Did you know there is a coin shortage in the U.S.? You probably haven’t noticed, unless you need them to do laundry.
The Federal Reserve is monitoring coin supply levels because banks around the country are running low on change. The U.S. Mint made fewer coins this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, but circulation is also an issue, NPR notes. While people followed stay-at-home orders, they weren’t dumping their jars full of change into coin-counting machines, and they weren’t using cash at all to pay for purchases at many businesses that remained open but tried to reduce contact.
Some stores have asked customers to pay with exact change if using cash, or have disabled cash transactions at self-checkout lanes.
As people begin to spend more money for in-person purchases and coin distribution by Federal Reserve evens out, this problem will likely fade into our memory. That is, unless you’re out of socks and underwear, and you’ve already fished around between the couch cushions in search of quarters.
I’ve been shouted out of my share of laundromats for dipping in to exchange a crisp $10 for a handful of quarters before sneaking out to do laundry in my own building. So when I’m desperate for quarters and far from my bank, I usually visit a grocery store’s customer service counter to request the swap.
But if Reddit discussions like this one are any indication, some grocery stores have stopped giving out rolls of quarters, or have substantially cut back on the number of rolls they’ll exchange.
If your local convenience store can’t help you out of this laundry jam, it may be time to start paying for everything you can in cash and cross your fingers that some of your change comes back in the form of blessed, cherished quarters.
Or you can try the vending machine hack. While your success rate may vary, Reddit user IWBSedatedRightMeow swears by it:
Go to any vending machine and put in dolla dolla bills, then press return change. They usually have a good amount of quarters in them.
What I also like to do is collect my dimes and nickels and put them in the machine until I reach a $1, then press return change button to get more quarters. Repeat.
Are you always on the hunt for laundry quarters? What solutions have you found beyond begging cashiers, rewearing half-dirty shirts, or washing your stuff by hand (or in a salad spinner, maybe)?
