Using copper coins

[Dod101]

Like many I am sure, I have embarked on a bit of a private austerity drive. When I used to use cash regularly I could never get rid of copper coins in change and sometimes these fiddly 5p coins, with the result that I have several coin bags of them. I guess they do not amount to much but I have wanted to use them up for some time. Now I discover that I can throw them into the self service check out machines to pay for all or part of a purchase and pay the balance by using a card. Every little helps as they say!

I am also thoroughly mean in looking for and often finding coins in the car park of the supermarket I use. The streets (or at least the car park) if not exactly paved with gold, do have small nuggets of copper around.

Dod

[Dod101]

On the flip side, we have Aberdonians of all people, just chucking their coins away with gay abandon

An Aberdeen man has appeared in court accused of throwing a coin at the weekend’s Dundee United match.

Brandon Bell, 18, appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court.

It is alleged he threw a coin towards the pitch at Tannadice Park on Saturday, hitting a police constable and placing players, officials, stewards and other supporters in danger.

An Aberdonian ffs - the most grippit people on the planet!

Obviously the oil capital of Europe still has plenty of cash swilling around. Either that or it was a Peseta from 1978.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ee-united/

I do not think I am mean, but when I want to, I can be 'careful'. I used to know a lady, best friend of my late wife actually, who was an Aberdonian and showed it at every turn. Didn't do much for her because she died a couple of years ago. For example, she and her partner were appalled at the idea of ordering coffee or tea after a lunch out, irrespective if they were buying or I was. They always brought a flask with them and repaired to their car after lunch and drank their coffee there.

Dod

[staffordian]

I do not think I am mean, but when I want to, I can be 'careful'. I used to know a lady, best friend of my late wife actually, who was an Aberdonian and showed it at every turn. Didn't do much for her because she died a couple of years ago. For example, she and her partner were appalled at the idea of ordering coffee or tea after a lunch out, irrespective if they were buying or I was. They always brought a flask with them and repaired to their car after lunch and drank their coffee there.

Dod

I'm amazed they bought lunch out. What's up with taking a few sarnies in a Tupperware box when they went out

[Lootman]

There is a sign in my local bank branch saying that the branch is no longer giving out coins to people asking for "change". Presumably this most hurts small businesses that deal in cash and have to give out a lot of change.

It seems to me that small local retail businesses might appreciate it if you gave them your change. Probably best to arrange them by denomination and in round amounts.

Otherwise they can be useful as tips. Well not pennies as that would be insulting, but other coinage.

There is also the American idea of a bowl of change on the counter by the till in shops. If you are a few pennies short you take them out of the bowl. If you are given pennies in change then you put them in the bowl before leaving, rather than pocketing them.

[Dod101]

There is a sign in my local bank branch saying that the branch is no longer giving out coins to people asking for "change". Presumably this most hurts small businesses that deal in cash and have to give out a lot of change.

It seems to me that small local retail businesses might appreciate it if you gave them your change. Probably best to arrange them by denomination and in round amounts.

Otherwise they can be useful as tips. Well not pennies as that would be insulting, but other coinage.

There is also the American idea of a bowl of change on the counter by the till in shops. If you are a few pennies short you take them out of the bowl. If you are given pennies in change then you put them in the bowl before leaving, rather than pocketing them.

Good ideas, thanks. Mind you, tips these days tend to be at least the smallest paper money, a fiver, surely?

Dod

[servodude]

On the flip side, we have Aberdonians of all people, just chucking their coins away with gay abandon

An Aberdeen man has appeared in court accused of throwing a coin at the weekend’s Dundee United match.

Brandon Bell, 18, appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court.

It is alleged he threw a coin towards the pitch at Tannadice Park on Saturday, hitting a police constable and placing players, officials, stewards and other supporters in danger.

An Aberdonian ffs - the most grippit people on the planet!

Obviously the oil capital of Europe still has plenty of cash swilling around. Either that or it was a Peseta from 1978.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ee-united/

Aberdonians grippit?

If he'd tried that at Love St it would have been caught!

In Paisley scrambles are silent - it's amazing the goalkeepers aren't better

[quelquod]

Pre-Covid, when we used to use the local bus to nip in to the town centre, I routinely looked for and found discarded small change around the bus stop. There seemed to be more there immediately after the schoolkids had been there but maybe coincidental. Like many of our older friends we no longer use the bus - deterred by too close contacts - so my minor income stream has dried up, but perhaps our new custom of seeking cheaper online deals rather than in the town compensates. I wonder who now gets MY cash.

[Lootman]

Pre-Covid, when we used to use the local bus to nip in to the town centre, I routinely looked for and found discarded small change around the bus stop. There seemed to be more there immediately after the schoolkids had been there but maybe coincidental. Like many of our older friends we no longer use the bus - deterred by too close contacts - so my minor income stream has dried up, but perhaps our new custom of seeking cheaper online deals rather than in the town compensates. I wonder who now gets MY cash.

When I first spent time in the US I would use a lot of toll roads (New Jersey is the toll and turnpike capital of the US). Going through the toll gates, at that time, often required throwing quarters into a basket, which then released the toll barrier.

Needless to say a number of these coins failed to reach their target, and you could make a few bucks if you were willing to scramble out of your vehicle and hoover up the coins from the ground, which at that time I felt no shame in so doing.