As seen at my local grocery store this morning at every check-out...

[hlthe2b]

(h/t to Ptah for making the photo embed)

[sop]

1. Payments to be rounded up in the store's favor, of course.

[Ptah]

6. Where does it say "Payments to be rounded" ?

[stopdiggin]

54. it doesn't.

this is either an attempt at humor - or the beginning of another screed about how the disappearance of the penny is another example of class warfare and corporate greed. (despite completely common sense calls for that measure for at least a decade or so)

[Emile]

2. So they round it off? Example $9.94 would be $9.90?

[hlthe2b]

7. Not by choice, they don't... Pennies add up...

I don't think they should be discontinued. So, what if we lose money on making them? We just lost $40 billion to Argentina in what was clearly a "who couldn't see THAT coming" throw-away.

[Jerry2144]

38. Korea did something like this long ago

Prices round to the nearest nickel. Sometimes the price rounds up and sometimes it rounds down. With enough random transaction totals there is no net effect on anyone.

[hlthe2b]

47. "No net effect on anyone?"

OMG. Given tariffs, loss of SNAP, inflation, increased homelessness, and unemployment, can you not imagine those who ARE impacted--who HAVE to pay cash--often from donations? It isn't just the nickel; it is EVERY transaction, and on top of tariffs, loss of SNAP benefits, inflation, and depleted food banks. I know, as I have been helping my local food banks with donations from the community for years. They are facing shutting their doors at least a couple of days/week to try to catch up and some may be unrecoverable.

Do some here have zero understanding of what is going on with the most vulnerable among us? Not to mention the state programs to try to help, being decimated by Federal Anti-DEI policies. See the article I linked here, and please give it some consideration:
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100220747038

[Bernardo de La Paz]

49. Rounding is not SNAP, is not inflation, is not tariff taxes. . . . nt

[hlthe2b]

56. Can you not put yourself in the position of a cash-only (donation-only) homeless person in this country for one damned

moment. Apparently not. And NO, SNAP cannot legally round up or down(see other posts on this, so that would suggest doing so with cash payments will also prove to be. Stick with Canada and its policy, as you are fortunate to be able to do. You don't know what you are talking about here.

And if/when you figure out what is meant by "impacts being cumulative," do let us know.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

63. Yes, I'm an ignorant doofus? Isn't SNAP handled electronically (by card)? Tariff taxes are not paid in cash.

I never said SNAP rounds, rather the opposite. When a customer pays in cash, that is separate from SNAP payments, right? Otherwise, people would just cash out SNAP cards and buy non-SNAP items with it. So pennies don't affect SNAP, right? Pennies certainly don't affect tariff taxes.

You can criticize me, but you could also elucidate if you would prefer I not be a doofus, hmm?
_{I lived in California for decades.}

[hlthe2b]

71. DUer progree has posted quite a bit about it #28

[Bernardo de La Paz]

48. Canada eliminated pennies years ago. Works just fine. I never hear complaints about it.

Cash is rounded up and down to nearest 5 cents. Card (electronic) payments are to the cent.

[hlthe2b]

52. In 2012. I am well aware. That says nothing to the situation in US right now...

You may not have said it but others here have assumed: "No net effect on anyone?"

OMG. Given tariffs, loss of SNAP, inflation, increased homelessness, and unemployment, can you not imagine those who ARE impacted--who HAVE to pay cash--often from donations? It isn't just the nickel rounded up with EACH transaction that those who MUST pay cashh will have to pay; it is EVERY transaction, and on top of tariffs, loss of SNAP benefits, inflation, and depleted food banks. I know, as I have been helping my local food banks with donations from the community for years. They are facing shutting their doors at least a couple of days/week to try to catch up, and some may be unrecoverable.

Do some here have zero understanding of what is going on with the most vulnerable among us? Not to mention the state programs to try to help, being decimated by Federal Anti-DEI policies. See the article I linked here if you are unaware that to which I am referring:
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100220747038

So, yeah. I'm glad Canada rid itself of their pestilent penny years ago. They undoubtedly PLANNED for it and had policy in place or to implement. As you can see from this sign, Krogers-King Soopers does NOT but are already facing the impacts. Further complicating, SNAP is legally not allowed to round up or down and thus requiring cash payers to do so is undoubtedly ILLEGAL as well.

So, good on Canada. Frankly, there is a tremendous amount that Canada does or has done that make us look like the idiots we are. Hell we elected Trump twice after all.

[stopdiggin]

60. none of this has anything to do with losing the penny

whereas examples of other countries that have done so - without impact (i.e., Canada) - are actually germane and relevant.

Should have been done long ago. And, as several have tried to explain - 'rounding' works both up and down - to an effective zero real life impact, on even the most impoverished. It's an argument that just doesn't bear up under any examination. Didn't in Canada, didn't in Korea, and it won't here.

[hlthe2b]

65. You need to educate yourself as well. SNAP does not allow rounding up or down and thus the poor using cash

who now don't even have SNAP are impacted on each individual cash transaction.

"No net effect on anyone?"
OMG. Given tariffs, loss of SNAP, inflation, increased homelessness, and unemployment, can you not EVEN bring it within you to imagine those who ARE impacted--who HAVE to pay cash--often from donations? It isn't just the nickel; it is EVERY transaction, and on top of tariffs, loss of SNAP benefits, inflation, and depleted food banks. I know, as I have been helping my local food banks with donations from the community for years. They are facing shutting their doors at least a couple of days/week to try to catch up and some may be unrecoverable.

Do some here have zero understanding of what is going on with the most vulnerable among us? Not to mention the state programs to try to help, being decimated by Federal Anti-DEI policies. See the article I linked here, and please give it some consideration:
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100220747038Y

On the long term, does ending the penny make a major difference? No. But the acute effects now are significant. And probably illegal to round up, given SNAP legal policies. But that is just another thing YOU don't appear to know (or care?)

[stopdiggin]

73. you effectively prove my point. SNAP has nothing (read again, NOTHING) to do

with the (potential) disappearance of the penny - or the (again potential) measures retail transactions will adopt in reaction. Nor does tariffs, nor does food banks, nor does inflation ...

What started out as a (potentially) pertinent point - has just turned into a mishmash and a muddle.

[hlthe2b]

78. I most certainly DID NOT. STOPDIGGIN! and educate yourself...

assuming you care one iota about the poor.

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS? EFFECTS. Can you possibly understand that concept? I know the term "every penny counts" is probably not something you consider, but believe me those who are homeless and without SNAP benefits and are paying cash for everything from minimal donations, certainly DO!

Read post #28 to learn more about SNAP and how rounding up/down is handled. (Hint, it is illegal, so it may well likely actually be for those who pay cash). There is NO enforceable policy or law on this so...

[stopdiggin]

85. and the idea that I am somehow 'above' it all

(because I bring a different perspective to the argument) - is perfectly ludicrous, and frankly hilarious ...
You should see the neighborhood I live in my friend.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[CrispyQ]

83. So rounding will only affect people who pay cash & don't have any pennies, right? -nt

[stopdiggin]

84. that's a 'mostly' yes. there.

In the case being discussed today (with the OP and the picture) - none of this is actually happening. The retailer is just asking people who intend to pay cash - to try to tender exact amounts. In other words, "Would you please dig into your pockets for your pennies - rather then expect us to continuously hand them to you?"

Then 2) Yes again - in the case (down the road) when pennies are simply not in circulation - then a rounding factor (most likely predetermined by regulation) will go into effect. And, yes again - will only be in effect for cash transactions. Any transaction involving plastic (debit, credit, SNAP cards) or electronic 'taps' (phones, watches, cards) - will still be rendered in 1 cent increments. (i.e., $7.01 or $7.99) No change in either pricing, or in final amount paid.

So, yes - 'rounding' (when it actually arrives) - only for cash sales.

[Ptah]

8. The note says nothing about rounding.

[forgotmylogin]

50. Right, they're just saying they might lack pennies to make change for you.

They're asking for you to pay in exact change if possible.

I suspect if they don't have pennies and there's no other option, they might have to short you up to 4 cents. If your bill is $19.01 and you give them a $20 you only get 95 cents back. If you have a penny to give them - $20.01 you'll get a whole dollar back. Ideally they should adjust the prices so that when adjusted for tax they will always end in #0 or #5.

I remember when traveling through a state with no sales tax, it was odd to see things priced with no "gratuitous' change. My socks were priced at $10, not $9.99.

On a side note, the dispensary in my neighborhood doesn't deal with change at all. They round everything up to the nearest dollar so they don't have that person holding things up while counting change to them on the counter.

[Igel]

70. Still, people must find a reason to continue their cortisol high.

If you can't be outraged by what the reasonable understanding of something is, find a possible (if only by changing the wording) reading to show that it's unreasonable and outrage is completely justified--nay, obligatory.

My adrenals wore out long, long ago.

[Wiz Imp]

72. "Ideally they should adjust the prices so that when adjusted for tax they will always end in #0 or #5"

Not possible without possibly cheating the customer. Here the sales tax is 6 percent. If I buy something for 47 cents, with tax that's 50 cents. If I buy 100 items for 47 cents, the tax on $47.00 would be $2.82. Paying the tax on each individual item rather than the total would cheat me out of 18 cents.

[sop]

11. $9.95

[Ms. Toad]

21. Rounding 9.94 (or 9.93) would be 9.95.

Rounding 9.91 or 9.92 would be 9.90.

[Emile]

24. LOL, whoops 🤭

[Angleae]

86. Considering the lack of laws governing this and general corporate greed all will be rounded up.

$9.90 = $9.90
$9.91 = $9.95
$9.92 = $9.95
$9.93 = $9.95
$9.94 = $9.95
$9.95 = $9.95
$9.96 = $10.00
$9.97 = $10.00
$9.98 = $10.00
$9.99 = $10.00
$10.00 = $10.00

Unless companies are forced to by law, they'll do it this way.

[Ptah]

3. Image:

[hlthe2b]

4. Thank you.. 'want to tell me how to do it next time?

[Ptah]

5. Go to your linked image. Right click and select 'Copy image address'

P.S. The note shown makes no mention of rounding.

[hlthe2b]

9. Thanks. And no, Krogers-King Soopers has no intention of rounding (at least not in favor of customer)

[Hotler]

10. I'm seeing more notices that business is now adding the CC/Debit bank processing fees to the consumer's

bill if paying by card. Cash customers don't have to pay it.

[Ilsa]

31. Well that's gonna make everything

easier at the checkout, isn't it, when people try to calculate percentage or rounding up cash. I suppose with higher prices, people will have shorter tempers. Checkout, especially self-check, will have the potential to turn into a bloodbath for anyone unarmed.

[doc03]

12. If we don't have any pennies it has to be rounded up or down. What is Kroger

or Walmart going to do?

[Ptah]

15. Simple. Round up or down.

[Srkdqltr]

14. Who pays with cash anymore?

[hlthe2b]

16. I saw two people (and that was at 6:00 AM)... Really, Srkdqltr?

I typically use a credit/debit card, but if I'm running in for one or two items and have cash, I often will.
And as someone pointed out upstream, the service fees charged to the credit cards are beginning to be passed on to the user, so that might be a factor for a lot of credit/debit card users...

BTW, I'm curious... Are you among those questioning why anyone uses the USPS now?

[Champp]

17. Republican billionaires have "no prob" with this

and are amused at how the "little people" care so much.

[eShirl]

18. the local cannabis store is only allowed to take cash

so anyone who wants to buy it has to do so with cash

[twodogsbarking]

19. Pot dealers generally don't take credit cards.

[Demobrat]

43. My favorite coffee shop only takes cash.

Dry cleaner takes only cash or checks. Same with the local meat market.

[stopdiggin]

64. that probably has to do with federal laws and banking

banking is one of the reoccurring issues that the cannabis industry has been confronted with
(also makes them 10 times more vulnerable to robbery ... )

[twodogsbarking]

20. People who are poor.

[TNNurse]

22. Exactly, and the elderly.

So much of technology is useless to the poor and elderly. This world does not care about them or respect their needs. I am 76, I use technology, we saved and invested and have enough money (for now). We have tolerated the cruelty of not understanding the needs of others and it needs to change. But this administration is cruel.

[TexasBushwhacker]

36. Far too many have to go to paycheck cashing places

They don't have bank accounts or worse, they go to the payday loan places and pay massive fees.

[appleannie1]

23. If I am buying something that costs less than $5, I pay with cash.

I had to only allow cash sales under $5, when I had my business. If not, I would effectively be paying the credit card company to wait on them and not making a cent for selling it to them. It was either limit my debit card sales to above $5 or just not charge the customer anything and just hand them the product I made.

[Cirsium]

30. Farm market

When I was working in the farm market almost everyone paid with cash. (15 years ago now.)

[appleannie1]

32. I had my own business but I did take my product to shows.

When people came to my shop, at first I would take cash or check. When I started traveling to shows, I went to debit cards and could check the amount with the credit company at the time of the sale. I had to pay a fee for every sale by card.

[Squaredeal]

58. We also take Venmo for those who don't have cash on them.

Fifty cent surcharge on less than a $10 purchase.

[ToxMarz]

29. I for one pay with cash A LOT

Day to day items I use cash. I always keep some cash in my wallet. Mostly because I prefer too, but as a bonus I find I don't go through as much discretionary spending when I'm not just sticking a peice of plastic in black box, but instead having to pull out cash and seeing I'm running low. $5 - $10 here and there is easy to not think about spending, but it adds up pretty quick.

[dameatball]

33. I do quite often. Depends what establishment I'm at.

[Demobrat]

41. I'm starting to carry cash again.

And I stuck a couple of paper checks in my wallet.
Not giving 3% of the cost of everything I buy to Visa/Mastercard for the privilege of using their cards.

[moonscape]

75. Strong argument. I feel

self-servingly conflicted. Not proud of it but … getting back 2% in cash rewards keeps me hooked.

[Demobrat]

88. That's why I use the cards too.

But if they charge me 3% to give me 2% cash back …. Thanks but no thanks.

[Marthe48]

44. I have been

I read that small, local businesses get more and immediate use of cash. If I can avoid any stupid charges, I'll pay cash.

[dwayneb]

67. Maybe 1 in 4 purchases....

Fast food, farmer's markets, small businesses.

[Igel]

74. I do sometimes.

Small mom-and-pop places. They already have issues with economy of scale and the credit card charge cuts into their already narrow margins.

Often these are immigrant-run. Indo-Pak stores or restaurants. One long-standing non-immigrant-run burger place asks for cash if possible because it supports the business (the owner's in his 60s now) and it's both his income and retirement savings. He doesn't want to implement a surcharge for credit-card users.

Had a new roof put on. Told the guy I'd split the credit card charge and just give him a cashier's check for the full amount. He got an extra 1-point-something percent and I got the same discount. Not a huge amount, but it paid my electricity bill for the month and he got a small bump to his income. (And when I get a teacher's discount at local places, I split that with the server, person cutting my hair, whoever.)

Is it a great amount? No. But if more people did it, it would really help out sometimes struggling small businesses at the cost of little inconvenience to the customer.

[deRien]

25. Canada doesn't

use pennies - $3.99= $4.00… just had this happen a couple of weeks ago…

[hlthe2b]

26. Yes. And apparently we are now. No thoughtful policy on doing so, however. That's the point.

But, given the massive inflationary increases and tariffs, I suppose they think no one will notice.

Those most impacted will soon be on the streets or lining up at overwhelmed food banks anyway, right?

[deRien]

34. I don't know

why they don't just charge $4.00 and forget about the rounding up...

[hlthe2b]

40. And who pays for the four cent on each $0.26 if the store won't round down?

Do you expect the homeless-- counting every penny-- to pay $0.30?Why are so many here so unthinking about the impacts for the soon-to-be increased homeless and those struggling for every penny, given loss of Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and overwhelmed food banks--not to mention inflation and tariff effects.

Kindly think of those who are and will be deeply impacted. When every item they pay cash for costs them not only the inflationary increases, the tariff increases, but now as much as $0.05 extra for each purchase? Yeah, some of those people out there (including some DUers that we USED to hear from, posting at their free local libraries) ARE impacted. Small amounts do add up!

No, this won't affect you or me that much, although credit card companies may well continue to pass service charges on to us, so using cash might sound like a better option if you purchase/charge frequently. But, it will many many others.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

51. This was hashed over some time ago on DU. When pennies are eliminated, rounding down & up is the law. . . .nt

[hlthe2b]

53. I know. I was being polite because you and I went at it over your unwillingness to note the differences here

and impacts on the poor. Done, Bernard, done. I'm not rehashing again.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

57. For others who missed that discussion, I was slightly wrong, but only slightly ...

The outcome is that I was slightly wrong. I had claimed rounding is neutral, and mathematically it is neutral. The problem is that depends on random pricing. But pricing is not random: merchants have a tendency to use .98 or .99 a lot. And many people make transactions of only one, two, or three items. So, even with taxes, there is a slight bias over many transactions towards the merchant and against the consumer. It works out to be very small, over the course of a year or other period. Not enough to motivate business decisions or even be noticed.

[hlthe2b]

62. DONE, Bernardo. Personally, I try to help the poor to the extent I can. Not dismiss US policies that hurt them more.

Especially from someone who does not understand the concept of CUMULATIVE impacts on someone HERE who lives hand to mouth in the US and is homeless under Donald J.Trump, his tariffs, his inflation, his government closure with the ending of SNAP benefits for time unknown and Medicaid impacts. Nor the impacts I am seeing as a food bank volunteer in my own community.

So stop it, Bernardo, or educate yourself on what is happening in the US. Or just ignore it and be grateful you live in Canada. But that does not include telling all of us in the US that what we are seeing, or sadly, for some likely on DU, experiencing, with our own eyes, is not true.

[stopdiggin]

68. personal attacks are frowned upon. And the poster's comments are very much on point

(and seemingly quite 'educated'?) Cumulative impact is still in essence zero (despite extensive rants going off in other directions) - and despite all the other grave disservice and injustices you point to, this particular issue is not about beating up on the poor people (nor will it have that effect). It's a common sense measure - long coming - that really isn't going to have a lot of footprint - poor or otherwise.

[hlthe2b]

69. So you believe someone pointing out the impacts on the poor that your seemingly ignore is a personal attack on YOU?

WOW. Okay. Bye. That is depressing as hell to me, but you be you.

[usonian]

27. Well, maybe if your snack was $4.00 instead of $3.99

Last edited Sat Oct 25, 2025, 11:26 AM - Edit history (1)

Marketing trick going back a very long way.

[progree]

28. 🚨 SNAP benefits users - Rounding in either direction not allowed, according to U.S. law

Nickels only? Grocers warn ending pennies could put stores in legal hot water, Scripp News, 10/21/25
Law requires cash and SNAP customers be charged the same price.

Grocers across the U.S. are concerned they will no longer be able to provide exact change for cash-paying customers after the U.S. Mint stopped producing new pennies in August.

While many shops plan to round to the nearest 5-cent increment, the grocery industry is worried such a move would violate U.S. law.

Grocery stores that accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits must charge the same amount for customers using SNAP as for those paying with cash. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, grocers said they are seeking guidance on how to stay in compliance with the law if they have to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel.

. . .

Officials estimate ending penny production will save $56 million annually in material costs.

Eliminating the penny is not a partisan issue. Lawmakers from both parties have introduced legislation over the years seeking to end circulation of the coin.

More: https://www.scrippsnews.com/life/money/nickels-only-grocers-warn-ending-pennies-could-put-stores-in-legal-hot-water

So far I haven't run into any grocers charging to use cards, but my favorite restaurant started doing that in the past few months (in the form of a surcharge), and my second favorite has been doing it for many years (in the form of a discount for cash payment).

But aren't cards faster for cashiers than making change, or waiting for dodderers to come up with the right amount, thus saving on labor costs?

There are businesses that don't accept cards (note to self: Cl&N's). There are businesses that don't accept cash, so I read. Very confusing.

[dameatball]

35. Two of my doctors now: No cash; 3% surcharge on credit card; debit ok; check ok.

I use credit card and eat the $.30

[Demobrat]

89. I just got a notification from my doctors office

saying 3% charge for credit cards - and debit cards no longer accepted. Cash and checks okay. I don’t have a copay there, they bill the insurance and send me a bill for the difference.
But I stuck a couple of paper checks in my wallet anyway. This is becoming more and more prevalent, so I want to be prepared. The goal is no $ for the credit card companies from me.

[Conjuay]

37. I recall a shortage during covid, but it was

logistical problems.

[aggiesal]

39. In Germany, they got rid of the pfenning (the equivalent of the U.S. penny). Here's how they did it ...

When they price any product, they usually mark the total price with tax included.
For example, they price something at 20 DM, when you pay, it costs 20 DM.
When you get the receipt, it breaks down the cost: Price of product 16.95 DM, VAT (18%) 3.05 DM

Why can't we do that here. The price you see, is the price you pay. There wouldn't be a need for pennies at that point
The cash registers are all computerized, so it's pretty easy to break down the total price.
Besides, cashiers now days don't know how to count back change, they just give you what the computerized cash register tells them what the change is, and then, they usually throw it at you (Not really, but it feels that way because they're handing you your change, while their scanning the first product for the next customer, & stop calling us customers, guests.)

Europeans, hate it when they book hotels here in the U.S. at a daily room rate, they budget based on the rate.
But when they checkout, the rate is like 25% (example) higher with all the taxes (State, Local) + tourist fees (which usually means the tourists are paying for some community project like Civic Center, Convention Center or Stadium).

Sorry about the last half being a rant.

[3catwoman3]

55. No apology needed. With all the added fees...

…the nightly room rate quoted is pretty meaningless.

[aggiesal]

66. What I personally really hate is the parking fee ...

knowing that we can't park anywhere else in their area and they bury the parking fee in the details.
My question is always, why can they just add that amount to the nightly room rate and let us park for free?
That way we can compare other hotel room rates, basically apples to apples, I stead of apples to grapes.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

77. Fees are extra bc otherwise they could not advertise and sell the lower rate (the nominal rate before fees). . . nt

[aggiesal]

79. I agree, but like Event tickets, by law the after market tickets ...

have to display the full ticket price.
Hotels should have the same requirement.
Hotels should list the full price.

Same thing with Car rentals.
Both are very underhanded with pricing.

[bif]

42. I don't understand dropping the penny

They say it costs more than a penny to make it. Who cares? They last for 20 or 30 years, for christsakes!

[Wiz Imp]

76. If the cost thing were the legitimate reason, then they should stop manufacturing nickels

before stopping making pennies.

A penny costs 3.69 cents to make - a loss of 2.69 cents per coin made.
A nickel costs 13.78 cents to make - a loss of 8.78 cents per coin made.

[efhmc]

45. I have a change jar in my house. There used to be stores with donation jars for small change where one could

leave or take change. I would happily give my small cache to one of those.

[fargone]

46. Should have eliminated pennies decades ago.

Canada, Autralia e.g. did. Euro seems to be going that way. But it should be done in an organized way, not just strangling the supply and letting everyone create their own solution.

[Bluetus]

59. Gee, if the Republicans had not closed down Congress, maybe they could be passibg a bill with exact rounding rules

There is nothing in law today that says rounding is allowed or how to do it. Most people say to round to the nearest nickel. Some retailers round down to the next lower nickel, to the customer's benefit.

One restaurant I go to has been rounding for a year. I never really paid attention to which way they rounded because I am going to tip them a couple of bucks at least and use any loose change I have in my pocket.

[bucolic_frolic]

80. If they would simply declare pennies to be worth a nickel

everything would be solved.

[Bluestocking]

81. I never pay with cash

I use my credit card even if for a dollar purchase. I get money back when I use credit.

Another thing Trump did that doesn’t affect me. That is the problem. Everyone needs to be affected in a negative way so we get real change in this country. By change I mean the end of fascism in America. The end of the Republican Party.

Sorry for going off topic but we are talking about change.