Author: Chowlb

In: Just Because

2009-01-23 13:16:14

I had a brief encounter with a co-worker this morning, and for some odd reason we ended up on the subject of saving change.  I don't mean Obama change, I mean cold hard cash.  Dimes, nickels, and pennies Oh MY! Back in the day, my brother and I had a huge jar that we randomly stuffed change into.  Neither one of us enjoyed carrying loose change around, prancing around the store like a holiday elf.  So we would always come home and empty the change into this glass jar (yes we shared a room into our twenties, yes we had bunk beds, and no emptying the change didn't keep us from the whole elf thing).  Randomly we would take this jar of poor man's gold over to the local Lowe's Food Grocer and cash in big time on the "CoinStar."  A few times we actually turned a pretty decent profit.  Oh, those were the days. 

So today during this discussion in the hallway I was trying to think of what I did with my change these days.  Suddenly it hit me! I don't carry cash anymore! I'm a plastic fanatic.  No change, no digging for bills, swipe and be on your way.  Growing up in the past few decades amidst the personal computer, video games, microwaves, and the great thing known to the locals as the Internet, I think society has lost sight of some of these things.  The true children (since I'm still a child) of today may not know what it's like to see real bills.  Parents can buy their children reloadable debit cards!  It's odd to think that when you look at your bank account you're not talking about true dollars and cents.  Those are just numbers... displayed on a website... stored in a database.   In case you didnt' get that... A NUMBER.  I think money has lost it's childish wonders, for me at least.  Opening a birthday card and finding a crisp twenty dollar bill staring back at you, that's rare these days.  

My co-worker also shared with me some interesting statistics, that people who pay with debit/credit tend to spend up to 40% more than if they were paying for cash.  I think this stems from one of two syndromes. 

1.  I don't want to use my debit for JUST a Slurpee, it's only $1.99, but no cash... hey lets throw in this $1.25 candy bar. 

2.  I don't have cash on me so there's not "real" limit.  A $5 bill is only $5.  A debit card can be $5 or $7... or a triple thick milkshake.

Not really a huge deal, but just an interesting perspective I thought.  I probably won't carry cash anymore than I do now, and what change I have left will not be cherished even in its current depleting state (darn vending machines).  Anyway, just take a second to think about it.  Check your online banking, and try to imagine that the number you see there, negative or not, does NOT represent a bundle of $1 bills wrapped in paper like on Die Hard.  No, it's simply a number (could be a lowwwww number, but still a number).

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