Winning the Change game

During a recent skype conversation with John, who has been an American in France for 5 years now, we were lamenting how quickly life becomes 'normal' and how difficult that makes updating a blog! John told me everything I did was interesting, so here goes.

I have grown up in a cashless society. I am used to seeing my money go from a paper cheque to an account, where I move it around digitally. When I needed to buy something, I would swipe a little piece of plastic that represented money, and voilà, my purchase was complete. In my wallet at any given time there was rarely more than $80. But that's just me.

Then I moved to Egypt. The idea of credit, or even debit, doesn't really work for the masses here, and I'm not about to 'charge' two dollars worth of carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers. Furthermore, if I tried to charge my vegetables, Mohamed would be so concerned about my well-being, he'd give them to me for free!

So I walk around with cash. At any given time, I will have close to 2000 LE (divide by 5) in my wallet. What makes this more complicated, is that I have to have the right kind of cash to get anywhere. As my friend Jason says "carrying a 200 LE note is like carrying a rupee. Utterly useless." No one ever has any change, even when you know they do.

When my parents were here, we laughed that Tom had to empty his wallet and sort his money every evening. I must admit that sorting cash from all the little pockets and wallets I have is one of my weekend tasks. Also, before they came, I saved small change for 3 months, because I knew there would be lots of taxi driving and small errand-running.

Hence, the change game. Right now, with 30 5 LE bills, I'm winning.


These 5 LE notes are worth more, on a daily basis than this:

Breaking these large notes is all part of the change game. Here's how you play.

1. Purchase approximately 37.50 LE worth of groceries.

2. Hide your face behind your purse, and carefully pull out the 100 LE bill, without letting the cashier see the exact (or smaller) change lurking near by.

Inevitably, the cashier will ask you if you have small change. You say no.

3. The cashier smirks and says, I so sorry, no change."

4. You have a choice. Give in, and keep the 100 LE note for another day, or walk out without your groceries.

5. You chose to walk out! Good job! Because the cashier will 99.9999 % of the time call after you, "I have change!" And she will lift the top drawer of the cash box, to reveal a drawer brimming with small change.

6. Leave the store victorious, knowing that you now own a 5 LE note to give to the taxi driver, who will start the game all over again for you.

7. For bonus points, try playing the Change Game in Arabic.