|
Buying Items and Handling Money
People who use AAC and who have physical disabilities may
not physically be able to get to and open their wallet, take out the money
they need, lift up and count the change they are given and put the change
back into their wallet. They may rely on an attendant or the cashier to
do this under their supervision. People who use AAC report that they are
often the victims of theft in these situations.
88% of the participants in this project wanted to learn more
about ways to handle their money safely when buying things.
ACCPC takes no responsibility for any of the suggestions listed here.
These suggestions are intended to highlight issues that can be customized
for an individual. We ask that you share your ideas with us so that we
can in turn share them with other AAC users. Contact Us with Your Ideas
Issues for People who use AAC 
- People who use AAC may want to:
- Buy items using cash or credit cards without the assistance of an attendant.
- Keep their money and credit cards in a safe place, but be able to direct
someone to access it when required.
- Tell people how they want to pay for the items that they are buying
and to ensure that they get the correct change.
Tips for Buying Items and Handling Change
The following suggestions have been made by people who use AAC:
- Use a wallet with separate compartments that zip or snap shut.
- If you carry a bag on the back of your chair, do not put items of high
value in it.
- Keep your wallet and other valuables close to your body, where you
can see them and make sure they are secured to you or your chair.
- Keep bus tickets, money, and credit cards in separate compartments or
separate wallets.
- Only carry the amount of money that is needed.
- Organize your money in your wallet. Keep $5 bills together, $10's
together etc. Ask your attendant to do this if you can’t.
- Shop at the same stores so you can build relationships with shop owners
and cashiers.
- Know how much you had when you went shopping. Have it written down or
programmed into your device if you are worried that you will forget.
- Make sure you get a receipt for everything.
- Keep receipts separately or in an envelope.
- Ask your attendant to write down expenses in a notebook so that you
can maintain your records. Do this with every attendant so that it becomes
part of the routine and does not raise suspicions with an individual attendant.
- Keep records yourself or do this with someone you trust.
- Watch cashier/attendants carefully.
- Do the math in your head before you get your change or use the calculator
in your device to check your receipt before you leave the store.
- If math is an issue, have the cashier count out the change anyway. Helps
to keep everyone honest.
- Consider a rearview mirror to see people accessing bags at the back
of your chair.
- Prepare ahead. Program devices or displays with appropriate vocabulary.
- Make a small communication display about handling your money and keep
it in your wallet/pouch/purse. Tell the person to read out the instructions
before they take out your money.
- If you rely on someone else to do your shopping for you, consider accompanying the person to ensure that you get what you want.
Phrases for Communicating
You may want to communicate with a store clerk about how you want to pay
for an item in their store. You may need to direct them on how to take
out your money or credit card, how to give you your change and how to
put your change in your pouch or wallet.
You may choose to have a prepared list of instructions or individual phrases.
Instructions:
Instructions are good if you want the same things done every time. You
can have the instructions preprogrammed into your device or a typed up
message that you can ask the person to read. This could save you time
and effort in constructing the messages each time.
View Sample Instructions
Suggested Phrases / Messages:
You may want to:
- Choose the message you want to use.
- See if you can communicate this message in an effective and efficient
way.
- Decide where you want to put the message – in your device, on
your display, in your wallet?
- Decide how you want to represent the message:
- Consider discussing how and when you would use the message.
- Consider practice scenarios to learn how to use the messages.
- Try it out in real life and see how it goes.
The following vocabulary has been suggested by people
who use AAC:
- "Please do everything in front of me."
- "I want to see what is happening."
- "Can you please put my change in a separate pouch/section of
my wallet."
- "Please put the receipt in the envelope."
- "Please go slower."
- "Please count the change out loud."
- "Please give me the receipt."
- "Please go over the receipt slowly."
- "Please unzip the bag on the [location]."
- "Please get my wallet [location]."
- "Please take out the money and show it to me."
- "I have a problem with how you are doing that."
- "I’d like to see the manager."
- "Please record that expense in my account notebook and put the
receipt in the envelope."
- "I want to keep track of my money."
- "Can you assist me with my accounts?"
Communication Support
Sample Communication Displays
Picture Displays
The following displays use Mayer-Johnson's Boardmaker v5.x software. If you want to edit or print any of these displays you will need this software.
Text Displays
The following displays use Microsoft Word software. If you want to edit or print any of these displays you will probably need this software.
Practice Scenarios
- Your attendant has done some shopping for you. You want to start keeping
track of your expenses. What could you say and do?
- There is a new cashier at your local corner shop. How will you direct
her to assist you in paying for your items?
- You are concerned that you may not have received the correct change.
What can you say or do?
- You cannot see what the cashier is taking out of your wallet. What
can you say or do?
| 
