Contractor pays municipality fine with change.

[Decypher]

My bank won't do that. They would hand me a bunch of coin wrappers and tell me to wrap them myself. They won't take a bucket of loose change.

Commerce Bank in NYC used to have change counting machines in their branches. Free to use for customers, the amount would be credited to your account.

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

You credit union will count your change for free? That's mighty nice of them. Most places of business tend to charge something for services rendered.

My bank will count for free. Take a bucket of change in; they'll dump it in the counter and deposit.
I'd say they would charge a fee to a non-account holder though.

 

[EnchantedMuggle]

I hope they made the people who delivered it stand there until it was all counted.

 

[bythoughts]

My bank won't do that. They would hand me a bunch of coin wrappers and tell me to wrap them myself. They won't take a bucket of loose change.

When I was young, change was no problem. I'd take it down to the bank and they'd throw it in a machine and shazam! Then this Coinstar thing came out (and yes, it's like most things in America now - you identify the service with a company because there is, of course, only one!). Then the credit union told me they don't do that and I should use that thing.

I wasn't paying any 7% of my money (it's gone up since then, apparently!) to some company for what used to be for free, and I wasn't letting myself be cheated with some card trick. (I don't know it's a cheat but come on, if you don't lose your money how come they offer the option?) I got mad and accumulated a shoebox full of change over years.

Anyway, there IS a fix. Take the whole lot down to the Salvation Army and let them count it. I was surprised to see they don't even use a machine ... they sure are fast though. Shoulda known. Now you don't have to feel bad about being cheated or wonder what to do with all the loose change.

 

[Grand Mal]

It is a Kiosk in which you dump loads of excessive coins. It counts the money and provides you with a receipt that is redeemable for paper bills at the establishment where the kiosk is. In my area, the fee for providing this service is typically 15%. As an alternative, I can opt for a gift card exclusive to the establishment. In that case, there is no fee and I get 100% value for my coins.

Ah, thanks.
In my case, nearly everything is done on plastic. My wife likes the reward points with Master Card and she pays it off on-line once a month. We keep a hundred bucks in the cookie jar for small stuff. I almost never have money on me.
If I remember right from high-school economics coins are legal tender up to certain values. I don't know the specific numbers but nickels don't have to be accepted above $5 worth, say, and dimes above $10. Used to be, anyway.

 

[Grand Mal]

They actually cannot refuse it and demand other payment:

When I was in high school economics I was told that businesses had to accept coins up to certain limits. I forget the numbers but let's say $5 for nickels. A store wasn't required to accept all nickels for more than $5. Higher values for higher denominations.

 

[Safiel]

Why is that, exactly?

For the obvious reason is that cash is cumbersome and gives people the opportunity to weaponize that cumbersome nature, such as dropping loads of pennies.

Even when it is not be deliberately weaponized, cash is cumbersome and requires time and personnel to handle as well as physical security measures.

Trump is dispensing with the penny (one of the very few good ideas he has had). A start on the formal road to a cashless society.

Once the last new pennies roll out early next year, the supply of pennies will rapidly dry up and the ability for disgruntled people to abuse pennies will go away.

 

[Safiel]

My credit union does have a coin counting machine which is free for members. Good for getting rid of unwanted change.

 

[SCrider]

What a baby. How about don’t do things that get you fined?

 

[Sooner or Later]

I save my change and then donate it to the local food bank. A local foundation will match donations.

Last time I took the change to my bank to be counted. They gave me a cashiers check for the food bank. They waived the check fee since it was a donation. A little over $1200.

Penny payment guy needs to get a life.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

For the obvious reason is that cash is cumbersome and gives people the opportunity to weaponize that cumbersome nature, such as dropping loads of pennies.

Of all the petty, whiny reasons to want to eliminate cash...

 

[Grizzly Adams]

When I was in high school economics I was told that businesses had to accept coins up to certain limits. I forget the numbers but let's say $5 for nickels. A store wasn't required to accept all nickels for more than $5. Higher values for higher denominations.

Down here businesses can refuse cash all they like. Governments, however, are obligated to accept bills and coin in payment.

 

[Safiel]

Of all the petty, whiny reasons to want to eliminate cash...

The only whining and pettiness was by penny guy.

Society is evolving beyond the need for physical cash.

The use of cash incurs cost and that cost is ultimately passed along through increased prices for goods and services.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

The only whining and pettiness was by penny guy.

No, it's also by you who thinks "weaponization of cash" is a a problem of sufficient size to ban it.

Society is evolving beyond the need for physical cash.

Way to shut out the poor and unbanked from commerce.

The use of cash incurs cost and that cost is ultimately passed along through increased prices for goods and services.

And some offer a discount for using it instead of cards. Why would they do that if cash is more expensive?