Do you count your change?

[KJIM]

Had a little road trip the past two days and stopped at some fast food places for caloric and caffeine intake.

Both stops, I didn't get the correct change. First stop, it was partly my bad. I hadn't left town yet and wound up knowing the cashier and another employee and we chatted to distraction. I didn't realize until I got to the car that I left without my change. I'll fault myself for that one.

The other time, though, I got two teas at McD's. Paid with a $5 and got .88 back. I did a double take and asked for the bills. The guy looked at me weird, but I guess he realized I wasn't lying.

Usually, though I can't say I pay that much attention if the change part is correct. Bills I'm pretty good at, but I honestly wouldn't realize if I was being shorted .05 or .25 each time. I rarely count a handful of change.

How much attention do you pay to your change? What about when you pay by debit or credit card -- do you verify the amount before signing?

 

[dooley_womack1]

I watch it like a hawk, because I put my pennies, nickels and dimes into a big jug. And I like for people to be doing their job.

 

[MTM]

I always check to debit/credit reciept at the gas station to make sure total matches what's on the pump.

 

[MileHigh]

Same. I always get a receipt for gas. Count the change. Double check a bill. I pay virtually everything on one credit card and pay it off each month, and I go over it pretty closely each month and I remember pretty much how much things cost.

 

[EStreetJoe]

I always count the change and am amazed at the number of people working as cashiers that don't know the proper way to count back the change to you.

For instance, if you bought something that was $3.75 and paid for it with a $10. Most likely the cashier will count the change back to you as 25 cents with a quarter and then six with a $1 and a $5.
However the proper way is to give back the quarter first, saying that's four and then the $1 to make $5 and $5 makes $10 (counting it up/adding it up to what you paid as opposed to just counting what the register shows the change should be)

 

[trifectarich]

Sadly, the last time anyone counted back change like that, the right way, might have been 1992.

 

[JR]

Nobody counts change back anymore because the cash register tells 'em what it is.

The worst of all are cashiers who put your $20.00 in the till BEFORE they give you your change for that $10.00 bill they claim you gave them.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I always check to see if the tip was already added. Learned that the hard way while traveling for work.

 

[farmerjerome]

I never count change as I hand it back to my customers, but for me it's simply because I trip over my words so much and I don't need to sound (more) like a babbling idiot. I work so fast I'm actually more apt to make a mistake when I'm talking out the amount than counting it out when I take it out of the register. If there is a problem, a simple register audit can clear things up.
I always tell them what their change is, give them time to look over their receipt and gather their belongings before I call the next customer. I HATE it when another customer barges up to the counter, especially when I'm waiting on a senior citizen.

 

[MacDaddy]

I typically count my change, especially when the cashier has to use a calculator to determine how much change to give for a $22 transaction paid for with two $20 bills.

 

[cranberry]

No but I'm a nuisance to cashiers because I stand there until I organize my pocket cash exactly the way I was taught when I was a gas station attendant: Singles on the outside, then 50s, 20s, 10s and fives.

 

[BTExpress]

If my bill is, say, $3.91, I will try to give them $4.16 so I can a) get rid of some change and, b) not get any more pennies back.

They usually look at me like I'm an alien.

Some will try to give back the 16 cents and then give me my 9 cents change from the $4.

"No. Just give me a quarter back. That's it."

My wife is a cashier and pointed out to me that no U.S. coils actually have the numerical value on them. Heck, most do not even have the number spelled out, either. I never really noticed that until going to other countries and seeing numerals on all their coins.

 

[Philosopher]

I use a debit card all the time, so I never get cash any more. When I get change, I do count it, and then put it in a special drawer where I keep my change. I use it only for vending machines.

 

[HejiraHenry]

I always try to keep 99 cents in my pocket – two quarters, three dimes, three nickels and four pennies. Just a habit.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Timely thread. I've been shorted on change a lot lately and, of course, ****ed at the drive-thru.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

My wife is a cashier and pointed out to me that no U.S. coils actually have the numerical value on them. Heck, most do not even have the number spelled out, either. I never really noticed that until going to other countries and seeing numerals on all their coins.

Quarters say, in big letters below Washington's head, QUARTER DOLLAR. Nickels, on the back below Monticello, say FIVE CENTS. Pennies, on the back, say ONE CENT.

The dime is the only one that doesn't say/spell out how much a dime is worth.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

I always try to keep 99 cents in my pocket – two quarters, three dimes, three nickels and four pennies. Just a habit.

My grandpa was like that. He always had change in his pocket, no matter if he was going to church or wherever. I used to do that, but now I keep my change in a cup holder in my car.

 

[EStreetJoe]

If my bill is, say, $3.91, I will try to give them $4.16 so I can a) get rid of some change and, b) not get any more pennies back.

They usually look at me like I'm an alien.

Fortunately for me most cashiers know what I'm doing when I do that. The ones that give me a strange look when I give them the money understand when the register shows how much change I'm getting back.

 

[holy bull]

Nobody counts change back anymore because the cash register tells 'em what it is.

The worst of all are cashiers who put your $20.00 in the till BEFORE they give you your change for that $10.00 bill they claim you gave them.

This exact scenario happened to me at a convenience store last year for one simple reason: the guy was gabbing away with his friend the whole time the transaction occurred. My business was an afterthought. I called him on it, and he actually challenged me back. You're ****ing kidding, right? All I had to say was, "Which one of us was paying attention, and which one of us wasn't?" Unbelievable. I was so pissed.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

I never count my change when I'm sitting at the table.

There will be time for counting later.