Young People DON’T Understand Basic Money: What Is Happening?

A New York shopper’s attempt to pay with $2 bills at an Aldi store in Monticello turned into a frustrating ordeal when cashiers refused to accept the legal tender, mistakenly believing it to be counterfeit.

We need to teach young people about…money!

At a Glance

  • Richard Scott Steger, a regular Aldi customer, tried to pay with $2 bills but was refused
  • Two young cashiers insisted the bills were fake without verifying
  • The incident highlights a lack of knowledge about less common U.S. currency
  • $2 bills have been in circulation for over 100 years and are legal tender
  • Aldi representatives have not commented on the situation

Cashier Confusion Leads to Customer Frustration

In an Aldi store in Monticello, New York, a routine shopping trip became a lesson in currency recognition—or lack thereof. Richard Scott Steger, a frequent Aldi shopper, found himself in a confrontational situation when he attempted to pay for his groceries using $2 bills, a legal form of U.S. currency that has been in circulation for over a century.

The incident, which Steger later shared on social media, quickly gained attention and sparked a debate about the importance of educating retail workers on all forms of legal tender. According to Steger’s account, two young cashiers at the store refused to accept his $2 bills, adamantly insisting they were counterfeit without making any effort to verify their authenticity.

“I was in Aldi’s this morning in Monticello… I wanted to pay with some $2 bills… The young guy refused to accept them and insisted they were counterfeit,” Richard Scott Steger said.

The situation took a strange turn when one of the cashiers pointed to the phrase “THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE” printed on the bills as evidence of their supposed fraudulent nature. This misinterpretation of a standard statement found on all U.S. currency underscores a concerning gap in knowledge among some retail employees.

Steger’s attempts to educate the cashiers about the legitimacy of $2 bills fell on deaf ears. The customer described the cashiers’ behavior as rude and arrogant, a stark contrast to the customer service one might expect, especially from a regular patron.

The $2 Bill: A Misunderstood Currency

The $2 bill, featuring Thomas Jefferson on the front and an engraving of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on the back, has been a part of U.S. currency since the late 19th century. Despite its long history, the bill has often been the subject of misconceptions and even suspicion.

“He showed me on [the bills] that where it says ‘THIS NOTE IS LEGAL ETC’… That means they are fake,” Steger recounted.

Historically, $2 bills have been associated with various negative activities, including voter fraud and gambling, which may contribute to the skepticism surrounding their use. However, with approximately 1.2 billion $2 bills currently in circulation, the currency is far from rare or illegitimate.

Is it time we started teaching young people basic knowledge surrounding…cash?