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Posts: 47

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Q: Why can't Chinese people understand the concept of a change jar?

Today I bought my goods and it costs 25.20 Yuan I had two 20's a 5 and several hundreds...no change...I don't like carrying small change around and asked if I could pay her back  2 jiao tomorrow. She wouldn't let me go. Finally a lady gave me 2 jiao. I tried several times explaining the concept of a change jar...My Chinese is o.k.  I even went as far as to put 6-7 jiao in a cup and explain to them this is for people who lack change. The next day I came the cup and the change were gone.

 

My mother-in-law is also like this....We make over 40k a month and the work horse(will talk about this in another post) continues to make my movie room a storage house for her damn empty cardboard boxes...I try to tell her....give it to the Ayi's that clean the building they only make 2000 Yuan a month. Don't wait 3 months accumulating boxes just for 15 rmb. It clutters my movie room...If I throw them away she gets a temper tantrum. Do Chinese know the art of giving? And is this a foreshadowing of what happens in a world of overpopulation? Or is this just Chinese sh-t?

9 years 18 weeks ago in  Culture - Shanghai

 
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You clearly don't understand Chinese culture. If you put a change jar in each restaurant someone would walk around taking all the change without even buying anything. 

diehard:

Agreed. How many times have u been bugged for money outside a bar or restaurant? Sadly, the change jar would only create more "jobs" and do nothing good for people who actually need change.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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jetfire9000:

This is the truth... and the person that was cleaning the coins out would probably tap everybody on the shoulder, give them a thumbs up and a broad smile, hoping to shake them down for more money too.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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bill8899:

Verily.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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Shifu

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Your second story has a point, but your first story makes you sound lazy. You clearly had enough money and just didn't want to break your 20. I agree carrying those little coins sucks, but maybe that's why they invented the paper jiaos. You could have just asked for those for next time you need them. Or you could just keep a change jar for yourself at home for when you order some waimai. 

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9 years 18 weeks ago
 
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Hum... I saw a change jar/box in many street food stalls, either Suzhou or Hefei. So yup, Chinese get the concept of change jar.

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I have never come across the concept of a change jar in a shop. Is it a box to put unwanted change for other customers to use?

 

In the UK shops have charity boxes where customers can drop their small change, or more if they like.

 

If I went to a shop and I did not have enough money to pay, I would put an item back. Or, if I had big notes I would offer that. This would give the shop keeper the choice of giving you change back or letting you off with the pennies.

 

MIL and her boxes?

 

Ha ha. We have a spare bedroom in our apartment and you can't see the bed for all the junk piled in there. But it's my wife who dumps the stuff ..... it stops the MIL from inviting a stream of cousins from her hometown to come stay with us  .

 

The downside of that of course is that there is no spare bed for me when I am in the wife's bad books .

royceH:

Hey Scotty....sorry, can't help myself from offering this comment.  My wife and I live in adjoining apartments.  Yep.  Both front doors open against one another.  For much of the time we're in the bigger one (where I live) together.  The rest of the time I'm in the bigger one and she's in the other one.  She's very generous, and smart.  When I'm on the drink...say, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat she has the wherewithall to opt to camp in the place next door.

Seems to work pretty well.

 

 

9 years 18 weeks ago
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ScotsAlan:

Yeah yeah Royceh......given where you live I interperate "apartment" as being mud brick huts.... Chuck some more yak dung against your wall dude. You will need it soon :-) And put some tins in the fridge.......I want to come visit to verify your oppulant lifestyle :-)

9 years 18 weeks ago
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I cant believe people havent heard of the change tray. In canada they are everywhere " need a penny take a penny, have a penny leave a penny".

I wouldnt want to break a large bill for 2 jiao either.

But on my list of annoyances in China that has to be #3492

MissA:

It's not a thing in Oz, i've never heard of it. But, if it's a matter if 5 cents (smallest possible unit) then shopkeepers typically won't care. In large/chain stores, no, you pay what it costs and if it's inconvenient then tough shit.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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I think Wagas have change trays. I've seen them somewhere.....can't remember where though.

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9 years 18 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I usually wear pants with a little coin slot inside the front pocket (yes, I actually use it for its intended purpose). In the event I'm not wearing these pants, I carry a coin purse (sounds girly, but it's a cool looking Italian leather one that keeps a low profile in the pocket). As a backup, my wallet also has a coin compartment, but I rarely have to use it.

mike695ca:

Modern myths:

 

Bigfoot

 

Herbs to make men larger

 

Freedom of speech

 

"cool looking italian leather" coin purses for men

9 years 18 weeks ago
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9 years 18 weeks ago
 
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It's annoying but most people here let me get away with it. 

 

They would rather not lose face and let the foreigner get away with it. 

 

As for your second issue. My in-laws owe me over 150k + RMB right now. So if they tried to stack my room full of boxes my kind nature would quickly turn to that of a rabid pimp, slapping them up and telling them to get my money! 

 

If you are the one who brings in the money, then they are the ones who listen (as long as you are reasonable). Toss her boxes and let her throw a tantrum. She will cry and pull the victim act but she will stick around because like you said, you are the work horse and action means more than a wailing middle-aged-baby. 

 

Otherwise, rent her a storage if those boxes are so damn valuable. Of course this defies logic as I assume she is saving those boxes to make money and renting the space would probably cost more than she makes off the boxes but Chinese don't use logic anyway. 

 

 

 

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9 years 18 weeks ago
 
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You clearly don't understand Chinese culture. If you put a change jar in each restaurant someone would walk around taking all the change without even buying anything. 

diehard:

Agreed. How many times have u been bugged for money outside a bar or restaurant? Sadly, the change jar would only create more "jobs" and do nothing good for people who actually need change.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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jetfire9000:

This is the truth... and the person that was cleaning the coins out would probably tap everybody on the shoulder, give them a thumbs up and a broad smile, hoping to shake them down for more money too.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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bill8899:

Verily.

9 years 18 weeks ago
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Have never had a problem with the small money issue whether local vendor or taxi, they will either round the figure up or down.  In the end, it winds up always being equal in the long run.  Don't sweat it.

 

your second issue, get some balls, tell mil to go dance in the square and toss her boxes and make yourself comfortable

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Never heard about this Change Jar concept. In my home country, I haven't really used cash in my adult life, since I was in high school and started going out, taxis, clubs, hot dog stands etc have been able to take plastic. That being said. I find when I pay for stuff in China, often supermarket cashiers will not bother about the small change, the same goes for taxi drivers. If the charge is 12.1 and you give 12, no complaints, as well as if the charge is 11.9 and you give twelve you don't get 1 jiao back (unless you demand it and want to make the driver think you are a complete tool)

 

Regarding old garbage such as boxes, sure, give it away instead of risking ending up on "Horders China"

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Mate....you sound like a real tight arse.  I always pay whatever the price is and if they give me small, useless change I try to give it back.  When they don't take it back I leave it outside somewhere.

And the last time I saw a coin in China was a couple of years ago when I lived in the east.

MIL issue....resolve it, if possible.  That means she lives somewhere else.  If necessary, pay her to do so.

 

 

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