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The whole point of having a $1 coin is so buying something like a can of coke or paying for a parking spot doesn't involve stuffing ten or quarters into the mac

The whole point of having a $1 coin is so buying something like a can of coke or paying for a parking spot doesn't involve stuffing ten or quarters into the machine. It's two or three coins if you're doing it right, max. Parking meters. Laundry. Vending machines. Public transit. These are all things made immeasurably better by having coins that have value. > I can't just ignore my loose change. Sure you can. Back when I was still using cash I'd just dump it all in a jar and at the end of the year I'd have at least $800-1000 of savings. It's also nice that with a single coin you can buy something. A bagel? A muffin? A coffee? If you shop at the right place you might even be able to swing a muffin and a coffee for a single coin. You really can't get much for $0.25 these days. Even a pack of gum is vastly more than that.

bluedino 10y ago
You can feed a dollar or three into a soda machine (or swipe your card) in the US
ghaff 10y ago
Basically the only thing I use coins for is parking meters and having a bunch of quarters in my car isn't a big deal. I don't use laundry machines. I don't know the last time I used a vending machine. I have a stored value card for public transit. I do need $1-ish value cash for tips etc. from time to time and I don't want to carry coinage for that purpose.
- madeofpalk 10y ago
  Lets kill two birds with one stones and also abolish the horrific tipping culture the US has ;)
  - khedoros1 10y ago
    I'd be happy if prices were set such that tips weren't a necessary part of many workers' incomes, but annoyed if I had to carry around coins for the specific purpose of showing my especial appreciation of something.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- astrodust 10y ago
  Most of the point-of-sale debit machines here have a configurable tip option, so you can punch in a fixed amount or a percentage if you're so inclined. Cash tips usually come out of change. If they only give you $0.10 to work with, win some lose some.
BinaryIdiot 10y ago
If you gave me this argument 10 years ago I'd be completely on board with you. Today? Not so much. > Parking meters. Lately I've been seeing updated parking meters that take credit cards. Not sure how common it is but depends on your area. > Laundry. Last time I did laundry at a laundromat they had credit card machines on each washer and dryer. I just kinda assumed this was becoming more and more common. > Vending machines. I've never seen a vending machine in my life that didn't accept bills. Even better, I haven't seen a vending machine in the past 2 years that didn't accept credit cards. Granted I know they still exist I just hadn't run into one in a couple of years. > Public transit. All the public transit I take (train, sometimes bus) accept either specialized cards that can be refilled via vending machines or online (with credit, debit or cash). Vending machines for tickets typically take credit, debit or cash, too. I'm sure buses will allow coins but is its usage even common anymore? > It's also nice that with a single coin you can buy something. A bagel? A muffin? A coffee? If you shop at the right place you might even be able to swing a muffin and a coffee for a single coin. You really can't get much for $0.25 these days. Even a pack of gum is vastly more than that. It's "nice"? Personally I find it "nice" to be able to buy something with a single bill. Is your point necessarily better than my point?
- astrodust 10y ago
  Maybe the US will never get it and will skip from $1 bills to online payment but with the way the roll-out of the chip/pin thing is going that'll be decades away. Until then coins are the best way for people who don't have a credit card to pay for things like that. Services like Apple Pay are still in the early adoption phase and aren't as reliable. All your arguments, and I mean literally all of them, were what people were harping about before the $1 coin showed up here over thirty years ago. Nobody misses $1 bills. Literally nobody.

bluedino 10y ago

You can feed a dollar or three into a soda machine (or swipe your card) in the US

ghaff 10y ago

Basically the only thing I use coins for is parking meters and having a bunch of quarters in my car isn't a big deal. I don't use laundry machines. I don't know the last time I used a vending machine. I have a stored value card for public transit. I do need $1-ish value cash for tips etc. from time to time and I don't want to carry coinage for that purpose.

madeofpalk 10y ago
Lets kill two birds with one stones and also abolish the horrific tipping culture the US has ;)
- khedoros1 10y ago
  I'd be happy if prices were set such that tips weren't a necessary part of many workers' incomes, but annoyed if I had to carry around coins for the specific purpose of showing my especial appreciation of something.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
astrodust 10y ago
Most of the point-of-sale debit machines here have a configurable tip option, so you can punch in a fixed amount or a percentage if you're so inclined. Cash tips usually come out of change. If they only give you $0.10 to work with, win some lose some.

BinaryIdiot 10y ago

If you gave me this argument 10 years ago I'd be completely on board with you. Today? Not so much. > Parking meters. Lately I've been seeing updated parking meters that take credit cards. Not sure how common it is but depends on your area. > Laundry. Last time I did laundry at a laundromat they had credit card machines on each washer and dryer. I just kinda assumed this was becoming more and more common. > Vending machines. I've never seen a vending machine in my life that didn't accept bills. Even better, I haven't seen a vending machine in the past 2 years that didn't accept credit cards. Granted I know they still exist I just hadn't run into one in a couple of years. > Public transit. All the public transit I take (train, sometimes bus) accept either specialized cards that can be refilled via vending machines or online (with credit, debit or cash). Vending machines for tickets typically take credit, debit or cash, too. I'm sure buses will allow coins but is its usage even common anymore? > It's also nice that with a single coin you can buy something. A bagel? A muffin? A coffee? If you shop at the right place you might even be able to swing a muffin and a coffee for a single coin. You really can't get much for $0.25 these days. Even a pack of gum is vastly more than that. It's "nice"? Personally I find it "nice" to be able to buy something with a single bill. Is your point necessarily better than my point?

astrodust 10y ago
Maybe the US will never get it and will skip from $1 bills to online payment but with the way the roll-out of the chip/pin thing is going that'll be decades away. Until then coins are the best way for people who don't have a credit card to pay for things like that. Services like Apple Pay are still in the early adoption phase and aren't as reliable. All your arguments, and I mean literally all of them, were what people were harping about before the $1 coin showed up here over thirty years ago. Nobody misses $1 bills. Literally nobody.