topic Re: "Shortages of coins" in Community Chat

"Shortages of coins"

BeccaLou — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 07:15:35 GMT

My husband went to McDonald's the other day and was told that it's a universal problem that the resturants have no coin charge to give . This sounds like a con-game to me. Has anyone heard this any where , even on the news ?

Re: "Shortages of coins"

wismiss — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 07:23:08 GMT

I've been to the pharmacy, the grocery store, and a restaurant for a pick-up order and all places had signs posted to please give exact change or if you don't have that to use your debit or credit card instead. They also cited the coin shortage. Never heard anything about it until I saw it at these places. Wonder why all of a sudden there is a coin shortage. Maybe someone else on these board has heard more.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Desertdi — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 08:01:15 GMT

People are afraid of touching cash money (coins and bills) because of the virus. It has been on the news.

(I have not used cash since March.)

Re: "Shortages of coins"

AnjalenaQVC — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 08:10:18 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC because it contains religious content.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Pook — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 08:23:03 GMT

Makes sense there is one since most businesses have been closed and people are shopping online and using delivery services where you prepay and stores are requesting card payment only.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Toppers3 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 09:11:39 GMT

@BeccaLou wrote:
My husband went to McDonald's the other day and was told that it's a universal problem that the resturants have no coin charge to give . This sounds like a con-game to me. Has anyone heard this any where , even on the news ?

Yes, it's true.

It's not some kind of a con or some kind of a joke.

As has been mentioned, it's due to businesses being closed down.

There hasn't been enough cash/coins out in circulation, so now there is a shortage everywhere.

We've even been asked to pay with exact change in certain places--to even pay with (loose) change if we have it.

Editing to add, also because of the reason that desertDi gave in her post--some places not wanting people to use cash/change but wanting us to use credit/debit cards because they didn't want to touch/exchange any money with us due to the Covid Virus.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

mary0129 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:03:12 GMT

At Goodwill last week they asked for exact change or credit card only now.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Cats3000 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:10:52 GMT

@BeccaLou I read about it somewhere. Really doesn't bother me because I use either a debit card or a credit card for practically all of my purchases. I carry very little paper money and no coin money.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

itsmagic — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:13:00 GMT

All the stores in our area are short in change too due to a lack of circulation of coins (stores being closed, asking for card payment only during the initial outbreak).

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Gorgf — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:40:32 GMT

This was mentioned on the boards a month ago when it was announced . There is a sign at my Credit Union drive up saying a limit of $20 for individuals and $200 for businesses in quarters per week. The news the other night said it will all even out in time and is temporary.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

AngelPuppy1 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:07:32 GMT

I haven't heard mentioned that the banks have been closed. Since you can only do drive through transactions and not go physically inside to do transactions, could this be part of the problem also? I don't know about all over, but arlound here, I know they don't accept coins to be cashed in through drive through which I understand. I would think this could cause a shortage of coins??? I guess I am in the minority because I still pay cash at most stores.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

mimomof4 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:09:09 GMT

That is correct there is a shortage of coins. No Con-Game

I went to the bank Mid-June, someone came in after me asking for a roll of quarters. The bank tellers were scrambling to find her quarters to put into a roll for her. They said they had not been able to order coins for some time and that there was a coin shortage from the US Mint. A week later all of the stores near my stopped taking cash at the Self Scan registers.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:26:23 GMT

@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
I haven't heard mentioned that the banks have been closed. Since you can only do drive through transactions and not go physically inside to do transactions, could this be part of the problem also? I don't know about all over, but arlound here, I know they don't accept coins to be cashed in through drive through which I understand. I would think this could cause a shortage of coins??? I guess I am in the minority because I still pay cash at most stores.

I still pay cash for everything. Now that bank lobbies are starting to open, more people will start bringing in rolls of coins. Know I have some I need to take in.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

catter70 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 12:06:05 GMT

I pretty much still use cash for most purchases yet and always try to have the correct change.Guess I'm still old school.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Bhvbum — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 12:38:43 GMT

@catter70 wrote:
I pretty much still use cash for most purchases yet and always try to have the correct change.Guess I'm still old school.

Getting and receiving cash is one of the prime ways to get colds, flu and now covid especially from cashiers who do this over and over all day. They have handled everyone else's money and germs befor you. I have the cash for back up but now use credit cards for everything so not having to handle it.

I'm "stay well" school.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Group 5 minus 1 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 12:55:41 GMT

We live in a state that has a "bottle bill". We were told at the bank that that was the reason for the coin shortage.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

Bhvbum — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 13:00:10 GMT

Google is your friend:

Daniel Soques, an assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, called the situation a "perfect storm" of circumstances born out of the pandemic, during which businesses that deal heavily in coins, such as laundromats, may have closed, while the fear of getting the coronavirus by touching currency may have spurred people to avoid physical monetary transactions altogether.

Coinstar, which operates about 22,000 coin-cashing kiosks nationwide, said volume slowed amid state and city lockdowns. New coin production was also hampered at the U.S. Mint's production facilities in March and April.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

geezerette — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 13:23:24 GMT

When this shortage first was noted, our local businesses were encouraging us to use more cash to increase their coin availability.

Now, all self-checkouts (the few we have) are cards only.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

ScrapHappy — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 13:42:21 GMT

@BeccaLou wrote:
My husband went to McDonald's the other day and was told that it's a universal problem that the resturants have no coin charge to give . This sounds like a con-game to me. Has anyone heard this any where , even on the news ?

Our local news a couple of days ago said that Kroger will no longer be dealing with change.

Re: "Shortages of coins"

lynnie61 — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 13:53:17 GMT

I usually pay both ways, cash when I can, card for others, but when I went to Chipotle last week, no cash was excepted. Ok, I didn’t need the change back, but it was ok to tip in cash? I have no problem if they wanted cards for Covid/germs, but some people don’t have cards. So if someone had a large order and only had cash, what would they do? Throw the food away and not let the customer pay in cash? Just curious.