Comments on: Do you believe in change?

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:31:41 +0000

I am male, and I have a box on my bedside table to empty my change into at the end of the day. I estimate there is at least $50 in there currently. I use it as a savings account for things I would otherwise be too frugal to buy myself.

My wife carries much change in her purse, and tends to spend it, but periodically she gets too much and empties in into my box. That gets offset by her occasionally realizing she needs change for something (like parking meters) and raids my box.

By: Alain Theriault

Alain Theriault — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:01:27 +0000

Having a lot of change doesn’t prove much. If you have $5 and something cost 3.12 you’ll get back a lot of change.

Another great benefit to use only your credit card is you can see where you spent your money.

Have a great weekend!

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:34:36 +0000

Albeit with a small sample size, it seems like women are more likely to carry their change with them.

@Alain: Like you, I seldom spend cash. Unlike you, I always have at least some dollars on me. But you’re right – got to be careful about how you use the credit cards. But now I am wondering, if I spend so little cash, how come I have so much change? Something for me to think about on my long plane ride I guess.

By: Alain Theriault

Alain Theriault — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:35:31 +0000

It’s funny because I never have change. That’s because I never carry cash with me. I always use my credit card and of course I always pay it off at the end of the month. It’s just for me carrying money is too much trouble. With a credit card you don’t need to worry how much you’ll need today. The danger though is people are not responsible with them and they buy too many things because it’s too easy.

By: M. Contreras

M. Contreras — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:19:25 +0000

I love making exact payments!!!! Love it! I keep a small amount of mixed change in each one of my purses and in my car (a dollar or less). That way I not only have parking change (I live in LA) but I’m able to make cashiers say “Thank you!” when I hand them exact payment.
In fact, I find myself needing change rather than having too much.
As you requested, Michael, I’m very much a female…I think I know your theory on this…looking at my boyfriend’s change situation…

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:26:58 +0000

@ Jan and Jing: Thanks for your comments! So far (n=2), my theory is right. Women are better about not letting change accumulate around the house, I suspect because of the pockets in the pocketbook.

By: Jing

Jing — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:50:03 +0000

I keep all my change in my purse, so I use them if I pay something by cash. However, my boyfriend has a habit of taking all his change out of his pocket everyday he comes back home. So…one day, I told him “here is a can, and I want you to put all your change to this can instead of spreading your change on the table “. He did, then several months later, I told him it was the time for him to take this can to the bank, and he came back with about 20 dollars. I think it is good. Now I don’t need to collect the change for him everyday, and it is easy to go to the bank to exchange these change.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:35:03 +0000

I have never saved change. I put my change in the “change” part of my wallet. When it gets heavy, I start using it to pay for things in the exact amount. And I really don’t pay any attention to it until it is heavy.
I am female if that is an issue. I will bet more men have “tons of change” because they usually empty their pockets when they get home. I don’t empty anything when I get home except the dishwasher.