"Do You Want to Round Up to...?" Would You Like To Donate Your Change?" No.

My local coffee shop drive up window gal pushed a little computer on a stick out the window at me asking for me to select my tip! Then she retrieved it and the window closed. A minute later it shot back out and she asked for my donation to charity. I replied, "I think I just did that."
 

I don’t mind “rounding up” store purchases to the nearest dollar as that amounts to only cents, keeping the change out of my pockets where it soon gets heavy, and causes my pants to sag like a teenager. I’ve even had change trigger my car alarm when pressing on the key fob! I downloaded some change at a Coinstar machine yesterday, and it amounted to over $20 that I took in the form of an Amazon credit. Too many coins constitutes a blight. I swear that pennies must breed in the darkness of my pockets… 🙀
 

I don’t mind “rounding up” store purchases to the nearest dollar as that amounts to only cents, keeping the change out of my pockets where it soon gets heavy, and causes my pants to sag like a teenager. I’ve even had change trigger my car alarm when pressing on the key fob! I downloaded some change at a Coinstar machine yesterday, and it amounted to over $20 that I took in the form of an Amazon credit. Too many coins constitutes a blight. I swear that pennies must breed in the darkness of my pockets… 🙀
Do those coin-star machines in the US take as much commission as those here ?

A 10.9% + 25p coin processing fee applies. Fees may vary by location.

I had a whole ton of change a while back.. amounted to somewhere around £600..plus... it was all pennies, and small silver... and was going to take hours to count and bag up for the bank.., so I thought about taking it to the coin-star machine instead.. ..but wait a minute... 10.9 % of £600..is around £65... .. jeez... I don't think so.... .....so instead I bagged it up myself.. in 2 hours, and got my whole £600 plus... .

I don't mind paying for a service.. even if it is a machine.. but that was a huge percentage..
 
I don’t mind “rounding up” store purchases to the nearest dollar as that amounts to only cents, keeping the change out of my pockets where it soon gets heavy, and causes my pants to sag like a teenager. I’ve even had change trigger my car alarm when pressing on the key fob! I downloaded some change at a Coinstar machine yesterday, and it amounted to over $20 that I took in the form of an Amazon credit. Too many coins constitutes a blight. I swear that pennies must breed in the darkness of my pockets… 🙀
Here in Canada we use one and two dollar coins instead of paper bills, and our bills are made of flexible plastic, so going through the washing machine won't hurt them, at all. Our cash registers automatically round up OR down, to the nearest five cent amount. That is because we stopped making pennies a long time ago. The cost to make copper pennies was more than their face value of one cent. JimB.
 
Here in Canada we use one and two dollar coins instead of paper bills, and our bills are made of flexible plastic, so going through the washing machine won't hurt them, at all. Our cash registers automatically round up OR down, to the nearest five cent amount. That is because we stopped making pennies a long time ago. The cost to make copper pennies was more than their face value of one cent. JimB.
we also have £1 and £2 Coins.. and then Polymer Notes for higher denominations ... we've expected 1 Pence and 2 pence coins to be removed from the sytem for a long time now... but they never have... and the reason given for it is exactly what you just wrote.. that prices will rise more than they will be reduced..
 
Do those coin-star machines in the US take as much commission as those here ?

A 10.9% + 25p coin processing fee applies. Fees may vary by location.

I had a whole ton of change a while back.. amounted to somewhere around £600..plus... it was all pennies, and small silver... and was going to take hours to count and bag up for the bank.., so I thought about taking it to the coin-star machine instead.. ..but wait a minute... 10.9 % of £600..is around £65... .. jeez... I don't think so.... .....so instead I bagged it up myself.. in 2 hours, and got my whole £600 plus... .

I don't mind paying for a service.. even if it is a machine.. but that was a huge percentage..
American Coinstar machines do take a ”processing fee” that may run as high as 15% if you take cash back. If you opt to take an electronic gift card or donate your coin total to charity, there’s no commission charged, however. So I take the e-gift card, which can be taken at places like Starbucks, Amazon, or Lowe’s, and use it as mad money!
 
I donate $300.00 a year to The War Amps child amputee program. When I die, my estate will donate $10,000.00 to them. The Child Amp program provides prosthetic limbs to kids that either were born without a limb, or who suffered a traumatic amputation by accident. A child who needs a limb at age 8, will need at least 6 more, as they grow to adulthood. The War Amps does not charge ANY MONEY for the limbs, and they match young amputees with older ones, who will act as mentors, and friends. The War Amps receives no Government funding, and they limit their administration overhead to 15 percent of the donations they receive from the Canadian public. A worthy charity, in my opinion. JimB.
 
How do people feel about donating to online websites.. for example Wikipedia... or Patreon Videos.... ?
Wikipedia. No

I have donated to the YouTube show started by one of the former KGO Newstalk hosts. The iconic San Francisco station was abruptly stopped last fall and turned into all sports. Two of the hosts started YouTube channels. I listen to the one daily either live or on replay. I haven't donated a lot but contribute to help keep the show going. I listened to KGO since I was a kid.

This is the only time I've donated to non animal charities except that obligated thing at work with the Go fund me, that still ticks me off.
 
My local coffee shop drive up window gal pushed a little computer on a stick out the window at me asking for me to select my tip! Then she retrieved it and the window closed. A minute later it shot back out and she asked for my donation to charity. I replied, "I think I just did that."
That's really getting ridiculous. Sorry you encountered that.
 
Do those coin-star machines in the US take as much commission as those here ?

A 10.9% + 25p coin processing fee applies. Fees may vary by location.

I had a whole ton of change a while back.. amounted to somewhere around £600..plus... it was all pennies, and small silver... and was going to take hours to count and bag up for the bank.., so I thought about taking it to the coin-star machine instead.. ..but wait a minute... 10.9 % of £600..is around £65... .. jeez... I don't think so.... .....so instead I bagged it up myself.. in 2 hours, and got my whole £600 plus... .

I don't mind paying for a service.. even if it is a machine.. but that was a huge percentage..
I've never let my change get that high. When I have had excess, I'll use it at self check out, IF there is not a line behind me. I won't take the time if others are waiting. I get rid of my excess change that way.
 
The only store which asks if I would like round up my change is my local co op store. I've been doing it ever since I've been a member -7 yrs
Is this a health food type store? We have one. I don't really like the place and we have two other health food stores. Plus regular stores carry a lot of stuff now also. Do you know what they do with the money? Back to the co-op to try and keep prices low perhaps?
 
I would also like to add that thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army charge plenty for their items. So that adds to their nerve of asking for the change. I got two books at GW yesterday. Yes, deals can be found there. But I get much better items and deals at PAWS and the little thrift store down town. Last week I found a Bavaria plate with deer on it for 3 dollars. Hung it in the bedroom. ♥️ Deer.
 
What I don't like about this and, yes, I see it everywhere too, is that they try to pressure / shame you publicly into donation. Shouldn't giving to charities, or to your grandkids, be something that you do out of love and generosity as opposed to buckling under pressure? I don't like what they do and do not cooperate.
 
I round up at the thrift stores…and donate to the various causes at the grocery stores. No harm done. I do not care that a thrift store got the stuff for free…i even give them stuff and then buy other stuff. I do not get offended .
 
I've never let my change get that high. When I have had excess, I'll use it at self check out, IF there is not a line behind me. I won't take the time if others are waiting. I get rid of my excess change that way.
TBF...most of the change..about 2/3rds of it was my husbands'... in the end it took me several trips to the Bank to offload it into our account because they only take a certain amount in change at any one time... £50.....

This was some of it...
Money-box.jpg
money-change-bags.jpg



I rarely have change now, because most of my purchases are by card.. . I've got a change box which has about £25 or £30 in it.. but that's it...
 
I always say yes or initiate the donation at McDonald's for the Ronald McDonald house. My son and daughter in law stayed there when our baby grandson had heart surgery. They were very kind and the accommodations were great.
 
I round up at the thrift stores…and donate to the various causes at the grocery stores. No harm done. I do not care that a thrift store got the stuff for free…i even give them stuff and then buy other stuff. I do not get offended .
I go to all the thrift stores. Some more than others. I only donate to PAWS though. PAWS funds spay and neuter and will help people in need with vet bills. I asked about the feral that cost me over 500 hundred but I guess I was supposed to notify them at the time as they pay the vet directly. They wouldn't cover it all of course but would contribute.

The little thrift store downtown funds "local charities." I don't know which ones but they are also all volunteer like PAWS so no one is getting paid.
 
What I don't like about this and, yes, I see it everywhere too, is that they try to pressure / shame you publicly into donation. Shouldn't giving to charities, or to your grandkids, be something that you do out of love and generosity as opposed to buckling under pressure? I don't like what they do and do not cooperate.
I completely agree. Luckily I'm past feeling bad. They can't get me. Even the 2 cents, I want back. Then I'll give my change to PAWS if I want and donate where I want. And I'll say it again, PAWS never asks, but that's where I hear most people volunteering their change.
 
No..I definitely wouldn't allow a machine to take such ahigh percentage of my money unless I only had a low amount to exchange... £65 is Far too much on a £600 exchange..
Oh yeah, thanks really kind of ridiculous. Have you got rid of the change yet?
 
Back 50 years ago…we used to ask EVERY person who came thru the drive thru where I worked if “do you want to add an apple turnover?”. pretty sure that would be offensive to some folks today….
 


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