Great post.
This has happened to me more than once. I had to explain to the clerks, "Just punch the amount I gave you into the computer." In one case, the amount was odd, I gave an odd amount in payment, and received a dollar bill in change. "Duuude, that was awesome!" was the clerk's reaction.
This is making me feel old- I had to learn to make change in my head.
My wife tried to pay with cash once at a mall store, and the clerk had to call the manager. She didn't know how to process a cash transaction!
Hey, now you are making me feel old. Hey, wait, I am old!
Growing up, probably 3rd-6th grade, my folks got me involved with the fund-raising booths in their veteran's organizations. Burgers at the fair; Firework stands, all cash.
Counting back change aloud assured both the customer and my parents that I was on top of the transaction. So I would speak it all out.
Let us say the total was $4.58, and I was handed $5.08. I would say as they paid, "The total was $4.58, and this is $5.08. (knowing in my mind that the .08 came off first), I would then count back, "so that will be 4.50, 4.75, $5.00", handing back two quarters. We did not have electricity in those booths. We worked out of muffin pans or tackle boxes. It became second nature to all of us.
But now, the generations that have followed don't do math in their heads any more. When someone just hands me change from the amount the register displayed, what check and balance system are they using to make sure that have over paid. Sometimes when the change comes back wrong. I just fold my arms and talk them through the amounts.
Which begs a question for all of you. Don't each of you know the amount of the change expected before the clerk lays it out, or do you also just blindly pick it up and put it away? I would bet a high percentage of us have it down to the penny every time!
Cash is anonymous.