The littlewoodenman blog has started a new feature, a series of articles called, "Ask Mateo." I had a good laugh reading yesterday's article about money. Everything he says is so true. It's one of those things that I've gotten used to and don't think about it any more. (Unfortunately, the article has been removed so no link.)
I use a debit card a lot, so I don't get a lot of change. Except for the grocery store, most things are priced in even lempira (monetary currency of Honduras) amounts anyway. I'm ashamed to say that I have forgotten the coin denominations. I mean that I don't recognize all of them and have to squint to read what they are.
So to avoid embarrassment, I normally don't use coins. Before you start thinking that I'm bragging that I don't use change − remember that a one lempira bill is worth US $.0529, so a 20 centavo coin is only worth about a penny. If I had 5 lempiras of change in my wallet, it would still only be US $0.26. As Mateo pointed out, some places don't even give change and they don't want yours either.
But when my wallet gets too full of coins, every now and then when I'm paying for something at a store − if the clerk looks kind − I'll just dump all the coins into my hand and hold out my hand like a child, waiting for the cashier to pick what she needs! Can you imagine? I have no pride at all.
Now, even worse, and a further demonstration of my lack of pride, I'll show you the inside of my wallet.
You can see that some coins have been there so long that they have grown mold around them. Ha ha! The two sparkly ones are that way because they went through the washing machine just recently.
Welcome to my Blogicito — 
