# Do you carry coins, folding money, and/or a checkbook? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011 "2010-10-04T16:37:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/21 "2010-10-04T18:22:53Z")
Paper money – always (unless I just ran out). Coins – on occasion (generally CAD$1 or $2 coins). Checks – never. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/22 "2010-10-04T18:26:26Z")
I always have folding money on me. I usually dump the coins each night. I don’t carry checks. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/23 "2010-10-04T18:34:32Z")
Coins yes; folding money yes\*. Cheques… sometimes. I keep a few in my little notebook where I take job notes. There’s an entire stratum of infrequent small business transactions that takes place between people without debit terminals or Interac Email Transfer (the pseudo-giro!) access. [sub]\*Change is good; folding money is better![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/24 "2010-10-04T18:37:49Z")
Some coins, a reasonable number of bills, no cheque. Canadian, so the denomination break between coins and folding money is relatively higher than USA. (Two dollar coin, five dollar bill) I’ll put something I want to buy on credit if I’ve got a reasonable excuse to, don’t really like debit except as an emergency measure. How many coins I carry with me will depend. Often I transfer the more valuable ones (quarters through two-dollar) to a seperate bag of change for laundry night. But I don’t generally dump quarters and nickels into a jar, that just becomes a bigger pain to deal with over time. If I can’t spend little coins as exact change on a cash purchase (or use them to make sure that I’ll get a higher denomination coin back in change,) then I’ll leave them as extras on a tip, or toss them into a mall charity fountain. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/25 "2010-10-04T18:39:56Z")
I carry all forms of payment - although I still carry checks mostly out of habit. I probably write a check outside of the comfort of my home **maybe** 5 times a year – usually when I need to shop for a big-ticket item and find that the store I end up buying at doesn’t take credit cards (or will give me a better deal / longer term payments if I write checks.) I’m in Israel. ETA: our largest coin is worth about $2.60, so it’s “real money,” I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/26 "2010-10-04T18:41:26Z")
Based on years of habit I always carry somewhere between $20 and $100 in cash. The same money can stay in my wallet for weeks however as I rarely spend cash. Change from purchases goes in the coin/receipt pocket of my purse and gets either emptied into the “vacation” jug or gets spent on a diet coke at the convenience store. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/27 "2010-10-04T19:10:09Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Wouldn’t this have been easier with a multiple-selection poll? Then folks could have chosen any or all or none of “checks, coins or folding money”. Maybe, but this way you get the crosstabs, so to speak. For instance, Dopers who carry checkbooks almost all carry both folding money and change as well. And if you don’t carry paper money, you’re not likely to carry either of the other things. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/28 "2010-10-04T19:32:37Z")
What counts as “carry”? I always have a checkbook in my glovebox, just in case, and I usually have $3-10 in cash in their as well, but I don’t carry it on my person. However, in Texas we drive everywhere, so where I am, my car is usually close behind. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/29 "2010-10-04T20:16:51Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Mobile phone - right pocket. Keys and coins - left pocket. Mobile phone-left pocket. Keys coins and a pen- right pocket. Wallet with cash and cards- right rear pocket. I pay for almost everything day to day with cash, and big ticket items by credit. Cheques are pretty much only to pay people for services like plumbing or yardwork etc. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/30 "2010-10-04T20:59:31Z")
I have a checkbook - for paying rent & utilities - but it lives at home on my desk. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/31 "2010-10-04T20:59:55Z")
As with most questions of this kind the real answer is “It depends.” I checked the paper money only option, but it needs some added provisos. If I’m going where I don’t know how much money will be needed, or if it’s to a place I normally pay by check, then I’ll have the checkbook handy. I don’t leave the house with coins, but will accumulate them if I spend the bills I carry. When I get home I pitch the coins into a drawer that probably has at least $100 of loose coins that I keep “thinking about” cashing in for paper. I can’t remember the last time I actually did that. I try not to get any lower than $40 in my pocket, just in case I need it. That’s my trigger point for hitting the ATM for another $200. Only on trips will I have more than that on me. I also get Traveler’s Cheques to avoid carrying a lot of cash. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/32 "2010-10-04T21:06:39Z")
Put me down as other. I carry my debit card, usually a $1, a $5 and a $20, and a blank check. I may or may not have up to $1 in coinage depending on if the goddaughters have snarfed it out of my purse for gum or not. I prefer not to carry my entire checkbook, as I can reference the reciept when i get home to reconcile my checkbook. It is for emergency use only, not regular shopping. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/33 "2010-10-04T21:32:09Z")
I chose “Paper money and coins, but NOT checks”. I considered “Paper money, but NOT checks or coins”, but really how is that possible? I start out the day with only paper money, but as I spend it I invariably accumulate coins. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/34 "2010-10-04T21:39:46Z")
I voted ‘paper money and coins, but not checks’, but I realized that I do actually usually try to have one check in my wallet for those ‘in case’ moments… So it oughta be all three… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/35 "2010-10-04T21:46:05Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I chose “Paper money and coins, but NOT checks”. I considered “Paper money, but NOT checks or coins”, but really how is that possible? I start out the day with only paper money, but as I spend it I invariably accumulate coins. Yeah, I was on the fence too. I went the other way, since I actively try to get rid of my coins. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/36 "2010-10-04T21:54:58Z")
I carry cash and coins, although the majority of my transactions are now electronic. Even when I used a cheque book, I never carried it around with me. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/37 "2010-10-04T21:55:57Z")
I carry paper money and coins, but generally not checks. I try to spend coins about as fast as I get them, so I don’t accumulate them. I only take my checkbook with me when I know I’ll have to pay for something with a check, which is pretty rare nowadays. Our childcare provider can’t take credit cards, so that’s one person who gets a check. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/38 "2010-10-04T22:00:13Z")
Currently in my cash-heavy work location, I carry cash ($5000 is what I usually take out of the ATM), and when it dwindles away I get that same amount again. Coins are a problem; I typically dump them into my cup holder, because they come in handy at some of the toll booths that don’t work with the RFID system I use. The $10 and $20 coins I _do_ take with me, because they’re worth actual, paper money. If I get 50¢ coins I also try to get rid of them as soon as possible (I also get pissed when someone tries to give me 2x50¢ instead of a simple $1 coin; nothing under $1 is worth anything). And every once in a while I come into a 10¢ coin; absolute garbage. For future posterity when I change my location next month, those are pesos, not US dollars. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/39 "2010-10-04T22:03:36Z")
The place where I keep my checkbooks is in my purse, so they’re in there. If I buy something for the business, I always write a check. I do not, as a rule, keep any folding bills or coins. If I’m going downtown, I will grab a few quarters from hubby’s change pile for the parking meter. I do not normally buy things during the day. No Starbucks, no Coke Zero, no lunch, no newspaper, no candy, no bottled water, no chips, nothing. I live in Central Mississippi. I can’t think of any place around which doesn’t take debit cards (other than some PD or court offices). ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011/40 "2010-10-04T22:20:27Z")
I carry a checkbook in my wallet because I have to write a check to pay for before- and after-school care. The company doesn’t take plastic (they’ve been talking about it, but haven’t actually done it) and getting cash is too inconvenient. It’s easier to just carry the checkbook. The rest of the dough, such as it is, is just the usual pocket money. Other purchases are covered by the debit card. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-coins-folding-money-and-or-a-checkbook/556011.md?page=3)