May 31, 2015, 04:48:34 PM »
In South Africa we have people asking you for change at every single intersection, and when you park there's always a parking attendant expecting a tip for watching your car. It's a bit ridiculous because I don't feel my car needs watching, and I never asked for their service, but it's also quite hard to get away from. So any spare change above R1 (below R1 is basically worthless, nobody takes it and I have to admit I don't watch those coins very much) goes to the 'car guard' pot because you always feel guilty when you don't have coins, and it's very little i actually buy in cash these days.

That sounds like the way Albuquerque, NM is headed. We don't have "car guards" yet, but I'm sure the day is coming.

What we do have is aggressive panhandlers on every corner, and also in parking lots after dark. You don't know whether it's a mugging setup, or what, just that they want money. I say a polite "no" every time just to see what will happen, and so far nobody's pulled a weapon, but sooner or later they're going to try that nonsense on a person who's trigger happy and looking for an excuse.

RWD

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #53 on: May 31, 2015, 04:52:21 PM »
I actually leave change in the grocery store self checkout machines. Usually under 10c. Don't care if it's anti-mustachian. I figure at the best someone will not have to break a larger bill and at the worst someone will get a very short burst of 'hell yeah' for getting some free money.

Now someone calculate out .16c a week and tell me how much earlier I could retire. :)

You might need to work an extra day to save the additional $208 needed to support a $8.32/year habit. But why wouldn't you just buy stuff with rewards credit cards and do away with cash altogether?

Dictionary Time

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #54 on: May 31, 2015, 07:28:59 PM »
It also drives me nuts to see people at Aldi buy shopping bags rather than bring reusable ones, from both a financial and environmental perspective.
I ALWAYS forget my bags when I go to Aldi's, but I refuse to buy bags ... so I just put the stuff in my trunk, and then I have to make 50 trips in and out of the house.  As efficient as I am, you'd think I'd carry some bags in my trunk all the time.

just grab an empty box, or consolidate some stock to make an empty. Saves them the trouble and you win too.

Also, around here people leave their carts for the next customer (inthe corral,  but with the quarter), which is nice. I always pass it on when that happens.

rencelas

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #55 on: May 31, 2015, 10:30:04 PM »
I throw all my pennies and nickels on the ground in areas where kids frequent, or "drop" them and walk away quickly when a couple 5-10 year olds are around.

As a kid I remember being thrilled to find money on the ground, and I'm doing my part for karma by contributing back. In the scheme of my overall income, $5-10 a year isn't going to make any measurable impact.

Rural

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #56 on: June 01, 2015, 04:30:10 AM »
Had ninety-something cents left on a grocery gift card a couple weeks ago and the cashier actually asked me if I wanted the card back... I guess throwing those out is common enough she figured it was worth asking. I bet she saves them up; I would.

MsPeacock

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #57 on: June 01, 2015, 05:26:10 AM »
I don't like to carry around a lot of change - so I put it in the big change jar I keep at home. Last year my kids and I saved our change for vacation money - and we had $176! It was a big deal for the kids. There is another good amount of change in the jar now and we will use it for something fun or special.

I don't understand throwing change on the ground. At the very least there are change holders in just about every car, or you could leave the change in a money/tip jar in the store. Weird to come out to the car and throw it on the ground. I've been assuming that the coins I see on the ground were dropped accidently - but apparently that is not the case.

Trouble

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #58 on: June 01, 2015, 05:38:55 AM »
My other half used to throw away coins when we first got together. He didn't like carrying coins in his wallet (this is in Australia so we have up to $2 in coins). I used to take them from him whenever we were shopping together.
Now I have control of all the money (I'm a SAHM and he's the breadwinner) and he gets an allowance so he now appreciates any money in his wallet *insert evil laugh here*

robtown

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #59 on: June 01, 2015, 08:27:04 AM »
I have a twist on throwing change.    My mother delights in finding coins,  she always picks them up.    A few years ago, while visiting her in St. Augustine,  we went to the market.     I must have dropped  a couple dozen coins for her to find.     She was having a great time,  and I was enjoying the ruse,   until she got smart and I got busted.

urover

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #60 on: June 04, 2015, 02:54:15 AM »
Of the gazillion Gods that exist in India, money (Goddess Lakshmi) is one. You'll never, ever, see anyone throwing away money (even the lowest denomination). A lot of people, when they pick up money from the ground, will make a holy gesture as a way to say "sorry" to the Goddess of money. Some give it away to a beggar (because they say what's not yours shouldn't be yours). Some people, like me, will pick it up and use it (not the one to believe in superstitions).

I think throwing away money is bizarre and to some extent insane. People would probably confront you in India if you did that.

chouchouu

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #61 on: June 04, 2015, 04:41:18 AM »
I'm shocked that people would literally throw money away. I've never seen this. After I left Laos I had a few notes left that couldn't be changed as they were literally worth less tha a cent. I carried them around in my wallet for a while and then one day decided to prank a friend and blew my nose on them in front of her. She was really shocked and even after I explained they were worthless she said it still felt wrong. I felt a bit guilty afterwards, it does seem taboo to discard money.

bloomability

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #62 on: June 04, 2015, 08:02:33 AM »
I've never seen anyone throw change away, this is a crazy thought!

I do pick up coins - including pennies. I also leave coins sometimes, not as a point of wastefulness, but a hope to make someone's day a little better for literally pennies.

I find this different than throwing away change because it's a mindful action with hope of the specific outcome of someone smiling for finding spare change.



Killerbrandt

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #63 on: June 04, 2015, 12:06:33 PM »
My wife and I love picking up change!! She likes to think it was her grandmother that leaves them behind (fun superstition). Lately on walks in our neighborhood we will find coins each walk! it's added up to about $5 bucks, which is not bad for a fun walk. Also, every time we check mail, someone leaves change on the box!

I have noticed also that in the wealthier sides of town here, there seems to be an endless amount of change on the ground! Every weekend we do our normal trip to our favorite coffee shop and there is always change on the ground each trip.

Overall, we love picking up change and putting it in a tin at home. Sometimes it adds up to several hundred dollars each year! :)

dsmexpat

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #64 on: June 04, 2015, 12:16:35 PM »
In South Africa we have people asking you for change at every single intersection, and when you park there's always a parking attendant expecting a tip for watching your car. It's a bit ridiculous because I don't feel my car needs watching, and I never asked for their service, but it's also quite hard to get away from. So any spare change above R1 (below R1 is basically worthless, nobody takes it and I have to admit I don't watch those coins very much) goes to the 'car guard' pot because you always feel guilty when you don't have coins, and it's very little i actually buy in cash these days.

That sounds like the way Albuquerque, NM is headed. We don't have "car guards" yet, but I'm sure the day is coming.

What we do have is aggressive panhandlers on every corner, and also in parking lots after dark. You don't know whether it's a mugging setup, or what, just that they want money. I say a polite "no" every time just to see what will happen, and so far nobody's pulled a weapon, but sooner or later they're going to try that nonsense on a person who's trigger happy and looking for an excuse.
ABQ is pretty nuts if you come from somewhere that doesn't have drive-thru begging.

Squirrel away

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #65 on: June 05, 2015, 06:11:29 AM »
I still remember the day when I found a £20 note on the ground when I was a kid. :P

Chris22

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #66 on: June 05, 2015, 07:07:20 AM »
So riddle me this one: I do collect change (other than pennies) because it goes into a drawer in my desk at work that funds soda and candy out of the vending machine.  I think I'd probably better off without the change, no?  hehe


I also have a tin with a hole cut in the top that gets pennies out of my change, it probably has a couple bucks in it.  But I don't go out of my way to grab pennies, I just pick out the ones from any change from paper money I get and toss them in the tin because they are of no use in the vending machines.

Rural

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #67 on: June 05, 2015, 09:44:21 AM »
So riddle me this one: I do collect change (other than pennies) because it goes into a drawer in my desk at work that funds soda and candy out of the vending machine.  I think I'd probably better off without the change, no?  hehe


I also have a tin with a hole cut in the top that gets pennies out of my change, it probably has a couple bucks in it.  But I don't go out of my way to grab pennies, I just pick out the ones from any change from paper money I get and toss them in the tin because they are of no use in the vending machines.


To resolve exactly this dilemma, I relocated my change collecting area to a coffee tin in my laundry room, well away from any vending machines. I get the change there by the simple expedient of leaving it in my pocket until I'm ready to wash the pants. Husband has always done the same, so we were going through pockets whenever we washed pants anyway. As a bonus, we always have a little bit of cash at the house (some stray dollar bills land there, too). Saves extra trips to the bank a couple of times a year.

jinga nation

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #68 on: June 08, 2015, 01:58:59 PM »
If my wife finds loose change, it goes to the temple.
If I find loose change, finder keepers.
And I keep my mouth shut, don't need to let Her know.

Rachelocity

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #69 on: June 08, 2015, 02:18:23 PM »
My "fun superstition" was that my father was sending me pennies from heaven.  One day, I found 17 pennies on a ledge whilwe walking to my destination.  Which was weird because it was my b-day, and it was the 17th of the month! 

Now I tip all my loose change into a large plastic cat litter jug - I'm klassy like that!  I opened a bank account with a major bank that has a free Coinstar service.  So much nicer than paying 11.75% for the same service at the supermarket.  I got my son doing the same thing when  he was in his late teens and he stashes "found money" away, enough to pay for a mini-vacation every year. 

Wilson Hall

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #70 on: June 08, 2015, 02:35:14 PM »
While jogging at a school track last week, I found 42 cents. I told my better half that I was getting paid to work out.

mathlete

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Re: Throwing Change
« Reply #71 on: June 08, 2015, 03:15:25 PM »
I can see some circumstances in which keeping change is more hassle than the change is worth.

For starters, physical money is a dirt magnet. Money changes hands very frequently and has probably been in many many hands and pockets before it ever gets to you.

If you told me throwing out a dime a day guaranteed that I would get sick maybe 2 or 3 less times over my lifetime, I'd probably do it.

As it stands though no one has provided me any evidence of that so I tend to collect my physical change and turn it into something sans-fee at coinstar like a charitable donation or occasionally an Amazon gift-card if they have a promotion or something.

I try to use credit whenever possible though.