Cents

We have now been here for 8 weeks and are really feeling at home.  We walk on the left hand side of the street, we order drinks at the bar and carry them back to our table and we no longer wait to get a penny in our change.
Money in Australia is similar to Canada.  The bills are different colours (purple, blue, pink and yellow) and they have $1 and $2 coins (which we call loonies and toonies, because those names are awesome).  They have 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent coins, but no pennies!  There are lots of prices that end in 99 cents, but it is just for show.  The final amount is rounded up or down, usually in favour of the customer.  It is really nice not to have a change purse full of pennies.  There is no standing in line behind someone at the till in the grocery store, counting out 120 pennies to buy a pack of gum!
The Canadian Mint proposed a similiar measure a few years ago, but it didn't go anywhere.  If it ever comes up and goes to a vote, we can recommend dropping the penny.  It might mean finding a use for all of those mason jars full of pennies that are cluttering up the house, but just think of the freedom in a penny-free world!