New York City Changepot- My Story of Found Money
By chezfrugal
@chezfrugal (84)
United States
May 30, 2008 8:24pm CST
Back in early 2005, I was in a financial pinch. I was still in college (undergrad) and spent most of my time focusing my efforts on school and trying to make some extra money on the side. It was then that I noticed how many fellow students loved to throw money away- dropping coins on the floor and not picking it up and sometimes dumping whole cupholders full of pennies in the school parking lots.
In October 2005, I started documenting my change findings online. Finding this change made me realize a few things about money and life:
1. Having money pooled in one place untouched breeds more money - It was great to see all these coins in one place. This was money people threw away and here it was sitting on my desk. Pennies turned into nickels, nickels into dimes, all the way up to dollars.
2. There are other ways to bring in money - I found that if I'd go on long walks with my family, not only were we finding change- we were also finding broken jewelry, recyclable cans, and foreign coins. We now bring along bags, gloves, and hand sanitizer and collect cans on our group walkings.
3. Money is a main cause of arguments in families but finding it brings families together - Prior to startng the Changepot, my family would go about their schedules individually. Now we make it a point to go on family walkings (saving gas as well!) and the four of us add our totals at the end of the day.
4. Finding money promotes weight loss - Our family just recently broke the 5 mile barrier for walking.
My children are much more agile as they choose not to play video games, they opt to go walking with mommy and daddy instead.
Have you found change as well? You might want to consider documenting it-- you'll be surprised how much money is out there waiting for you.
Total found as of today (05/30/3008) : $975.09
2 people like this
5 responses
@browneyed (2522)
• United Kingdom
31 May 08
Hi chezfrugal
That's fab! Good on you!
I've picked up pennies here and there - I think it's a matter of being vigilant. My sister has found £10 at times.
I wish you every continued success in your found money (and weight loss) journey.
take care...
@chezfrugal (84)
• United States
31 May 08
Thank you browneyed :) Finding money is great but finding change in life is so much better. Have a great weekend :)
@gabesmom (1246)
• United States
31 May 08
What an interesting story! I should go to NYC more often. I remember seeing a penny in Dean and Deluca in Rockefeller Center last Sunday. My bill was $12.01 and I had a $20.00 bill. I thought of picking up the penny on the floor just in front of the cashier. I didn't because there was a line of maybe 7 people behind me. Now, I regret not doing so. But I'll definitely keep my eyes open next time I go there. ;)
@chezfrugal (84)
• United States
31 May 08
Thanks for the reply, gabesmom :) T0 be honest, I've found the best place to find change is not in manhattan lol (too many credit/debit cards, no more dollars). On a brighter note I have found euro cents in manhattan (4 to be exact) and even a twenty dollar bill from Mexico-- foreign currency is pretty cool too :)
@creationsbyrobin (3071)
• United States
31 May 08
Great thread! I love finding money on the street and our youngest son thinks it's a big deal when he finds money (even itf it's only a pennny) he picks up every coin he sees and save it all year long in a bank that has a digital reader on it. He's only 5 and he knows how much he has, is learning to add and is learning the value of money. He gets to spend his found money when we go on vacation...he spends a little on what he really wants and allows us to put it in his own savings account (online- and he loves seeing his name on the account and watching the total get bigger)
Now if some of this would rub off on his older brother, who's going to be in for a rude awakening as he grows older... he has little knowledge of the value of money and doesn't think it's cool to pick up coins on the sidewalk or parking lot.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
31 May 08
Wow, that's an impressive total to have found.
I'm always finding money on the ground... and yes, I pick it up. Makes me feel like a scab though LOL.
Here in Australia we have $1 and $2 coins so the coins you pick up can really add up if you have a couple of those in there. I think the most I ever found on the ground was a $10 note one day on the way home from walking my daughter to school.
It certainly is surprising how much it can add up though, like if you throw your change in a moneybox. Go in and count it six months later and you're likely to have hundreds of dollars sitting there.
