floating point - storing money amounts in mysql

Question

I want to store 3.50 into a mysql table. I have a float that I store it in, but it stores as 3.5, not 3.50. How can I get it to have the trailing zero?

Answer 1

Do not store money values as float, use the DECIMAL or NUMERIC type:

Documentation for MySQL Numeric Types

EDIT & clarification:

Float values are vulnerable to rounding errors are they have limited precision so unless you do not care that you only get 9.99 instead of 10.00 you should use DECIMAL/NUMERIC as they are fixed point numbers which do not have such problems.