Here’s a question. I’m spending a lot of time in Atlantic City, and so I find myself carrying around a ton of coins. Rather than carrying my own personal maracas, I dump off the change when I get home.
So what I’m wondering: what’s the optimal change to take with me in the morning to minimize this phenomenon? There’s the obvious 3 quarters, one dime, two nickels, with which you can make any amount up to a dollar. That’s fine if I’m having one retail transaction a day — but there are usually more than that.
Some mathematician must’ve found a way to make his pockets go less jingle-jangle-langle, right?
The key is not how much change to start with. The key is to make sure that you never have more than 99 cents worth of change on you. Know how much change you have as you approach the cash register, and be prepared to count out the amount you need quickly.