Local eggs and honestly box - exact change?

[springtulips1]

Posting here for traffic.

local farm puts eggs out for sale and has an honesty box. Eggs are £1.70. We mostly use card/cashless and so sometimes have exact change but often only have £5 note or £1 or £2 coins.

do you think you should only buy with exact change? Is it acceptable to put £2 in and then pay slightly less next time? Put £5 in and take next one free and put in 10p next time?

I assume they don’t want wastage but also don’t want to be short changed! What do you think is reasonable?

Sound ok to me, if you leave a note

They won't know you are the same person who sometimes leaves more/ less. I'd hate for someone to think I'd underpaid on purpose so I'd either round up (leave £2) or not buy and go back another time.

They're not going to know that that the person left £5 for a box in February and then took a free box in March are the same person, though.

I think either pay with the correct change, take more than you need for the money you've given or accept the loss/see it as a tip.

I used to take change from the honesty box if I only had a note - rounded down against me. So if I had a fiver and the eggs were 1.70 I'd take 3 pound coins and leave the fiver.
No I wouldn't expect free eggs in the future if I left a large amount and didn't have change.

This is what I would do, either get organised and sort out the correct money (I do sympathise - I often don't have cash on me these days and have to make the effort if I can only pay for something in cash) or round up and accept that you'll be out by 20p/30p. It's still arguably better (social) value than buying from the supermarket - no food miles, truly free range and organic. Bet they taste better.

TBH I’d just pay £2 if I had it, and forget the change. I’d be glad to be able to buy genuine FR eggs locally.

We have an honesty box like this in our village, if I saw the owners I would tell them we have overpaid and would underpay the next time or vice versa, they were fine with it.

I do remember the time a local kid nicked the money, there was hell on, it was like our villages version of 9/11.

We have a tupperware box in the car solely for egg money x

I would just put £2 in and forget the change.

The farm are muppets, they could easily charge £2 and I bet nobody would think twice about paying it.

Thanks MNetters! Exact change or leave the tip. Agree actually quite happy to pay £2 for local eggs.

where do you all get your coins from? Do pretty much all spending on card. If I’ve got a note I do take it to the supermarket and buy something small with a note to get change but it’s only ever a few quid. DH has cash at the pub but rarely go!

Either pay over or make more effort to keep change in your car.

Good point 😂 I actually have no idea what I pay in the supermarket, have to check!

Put an IOU or a overpaid, I'll sort it next time, in the box with your money. Give your name, hi no change so put in £5 I'll take a freeby next time, Jane. Then next time took a box I'm still up by £x.xx, Jane.

I'd just carry change.
We used to have a tub in the car in the days when you needed coins for car parks, and I'd raid that if I went past the allotment veg stall.

I get change by buying £2.05's worth of shopping with a £10 note. If I need extra I'll ask if I can change a fiver for coins or whatever. If you make a habit of it you'll bill up a stash quite fast.

they won't want to put up the price for the eggs, they'll be aware of who buys them but cannot afford more.

We have got farm eggs for the past 5 years or so .
if I haven't got the exact change I round up.
I have very rarely taken 18 but only paid for 12 but then added it on the next time.

I think it's a good deal! I buy mine from a local farm too and whenever I am in the supermarket I am very happy to walk past the egg aisle and think: "I have my eggs sorted from Molly, Polly and Dolly!" (Yes our farm tells you their names!)

I keep a coin purse in my glove compartment because I travel a lot with work and need car park money. I get out £50 a month, keep back £30 and then use the remaining £20 in self-service supermarket machines a few times to get the change back. You just need to calculate it so that you get mainly pound coins in change - so under £5 change. I always have about £10 in change in my car.

Of course it doesn't work when I am on foot, but that's when I need to be more organised!

Ours are £1.50 for 6 locally - I actually went and drew out some bags of coins from the bank so we always have change (admittedly was trying to think of errands to do with young DC at half term...)

I always keep coins loose in all handbags. Usually make up about £3 in each in different coins. And always have some in wallet too. And sometimes pockets... And car.... And keybowl...
It's quite practical habit from when I used to get tips 15 years ago and they ended up scattered in various places at 2am when I got home😂
Just exchange tenner somewhere and keep the change in your most carried with you item

Either use exact change, or if it's an open box take back the change you're owed so if you only have £5 take change of £3.30.

Don't faff around with i'll take a free one next time. They owe me, i owe them rubbish. It's just confusing.

If that's too much effort then buy your eggs from tesco.

IOUs seem a bit unfair

They're obviously not that bothered about the money or they wouldn't use the honesty box system. But they put the stuff out to sell, presumably expecting a particular amount that week, minus whatever average people don't pay for.

Unless you know they are okay with IOUs, just pay or overpay.

Just put £2 in. Not sure if it’s an honesty box the money will be right every time anyway.

I would put the £2 in. Technically you’re not doing anything taking a free box later but in this day of camera phones, I’d be the mug videoed taking the free box and looking like I nicked some eggs. Once it’s on social media like a neighbourhood group, people will remember especially if it’s a small place.

It would be fine to do as you say in OP but always leave a note eg
"Paid £2. Will pay less on a future occasion"
"Only paid £1 as I overpaid the last couple of times"

However, keeping track of what I owe or am owed would be too much hassle. I would rather keep a coin pot in the kitchen that always gets the 50p and 20p coins and would only buy the local eggs when I had the right change