Folding Money For The Blind

How would a totally blind person identify different money denominations/paper currencies? ...Okay, we know that folding bills and putting Braille marks on them based on the denomination are among the ways to identify paper money, and size and shape of coins helps to identify coins, but since all the paper currencies in the States are the same size how could a totally blind person be sure that he/she is not being short-changed in bills? Especially, in situations where there is no one else around to help authenticate the veracity of the transaction, for instance, receiving change from a taxi driver, or where enough $1 bills may not be at hand, etc. ....Is there any way to tell by just touching the bills, for instance? ....Are there any handy (i.e. non-cumbersome) devices that can help?

Serious answers only please. ...A very dear colleague is going blind due to diabetic complications – any help would be greatly appreciated.
I thank you ALL for your kind and considerate responses.


Moon, thank you for the heartfelt compliments; I am not sure where you live, but I have lots of dear fiends in São Paulo, Brazil. I have visited there on many occasions and have truly fallen in love with the country’s incredible natural beauty and its extremely hospitable and loving people.

Capuchin monkey

www.helpinghandsmonkeys.org

They are expensive, about 30,000

So far this is what I have come up with.

Wait! I found it...313 - Noteteller Talking Money Identifier - $300
Announces denomination of U.S. currency when inserted.

http://www.houstonlighthouse.org/TextOnl yVersion.htm

Another place to purchase: http://www.soundbytes.com/page/SB/PROD/5 41600

Now I must get back to my duties....

2006-04-06 00:16:11 by ZedNeon

Video produced by Washington State School for the Blind. Tips on folding money. To see other videos: www.wssb.wa.gov

Well I got brainstorming and thought up of this, ok I know I missed a lot but those I know for sure. Is the following exactly what they do?

I assume when buying food they ask where everything is since things get changed around lol and people put stuff where they don't belong and I think it would be very hard to tell the difference while picking items 5 inches apart? Besides they'd have to ask about the prices too. Oh btw I've NEVER seen braille in any store or market I've been to and I've also been to 6 countries. Oh and also won't they have to ask about picking fruits or something? I sure can't feel the difference between a ripe apple and an unripe one I can only tell if it's too mushy (or maybe that's coz I'm not blind and don't have the senses to tell). By the way I know they fold their money, what if it gets unfolded or if there are a lot of creases anyway and what if there were already various folds from before? I sometimes have to fold my money to fit a small one inch square oh and I used to use make origami's out of money when I was a kid before my parents yelled at me, haha OK well of course not many others would do that silly thing but anyway the most important, how do blind people deal with money which already have a lot of creases and folds from before?
Also, I'd assume a gas stove is too dangerous they'd have to use induction stoves with buttons in braille right and they just set timers? I guess they can wash and prepare food by feeling around, but what kind of precautions can they use? I certainly would NOT try to use a knife without looking at my food.
And when they wash clothes of course they use a washing machine with buttons in braille (our washing machine happens to have that btw) Also I assume they just pour out detergent in a cup and measure the level with fingers, and use gloves if they are measuring out chemicals that you won't want to touch by hand like bleach. Also do they tell the difference between clothing by touch and I guess they somehow label clothing of same style and different colour by cutting labels in certain ways? Or even using thread to sew raised dots on the labels, imitating braille? But then what do they do with clothes that don't even have labels or are just all torn up, some of my clothing is like that.
Guys, I need proper answers, thanks.

Why do you need answers? You obviously are not blind - are you going blind? To answer all your questions would take a lot of time. Without knowing if it is just curiosity or has a reason behind it - not worth my time - sorry.

But most of what you ask demonstrates a complete lack of confidence in a person who is blind having common sense. My closet light currently doesn't work, I can feel my clothes and know what goes with what - and if you know anyone who is blind you will know that they ocassionally get it wrong and wear things that do not match. As for cooking - common sense. Money - you can still fold it or use a scanner. Shopping use a scanner - shop with someone - or use a delivery service.

2008-10-23 22:50:16 by in

This may seem like a silly question, and I apologize in advance if it has been asked before...

But my friends and I were talking about this the other day (can't remember how we got on the subject) and for those countries that don't have braille on their money, how are blind people able to discern one bill's value from the other? I've heard that the money is often folded differently depending on what it is ($5, $10, etc.). But what about when you go shopping, and you accept change from a cashier? Do you simply have to trust that they'll be honest and give you the proper change in return?

Again, I'm sorry if this question seems dumb, but I'd really like to know the common practice, if any.

Thanks! =)
To Nah Z: Thanks very much for your explanation. I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I thought blind people somehow had to constantly rely on other people. In fact I would have been surprised if that were the case. I never knew about those pocket devices you referred to. (And I do admit, I had to give my forehead quite the "duh" smack when you mentioned debit/credit cards) Again, thanks very much for taking the time to answer! =)

I'm sorry to the above poster, but you must be meeting some overly-trusting old folks.

First, and foremost, almost all of us (like most people in general) use credit or debit cards for 99% of transactions. that is the world we live in. Since I can check my transactions at home every night, if I've been mis-charged, I can simply dispute the charge and do away with it.

Second, if you're getting back a small amount of cash, say, 7$, asking for 7 dollar bills is safer than a five and two dollars.

Third, if you're talking larger sums of money (20, 50, 100) and handling cash, not a card, there's pocket-sized scanners which you pop bills into and get a voiced or tactile rendering of the bill's amount. Since these are ultrasmall devices, there's no reason not to check your bills as you're handed them back. No problem.

Again, we are not stumbling fools as the first responder to this thread seems to think. We do not rely on other people for 'help' with our financial transactions- and certainly don't just shop in one or two stores.

I travel extremely frequently for various reasons, in the range of 100 flights / 40+ trips a year... do you claim that I happen to have a handful of trusted shops and people to help me to the market at every single place I might find myself? No ma'am.

2008-10-13 03:14:43 by Ashley

I saw a newlywed tv show the other night. They made the husbands take most of their clothes off and they blind folded them. Then the wives had to direct the husbands around a room to find thier clothes. I don't know the title and I can't find anything about it on the internet. Can someone help me find more info on this show? or at least the title?

Are you thinking of Here Come the Newlyweds?

2009-05-28 14:40:57 by mandybethg

for adult size heads and wiithout spending too much money. I looked to see if we had a sheet we could tear up but I don't. Any ideas? We're playing a game at a party and everyone will be blindfolded at the same time. Any ideas of what we could use that won't cost too much or have you seen them in any stores (USA)??? I can't order them - not enough time.

Thrift Stores!! And don't limit yourself to bedsheets. Sometimes they mark the price on those too high. There are plenty of shirts out there going for cheap prices. Grab a couple of friends, some scissors & viola' - blindfolds! And pretty wacky ones at that. (If you get funky patterns)

2006-08-08 14:52:22 by butterfliesRfree