Change in the hand is worth more than on the floor...

Two things highlighted in one small incident today: one - I should never underestimate my propensity for a spontaneous, public, 'potty mouth' moment, and two - a matter of common sense...

When paying for things in shops, using cash - or if you are working handling money yourself - I came to the conclusion, years ago, that if giving someone coins and notes, one should put the coins into an offered hand first and then put the notes (and receipt etc. if giving change) on top.

This is because the opposite approach means unless you screw the whole lot up in your hand and stuff it in your pocket etc., the first thing you have to do is extract the paper from underneath a handful of coins, whereas being human and having opposable thumbs it is easier to deal with a handful of coins and grasp some paper on top without chucking the whole lot on the floor.

Especially when you only have one free hand, as I discovered today, in B&Q. I was supporting a dozen pieces of batten under one arm and the cashier did the paper then coins approach - and having no choice but to try stuffing it all in my pocket meant I promptly chucked some change on the floor.

"Oh fuck," I said, in quite a spontaneously loud, but rather resigned way - comically snapping the shopper behind me out of her 'till trance' and soliciting a modicum of glee from the previously rather uninterested cashier, who at least helped rescue my money. Coins first, then paper, it's the way to go...