money on the floor

It doesn't surprise me as much anymore given how often I've seen it now, but the first time I saw change on the floor of a person's house I was cleaning, it well, floored me. I'm not talking about a single nickel or dime here either, but almost $7 worth of quarters, nickels, dimes, loonies (Canadian $1 coin), toonies (Canadian $2 coin) and pennies. Now the pennies and nickels I could almost understand, but loonies and toonies? Are you kidding me? On the floor? I don't know about you, but you won't find a single coin on any floor in my house because as far as I'm concerned money belongs in wallets, piggy banks, or maybe even on a dresser, but not strewn everywhere!

So what did I do with the nearly $7 worth of change I found? Told the woman (yes, woman, and not some sloppy bachelor like you might expect) that any coins I find on the floor I pocket and consider a tip. I suppose it would have been nicer if I'd given the money back before I issued my warning, but I figured it was a good lesson to learn, and besides, that was a fair bit of change I didn't want to give back after picking it all up! Did said woman no longer leave money lying around after that? Nope. In fact, she let me go about six months after I started cleaning for her saying that she could no longer afford me. Hmmm. Too many tips?

Like I said, after so many times it doesn't shock me anymore, but it still leaves me puzzled. And what does leaving money around on the floor mean or symbolize? Laziness? Carelessness? No need for it?  What does it say about your relationship to money? Because it strikes me as rather disrespectful if you just fling it on the floor. And if you accept the notion that everything is energy, then I would think that how you treat money might reflect how it treats you.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Comments

[Emma]

I totally agree with you! You won't find money lying around my place either. Sorry, I can't provide an explanation as to why this occurs in other people's homes. Good for you for keeping that spare change! Did you check the sofas too? :)

[krissa]

That is a very good question, "what does money laying around on the floor symbolize?". Off-hand from the description, I'd say in her case it is just laziness. But that question is very deep. And I don't have a good answer. ... I will say this. No money will ever lay around anywhere in anyplace I live. Not on counters or anywhere. (I'm going to out myself for the germ-o-phobe that I am, but here goes). Regardless of everything else that philosophically can be said in response to your question, I personally will not leave money around first and foremost because it has been proven to be the filthiest most germ-contaminated thing there is!!!! When Nick leaves a coin laying around on a table or something, I put it in one of our billfolds and then IMMEDIATELY wash my hands!!!!! :)

[krissa]

Oops, forgot to add that I've never seen money (coins or other) lying around on a floor. Not once. But if I did, I'd keep it too!

[Southshoregirl]

My husband is careless with change. He throws it all over, and I find it in his pockets when I do the laundry. I end up throwing it in a big vase or glass jar. We need to get to Commerce Bank and throw it in the penny arcade, then straight to savings!!

[think outside the piggy bank]

Emma, I'll be answering your sofa question in a post later this week as I actually have a pretty funny story about that!

Krissa, you funny girl. No wonder we're such good friends! But yeah, I've heard that too, especially about pennies. They're supposed to be the worst. And now I'm going to out myself here too and confess that I'm really bad about not washing my hands often enough. Oops.

Southshoregirl, you'd be amazed at how quickly that change will add up! I used to keep pennies in a jar too and would roll them up when I needed a few extra bucks. Savings would be great, but maybe a treat for yourself instead? Especially if your husband is the one supplying the cash! ;)

[krissa]

Didn't think of this when reading the post and comments before, but just remembered....when I was a server, I used to take coins I got as tips and parts of tips to the bank about once a week and there were lots of times I had around $60US or more! That change adds up. (Just keep it where it belongs, eh?) ;)