Why $2 Bills...

[jdm]

Thanks for the link, it was an interesting piece. I work in a restaurant and receive $2 bills once in a while for tips. I've been throwing them in a jar with the $1 coins for years for my daughter. It's just kind of a fun thing. I enjoy getting them so I can pass them on to her. She has fun counting them up once a year. It never occurred to me that most people don't know what they are. I'm starting to feel old........

Jenn

 

[jgalecpa]

I brought them last year for our DD's who were in a separate room.

They knew these were for Room service and helped make sure they didn't undertip.

I did take up less room having 20 $2 bills than 40 $1 bills.

If packing is such an issue, here is another place where "less is more".

As usual, I agree with LLoydDobler. Money is money.

AND the phone cards allows crew to keep in touch with their family from virtually any port without using up hard currency.


Jim

 

[PeachyK]

Since we are on the subject here is my two dollars worth...

I picked up a few for our trip, I think my bank had only 8 or $16 worth at the time. When I gave them to my DH he thought I was nuts, and almost refused to use them. Then he happened to mistakenly hand one as a tip to a server on the ship. I think it was for the embarkation drink, anyway.... She loved it, she really made a point of commenting on it and thanking us.

So we did it again for room service, because it was convenient, worked out fine. And then again on St. Thomas again to a waitress, and she went really crazy over them too. I would probably pick some up again, but it wouldn't be a priority, just make sure you have singles and fives too.

Ultimately the tip is the key ingredient, not the form it comes in.

As I like to say, especially around the holidays, cash is always appreciated. It's always the right color and always fits!!!

 

[tvguy]

Originally posted by Footnotegirl
Actually, $2 bills are still considered to be in active circulation. They are in fact likely to be going through a new printing in 2005, as can be seen in this story. The Sacajawea dollar is easily available at most banks, and the machines at my post office give them as change. I get a roll of them to take to the Renaissance Festival out here to use for hat passes.

I could go on at real length about how we really should stop printing $1 bills and go with coins, but that would just bore everyone.

That article is great, and makes my point exactly. Demand is so low they only printed them once in 8 years...and they only printed 164 million, not even enough for every American to have one.
So as the article says they are a "novelty". So to the point of using them for tips, yep, fine idea, if you can get them.

I think the public has already voted loud on clear on dollar coins, they don't want them. The Sacajawea and Susan B. Anthony coins were flops. For tips they are okay, but merchants don't want them because they don't have slots for dollar coins or $2 bills in their cash registers.
I know the Canadian government stopped printing dollar bills in favor of coins (looneys as they are known there, and tooneys for 2 dollar coins)......but the Canadian banks are having to contend with consumers who still demand the paper dollar bills years after they stopped printing them.

 

[TooPure4u]

I currently have $130 in 2 dollar bills and $90 in sacajewa coins....hmmm guess i should cash them in?

 

[ljm]

Originally posted by Footnotegirl
Actually, $2 bills are still considered to be in active circulation. They are in fact likely to be going through a new printing in 2005, as can be seen in this story.

Very interesting article, however the date on it is June 2003. That means that *if* they were going print them, then it would have been done between October 1, 2003 and October 1, 2004. I may be mistaken, but I don't think it happened.

I like the Sacajawea dollars - the tooth fairy brings them to our house because they are "special". However, I can just picture the porter who has received all of his daily tips in dollar coins at the end of the day. I doubt he'd be able to walk with all the weight in his pockets!

 

[budwmn]

Originally posted by ljm
I like the Sacajawea dollars - the tooth fairy brings them to our house because they are "special". However, I can just picture the porter who has received all of his daily tips in dollar coins at the end of the day. I doubt he'd be able to walk with all the weight in his pockets!

Good point ljm!

I know I don't want to add that kind of weight to my already too heavy luggage!

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by ljm

I like the Sacajawea dollars - the tooth fairy brings them to our house because they are "special". However, I can just picture the porter who has received all of his daily tips in dollar coins at the end of the day. I doubt he'd be able to walk with all the weight in his pockets!

I give my daughter the Sacajawea dollars every week for her allowance....she never spends any of it so they all get put in the piggy bank, she gets 5 a week now since she is 5 years old so they must really be adding up in there, she has been getting them since she was getting 3 a week at 3 years old. Where I work uses them in the change machines etc so they are always around!

 

[tvguy]

First of all, can I move in with you? $5 a week allowance for a 5 year old!!!!! Don't let my 13 and 17 year old hear that!!!!! They get $10 each. Heck my allowance, when I was away at college (okay almost 30 years ago) was only $10, and that had to cover gas too!!!

I'd like your lunchroom change machine too, we can't even get them to put in one that will change the new $5 bills. Actually, I think those $5 aren't so new anymore, they've been out several years.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by tvguy
First of all, can I move in with you? $5 a week allowance for a 5 year old!!!!! Don't let my 13 and 17 year old hear that!!!!! They get $10 each. Heck my allowance, when I was away at college (okay almost 30 years ago) was only $10, and that had to cover gas too!!!

I'd like your lunchroom change machine too, we can't even get them to put in one that will change the new $5 bills. Actually, I think those $5 aren't so new anymore, they've been out several years.

My parents did the one dollar per year of age with us when we were growing up so I follow the same line with mine. I really dont mind at all since she saves almost every penny of it!

 

[WDWDennis]

I think a lot of people would enjoy getting a $2 bill!! Especially if they've never seen one before and I bet that most of the foreign people working on the ships have never seen one.

Ultimately, how much you give them will matter most, but you can still make it special by giving them somthing 'different'!! I would much rather get 5 $2 bills than 10 $1 bills, 1$10 bill OR 2 $5 bills!!

My vote is to bring them!!!