"Funny" money in supermarket??

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Twice this month when I've been at the checkout in La Sirena ladies in front of me have paid for their purchases using very large paper money with denominations like regular money. It's at least twice the size of regular bills, colorful, and the 500 [for example] is so large that I easily read it from over 10 feet back. The lady yesterday was well dressed, so I don't think it's a welfare type of thing.

Anyone else see this 'money' and know what it is? The Dominicans I asked looked at me like I was imagining things.

One told me it might be the money the government gives to politicians to distribute to their people.

AE
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Twice this month when I've been at the checkout in La Sirena ladies in front of me have paid for their purchases using very large paper money with denominations like regular money. It's at least twice the size of regular bills, colorful, and the 500 [for example] is so large that I easily read it from over 10 feet back. The lady yesterday was well dressed, so I don't think it's a welfare type of thing.

Anyone else see this 'money' and know what it is? The Dominicans I asked looked at me like I was imagining things.

One told me it might be the money the government gives to politicians to distribute to their people.

AE

The big stores,, like JUMBO and Naticional, paid their 13 month salary with coupons to shop at their stores.

I traded 1000 pesos for one of these at the checkout line for one employee who was trying to get cash

she said that there were lots of complaints from the employees.. who had been counting on the CASH!
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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That has got to be illegal as all git out!!! There is no provision in the law for exchanging salary money for coupons. If they take their case to a labor lawyer, he will probably get them ten times the money. Of course, he'll take 33% of it...

But I would make a case out of it...if it is as reported.

HB
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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I seem to recall vaguely seeing this about a year ago at the check-outs and was told it was vouchers from La Sirena. I never asked more beyond that answer.

So it's not something new this year.

But I would make a case out of it...if it is as reported.

HB

Of course if they did complain they would no longer have a job.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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yahoomail.com
There May Be An Expanation. I used to get my

Christmas/December "BONO" in my paycheck. In addition we got a huge basket of "Goodies".
Buying all the baskets,fruits,cookies,chocolates,and "Booze",and distributing them was a logistical nightmare.Plus,the "Poor" employees didn't need "Booze",they needed to buy food,or clothes.
We started giving out "Vouchers" to "La Sirena",Supermercado National,good ot Questa,Jugeton,and other "CNN" companies.
Easy,fast,appreciated,and a lot less,"SHRINKAGE";)
You can buy the "Vouches" yourself to give as gifts all year long.
Cris cCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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If it was as CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC explains--something done as an "extra"--then there there is no complaint.

As long as that #13 salary is paid...

HB
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
That has got to be illegal as all git out!!! There is no provision in the law for exchanging salary money for coupons. If they take their case to a labor lawyer, he will probably get them ten times the money. Of course, he'll take 33% of it...

But I would make a case out of it...if it is as reported.

HB

well that is how it was explained to me.. The woman in question had a sheet with aoubt 7 or 8 vouchers for 1000 pesos each so I doubt that it was just an EXTRA.. but more likely as she said

now they were redeemable at lots of stores.. Jumbo, Nacional, La Sirena

so there had to be some cooperation between these.

this encounter was at Jumbo.

Would be interested to see how many DR1ers actually know people who work as clerks at any of these stores....I do not.

sounds like a job for Huchi!
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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vouchers. we have them handed out in poland as well as a part of christmas bonus.
 

bachata

Aprendiz de todo profesional de nada
Aug 18, 2007
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In every Dominican company you will find a "prestamista" (PERSON WHO LENDS MONEY IN HIGH INTEREST TO EMPLOYEES) most of the time when theses poor employees take a Christmas bonus they have to pass it to the lender as they sold it a couple months in advance in a lower rate.

I know about that, I remember when I was working for E. Leon Jimenes back in the 80s there it was a guy who used to buy bonus and "La Fuma" (weekly pack of cigarette for employees) one year in advance.

JJ
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Annie: "...she had a sheet of about 7 or 8 of these vouchers for a 1000 pesos each..."

This, to me, smells like a "prestamista" or loan-shark. The minimum wage in the private sector is around five thousand five hundred and up to a little over 8 thousand...so this was no "worker" spending her Christmas bonus...this was someone who had probably paid 500 or 600 pesos in cash for the "funny money" and made a killing...

What a shame..


Hb
 

LaTeacher

Bronze
May 2, 2008
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we get them as "gifts' from some of my clients. and my mother-in-law gets them all time as "thank yous" from her friends in high places. I've seen way more wealthy people using them than poor. Probably because it's way more tactful to give a bribe in those than in cash

Also, the Air Force gives them to their forces as part of a living stipend because you can't use them to buy booze.
 
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