Kroger cashiers to stop giving customers coin change

[Siwsan]

I have no problem with this. Admittedly, I generally use a card but on the occasion I might use cash, the change will go to the Zero Hunger fund.

CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) - If you pay with cash at one of Kroger’s cashier checkouts, you won’t be getting coin change for a while, and it’s indirectly due to the coronavirus.

Kroger spokesperson Erin Rofles confirmed Friday the grocer will no longer return coin change to customers. Instead, the remainders from cash transactions will be applied to customers’ loyalty cards and automatically used on their next purchase.

Customers are also encouraged to ‘Round Up’ to support the company’s Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation.

The reason for the change in policy, according to Rofles, has to do with the Federal Reserve’s current coin shortage.

https://www.abc12.com/2020/07/13/kroger-cashiers-to-stop-giving-customers-coin-change/

[TeamPooka]

1. I brought $10 in change to a local retailer of ours on Friday and they were very grateful

[Siwsan]

2. I generally try to have enough coins to just get my change in bills

Maybe I'll grab my rolled coins, take them with me, and get more into circulation. I usually just take it to the bank.

[CTyankee]

8. me, too. I use the drive through for all transactions, too.

[doc03]

3. Didn't know there was a coin shortage. I guess I shoud

empty my change jar I have about $200 in coins.

[MissB]

21. Yep

Just not enough in circulation right now! Cash ‘em in!

[wishstar]

4. I always tell the proprietor of produce stand I use to not bother giving me coin change back

He always laughs and appreciates the tip although I told him I just don't like carrying around coins and with restaurants closed now, I have no where else to tip change.

[phylny]

18. I do the same. n/t

[Skittles]

5. ? at my Kroger the change is returned via machine

strange

[Siwsan]

7. Well, it's due to a coin shortage, not anything to do with cross contamination

I had no idea there was a shortage! Now I feel slightly guilty about those rolls of coins I keep forgetting to take to the bank!

[JHB]

10. A lot of places with coin machines, and bank branches where you can bring rolls...

...have been closed. That's gummed up the usual coin cycling systems.

[Skittles]

14. ooh

I, too, tend to accumulate a lot of change, then when I'm self-paying and no one is in line behind me, I start feeding coins into the slot before clicking on PAY ANOTHER WAY and using a card for the rest

[Talitha]

22. Geeze, you're right - my bank's lobby just re-opened 2 weeks ago.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

6. This move to cashless

Shopping is annoying as shit to me . I prefer buying with cash because it's how I budget.

At a local Walmart they have 1 register that isn't a damn self checkout,and those self checkouts no longer dispense cash.

And if you think about it it enables cyber thieves to fuck with your account especially with those 3rd person debit cards not connected to a bank or your account. My friend has a debit card that has been extracting money from her account that is not authorized by her it's happened twice. She has tried to contact the company that issues the cards,she can't reach them.

Fuck the push to cashless transactions
Also the cashless self checkout bullshit removes jobs and the human interaction of a checkout.
At The walmart near me, I know the cashier's, I would hate for them to be phased out .

[Siwsan]

11. I was always a cash person, too. Now I'm about 50/50

I always use cash to buy gas for the car and mowers. I have zero confidence in those gas pump card scanners.

[CTyankee]

13. I used to do what you did. But the card is better. I can easily track my store purchases each week

and monitor excess. We have a monthly budget and if the food item is above budget I know I have to look at what I bought and why the bill went over budget. It is helpful. Plus, I hate having to handle any cash at all.

I used to pay cash to a cleaning lady but now i card that too, with the nonprofit agency who supervises her.

[Codeine]

20. Budgeting is budgeting, cash or card should make no difference.

Cash is rapidly becoming defunct in an electronic economy. It’s an anachronism even now, IMO.

[peggysue2]

9. Might be addressing the reported coin shortages

Several of the facilities around us have indicated they want 'exact' change when customers use cash. The coin shortage was mentioned in the announcement.

Whew! The times we are a-living.

I always use my bank debit card for purchases. Makes it easier all around. Plus, money has always had the yuck factor in terms of germ load.

[Siwsan]

12. It is due to the coin shortage

I still prefer using cash but I'm getting better at pulling out a card. My debit card sends me a text alert for every charge, which makes me more confident in using it. Except at gas stations. That's still a 100% cash transaction, for me.

[peggysue2]

17. Ahhh, so I was the same as our announcement then

As far as the bank debit, I've only had one problem when we were up in Maine for our son's wedding. We used the card at the local Walmart and for gas as is our general habit. We returned home only to find out someone had gone on a shopping spree in Canada, racking up about $800 in clothes and expensive sneakers. Also movie tickets as I recall. They had a good old time!

Called immediately and the card account was cancelled. We were not held responsible for the charges. Basic inconvenience? Waiting for replacement cards. Took around 2 weeks.

So yeah, there's always that risk but I had a similar experience with one of our regular credit cards. Again, we called immediately, had the account closed and were not held responsible for the $250 fraudulently charged on the card. The important thing is to check your balances on a regular basis. See something suspicious, call the service. Often, the card companies/banks will contact you if they suspect fraudulent use or automatically put a temporary hold on the account.

I just don't like carrying cash and I hate lugging change around. But it's all matter of preference.

[struggle4progress]

15. Trump's Federal Reserve in action!

[dameatball]

16. Since Covid, I only keep the bills anyway and let them sit in the bag for a few days. I figure

that will kill the nasty little Covids, if any. Wasn't doing this due to a coin shortage,but glad to now that I know about it.
The bills from the cashier, produce stand, wherever, just go into the bag for a few days.

[progree]

19. A lot of places prefer that people don't pay in cash because of Covid19

If I pay by cash (and its not an automated cashier), the cashier has to handle the cash I give him and give me back change (more cash handling on both our parts). So I pay by card for everything that involves human interaction. The cashier never touches my card, I just stick it in the slot.

I used to prefer using cash for small amounts ($50 or less), where, e.g. a restaurant I figure out the amount plus tip that I want to give, and give about the right amount of cash to cover both (I don't do coins) and say "keep the change". That's faster and easier for everybody than doing the silly cycle with the credit card and tab -- you know, the server gives me the tab, I give the server my card, server returns with a tab with a tip line and a signature line (and a copy), I put something on the tip line and sign it, and give it to the server.

But in the Trumpid-19 crisis, I'm doing it all by card now, as it's my understanding they prefer it that way.

[eppur_se_muova]

23. I've used cash only once since about Feb. It's dirty stuff. nt

[helpisontheway]

24. I found out that there is a shortage in my area. Stores will

cash in coins for no fee. Then I heard banks want the coins. We have a huge jug of coins. Told my husband that maybe we could cash then in. We usually save that for extra spending money at amusement parks. We will not be going near an amusement park anytime soon (not even the one that is 5 miles from my house..they can keep that place close until there is a vaccine for all I care. So we might as well cash it in.