coin shortage? drop the penny.

[RicROC]

It's time to eliminate use of the penny.

For those using credit cards, they pay the full amount of the sale. For those using cash, round down the bill to the nearest nickel.

[Freddie]

1. Canada eliminated pennies years ago

[brooklynite]

2. Why?

[Delarage]

3. They cost more to make

Than they're worth

[link:https://www.thebalance.com/get-rid-of-the-penny-4178219|

Producing the penny costs taxpayers money and adds to the national debt. In 2018, the penny cost 2.06 cents to make and distribute.

 The actual production is 1.78 cents, admin costs are 0.25 cents, and distribution to Federal Reserve banks costs 0.03 cents. In 2019, the U.S. Mint made 7.04 billion pennies, costing taxpayers $145 million.

[durablend]

4. "Round down" LOL

I hope you *seriously* don't think businesses are going to "round down" bills.

[RicROC]

6. round down by law

Some people resist any change. So, if by law, the bill has to be round down to the nearest nickel, it might overcome resistance.

I'm thinking that businesses will try figure out how to keep their extra pennies, but many states have sales taxes so that complicates the effort to round up.

[csziggy]

8. In the UK, sales tax is figured into the price

So there is no adding on the percentages which make for odd amounts of change.

Of course, the US has far too many different entities that can add sales tax. For instance, here in Florida the state has a set amount of sales tax, but counties and municipalities can add special taxes for things such as road improvements. That means that I could pay a bit more for taxable items here in Leon County than in neighboring Jefferson County.

[BlueJac]

5. Good idea that is overdue!

[denem]

7. Coins spread COVID

It would be nice if everyone sanitized their hands. But they don't.

[Sherman A1]

9. Yup

That was one of Andrew Yang’s numerous proposals. They cost more to make than they are worth and part of that cost is in environmental damage.