Have you seen this where you live?
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (49822)
Staten Island, New York
March 11, 2026 10:03pm CST
I saw something on Facebook that showed a sign from a store. I don’t remember what store it was but it said something along the lines of: due to the penny shortage we are rounding up the totals to the nearest five cents. Obviously it only applies to those paying with cash. Regardless, that is not right.
Also, I don’t get how there is a penny shortage. While they no longer make new pennies all the other pennies that have been circulating still exist. Are stores no longer able to get pennies from the bank and that’s the reason they do this?
I haven’t seen it yet where I live, at least not in the stores I usually shop at. Have you?
10 people like this
11 responses
@Ineeddentures (21647)
•
16h
Not seen that here
But basically they can charge what they like
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
This penny thing is in the US. They wanted to stop making pennies because it costs more than a penny to make a penny.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
56m
@Ineeddentures if it’s costing way more than a penny to make it, it makes sense. Other than that, I’m not sure.
@DaddyEvil (169816)
• United States
11h
No, we haven't seen that in our part of the Midwest but we don't live or shop in a big city, either. We normally use a debit card when we're buying anything. I still carry cash but haven't needed to pay cash for anything in over a year.
Rounding change up is against the Consumer Protection Act but it's perfectly legal for stores to round change down so THEY are losing pennies when they give change to the customer.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (169816)
• United States
4h
@lovebuglena As long as nobody complains or reports them, they're making extra money. When somebody does report them, then they'll have to change the way they're doing that.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
If some stores actually do round up, how can they do that if it’s not allowed? I doubt stores would actually want to round down as that would mean they’re losing money.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (39665)
• Toccoa, Georgia
40m
I have not seen that here. I have a bunch of pennies that I need to roll and exchange at the bank. I bet many people are thinking the same thing.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
8m
I don’t know whether to deposit the pennies to my bank or keep them.
@Deepizzaguy (119099)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
16h
I have not seen the new sign in stores that there is a penny shortage.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
I saw a sign in my bank that they welcome pennies. I guess they want people to deposit their pennies.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (216159)
• United States
8h
People are hoarding pennies. Many places are looking for pennies. It should be illegal to round up though.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
What is the point of hoarding pennies? It’s not like they’re gonna be worth a lot more money in the future. Unless it’s some special penny.
@2ndchances24 (11874)
• Cloverdale, Indiana
9h
It's true, they have stopped making pennies cause it's not
worth making any more So yea which is pretty smart to do
cause they add up so fast & take longer to count & roll.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
I rarely pay with cash. Did yesterday when I bought one tomato, which cost me $1.21. And after I did that I was like, “Why did I do that? Should’ve charged it and earned 1.5% cash back for my purchase.”
It can get frustrating when people pay with cash and stand there counting out a lot of coins to pay for their stuff.
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
16h
I would think it shouldn’t be allowed but who knows. I was also thinking why not make the prices of things end in zero or five cent amounts. That should solve the change problem. However, when you figure in the tax the total can still come out to an amount that requires pennies.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
I think I recently saw a notice in a store that due to the penny shortage exact change is appreciated.
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
We never had 2¢ coins but we had a $2 bill. I wonder why the $2 bills were discontinued. Wonder if you can still pay with them if you happen to have any.
@thislittlepennyearns (67181)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
10h
They round them down here.
But I rarely pay in cash. So it doesn't really effect me much.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
Maybe it depends on the amount. Like if it’s $3.41 you’ll pay $3.40 and if it’s $3.46 you’ll pay $3.50.
@MarieCoyle (55860)
•
13h
I lived in Montana for several years. Of course we had pennies, but they didn't like to use them--the entire state rather shunned pennies. Everything was priced (there was no tax there at the time) to be at an even nickel, so there was no need for pennies, Now that they seem to have a penny shortage due to not making them anymore, they don't want to give us the correct change, no pennies is their excuse. If you use a debit or credit card, you can get around that. I carry some pennies in my handbag. If I pay with cash, I use the pennies if needed. That way, I get what change I am supposed to get.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49822)
• Staten Island, New York
4h
The amount of pennies in existence did not decrease. But maybe banks don’t have access to as much of them as they used to. And if stores rely on the banks to get their pennies, that’s where the “shortage”comes in. I wonder if it’s ever going to happen that stores are gonna stop accepting physical money entirely and we will only be able to shop with a card.
