How to Count Back Change

It is one of my pet peeves to be handed my change in a bundle. After waiting tables for several years, I finally got the hang of counting back change. For something so simple, it can be a difficult concept to grasp.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. There are several ways to count back change. The majority of retail and restaurant workers will count your change as it is owed. For example, a meal costs $25.64. You are given a $50 bill. You owe the customer $24.36. You can make change and count out $24.36: two ten dollar bills, four ones, a quarter, a dime and one penny. It should go something like this: ten, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-there, twenty-four and 64 cents.

2. For anyone working a job where making change for a customer is a responsibility, being able to count back is an essential skill. In the example above, the customer is owed $24.36 on a $25.64 tab from which they gave you a $50 bill. You should have money in a variety of denominations, but let’s assume two ten dollar bills, four ones, a quarter, a dime and one penny. Remember, you are counting back the tab to the amount paid ($50).

3. Start with the change. If the tab is $25.64 and you owe the customer $24.36 in the denominations described above, give the customer one penny. This is 65 cents. Hand over the dime. This is 75 cents. Produce the quarter and you are now at $26 dollars. Count the ones individually from $26: $27, $28, $29 and $30. One ten dollar bill is $40. The last ten dollar bill is $50. You have successfully counted back the change owed.

Tips & Warnings

• Most times, it is not necessary to count back the change, only the bills. In this example, hand over the change as $26 and proceed to the lowest bill.

[Chiquca45]

on 10/20/2008 i think i understand, but could send more examples so i can practis counting back money i start a job tomorrow. thank you.