Low Vision Quick Tips: Handling Money
Low Vision Quick Tips. Handling Money. This video is a companion to the Low Vision Focus at Hadley audio presentation H19 Simple Home Modifications.
Hi, I'm Pam Tierney here with your Low Vision quick tips. Today we'll be talking about handling money. Handling and managing your money in your wallet is very important to be able to enjoy an active lifestyle. Simple transactions can be difficult with low vision, so we have a few methods to organize your wallet and some additional information on different payment methods. These are just a couple of the many ways to handle your money. Find the best ways work for you and stick with them.
Let's start with your wallet. Mine is about the size of a Herman Melville novel, and I can tell you I look alot like the Leaning Tower of Pisa whenever I am sitting.
First thing to do is clear out your wallet. You will want to keep only the essentials. Be vigilant with this step.
There, that's much better. When you're at the store ready to make a purchase, magnifiers can help you see the bills. However store lighting is unreliable, so it may be difficult. You can also ask a cashier for help. Most cashiers are honest individuals, but you don't want to rely on them either. That's why it's best to develop a money organization system.
If you need to upgrade your wallet, it might be a good time to get one with several compartments. Mine has four, which I like to use for cash. I put the one dollar bills in the first compartment, the fives in the second, the tens in the third, and the twenties in the last compartment. I hate to be critical, but usually my wallet is a little lighter on the twenties. That seems a little more accurate.
Now you may not have a multiple compartment wallet, so a folding system may work best for your cash. Here is the one I recommend. First, take your five dollar bills and fold them in half lengthwise, like a book. Next, take your ten dollar bills and fold them from top to bottom, like a wall calendar. Then take your twenty dollar bills and fold them into quarters. Last, don't fold your one dollar bills at all. Now you'll know the amount by the bills' size.
When you get cash back from a bank teller or cashier, we recommend not get any bills larger than a twenty, because it makes your cash easy to account for if you're only dealing with four bill dominations. Also, have the teller or cashier inform you what bills you’re getting so you can sort them right there. It is much easier than trying to sort out a wad of cash from your pockets. I'm not sure how some of those items got in there! I should clean out my pockets more often.
Coins are easier to detect. Quarters and dimes have ridges, and nickels and pennies have smooth edges on the sides of them. And all denominations are different sizes.
Nowadays, most stores take either credit cards or debit cards. But cards can all feel the same, so how do you tell them apart? I like to use a file and mark the bottom right edge of the card with a little notch. Don't mark the top because that's typically where the magnetic strip is located. I like to use one notch for my credit card, two notches for my debit or ATM card, and three notches for my insurance card.
Now, lets move to the checkbook. Checks are a great way to pay your bills and track your expenses, but they have such tiny writing spaces. There are a few devices that make writing checks a little easier. The first is a check writing guide. It fits right over the check and has fields you need to fill out. It blacks out the rest of the check, so you know exactly where you should be writing. Also, most banks large-print raised-line checks. When you make your next check order ask if your bank if they offer large-print, raised-line checks.
Last, I want to mention that many vendors and banks offer electronic bill pay and automatic withdrawal to pay bills. This can eliminate the need to pay using checks, and by using automatic withdrawal makes it so you don't forget to pay a bill. Check with your bank for more details.
Well, there have been just a few tips for handling money. These are just some of the many ways to handle and manage your money, so find the best ways that work for you and stick with them.
For more quick tips or additional information, this video is a companion to the Low Vision Focus Audio Presentation H19 Simple Home Modifications. You can also watch more videos by visiting our website www.lowvisionfocus.org.
The preceding video for Low Vision Focus at Hadley is for information only and in no way endorses one service or product over another.