Re: Making change

On 5/10/2025 12:37 PM, Jill McQuown wrote:

On 5/10/2025 8:21 AM, heyjoe wrote:

Ed P wrote :
>

Making change is a lost art in retail.
>
I was in the checkout line of a store today and a woman bought a few
things that totaled $5.34.  She handed him a $10 bill.  The problem is,
he hit receiving exact change in error and did not know how to give her
change.  Had to call over a supervisor to do this complex monetary
transaction.

>
Umm . . .  How did you pay for your groceries?  How did the person
behind you pay for their groceries?  I'm surprised retailers still
accept cash. There are so few people that pay with cash these days,
it's hardly worth the risk and time (eg. safely/securely transporting
cash to/from store, balancing tills, etc.).
>
Money has become an abstract construct that little to do with
reality.  And we've become poorer as we've lost touch with the value
of cold, hard cash.
>

I don't know about where you live but around here some (usually smaller)   retailers offer "cash" discounts.  Pay with a card and the price goes up under the guise of "processing fees".  Last year I bought a suet type bird feeder at a local lawn & garden store.  The woman at the checkout told me even if I used my debit (as opposed to credit) card there would be an automatic 3% upcharge because that's what the system they use does.  Same thing when I had the window regulator & motor replaced in my car last year.  The auto shop would have charged an extra 3%.  I paid by check and saved a few bucks.  Then there are the produce stands in the middle of nowhere; they are strictly a cash business.  I always have at least $20 in my wallet.
 Jill

Debit cars have a lower fee than a credit card.  May vary by state, in the past stores, by agreement with card companies, had to charge the same price.  No up-charge, no discount, they sort of hid that from the consumer.  Now I see  discounts.
I always have cash and that is my preference for smaller purchases.  I do have a couple of "rewards" credit cards though.  One is 3% on gas and groceries.  So, about 10 cents a gallon at current prices.  I let it build up and when it hits $100 take it towards that month payment.
If I use a tradesman I always pay cash and often get a nice discount.