Can you spend a penny?

[Voldemort]

What’s the cheapest thing you’ve bought this year? In a single transaction.

These days I struggle to remember when I actually last used cash and, in a bloke/ph kind of a way, if cash is required I’ll break out a note. I struggle to remember any occasion when I’ve spent less than a quid.

One that springs to mind and sets the bar incredibly low (or high, depending on your level of pedantry) is when I picked up a mate from the train station and was charged 50p for 15 minutes of their finest doorstep parking. Paid cash (resented putting a 50p piece in the meter rather than the pot at home) but I’m fairly sure this is the smallest single transaction I have made this year.

[Allanv]

Yesterday 65p for Paxo

[Cotty]

12p for a splash of milk for my tea (my own tea bag)

[IanCress]

There's a toll bridge not far from me that charges 12p to cross it. It's a useful way of emptying your pockets of change.

[Moonhawk]

5p for a carrier bag is probably my lowest.

It was a separate transaction as I forgot to ask for one before paying for the items I was buying - then when I did ask, 5p was rung through the till.

Aside from that - I'd say 10p is the lowest. Charged that for a small piece of butter at the work canteen.

[ApOrbital]

I did this morning.

[glazbagun]

Theres a sweet shop near where I work which sells from the jar. I'll often pop by and by something for about 70p. The cost of "newsagent" sweets has gone up so much since I was a kid that I don't bother with them anymore.

I've also bought loose veg from the local market, that can be literally pennies!

[alorotom]

Smallest single transaction for me over the passed 12mths ... probably the Tyne tunnel toll but that's on a permit at £1.53 ... i have bought 5p carriers but not in a single transaction

[Moonhawk]

I can't see 1p and 2p pieces remaining in circulation for much longer. Seems like far too much effort given their relative value these days.

[MrJuice]

I do spend coins occasionally but only from say a stash in my car. I don't carry cash at all (coins or notes). Example. Woman at work was doing a sponsored walk and I said I'd sponsor her. She didn't have a just giving page and was collecting cash. I said I'd pay her next time. And despite my best efforts, I have not paid her cos every time my wallet is void of cash.

I have just now put some in and will give it her next time I see her!

Also, vending machine at work takes contactless card payments. Not seen that anywhere before but I guess it will catch on.

[tribalsurfer]

Moonhawk said:

I can't see 1p and 2p pieces remaining in circulation for much longer. Seems like far too much effort given their relative value these days.

This happened in Canada. transactions are rounded to nearest 5c when paying in cash or if paying by card they stick to the original total.

[Cotty]

Moonhawk said:

5p for a carrier bag is probably my lowest.

Forgot about bags. I bought and paid for an item in Debenhams on a card. Then they asked me if I wanted a bag so paid in cash.

[Shakermaker]

Everytime we visit the Mother in law and go for a walk, she will tell us about this little shop in Sevenoaks where she got the man to fix the clasp on her handbag and the man spent 20 minutes getting the right screw for it and only charged her 2p for doing it.

[hurstg01]

I'm not yet at the age where my prostate has a laugh at my expense, so spending a penny is still OK for me

[Krikkit]

tribalsurfer said:

Moonhawk said:

I can't see 1p and 2p pieces remaining in circulation for much longer. Seems like far too much effort given their relative value these days.

This happened in Canada. transactions are rounded to nearest 5c when paying in cash or if paying by card they stick to the original total.

And Ireland, although it's optional.

High time to do this, as long as we get a new 5p coin mind!

[C0ffin D0dger]

A while back I did go down our corner shop (Co-Op) for a pack of paracetamol which I think was around 28p, realised I had no cash whatsoever so had to put it on a card (Amex). Apologised but the bloke said it was no bother and they have lower amounts e.g. 20p for a newspaper charged to a card.

[Goaty Bill 2]

Another solution from Canada;
Bank of England governor wants to get rid of 1p coins

[soad]

Moonhawk said:

5p for a carrier bag is probably my lowest.

Mine too.

Haribo Tangfastics (tiny bag) gums are only 10p.

[illmonkey]

5p, but in a different kind of way: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinford_Toll_Bridge

[RizzoTheRat]

Struggling to think when I bought something for less than the £1 the local cafe charges for a cuppa.

There's not many things I use cash for these days, and when I do it tends to be a note, so I end up with a huge pile of change, then every so often end up spending £10-£15 in one transaction using small change.

tribalsurfer said:

Moonhawk said:

I can't see 1p and 2p pieces remaining in circulation for much longer. Seems like far too much effort given their relative value these days.

This happened in Canada. transactions are rounded to nearest 5c when paying in cash or if paying by card they stick to the original total.

Same in Holland, do Euro coins less than 5c exist? I never saw one in 9 months living there.

In the US the main lobbyists behind keeping the 1c coin are funded by zinc industry, dunno what percentage of thier production goes in to making coins but it must be pretty significant.