Are You a Penny Picker-Upper?

**Vannie** · 03-09-2006, 12:04 PM

Since a lot of us are in the penny challenge I thought this article was interesting. Just read this morning.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/business/...23083909990027

I have to admit, I usually do not pick up pennies when I see them. But I always take my penny change

Do you pick up pennies when you see them?

Are You a Penny Picker-Upper?
The Coins Are Almost Worthless, but Americans Still Love Them

By Dayana Yochim, Motley Fool

(Feb. 23) - They weigh down our wallets, rattle around in our vacuum cleaners and are summarily dismissed by most vending machines. You never have enough when you need them, yet their value is so inconsequential that store clerks leave bowls of them by the checkout counter completely unguarded.

Pennies don't get a lot of respect. So why can't we keep our hands off of them?

Still, when the glint of a grubby one on the sidewalk catches our eye, what do we do? Four out of five of us stop and pick it up.

Pennies may be the most vilified currency still in circulation (a handful left as a tip is the ultimate insult to waitstaff), but according to a Coinstar survey released earlier this month, we just can't get enough of them.

The 8th Annual Coinstar National Currency Poll found that 79% of people -- 84% of females and 74% of men -- will pick up a penny off the ground even though more than one quarter of the population says it doesn't even value loose change or keep track of it.

But maybe we should.

According to the Coinstar survey, two thirds of Americans say that the penny should be kept as legal tender.

Are we being rational about the pesky penny? According to the work of author Bernice Kanner, reason has little to do with many of our money habits. Kanner sought to answer the burning eternal question – “Are you normal about money?” -- in her book of the same name. After polling people about their money habits, she found that "normal" is relative when it comes to handling our cash and spare change. For example:

· 15% of us tally the loot in our wallet at least once a day, and 10% never do.

· 72% of "normal people" store bills in rigid order, with smaller currency leading up to higher denominations.

· When the cashier gives us a penny and nothing more in change, just half of shoppers accept it.

· 35% of survey respondents say they wouldn't spend the time and energy to get a refund for anything less than a dollar.

· 26% of people jangle the change in their coat pockets.

· We tip less at restaurants on rainy days and more when it's sunny, when the bill comes on a tray, and when we're eating alone. The tip also improves when waitresses draw a smiley face on the bill. When waiters do it, we're less generous.

If the fate of the penny is left to a coin toss, heed this final finding from "Are You Normal About Money?": People are three times more likely to call "heads" than "tails."

**Hollyhandi** · 03-09-2006, 12:09 PM

You bet I do. 100 makes a dollar I also pick up can's for the nickles.
More than once its helped me through the month

**Dedlered** · 03-09-2006, 12:14 PM

Yes, I definitely am

**McD** · 03-09-2006, 12:50 PM

I pick them up all the time. Free money!

**FrugalMomof3** · 03-09-2006, 01:03 PM

I pick em' up too! I agree 100 makes a dollar, and every penny counts!

**Mumzy** · 03-09-2006, 01:12 PM

Yes we do. Ds is the best at finding coins. I know that I am not the only one either. Why not!?
There was an article in the local paper last year that featchured a man that picked up change as a hobby. His average take home was $12. If I remember the amount correctly. Cool.

**Emerald_Mommy** · 03-09-2006, 01:14 PM

I do

My grandma is really good at spotting them but she's also excellent at finding dimes and quarters, which I am not but I wish I was

**danni** · 03-09-2006, 01:39 PM

I definitely pick them up, I also pick up the popcans too. A few years ago we kept track of all the money and cans we collected in 6 mths. We averaged $20/mth in cans and $5/mth in change, with the majority of it being collected in the spring as the snow was melting. We don't have a vehicle, so we walk everywhere which makes it alot easier to find things. The kids also pick up lids for poop bottles to see if it is a winner and hve won quite a few pops, chocolate bars, and bags of chips. It amazes me to see so many people throwing stuff away.

**Mom23boys** · 03-09-2006, 01:41 PM

I do. They all add up!

**freedeal** · 03-09-2006, 02:16 PM

I'm a penny picker-upper too.

**frugalfarmwife** · 03-09-2006, 03:08 PM

Not only do I pick up pennies, the guys hubby works with HATE pennies so they collect them and give them to hubby to bring home to me

Every 2-3 weeks he'll come home from work and hand me .40-.60 cents! Hey, they're helping fund our 20th anniversary vacation!

kj

**rebecca** · 03-09-2006, 03:28 PM

Definetly a penny picker and any other kind of change picker upper!

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 03-09-2006, 05:49 PM

Here they are known as penny's from heaven. My late grandfather always said that they were thrown down by loved ones in heaven to help us over the hard times.
As for cans, we work in construction and have a five gallon bucket in the truck just for cans, scrape copper and aluminum which all job sites have. Our local scrape guys see us so much we know them by first name!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one picking up prize wrappers! We bring them home and check them. We also collect cigerette points and upc's. We have recycled brown shipping envelopes that we save them in. Got several $5.00 certifcates for gasoline from Newports last year.

Laurie in Bradenton

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 03-09-2006, 05:49 PM

Here they are known as penny's from heaven. My late grandfather always said that they were thrown down by loved ones in heaven to help us over the hard times.
As for cans, we work in construction and have a five gallon bucket in the truck just for cans, scrape copper and aluminum which all job sites have. Our local scrape guys see us so much we know them by first name!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one picking up prize wrappers! We bring them home and check them. We also collect cigerette points and upc's. We have recycled brown shipping envelopes that we save them in. Got several $5.00 certifcates for gasoline from Newports last year.

Laurie in Bradenton

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 03-09-2006, 05:49 PM

Here they are known as penny's from heaven. My late grandfather always said that they were thrown down by loved ones in heaven to help us over the hard times.
As for cans, we work in construction and have a five gallon bucket in the truck just for cans, scrape copper and aluminum which all job sites have. Our local scrape guys see us so much we know them by first name!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one picking up prize wrappers! We bring them home and check them. We also collect cigerette points and upc's. We have recycled brown shipping envelopes that we save them in. Got several $5.00 certifcates for gasoline from Newports last year.

Laurie in Bradenton