Here’s the drill: The price for milk and frozen berries comes to 2 Euro and 88 cents. I hand the Tenglemann cashier a 10. She says, “Vielleicht haben Sie 8 Cent?” Here we go. Perhaps I don’t want to play seek. Why do German cashiers constantly want us unamused customers to play reverse cashier? It’s not like they don’t have change or the ability to make change.
I’ve resisted for almost 4 years to switch to a European wallet. I like my TJ Max find. It’s compact. It’s red. It’s Furla. Yeah, sassy. But completely useless when sifting through the change compartment to look for that rouge one cent coin, especially with a gloved thumb. Little buggers.
In the U.S., pocket change was never a big deal to me. It was all scattered in either my car, jean pockets, or at the bottom of my purse or backpack. In the end it all got recollected in a big bowl on my desk.
But now in Germany, I sometimes carry 15 Euros worth of change in my wallet, mostly in the form of 50 cent to 2 Euro pieces, which usually happens after I buy a stripe card at the subway automat. (It’s the closest I’ve come to winning a slot machine.)
Today, I’ve decided I’m tired of hearing the line behind me groan as I take 30 seconds to pull 8 cents from my Italian made wallet.
It’s time I got some sense and make the switch to something hideous like this:
Definitely not sassy.
You’d think we lived in a third-world country the way they always ask you that, as if change were some rare commodity that had to be rationed. It’s probably because the banks are such pirates here, they charge a fortune for cash handling, and they just want to keep it the volume of it down.
It’s true, our experience with German banks (i.e., getting our flat deposit back) in person has been excruciating.
Thanks, Ian, for validating my experience and giving me a good reason to keep my cool.
haha, i laughed so hard reading this. SO TRUE!
I have had the reverse experience– people in the US look at my weird when i give them 5 dollars and 9 cents 2.59. They ask me… what’s this for?
Ooops! It’s probably all my fault! I collect all my one and two cent coins into a big jar… I’m probably the one causing a loose-change shortage throughout Germany.
Ha, funny post. I like the red sassy wallet too.
But I don’t get it. What if you said, ‘no, i don’t have change’? Do they not give you change? Is there an extra fee?
Emily is right about the US. Our poor change is belittled.
No extra fee and yes, you do get change even if you don’t play along. It’s just a overly common request.
Just so you know, all three customers in front of me were asked if they had the exact small change.
Cathy, give them back! They are desperate!
There are no pennies (or 1 cent pieces) in Australia and I’m so glad. They round everything to the nearest 5 cents. But then five cent pieces become like pennies, so I guess there’s no advantage really.
time to go to target to find a cute penny pouch
Heza! Paul said I missed your call
I will try to call after Boards are done.
End of May? I would love to see you and Alex! I am graduating the weekend of the 23-24. We’ll talk and plan.
That’s why I use my debit card whenever possible – especially places where my total might result in the handling of one-cent coins. My American wallet is still holding up…
That is how they wing those little coins out so fast! I knew I was doing something wrong…
Oh no!! The little things I take for granted. I’m moving to Munich in May from Miami, and now I am seeing my life, and my trendy wallet, flash before my eyes–and I thought the weather was going to be my biggest challenge!
I don’t know if I’m ready for this…