Posted on 11/13/2025 8:22:19 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
Woodman's grocery stores have implemented new cash handling policies in response to a nationwide penny shortage, joining other regional retailers adapting to the end of U.S. penny production.
The employee-owned grocery chain began rounding all cash transactions to the nearest nickel on Monday. Purchases ending in 1¢, 2¢, 6¢, or 7¢ are rounded down, while totals ending in 3¢, 4¢, 8¢, or 9¢ are rounded up.
A more significant change takes effect Dec. 8, when Woodman's self-checkout registers will no longer accept cash payments. The self-service stations will only process card payments, including debit and credit cards, Discover, Mobile Pay, EBT Food Benefit cards, and Woodman's Gift Cards. Customers who prefer cash can continue using staffed checkout lanes.
Woodman's approach differs from Kwik Trip's recent policy change, which rounds all cash purchases down in customers' favor.
The U.S. Treasury ended penny production in 2025. Woodman's posted notices this week explaining both policy changes to customers.
Card and digital payment users remain unaffected by the rounding changes, as electronic transactions continue processing exact amounts.
In 1971 I along with a friend stopped into the local sheriff’s office in Burnsville, NC to ask for directions. We were bodily thrown out because our hair was too long. Great times.......
“Unless I am getting a haircut…”
LOL...there are just two places I need cash. The barber (day before yesterday, too!), a favorite coffee shop and occasional tip thrown in a tip jar when I can’t put it on the charge card. I log all spending in Quicken; 99% of my purchases come from electronic connections to the credit cards and bank. 1% are manual entries of the barbershop, coffee shop and tips.
The convenience is great, but I do worry about the SHTF scenario. I suppose at that point we are all thrown back to barter.
Bubble gum machines hit hardest.
You were lucky, it was not uncommon for hitchhikers and hippies to get a bloody head shaving from small town police/sheriff departments, the first Rambo type thing happened quite a lot.
Should we be saving pennies?
Copper pennies, (pre-1982, and about half of ‘82) maybe. Some are lower mintages. The average coin, hoarded or collected, just loses value as the $ declines.
IT IS THE SALES TAXES THAT WILL PRODUCE THE ODD AMOUNTS...
It was rare, but there are some really stupid guys out there who want to do something mean when they can find a situation where they have the risk free upper hand.
“I’m waiting for the articles about women and minorities hurt the most.”
No more ‘pitchin’ pennies’ down on the corner with our gang anymore, either! ;)
“It appeared that there had even been demonstrations to thank Big Brother for raising the chocolate ration to twenty grams a week. And only yesterday it had been announced that the ration was to be reduced to twenty grams a week.”
― Orwell George, 1984
Think this isn’t coming to you? It’s coming to you! ;)
And to think just a few years after the incident I became a law enforcement officer.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.