keep the change

The exchange rate of Riel (Cambodian currency) to $1 USD is about 4,000 to one. Sure, I like those odds in my favor. But, what I like most of all is there are no coins here. The smallest note is a 100 Riel which is worth a few pennies. The government did away with producing coins a while back. For some reason I don't really understand, the USD is also the preferred currency. So, I pay for everything in dollars. If I go to an ATM to get money out, it dispenses dollars. If they need to give me change back when I am at the store, I get dollars for the bills and Riel instead of coin. No need for exchange. And the part I like best, all paper money!

In my few short months here, I've learned that the lack of coins in my life is a nice change. I don't have to carry around a bulky or heavy wallet. A small, compact wallet suits me just fine since all I have are bills to fit in and they are lightweight and fold nicely. I don't know what kind of effect this has on the environment, but I can tell you it is an improvement in my quality of life.

On a recent trip to Thailand when they kept giving me Baht coins, I realized how much I have enjoyed living coin free. If it wasn't an amount worth hauling around with me, I would just politely say "keep the change."