Bloody Well Write » cents http://www.bloodywellwrite.com language + usage Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:09:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 My 2 cents http://www.bloodywellwrite.com/2009/08/04/my-2-cents/ http://www.bloodywellwrite.com/2009/08/04/my-2-cents/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:45:39 +0000 bloodywellwrite http://bloodywellwrite.com/?p=614 When it comes to money, everyone has an opinion about how to manage it. Let me just add one thought: Let’s leave the fate of dollars and cents — in the written form, anyway — to the folks at the AP Stylebook headquarters.

Feed the pig

Feed the pig

When you don’t have a ton (or even a pound) of cash and you are writing about this lack of funds, spell out the word cents and use numerals for any amount less than a dollar:

• What can I buy for 8 cents?
• He gave me 74 cents back in change.

If you’re lucky enough to be able to rub coins against paper money, use the dollar sign and decimals for any amount equal to or larger than a dollar:

• Bob owes me exactly $1.
• I owe Sue a penny more: $1.01.
• Sue bought me a slurpie that cost $2.35.

As much as I’d like to use that cute cent sign (¢), AP doesn’t approve, so I acquiesce.

Happy trails!

SAK

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