The Problem with Change

Change. It’s such an uncomfortable experience at every location, when the Cashier gives you the change that is. I’ve recently noticed how stupid this all is. How hard to it to all follow the same procedure?! Confused, let me explain.

So you’ve enter the store of your choosing. Wandered through the sections or aisles finding the exact items you were looking for, or not looking for! I don’t know how many times I’ve gone in a store and gotten exactly what I didn’t need as well! It’s a vicious circle... So after you’ve finished the wandering act and collections of your purchases, you head to a till or counter. There may be a line at the express, which it meant for people with like 3 things, not 20 items people! So you wait in line, or maybe you luck out and  find that till with no other customers, the holy grail of grocery stores. You put your items down to be rung through, and attempt small chit chat with the employee, but it’s always the same.

Cashier “How are you doing today?”

You “Fine, except this weather!”

Cashier   “Yes, it sure isn’t fun!”

You “No, not all”

The whole time, you are not even making eye contact. There are also variations of the conversations, i.e. Big Sale, Long Day, Plans for weekend?

So as your order comes to its end and the cashier gives you the dreaded total, you were secretly hoping they would forget. You give your method of payment; cash is the only option in this story. As the cashier starts to give you your change and receipts back, its can get extremely messy. Here are the examples of the worst methods of handing back.

-          Placing the receipt on your hand and then you coin change on top of that and then bill change on top of that. This just creates so many problems, like the coins slipping off the receipt and the bills as well because you just can’t grip that without items falling.

-          Grouping the receipt with the bills, placing it on your hand and then the coin change on top. Again, terrible, trying to organized all that with only one available hand, because keep in mind you have a wallet in your other.

Also keep in mind, that you feel rushed to move on due to customers behind you, and this increases the stress and mess of putting your change in your wallet. There are other slight variations of these, but the main outlined problem here is putting the paper down first. You somehow have to shimmy the paper out from underneath without spilling the change. The best solution to this problem is quite simple.

First place the coin in the palm of the hand, with the receipt and bills gathered together on top. Now, how hard is that? Just always remember to place the heavy stuff down first!