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Thursday, September 6, 2012

You won't pick it up? Lost and lonely!

You won't pick this up as you pass by?

I was leaving a store and saw something huge and shiny, guessing it was just a seal from the inside of a bottle, I was not hopeful. But, I took a a closer look. It was a new quarter. Yes, I gladly picked it up. Last week, I found this on a Thursday.
 
On Saturday I picked up a penny.
 
Then, on Tuesday I was checking out in a store and watched an unbelievable sight. I heard a little yelp and coins hitting the floor, simultaneously. As I watched the mother was stooping and picking up coins far and wide. The teen girl with her crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders. You would have thought she was in danger. She was. She was in danger of being embarrassed to death by her mother right in front of Walmart's registers.
 
The mother instructed her to help. The girl just did a little ducking of the head and stepping here and there. Then, to my amazement she watched as a coin rolled about thirty feet. I watched as she then turned back to her mother and they both left in the opposite direction the coin rolled..
 
After I finished my transaction, I rolled over to see if the coin was still there. Yes, it was. A quarter was not valued by the girl because of her embarrassment.
 
So, in less than a week, I found 51 cents. That is the most change I have ever found in a week. Does this mean he economy is improving? People "lose" quarters. Other people won't pick them up.
 
What's up? I drive everywhere. This is not a walkable city. I am not very walkable either! If I were in a walkable city, I imagine I might find more change and bills.

Donna Freedman, author at Surviving and Thriving asks the question, "Are Dimes the New Pennies?"  My question this week: "Are Quarters the New Pennies?" I would have used that for the title of this post, but it seemed like such a ripoff!

Does stooping to pick up small amounts of money mean you are poor? Desperate? Don't know the small value of found coins? Does it mean you have no pride?
 
Your turn
Will you pass up a penny but pick up a quarter?  Why do you ever pass up money on the ground? Or, are you like me--pick up anything you see, even if it is pennies only?
 
 



 

15 comments:

  1. I make a fair bit of pocket change in parking lots in the spring. Nobody seems willing to dig through the snow to pick up lost change, but come spring, I've picked up more than $2 just by looking when I get out of the car!

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  2. I pick up all loose change. It always is spent. The people who walk away from dropped change are the losers.

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  3. Wendy,
    That's a great tip! I would have never thought of it since I don't get that much snow. $2 at your feet is a magic!

    Joanne,
    I spend mine too. I am not disciplined enough to set it aside. I suppose I need to have a place in the car to place it. I am sure people look at us coin-picker-uppers as losers...lol. Little do they know how we feel about them.

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  4. At college I helped clean up the morning after a party and collected over $2 in lost change.

    I don't judge people by whether they pick up change or not, though. For a period of four months I had vertigo so bad I wouldn't dare stoop down to pick up a roll of quarters for fear of going headfirst into the pavement.

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    1. John,
      Cleaning up is always a good way to find change. I had not thought of that when I wrote the post. However, I presume those folks were not aware they dropped money or there was any money under their feet to pick up.

      Vertigo or a bad back is a dfferenet case. I can see your explaining to ER or ambulance guys how you came to get a concussion--picking up some quarters.

      The arrogance some people verbally express and the lack of caring when guys drop change and see it is what gets me.

      But, hey, not a problem. I get money.

      I am glad your vertigo at last went away.

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  5. I have heard that some people believe finding a "heads"up penny is a message from a dead loved one. I have also heard that a heads up coin is lucky.

    I recently found $8.50 in a thrift store! $8 was in a purse that I paid $1.98 for and the 50c was in another purse I was checking. I will continue to keep my eyes open when shopping that store!

    I'm not always lucky..... One day about 20 years ago I lost $80 in a different thrift store. OUCH! That one really hurt!

    Another time I was at a stop sign when I saw something blowing around in the street right outside my drivers side door. I put the car in park, jumped out and picked it up. It was a $20!

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  6. Janet.
    "Find a penny, pick it up, and all day you will have good luck." That is what I have heard. Then, I have heard it's bad luck if tails and to let it lie. Heads is only supposed to be good luck. However, I don't discrimate against a penny..lol.

    Finding money in thrift store purchases was the subject of a conversation yesterday. My friend found a $10 Lowe's card in a thrift store purse. Then, she found five dollars in a yard sale purse. You have been quite lucky in the money finds, especially finding money right outside your car door.

    Now, how did you lose $80???

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    1. I lost the money when I decided to leave my purse in the car so I had tucked my cash into my pocket. I think it fell out when I reached into my pocket for a tissue or a ChapStick...

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    2. Janet,
      I suspect that is how most people lose bills and change. I have found a $10 at my feet as I pulled out my keys, pulling the bill out, too. So, I never put any money in my pants pockets. I bet you don't either.

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  7. I always pick up coins I find. The superstitious chick in me says it's good luck!

    Linda, I nominated you for a Beautiful Blogger Award. You can read about it here: http://www.feralhomemaking.blogspot.com/2012/09/beautiful-blogger-award.html

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  8. Pamela,
    Yes, money is always good luck! Thanks, I will check it out.

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  9. My motto is: "I am not rich enough to turn down any free money." Pennies, nickles, or the exciting find of a whole quarter! No matter to me, I pick them all up.

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  10. Hi Linda! Yes, I definitely pick any sort of change! Thanks for stopping by my blog! Too bad we don't live close to each other! What part of Bama do you live in? Blessings from Bama!

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  11. Bama Girl,
    I sent you an email. Did you get it?

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Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.