Simple Tips for Handling Your Cash and Coins Safely

Too many operators get in a rut and become so used to handling coin and currency in their coin laundry, that they become oblivious to possible dangers. Dealing with cash and coin in public is too much of a risk for any business person to take. Without proper preparation and taking precautions, laundry operators can put themselves at risk. While incidents of personal attack against laundry owners or employees are comparatively rare, we hear about it frequently enough that it should keep us alert. It takes so little extra effort to stay safe, that being careless makes no sense at all. The first rule is don''t be predictable when you either bank, count or collect your money. When criminals anticipate when and where you''ll be with cash, it could mean future troubles and possibly real danger. Vary the times of day and days of the week that you collect your laundry or take your money to the bank. Let as few people as -possible see you do your collections. Don''t brag to others about the amounts and totals your laundry business does. Even those you trust can talk to others about the amounts of money you handle. The less anyone knows about your laundry''s cash flow, the safer you and your cash will be. Don''t collect at night inside your lighted place of business. In the dark of night you can be seen from the outside, but you may not see those who are watching you. In early morning hours, you can look out to notice anyone that appears interested in what you are doing and the less likely it is that they can see what your activities are. As a rule, petty crooks and bandits are night people. Banking and collecting in the early morning gives you an extra level of protection because they, the crooks, are less active at that time. If your personal schedule doesn''t let you collect your laundry at times when no one else is around, vary the time of day and day of the week you collect. You may also ''nibble'' your collecting, by doing just a row or two at a time. That way it never looks like you''re dealing with big sums of money at any one time. Also, place sponges or a cloth on the bottom of your container to muffle the sound on the quarters. If you must collect with customers around, that lack of sound will attract less attention to what you are doing. Don''t drop coins in hoppers at the same time you take out the currency. Do these steps separately, one at a time. That way it doesn''t look like you are handling so much at one time. The purpose of doing this a step at a time is to minimize the amount of money you expose with each step of the coin and cash handling process. Never count your coin or cash in public, and never leave your business, or ever go into your bank, carrying a money bag. That could be an invitation to an eventual robbery. When it''s in a pocket or disguised in a tool box, or wrapped in a brown paper bag, it''s less likely to draw unwanted attention. Carrying cash in the open is an invitation to bad guys, and just says rob me. Petty crooks are usually pretty dumb and often are strung out on drugs or booze. To them, seeing a hopper full of quarters looks like a lot of money. If they know your habits, some will try to take advantage. Keep extra cash and coin in what is usually the safest spot in the laundry, your change machine. Make sure that there is only one person with a key to the changer, and that should be you. Being aware of safety and your personal security is a great habit to have. It just takes a little thought and practice.