Using big bills to pay for small purchases

[manybellsdown]

I can't tell you how many times I get some who says "No I can't afford that" and then whips out a $100 bill to pay for their $5.00 purchase. Makes me so mad! If you don't want to donate, then just say that - I don't CARE either way - but don't act all poor and then give me a big bill!!!

The YMCA I worked for used to do a charity yard-sale every year. It was in a very wealthy neighborhood, so we'd have nearly-new designer fashions for like $5. And people would haggle. And then whip out a $100 to buy the jacket they'd argued us from $5 to $4. One lady paid with a $100 and then tried to steal a half-dozen scrunchies by stacking them on her ponytail.

The part that drives me crazy is that they almost certainly were AT the bank to get those big bills in the first place.

Before I garnished my ex's wages for child support, he used to pay me in $100 bills. I am with everyone who says it makes them feel like a "big shot", because if he had $400 in his pocket, that was all the money he had in the world. But this left me in the situation of having to go find somewhere to break it.

[Peppergirl]

But for all you know the change from that C-note may have went to pay a key bill right afterwards. Don't assume

I think I may not have been clear. I'm not assuming that they don't need that money for bills. My point was, if you don't want to donate then just tell me that, don't give me a story about why you can't. It's okay with me either way - whether you donate or not - just be honest about why you're not choosing to donate. I'm all about paying your bills, after almost 20 years married to someone who doesn't (and whom I am now paying said bills for).

I'm sorry if this came across the wrong way. I didn't mean to say that just because you have a $100 bill, you don't have other uses for that money than donating. My point was that it really doesn't matter to me why you choose not to, I just don't need to be given a reason at all ... a simple "no" is sufficient.

Teefies2 - you have nothing to apologize for and didn't need to explain.

Remember folks, it's NOT UP TO YOU to respond in the thread and berate people for a comment. If something bothers you, report it - DON'T respond in the thread.

I'm really not sure why we have to continually say this.

Responding in the thread falls under the rule of 'failing to see the suck' and any more of it will result in infractions being given.

Thanks

[bankworking]

The part that drives me crazy is that they almost certainly were AT the bank to get those big bills in the first place.

Yup. We get people all the time who want all large bills when cashing their paycheck or, maybe, $100 in 20'sand the rest large. Now, could be that it's all going towards bills and larger purchases where large bills might be appropriate, but I bet a fair share of them are trying to break the big bills at whatever store they happen to go to next.

[vikingchyk]

I think they like to use big bills so they can feel like big shots. "Here, lowly peon, break my $100, it's the closest you'll get to a decent amount of money!" Sheesh.

I was going to say the same thing. I don't get the point of carrying big bills all the time, other than to try to show off. How many people actually pay cash for totals that a big bill would cover, on a daily basis? How can they walk around with huge wads of cash and not worry someone is going to rob them after flashing the money around? I just don't get it.

I get embarrassed when I'm buying under $5 and only have a $20 bill. I usually get my cash from ATMs, most of those only give 20s. If I buy stuff that is more then $20-30, I use my credit card. I can't tell you the last time I even had a $50 bill, and I don't think I've ever had a $100 bill. And it's not because I couldn't have them. It's because I'm not a pretentious idiot. OK, I'm probably a pretentious idiot, but in other ways

I think many of those bill bill droppers are the same ones who talk about themselves or a family member having been 'incarcerated' instead of just saying they were in prison Oops, hundred dollar word, where a twenty would do

[emax4]

Did you have a line of people? If the customer gets pissy with you, you should void their order and point them over to the direction of the nearest bank. If your manager gave you any slack, just tell them the one customer was giving you a hard time and you were doing what you could to please the remaining customers (as opposed to pleasing one SC and pissing off the remaining non-SCs)

[Lady_Foxfire]

Oh my god, I hate when people do this. I work night shift in a gas station, so per policy I can only have $100 in my drawer at a time, and most of that's in small bills so I can make change. I can usually handle $50s, but I flat out refuse to take $100s if the order's under $40 or so.

The best one was a lady who tried to use a $100 to pay for $2.10 worth of soda. I said no, and she then pulls a $10 out of her pocket. I still don't know whether she was just too lazy to find the smaller bill or if she thought a gas station in the middle of the ghetto was a good place to break her big bills.

[Merriweather]

Usually, I pay for things with the smallest bill that covers my purchases. But I will admit to using a larger bill than I have to upon occasion. I also admit I hate to make a trip to a bank just to get change, and don't always think ahead to do so while banks are open.

For example, once in a blue moon I'll get a bill larger than I normally carry (I try to stick to $20s). I know a lot of the small stores I go to don't accept larger bills, so if I'm in a big store like Wally World, where change isn't usually a problem, I'll use the larger bill on a reasonable purchase even if I have a smaller bill (say, use a $50 instead of a $20 for a $10 purchase). Or if I'm planning on going to garage sales soon, I might use a $20 rather than a $5 to pay for a small purchase, so I have some very small bills for the sales.

However, should they say they don't have the change for this, or even ask if I have anything smaller (which to me, implies they're running short on change) then I get out the lower bill to use (with a "sure, let me see" comment - hope that doesnt' make me look like an SC to them, but I figure that a store that gives you an option of getting back almost $100 cash on your debit card isn't terribly worried about giving a bit more change than is absolutely necessary. But I view it as a nice thing for them to do, not something they have to do.

[Cyberguy]

The worst I can think of myself ever doing was buying a one dollar bag of gummy worms with a 20.

It was actually pretty funny, because I'm a regular customer there, and I usually have exact change for my purchases.

[TheTigress]

As far as I'm concerned you did absolutely nothing wrong. The only reasons I see for anyone using a big bill when they obviously have smaller bills in their wallet is A: They are trying to use you as their own personal bank, B: The big bill is a fake, or C: Wanting to show off or attempt a scam.

The big bill whores were one of the most annoying things for me at Subway when we had signs plastered all over the store about not taking bills larger than a $20. Some of my co-workers caved to them but I refused to.

[EricKei]

I love how he commented that the Mart of Wal has plenty of money. Thing is, they don't like to share.

Unless the place where you work has "Bank" or "Savings" in the name, and you sit behind bulletproof glass, I'm gonna assume that you are NOT working at a bank, and act accordingly.

[BuryMe]

One day I at work, one of my first customer paid for $7.xx worth of stuff with a hundred dollar bill, then got mad at me when he got a stack of 5s as change.

Screw him. The store had just opened. How could I already have bigger bills?

Though I have to admit, I don't see how paying with a bigger bill than necessary leads to a scam of any sort.

[XCashier]

Though I have to admit, I don't see how paying with a bigger bill than necessary leads to a scam of any sort.

That bigger bill could be a counterfeit. The scammer buys a $1.00 pack of gum, gives you a counterfeit $100, and you give him $99 in real money for change, leaving you with a phony note and out $99.

Few people know how to correctly check for counterfeit money. Here is a page with some tips. Don't rely on a counterfeit detector pen; they can easily be fooled.

[BuryMe]

That bigger bill could be a counterfeit. The scammer buys a $1.00 pack of gum, gives you a counterfeit $100, and you give him $99 in real money for change, leaving you with a phoney note and out $99.

Few people know how to correctly check for counterfeit money. Here is a page with some tips. Don't rely on a counterfeit detector pen; they can easily be fooled.

Well yeah, I always check for counterfeits, and we also have those cameras that detect for counterfeits. But a short change scam? I don't see you a big bill puts you at risk for that.

[Cyberguy]

Well yeah, I always check for counterfeits, and we also have those cameras that detect for counterfeits. But a short change scam? I don't see you a big bill puts you at risk for that.

They just explained it. If one gets through, you get funny money, and they get a free pack of gum and 99$ besides.

[BowserKoopa1]

Well yeah, I always check for counterfeits, and we also have those cameras that detect for counterfeits. But a short change scam? I don't see you a big bill puts you at risk for that.

Basically what the customer will try to do is pay for something like a soda for say $1.00, and they will give you a hundred or a fifty, it always starts with 1 of those denominations. When your till pops open, they will try to get you confused by saying something like, "Oh wait, I have a twenty." And when you give them back the hundred or start counting money back to them, they will keep changing their mind on what denomination of currency they want to give you, thereby confusing you until your head is spinning and don't remember how much you owe them. Very easy for them to do. Word of advice, if anyone ever tries to switch things around after your till pops open, tell them "I'm very sorry, I cannot do that." and continue giving them their change. Don't worry if they get mad, because your boss should see it your way after you told them that the person might have been a short change artist. You never know, and the customer may very well simply be an idiot who can't make up their mind, but why take a dumb risk?