Coinstar, 該公司的業務很簡單, 就是幫助人們把大堆零錢兌換鈔票(或網上禮券), 從中收取手續(服務)費. 公司在全美國的大商場, 購物中心和超市設有一萬多個Coinstar兌換機.
Coinstar兌換鈔票的服務費為8.9%, 即是US$100散硬幣換取US$91.1的鈔票. 其實, 這個兌換率比加州消售稅還要高.
有些服務機可選擇兌換同額的網上禮券. 商店的禮券如:Starbucks, Amazon, Circuit City, JCPenney等. 選擇兌換網上禮券雖然不用收取服務費, 但是US$100現金始終勝過US$100購物禮券. 除非有特別Bonus, 但Bonus不是常常有.
另一個兌換現金的方法, 在銀行設有戶口的, 可把一筒筒散硬幣帶到銀行兌換鈔票(事前須要自行把散硬幣妥善包裝到硬幣紙筒中). 有些銀行或者會收手續費, 兌換之前先致電詢問該銀行.
我們覺得最好的辦法是把少量的散硬幣放進散銀包包中, 在購買少量物品的時候(我們的做法: 貨品低於US$10而不使用credit card), 把散銀包包一拼帶進購物, 用散硬幣付款. 久而久之散銀包包中的散硬幣很快便用完. 這個辦法可令硬幣有減無增.
相關參考資料:
http://www.coinstar.com/us/html/a-home
2 則留言:
If I deposit the coins into the bank acocunt, the bank has the transaction fee?
Using coins to give the tip in the restaurant is also interesting.
I heard that some banks don't accept coins at all but some do, some with a transaction fee. And you will have to wrap the coins in "coin paper" yourself. It's best to ask your bank ahead of time (each branch may have its own policy).
But we have been bringing a small coin bag with us when we shop. By doing that, we now have very few coins at the house and in the car.
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