Forum Topic

Small Change Converter Machine?

Anyone know of one of these contraptions available in our around Acton?There used to be one in Sainsburys in Chiswick, but last time I was down it had been removed - although it's been a while since I was there, so might have found its way back.Got a bowl of copper which is screaming out to be spent :)Ian

Ian Mercer ● 5918d17 Comments

I think Asda in Park Royal has one.

Teresa Byrne ● 5918d

There's one in Morrisons too, right at the end of the store...

Lucy Walker ● 5918d

I noticed this machine in Sainsbury's (though US today). I have a bag of money from someone with learning difficulties who only ever spends notes! Couldn't be asked to count it and take it to the bank several trips for her. When I asked at customer service what the charge is, they did not seem to know, but showed me a slip where someone had paid 50p to change £5 worth. Shouldn't it state on the machine what percentage they keep?I don't understand why people accumulate change. I carry a tiny purse and spend small change as I go so it doesn't get heavy.

Becky Bell ● 5918d

Thanks for the help. Morrisons is probably going to receive my custom this evening.

Ian Mercer ● 5918d

BeckyIt does state on the machine what the charge is. As I recall, it tells you after you press the start button. It says, "the charge will be (whatever) do you want to continue?"Seem to recall it's 7.5% but it's a while since I used one

Roy Gillett ● 5918d

BeckyIt does state on the machine what the charge is. As I recall, it tells you after you press the start button. It says, "the charge will be (whatever) do you want to continue?"Seem to recall it's 7.5% but it's a while since I used one

Roy Gillett ● 5918d

Becky, It seems to be some kind of "British" tradition to save for a rainy day and most put away in their loose change in some kind of "piggy" ban (or a old empty bottle). Hence the stacks of coins and since most "banks" are not wiling to accept coins unless it suits them (i.e. only on Tuesday between 11.11 and 11.23 etc.).

Jim Wong ● 5918d

I thought it was men not wanting change in their pockets, Jim. I've had boyfriends empty their coins onto the bedside table each night, then accumulate all this copper they don't know what to do with. Couldn't understand why they didn't just count it out when they pay for something. I think piggy bank users probably save countable change, like £1 coins.

Becky Bell ● 5918d

Some of us are still "olde school2 and save every "pennies" as possible. yes we should be saving with £, but some people don't always have that. My partner's sister-in-law saves all "new" looking coins, as she likes them. I couldn't see why she could not just clean them instead. We all save in different ways.

Jim Wong ● 5918d

We have a sort of coin collecter thing on the dressing table which I think my husband empties coins into - though he is a purse not a pocket man. Plus a rainy day fund box by the front door for coins picked up while washng/cleaning etc.Both tend to go into tombola floats and the like.

Sara Nathan ● 5918d

£32.16 with an 8.9% transaction fee....Paid for the dry cleaning :D

Ian Mercer ● 5917d

Still a big cost to someone with learning difficulties on benefits, who can't count change so only spends notes ...

Becky Bell ● 5917d

Can you co-opt a child to count it up and put it into the relevant bank bags?  I used to love doing this as a child - I always counted up the collection after church, and the Lent boxes too.That does make me sound like a young Scrooge - I assure you I'm not, as I never got to keep any of the money!

Gill Hothersall ● 5917d

What I do nowadays is use the self service checkout at any of the supermarkets from time to time and always start off by emptying all my coppers into the machine. You can then pay the balance by card. That way you can get rid of the change without paying 7.5%.

Patrick Gray ● 5915d

That is very crafty!What a good tip...after all we the customers are doing their work for them so some sort of reward seems in order.

Sara Nathan ● 5915d

I don't like those things, they never work for me.  Plus, I have the uneasy feeling that they are putting someone out of a job.

Gill Hothersall ● 5915d

I won't use the self-serve checkouts. Daft idea imo. You need two pairs of hands to scan, pack, get purse out of bag and pay, put change away, and there is no proper surface to rest you handbag, etc. Plus they are always going wrong so the queue is held up while a staff member, who would be better employed on the checkout, sorts it. And then there are the extremely annoying and continuous robot voices - how staff can be expected to listen to that all day beats me. I can't get a child to count the cash because the person I'm talking about lives 40 miles outside Ldn and I rarely see her. I took about £70 in coppers and silver from her huge tin to help her out, but have not got rid of it yet. I will stick it in the machine sometime and pay the % myself.But I won't teach her to do this as she'd be paying a lot in charges every week.

Becky Bell ● 5915d