Friday, April 04, 2008

My Two Cents


I think I might know why so many of us are in economic trouble.

Yesterday, the third grocery store I went to had the hazelnuts I needed for a recipe. I paid for the package with two one-dollar bills and 50 cents in change. My purchase totaled $2.48. The cashier asked, “Do you want your change?”

You are darned tootin’ sweetkins. “Yes,” I replied with a hint of sarcasm. I reckon Dillon’s thinks my two cents doesn’t matter much to me. Well, two cents is two cents, and after awhile a big grocery chain with two cents extra from every shopper could actually add up to some free money.

I guess the stories about the death of the penny are true. But I’ll keep my two cents for what it’s worth.

14 comments:

Diane J Standiford said...

Me too! Abe Lincoln forever!

Anonymous said...

I suppose the cashier pockets the change that the customers don't want. If so, there's maybe a hundred dollars extra money at the end of the year.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

man, is she kidding? i am the only one i know that will actually stop and pick up a penny off the ground... i learned many years ago if you watch the pennies the dollars will watch themselves!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Sarge Charlie said...

Me and bee, we pick it up, you can always find money in the drive through at mc donalds, at least you could until everyone started using credit cards.

Don said...

“Find a penny
Pick it up
All day long
You’ll have good luck”

I had a buddy in my Junior High years who always walked with his head tilted forward and his eyes focused on the ground looking for dropped coins and an occasional bill. Those were the days when money still had value and you could get in a movie for 9 cents or by a Krystal hamburger or a Coke for a nickel. That guy always had money when the rest of us were flat broke.

He eventually graduated from the Naval Academy!

Sheila said...

My mom, a child of the Great Depression, taught me that little saying too, Don.

Sarge, that's funny about the drive through at McDonald's. Is that how y'all afford all of the cruises?

Seriously though, I just have to stop and pick up any money I see. If I don't someone else will. I told husband about the cashier question and he said, "Chump change." We don't exactly see eye to eye on money matters apparently.

Rick Rockhill said...

the only time I leave my change is if its for the tip jar in a place where I think the cashiers are helpful, or also if its a drop box for a charity.

Marshamlow said...

At overseas American military bases we have commissaries, bx's, Burger Kings, etc - at all these on base locations one pays with American money. Off base one pays with the local currency. The American government has decided that it is too expensive to bring pennies overseas so they don't use pennies at all. The cashier will round your bill to the nearest nickle and they will not accept pennies. We were so excited when we got home, to have a pocket book full of pennies. They always seem to try things out on the military first.

Sheila said...

PSS,
I'll leave money in tip jars, charity appeals, etc. but I still like to know where my money is purportedly going.

Marsha,
That's interesting. You probably have a lot of other great stories too. I always think living/visiting abroad helps enlighten us in so many ways.

Anonymous said...

Marshamlow, pennies are "legal tender," and American military bases would have to accept them, it would seem.

Each day I empty out my pockets and put any coins in tubes. When I go to the bank I often have $10, $5, $2 or 50 cents to add to my deposit. it makes me feel that I'm getting a little "free money," although I know that's not really true.

Marion said...

I tell people who don't want pennies about the huge jar of them I once had...paid for a new chair, after I rolled the pennies for days!

I'll put pennies in a charity jar, if it is one of my charities I support.

Sheila said...

The penny chair--that's a lot of them for sure. The charity jar is another good way to "spend" them.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

You've inspired me to give "green" a little more consideration. Thanks for visiting my blog and for your kind comment.

Naomi said...

Ha ha This reminds me of a saying we have in England, "Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves!" Those two cents are as good in you pocket as the cashiers Sheila!