spare change
Text by MELODY XU
A GUIDE TO USING YOUR COINS
cushions? Probably because we now have credit cards to swipe and Apple Pay to tap, and because coins are downright unhygienic — especially during a pandemic. So who in the world would want to put themselves on the spot, scrounging around for exact change in the form of little coins from their HERE'S A RED METAL BOX pockets, pouches or purses? in my house’s designated “evWell, me (or at least, with hand sanierything” drawer that’s filled tizer on hand). with loose change. Inside are For those who might feel the same the expected rusting pennies, way, here is the ultimate guide to using nickels, dimes and quarters, along with a your spare change — emptying your own crumpled dollar bill or two that got lost on red metal box — in as socially-acceptable a its way to someone’s wallet. way as possible. This box weighs heavily on both the drawer and my conscience. There’s a real CVS self-checkout As someone who has always defaulted chance its contents could add up to $15, to Walgreens, not CVS, for her occasionenough to buy someone a nice burrito for al convenience store candinner. Yet, no one in my dy runs, I was surprised household uses this loose Why did coins upon walking into CVS a change — and I have a month or so back and seefeeling that millions and fall into storm ing shiny new self-checkmillions of other housedrains and in beout machines by the exit. holds have their own One of the two machines version of this box lying tween our couch specifically takes cash payaround. ment — including coins I think accumulating cushions? — and it goes without saythis unused money is a ing that I’ve permanently shame. It’s like the entirety of society woke up one day and rendered switched to CVS as a result of this. These self-checkout machines make coins nearly useless. Why did coins fall into it so that every time I want a box of Jolly storm drains and in between our couch
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46 NOVEMBER 2021
Art by BLAIR MIGDAL
Rancher gummies or Airheads, I can count out the dollar or two beforehand in a combination of dimes and nickels. The machine tells me exactly how many more cents to put in, and I have a blast entering the coins, usually free of the judgement-filled eyes of people waiting behind me. Caltrain ticket machine I’m weirdly passionate about the Caltrain and seize every opportunity I have to take it. I recently realized that purchasing a ticket using its machines at each platform, instead of the mobile app connected to my digital wallet, could be a nice way to slowly use up coins from the red box. Vending machines work similarly. Located in our libraries, gyms and cafeterias, why not use up a few quarters while grabbing that bag of chips? It’ll feel like you didn’t spend any money at all, and like the chips (which contain a maximum of five chips anyway) materialized out of thin air. Wishing wells, tip jars and more I’m not sure where they have wishing wells these days — outside of Disneyland, which is a bit of a drive. Maybe you can Yelp it? Assuming that you already have a nice wishing well on hand, it should be a fun way to spend a couple of bucks — and you’d even get your biggest wishes granted out of the experience. Tip jars are another great way to spend
