Shops selling at prices ending in 99p

[Dai Corner]

Is it just me, or are charity boxes themselves less common these days? I think most shops/cafes/pubs used to have a collection tin on the counter. I remember the RNLI used to have one where you'd slide the penny down a little lifeboat into the slot.

Nowadays I don't think they're as common. The exception being November when the Royal British Legion have the market cornered!

An elderly gentleman in full Salvation Army uniform goes round the Newport city centre pubs every Friday ( might be Saturday?) evening with his collection tin. I usually give him a pound.

My regular pub does have a collection box but I've no idea which charity it's for. All prices are in multiples of 10p so there are no coppers to go in there. I don't think people are inclined to donate silver?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

An elderly gentleman in full Salvation Army uniform goes round the Newport city centre pubs every Friday ( might be Saturday?) evening with his collection tin. I usually give him a pound.

My regular pub does have a collection box but I've no idea which charity it's for. All prices are in multiples of 10p so there are no coppers to go in there. I don't think people are inclined to donate silver?

That is my argument for not removing 1p, 2p, 5p (delete as applicable) from circulation. When the Chancellor puts 1p on Beer Duty the price of a pint automatically increases by 10p, 'because our other costs have increased', being the usual comment. That being in the recent years of very low inflation under 2% rather than the current 10%. Do that across the board to supermarket items say, each increase being 10p, and you will soon notice the difference in your pocket/bank balance.

 

[DelayRepay]

Regarding the inflation value of the 1p coin.

I've had a look online and a decimal half-pence, introduced in 1971 and withdrawn in 1984 would be worth 1p today (strictly 1.124p) inflated from 1984. Assuming that people accepted the loss of the half-pence then yes, it is time to remove the 1p coin.

Something would need to be agreed with banks though. The half-pence was never used in banking where things were rounded to the nearest penny, if the 1p were to be removed then it would also need to be removed from banking as they would be unable to honour an account of, say £10.01.

I don't think it would be a problem for banks. You'd still be able to send a penny as an electronic payment, you just wouldn't be able to withdraw it as cash. The only time this would be an issue is if someone is closing their account and wants the balance in cash, which is rare. The simple solution if that occurs is to write it into the account T&Cs that any 1p balances on closed accounts will be donated to charity. My bank already has a way to donate small balances to charity - customers often ask us to do that rather than faffing about withdrawing 10p!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2023 ==

Not just charity boxes but those door-to-door collection envelopes and street collections. The latter may not be quite as correct as I rarely visit high streets nowadays to really get a measure but it is a very long time since I had an envelope through the door.

I still see charity collectors, but they seem to want to sign people up for a Direct Debit these days. And even the Big Issue seller has a card reader now! The last time I remember seeing a cash collection tin was in November, when poppies were being sold.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I don't think it would be a problem for banks. You'd still be able to send a penny as an electronic payment, you just wouldn't be able to withdraw it as cash. The only time this would be an issue is if someone is closing their account and wants the balance in cash, which is rare. The simple solution if that occurs is to write it into the account T&Cs that any 1p balances on closed accounts will be donated to charity. My bank already has a way to donate small balances to charity - customers often ask us to do that rather than faffing about withdrawing 10p!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2023 ==



I still see charity collectors, but they seem to want to sign people up for a Direct Debit these days. And even the Big Issue seller has a card reader now! The last time I remember seeing a cash collection tin was in November, when poppies were being sold.

On the first point, I am going to have to have a lie down, people giving away 10p because of the faff! See 'picking up coins in the street' for further details.

I don't regard 'Chuggers' (Charity Muggers) as street collections, more a commercial activity, as the nuisances in question rarely work directly for the charity/organisation they want you to sign up to. Another benefit of rarely venturing down the high street nowadays. But it reminded me that they were two people with charity collection tins in Tesco the other day.

 

[johntea]

The charity collectors make me laugh as the majority these days haven't actually got a clue about the charity they're collecting for, they're basically just following instructions from their boss

Not their fault particularly, they've just been promised the world and the reality is very different! (their income comes from successful 'sales', so they've been built up as if they can make thousands if they put the work in but the reality being they're unlikely to make that many and in some cases none at all which means no income!)

There was a programme about it on the BBC iPlayer the other week

BBC One - Spotlight, Undercover Door to Door: Who’s Getting Rich?

An undercover probe into claims of exploitation behind the scenes of door-to-door sales.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The charity collectors make me laugh as the majority these days haven't actually got a clue about the charity they're collecting for, they're basically just following instructions from their boss

Not their fault particularly, they've just been promised the world and the reality is very different! (their income comes from successful 'sales', so they've been built up as if they can make thousands if they put the work in but the reality being they're unlikely to make that many and in some cases none at all which means no income!)

There was a programme about it on the BBC iPlayer the other week

BBC One - Spotlight, Undercover Door to Door: Who’s Getting Rich?

An undercover probe into claims of exploitation behind the scenes of door-to-door sales.

www.bbc.co.uk

Insert picture here of worlds smallest violin!

 

[zero]

Banks would just round up or down to the nearest 5p or 10p when doing cash transactions for bills and balances that end in 1p.

Also I would assume that 1p and 2p coins would still be bankable either indefinitely or at least for 5-10 years. I still regularly bank big 50p / 10p / 5p, I haven't tried banking pre-decimal shillings / florins for many years but they were accepted in about 2012, and the smaller coins have higher scrap metal value as do half-pennies.

Canadian 1c and Australian 1c / 2c are still exchangeable in banks in multiples of 5/10, or in any amount for crediting to accounts. Though again the scrap copper value is higher for all Australian, and Canadian minted until 1996. New Zealand withdrawn coins must be exchanged at the central bank only.

 

[londonbridge]

Not just charity boxes but those door-to-door collection envelopes and street collections. The latter may not be quite as correct as I rarely visit high streets nowadays to really get a measure but it is a very long time since I had an envelope through the door.

Indeed, you don’t get envelopes these days, you just get sacks asking for donations of clothing, shoes and perfumes which you’re meant to leave outside for collection on a nominated day, most of them for obscure organisations that I’ve never heard of which claim to be helping impoverished Eastern European women and girls with breast screening, eyesight testing, providing clean water and medical facilities etc…… haven’t had to buy any kitchen bin liners for several years…..

 

[cjmillsnun]

I always ask the staff to put the odd pennies into their charity box. I know it's not a lot but all those 1p's soon add up, over a year, if the majority of customers do it, especially with large chain stores.

Exactly that.

 

[DelayRepay]

Indeed, you don’t get envelopes these days, you just get sacks asking for donations of clothing, shoes and perfumes which you’re meant to leave outside for collection on a nominated day, most of them for obscure organisations that I’ve never heard of which claim to be helping impoverished Eastern European women and girls with breast screening, eyesight testing, providing clean water and medical facilities etc…… haven’t had to buy any kitchen bin liners for several years…..

And people asking for Direct Debits, also usually for obscure charities.

The clothing sacks are annoying - on the few occasions I've put anything out, it's not been collected on the specified day!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Indeed, you don’t get envelopes these days, you just get sacks asking for donations of clothing, shoes and perfumes which you’re meant to leave outside for collection on a nominated day...

…… haven’t had to buy any kitchen bin liners for several years…..

Not just me then!

 

[Peter Sarf]

Indeed, you don’t get envelopes these days, you just get sacks asking for donations of clothing, shoes and perfumes which you’re meant to leave outside for collection on a nominated day, most of them for obscure organisations that I’ve never heard of which claim to be helping impoverished Eastern European women and girls with breast screening, eyesight testing, providing clean water and medical facilities etc…… haven’t had to buy any kitchen bin liners for several years…..

Same here, I do sometimes think I am in danger of running out.

And people asking for Direct Debits, also usually for obscure charities.

The clothing sacks are annoying - on the few occasions I've put anything out, it's not been collected on the specified day!

Its never occurred to me to use those charity bags for er charity !.