I have this metal pencil holder for loose change that sits on a shelf by my front door. Every night, when I come home, I deposit any change I've accumulated into that container. For the past year, I've spent very little change, I've just accumulated day after day. The pencil holder is now quite heavy.
And that brings me to a dilemma. I don't want to go back to the states with a giant pile of Hong Kong coins. That and the concept of not spending change seems a bit pompous of me, like I'm somehow above change, that these coins are just not worth enough for me to bother.
So today, I was thinking about change and walking down the plaza for lunch when it suddenly occurred to me that I should take a little bit of change from the jar to spend everyday. And furthermore, that I should carry a combination of change that in the first transaction where I might get back coins, I can be guaranteed to have that amount in change.
First I thought, I could bring a $5 coin, 2 $2 dollar coins and a $1 coin. That would fulfill the requirement. I can pay 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 dollars worth in the first transaction. Then I thought, what a waste. I could combine all of those and simply pay $10 dollars for something. That seemed to lack elegance.
So I thought, maybe it's better if I do a $5 coin, 1 $2 dollar coin and 2 $1 dollar coins. Again, I can do every combination up to $9 dollars, anndd I can get rid of more $1 dollar coins (which are quite pesky) using the same number of total coins.
From now on, I will carry a $5 coin, 1 $2 coin, and 2 $1 coins with me and pay the first transaction involving change from that. Yay!
Edit: It just occurred to me that the first solution is better since if I carry $10 dollars with me, I could use it, even in a non-change transaction. That means, greater versatility, so if the first few transactions don't yield an opportunity to pay by change. I will simply use it as a $10...
