What do you do with your spare change?
By speakeasy
@speakeasy (4171)
United States
May 25, 2010 11:18am CST
I was sitting here wrapping coins while writing here on mylot. I have a coin bank which includes a sorter; so, as I get enough coins for a full roll, I wrap them and set them aside.
Every year I save all of my spare change and then in November I cash it in to use toward my Christmas shopping. Since this is May (half way to November), I decided to add up my rolls and I have already saved and wrapped $76.
This doesn't cover all of the Christmas expenses; but, it helps me not go into debt for Christmas each year.
What do you do with your spare change?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
25 May 10
Sounds like fun.
Of course, I have my change that I collect, my husband has a big gallon pickle jar where he collects his change; and my son has also learned to collect his change. But, we do not pool the money. We used to pool it; but, my husband yelled and complained when I took some out for something and a little while later he wanted to take some out himself and there wasn't enough. Since I do most of the shopping and had contributed most of the change, this made me angry; so, I just started my own spare change collecting and I don't go near his "precious" change. It has spared a lot of hurt feelings and keeps our marriage running smoothly.
@JimmyJimJIm (5)
• United States
25 Jan 11
This is pretty interesting, you can use any spare change online to a seemingly cool cause. I've given anywhere from like 20 cents to a buck to this internet bum him/her. Paypaled to enetbum@gmail.com or there is a website www.enetbum.com Dont know if it actually works ouot and helps someone or not, but I feel good about doing it and its no sweat off my back. I know I'm helping someone out at least.
@gicolet (1702)
• United States
25 May 10
I have a coin purse and when it gets full I take it to Coinstar to have them exchanged to paper bills. Coinstar charges 8.9 cents for each transaction but I just don't like carrying change around. It seems neater to use paper money when buying something plus they're not as heavy.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
25 May 10
That's why I empty my coin purse daily and I only cash my coins in at the bank once a year (no transaction fee). Once a year, I drag a full year's worth of coins to the bank and get paper money (or deposit it so I can use my debit card).
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
27 Jul 10
I save my change, however my husband does not. I try to get him to save it, but he always spends it. I have an old mason jar that I use to save my coins and at the end of the month I turn it into dollar bills and hide it in my draw. I use it for either Christmas or for something I really want. I also cash my checks I get from the survey sites I work on and save them as well.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
27 May 10
I usually cash in my coins whenever we need extra money. The amount of coins I have to cash will pay for my haircut. I used to get my hair cut every six months, but now it seems like lately that I go once a year if I am lucky (once I went three years and hated waiting that long). After my haircut I think I will start saving up again so I can put some money towards Christmas. I usually make homemade gifts for everyone except my niece and nephews (the oldest one is 8 and the triplets are 5). The kids all love to read and I am constantly getting gift cards for Amazon.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
30 May 10
I finally quit going in to get a haircut. All my life I have never had hair below my shoulders and I always envied girls/women with long hair. When I was young my mother made me get it cut and then after I left home I just kept it that way our of habit. Two years ago I quit getting my hair cut and started growing it out. Now my hair goes almost halfway down my back. I plan to let it keep growing for a while longer to see just how long I can get it before I get fed up with it and get it cut off to a more manageable length again. But, in the meantime, I have been saving quite a bit by not having to go get it cut all the time.
@StephanieAnnC (4274)
• United States
25 May 10
I hate carrying around change. It gets so heavy and makes my wallet bulky. So, instead, I have a jar at home where I empty out my pockets and wallet of all my spare change and once that gets filled, I go to my local bank and run it through the penny arcade. Voila! My annoying spare change is now converted into light-weight bills!
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
25 May 10
But, once you have converted it to light-weight bills; do you use it for anything special?
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
25 May 10
I know what you are talking about, I've seen those banks before and they are pretty nice. My husband and I don't use cash that often so we never have change left over. We do have a change jar that we use, and we have wrapped change that we had saved up and put it in the bank. I think you have a good idea though, with using the spare change towards Christmas.
I suppose the only time we'll get change is if I were to get a waitress job as we don't usually get cash when hubby's check goes in, or when I cash out from paypal to the bank.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
25 May 10
I used to use my debit card for almost everything; but, I found I was spending more than I had budgeted each week for groceries, gas, etc. and then I didn't have enough money for other things. So, I started taking the amount of money I had budgeted for weekly spending out of the ATM in cash and when it is gone, it is GONE. This has helped me better manage my weekly expenses, gives me plenty of change, and if I have any bills left over at the end of the week - that becomes MY mad money. Some weeks, I have nothing left over and other weeks I may have as much as $20 - $30.
@rbnoel2001 (17)
• United States
25 May 10
I put my change in a can then I take it to the bank and split it 3 ways for my boys.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
25 May 10
Is the money going into savings for them or do you give them the money to spend?
