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Just a thought, nothing more!
By Hernor M. De Asis
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The New Look of Fifty Cents: Candy & Band-aid
Here is an amusing
circumstance. There was a middle-aged tutor who taught the concept of money to
a four-year old, sharp-eyed kid.
At the sala…
Tutor: If I bought a piece of mango at five pesos,
and I had a ten-peso coin, how much would be the change?
Kid: The change would be five, Sir!
Tutor: Very good!
(The tutor thought of another problem that will
give this young kid a hard time.)
Tutor: How about Mrs. Lope who wants to buy an
eraser at two pesos, and fifty cents, and her money is a five peso coin, how
much would be her change?
Kid: Very easy, a two-peso coin and a band-aid!
Tutor: What?
And, the teacher’s jaw dropped!
Well, I can’t’ help but laugh every time I remember how that kid unflappably
answered the tutor’s question. What do you think is the kid’s answered so?
Due to my curiosity, I asked the boy, and he said, “Because that’s what the
lady cashier gave to my mom when she bought me a sharpener in a store and I
found Mrs. Lope’s money concept situation very similar to the incident that
happened with my mom and the lady cashier.”
Aha! So, the case was closed. It’s a funny thing here in San Carlos City. We
have this unique kind of “changing system” (some stores in various cities also
use the system as a means for business strategy.) What is this system? I
know all of us experienced this kind of business scheme in most stores in the
city, where instead of having 50 cents as change we end up receiving candies or
strips of band-aid.
Now, what if a certain
customer lacked 50 cents to pay the bill and he happened to have a candy in his
pocket, can he give his candy to cover the short?
Truly, many believe that 50 cents seem only a diminutive amount and it won’t
take all of your riches away if traded with little sweets and band-aid.
Nonetheless, did it ever cross your mind that you can never arrive at a million
pesos without that 50-cent coin?
Some customers are starting to get irritated with this kind of trade, since we
are facing a great financial crisis. Even centavos are already a big help in
our daily expenses at times when moms are burning their eyebrows every night
just to make the family’s budget work.
Most banks and standardized malls and grocery stores in the country do not
allow this kind of method since they are very particular in the cash outflows
of their business and it is indeed imperative to the liquidation and inventory
processes of the business to have equal and balance results in their financial
statements. It would be a mocking part for store owners if the accountant laid
down all the financial monthly reports with the balance of P 486,000;
1,566 candies; and 1,300 strips of band-aid.
From our local store owners, I
have collected 80 candies and 20 strips of band-aid from the change I received;
I assume its monetary equivalent is P 50. Can I do my shopping now with these?
P.S. I’m limiting my sugar
intake because I’m afraid to have diabetes.
It killed my Dad!
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