'Would you bend to pick up a penny?' poll discussion

auster

I noticed people in America picking up coins all the time. But America hasn’t got a system which gives away oodles of money like ours. Perhaps that’s why they have always seemed to have more money than us. In our town centre recently I noticed a group of louts rolling pound coins towards oldies like me for fun. I picked one up and they chased after me - I told them to get lost. Easy come, easy go for them - not me. I’ve earned every penny.

Sheepster

Might be an interesting extra question to expand the discussion "would you still pick up the coin if it had landed in a pile of dog poo"

SaintMark

MSE_Lawrence wrote: »

Poll Started 21 Dec 2009:

Would you bend to pick up a penny?

There’s no 1p option to exclude ‘a penny for luck’.

Why put "Would you bend to pick up a penny?" then?

JustJewels

Are you kidding? It's rare that I don't find coins on any trip outside the house. I have no shame in picking coins off the street. I just make sure I wash my hands when I get home. I frequently find 2 or 3 coins together in the same place, e.g. 15 p in Marks and Spencer. My biggest cash find was £50 (2 x £20's and 1 x £10) crumpled like rubbish next to a litter bin. But I am not adverse to picking up pennies.

I'm particularly good at finding 5p coins. I suspect most people don't notice them cos 5p coins look too much like chewing gum on the floor.

There have been occasions where I've really needed 5p to save cracking open a tenner, and have looked down to find 5p at my feet.

Hubby says that in Birmingham (where his parents live), he never finds coins on the floor, but where we live now (near Brighton), it's very common.

*Vikki*

My mum found a five pound note in a bush the other day. I was so chuffed when a few months ago I started to walk to work a few days and found a two pound coin!

wildthing01

i can't believe all these lucky people finding pound coins and making tens of pounds out of it! i only ever see pennies - and i feel a bit bad picking them up in front of people (no idea why - vanity i suppose!) i do if there's no-one around though. perhaps i'll have to train my little girl to do it - she already picks up the tiniest pieces of fluff you can imagine and makes a big deal out it!!!

wildthing01

OnlyAlan wrote: »

This is an attitude of mind regarding the general value of money. This site is all about being careful with money. Being careful long-term surely requires the individual to value money (or I should say, value the benefits it can bring). I wonder what proportion of people with debt problems also have an attitude of 'It is not much so it is not important'.

I guess a lot of regular readers here do not have pressing debt problems and follow Martin's tips so they remain that way. I also guess that many of these people are the ones who would pick-up 2p. It is a pity that a poll could not be done to determine if my theory is right.

Personally, I will pick-up any amount, particularly if I think it is 'thrown-away' change.

All in my opinion, of course. Does anyone else share my thoughts?

i would tend to think the opposite - i.e. if you don't have major money probs, you're probably less likely to pick it up, as not as much need for it. i was less worried about what people might think of me picking up pennies when i was a poor student, than i am now...

bikerboi87

used to pick up money all the time in school, and got bullied something terrible for it - they used to throw penny's and stuff at me, hurt quite a bit really

don't think they twigged they were throwing about £2 a day at me, but in the end i stopped because i couldn't deal with the hastle

ended up moving from that school because the teachers either refused to acknowledge it existed in their oh so perfect school or they had no idea how to deal with it

Our_Hercy

2p or whatever, it all goes into the holiday fund

MissSexyBum

Id do it for a 50p,
possibly a 20p if i had just spent loads money that day or just felt in a bendy mood.. Lol

But probs not for less than a 50p, since you look like a tramp if you do that.