Thursday, June 12th, 2008...10:29 am
#7: Don’t Count Out Exact Change
You’ve been there: In line behind the middle-aged woman who says, “Wait a minute! I think I have the exact change!,” 
and then proceeds to rummage through the recesses of her bag in search of the precise assortment of quarters and dimes and nickels and pennies that make up the price of her knee-high hose or chicken pot pie.
The reasoning seems to be that, if you pay for something with exact change, you at one stroke declutter your purse and get whatever you’re buying for less. You’ve traded in all those heavy, jangly spare coins for a nourishing meat pie! And acted like you’re doing the poor cashier a big fat favor in the process.
But listen, change is inevitable. No matter how many pennies you get rid of, more will always come your way. And you’re just annoying everybody in the meantime.
Pam
Okay, now I admit it – reading your blog is downright painful. I am realizing I must be acting like I am 156. Note (if I don’t forget) — ask my kids if I am doing anything NOT oldladyish. And, will put ALL my change in the cup at Dunkin Donuts tomorrow!
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Um, don’t pay with cash, you codger!
Old(er) people — like my mother — remember a time when the small amounts of money represented by coins were actually worth something.
An older person will wonder why youngsters (use of that word will age you faster than anything!) don’t understand the value of money, as they “take a penny/leave a penny.”
What the seniors fail to grasp is that the kids DO understand the value of money — 27 cents doesn’t buy anything anymore and is barely worth picking up off the sidewalk.
I count my change BEFORE I arrive at the check-out, so I can have it ready immediately. Sorry- I refuse to pass up 35 cents, and give a dollar, only because someone might think I am ‘old’ !! We’re in a recession, in case you didn’t know. Every penny counts !
one word
Inflation
the evil youth understand the fact that anything less than 50 cents is unlikely to buy you anything worth having, and even that 50 cents is only useful if you add it to a dollar to buy a small 8 ounce soda….