I deal with money all night long and quite naturally I have a few observations about money and how people treat it.
Bills
I used to think that the one dollar bill was the most common bill but I have changed my mind. It has to be the twenty dollar bill. We literally receive more twenties than any other bill. People will buy a thirty five cent pack of gum with a twenty. I get to where I hate seeing another twenty.
One hundred dollar bills. People love to flash a hundred dollar bill for a four dollar purchase. And then say, “It’s the smallest thing I’ve got.” I think having them in their pocket and flashing it every time they get some money out makes them feel good. I also believe they think we are impressed when we see one. I’ve got news for everyone – we are not. They are just a pain and we all know they are just trying to get change for it. Why don’t they simply get the bank to break it down when they cash their check?
How People Keep Their Money
The majority of people I see do not use a wallet. But the women who do are very organized about it. They zip open their wallet and one compartment has the bills all neatly laying there and another compartment has the change. Zip, zip, zip and they are done. Of the men who use wallets, many have these bulging wallets full of every scrap of paper they have ever handled. Others use their whole hand searching through their money and putting money back in the thing. Many keep it doubled up in one section of the wallet. A lot of guys keep coins in their wallet as well. Several hide it in the wallet and then have to search through it to find it. A few women have a teeny tiny wallet and it is quite a process to extract a bill!
Most do not use wallets. They keep their bills in their pockets. Some women keep it in heir bra, which creates a rather interesting moment when they are either getting their money or putting it back! Some guys keep money in every pocket and it is amusing watching them check every pocket for more money. Most keep it simply doubled over but some keep each bill crumpled up like waste paper. And it is amazing how many keep money in their car – “I’ve got money out in the car, I’ll be right back.”
How It Is Handed To Me
This is also interesting and amusing. Those who keep their money all crumpled up will pull out a wad and just hand it to me. Others will lay the wad on the counter and slowly smooth out each bill. Then there are those who will lay all their cash on the counter and work their way through it until they have given me enough money, then gather the it all up and stick it back in their pocket. Some will bend over low, half turned away from me, pull a bundle of money out and count out what they need then give that to me. And it is amazing how much money people carry around in their pockets! There are a lot of people who will deliberately crease the money length-wise into a upside down V and then hand it to me – like “cool” gangsters in some movie. Servers usually give you their cash all neatly arranged, facing the same way. Then there are those who hand you money arranged every which way! Most people who pay with change are apologetic or ask if I mind. I always tell them, with a smile, “As long as it’s American and comes out to _______ it's fine with me.” A few will place it on the counter and say, “I want this much in gas.” When I ask them how much it is they shrug. I ask them to count it out for me and they make a pitiful attempt and I really believe they do not know how to count change. Every once in a while I get change that has “been in the car for a while” that is so nasty I wash it before putting in the drawer!
How people handle money has to say something about their personality and I’ve often wondered if there has ever been a study on this. How do I keep my money? When I have any (!) I keep it in my wallet, in denominational order, with all the heads arranged and facing the same way. And I use my thumb and forefinger to withdraw it. Besides being the correct and only way to keep your cash, I wonder what this says about me?
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