Letters: Letters: Paying With Pennies

Re “Dear Starbucks: A Penny for Your Thoughts” (Strategies, Jan. 15), which described how Starbucks had raised the cost of a tall cup of coffee in Manhattan to $2.01, after tax:

I have a totally different reaction to that not-so-round price.

Every day I leave my apartment with a scooped-up handful of change, hoping to use it when paying for odd-priced items. How satisfying to buy a bag of clementines for $6.99 and plunk down 99 cents on the counter: it lightens my pocket and I get four almost weightless singles back from a $10 bill. Starbucks should be congratulated for helping us recycle our coins and reduce our mounds of change. Allan Ripp

Manhattan, Jan. 16

To the Editor:

If you’re thinking of buying a cup of coffee at a Manhattan Starbucks, here’s a whimsical idea: Go to the bank and exchange $2 for four rolls of pennies. Pour them into a clear plastic bag. Then go to Starbucks and order your tall cup of coffee. When the barista tells you the price, hand her the bag — with an added penny and a smile. Samm Carlton

Waquoit, Mass., Jan. 15

Article source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=b2a1d84bf45aa832280c116427449566