Money Changing Woes Continue

It happened again today. My bagel and coffee cost $4.04. I gave the cashier $10.10. He gave me six dollar bills in return. I politely advised him that he still owed me six cents change. He was totally confused. Finally he gave me back a dime.

This is really starting to get worrisome. I really think it is an indictment of our educational system. All of the cashiers I've encountered recently that don't know how to make change are young. Unfortunately for them (and me), they are using cash registers where the change is not calculated automatically so they have to do it in their head and they are obviously not up to the task. At some places the cashier enters the amount of cash submitted by the customer and the register figures out the change automatically, so it's almost impossible for the cashier to screw up, but I'm sure they'll figure out a way eventually. Maybe I'll just go cashless and use my credit card for everything, but I really don't like using plastic for small transactions. It tends to make my credit card bill as long as War and Peace.

Land of the Challenged Money Changers

Didn't Jesus go berserk when the money changers pissed him off? Well, I was almost tempted to pull a comparable tantrum when I last visited Starbucks. I was charged $4.07 for a coffee and apple fritter. By the way, can't Starbucks get some decent pastries? Those things really suck! But I digress.

I gave the sweet young thing behind the counter $4.27 and she gives me a dollar bill as change. When I patiently explained to her that she owed me twenty cents, she looked at me like I was from outer space. Finally, a co-worker had to come by to instruct her on the finer points of making change. I think the trend towards using debit or credit cards for all transactions these days, no matter how tiny, has nothing to do with speed or convenience. It's because no one knows how to make change anymore!

Oh Joy in Muffin Land!

I know you're probably sick of my search for the perfect muffin, but I couldn't help myself because all is well in Muffin Land. Yes, the Giant Eagle on Centre Avenue finally got its act together and has a cart dedicated to muffins and bagels with everything clearly labeled. So today I hade a delicious raisin bran muffin and made up with the staff I have been terrorizing since they downsized their muffin selection a few weeks ago.