I’ve noticed that ten-dollar bills seem to be getting rarer and rarer, at least around these parts. My tentative theory is that merchants favor fivespots as being more versatile for making change. If the customer makes a very small purchase–say $2.50–and pays for it with a 20, the cashier can give him or her three fives, two singles, and .50 in coin–or alternatively one ten, one five, etc. The difference either way is only a matter of one bill out of four or five.
So the question is: The last time you used a $20 bill to pay for something which cost less than ten dollars, how did your change come back?
My credit union keeps insisting on giving me - for example - 3 fives instead of a ten and a five in transactions, too. Especially the newer tellers. This has irritated me for quite some time - to the point that I will seek out the oldest teller so I don’t have to patiently explain why I want ‘the biggest possible bills’.
Yes, I’ve usually gotten multiple five-dollar bills in change. It’s so frequent that when I did finally get a ten-dollar bill, I wasn’t even familiar with the new design.
I usually get fives instead of a ten. It seems to be self perpetuating these days. No one has $10 bills so no one uses them to give back as change. Whenever retail outlets count out their tills for the start of a shift it’s usually chock full of $1s and $5s, and a pittance of $10s (if any)
I’ve noticed some newer ATMs will give out a combination of fives or tens along with twenties. The one in the lobby of my work will give me $75 in three $20s, a ten and a five.
Back in the olden days, when I was a cashier (before scanners and plastic bags), my drawer was chronically short of 10s. Four or five customers paying with a 20 early on in my shift would wipe me out and then no one ever seemed to pay with them. Got plenty of 5s from customers though. When calling for coins or a pickup I always needed to ask the office for 10s.
I never really gave it that much thought; other than making sure I get the right amount I don’t really pay attention to the denominations (unless I get back something really odd like $14 in twos).
Right now my wallet contains 2 tens and 2 fives, so based on that, I can scientifically determinte that I get a ten back exactly two out of three times.
The last few times I used a $20 for something less than $10, I got a ten and some singles back. The last time I bought something for $5 with a twenty I got a ten and a five back.
I worked retail for awhile our float mainly consisted of the standard coinage. Dollar coins, two dollar coins and a lot of 5 dollar bills and very little in the way of ten dollar bills.
Running out of 10 dollar bills wasn’t a problem for operations as they usually come and go. But run out of 5 dollars bills time to take a run to the bank ASAP.
Looking at the poll results at this point, I have to say I’m surprised. Out of 31 respondents, 19 got the $10 bill in their change. If we discount my own response, which is arguably the proper thing to do, it’s 19/30.
I hardly ever see $10 bills these days, so much so that I still stop to look at one of the new “peach” colored ones that came out a couple of years ago, whenever I get one. Must be a regional thing.
I usually only get $10 when there I’m getting more than $20 worth of change, which is usually from a $100, since $50s are rare. Exactly $100 dollars (or more if cashing a check) is always exchanged for as three $20s, two $10s, three $5s and five $1s.
I noticed this the last time I was in the US too- not many $10 notes as change, quite a few $5s- so $17 would come back as three $5 notes and two $1 notes instead of the expected 1x $10, 1x $5, and 2x $1 notes.