At the store
See what rounding up to the next dollar adds
The next dollar on the screen
Some totals sit a few cents under a whole dollar. This shows only that gap.
- Calculated from what you enter
- About 2 minutes
- Easy
The short version
- For someone looking at a total that is not a whole dollar.
- It shows the gap up to the next dollar.
- It does not change the price you will actually be charged.
The moment
The screen shows a number that is not a whole dollar. The next dollar is a different number. The gap is the part in between.
After this, you can see how many cents sit between a price and the next whole dollar.
Your guess first
These amounts are made up. Which one do you think is farther from the next dollar?
Made-up
$3.10
Made-up
$6.40
The turn
$3.10 is $0.90 under $4. $6.40 is $0.60 under $7. The $3.10 amount has the larger gap. A whole dollar, such as $5.00, has a gap of zero.
Why the number hides
A screen can show cents and still invite a round number. The gap is just subtraction. It is not a request to pay the extra.
Now run your own numbers
See what rounding up to the next dollar adds
The answer there is free. Not on sale yet: one optional pass for the whole site, pay what you can, for a dispute letter, a heating-aid checklist, and cancellation scripts.
Do this next
- Read the price as shown.
- Enter it.
- Read the gap to the next dollar.
- If you meant a different total, enter that instead.
- Leave the price as shown unless you meant to change it.
Who this will not work for
- The rules of a round-up program.
- The price per item.
- A tax calculation.
A pitfall
Rounding on a screen is not the same as the amount a card will charge. Read the amount before you agree to change it.
How this was calculated
If the price is already a whole dollar, the gap is zero. Otherwise the gap is the cents needed to reach the next dollar.
This is arithmetic on the number you type. It doesn't check store prices.