The Editor, Sir:

I'd like to ask a very simple question: "Why when I go shopping can I not pay the exact money or receive the exact money as change?" I'm referring to 'brown money'. I've lived in this wonderful country for almost twelve years and I have to say that it's one of the things that bugs me the most.

While I agree that there are other things that are more important, there's a principle behind the consumer not being able to collect what he's owed. It is true that a price tag like $13.08 can be rounded off to $13.00, $13.10 or $13.25, and by this logic the consumer may win as often as he loses. However, with such an arbitrary scheme, who is to stop the shrewd shopkeeper from padding his profits with my two cents?

If I write a friend a cheque for $10,713.33, how much will he receive when he encashes it at the bank? If he receives no more than $10,713.25, do I still owe him 08 cents, and if so, how do I pay him? If I don't pay him, is that fair?

Bread for buss-me-jaw?

Have you ever tried to give a window washer at the traffic lights 'brown money'? Or better still, when you don't get 'brown money', but icy mints as your change, can you use them to help pay your light bill? If sweets are acceptable tender in a supermarket, can I buy a loaf of bread with two pounds of buss-me-jaw?

Who really benefits from the odd pennies that are lost in everyday barters and bank transactions? Certainly not the taxpayer, who pays to mint the 10 and 25 cent coins that can be tossed in the garbage.

I'd really like to know other people's opinions on this matter, or does it just bug me?

I am, etc.,

GILL CHAMBERS,

Shortchanged consumer

Jamalysha@gmail.com