Saturday, December 13, 2008

Some Serious Change

change

$332.50

That is how much change we have rolled up after today's session, not counting the dollar coins. My old silver dollars have sentimental value. The oldest dates to 1899. But all the other coins are just a nuisance.

We haven't dealt with our spare change in a couple of years, and it shows. We had several stashes around the house, not including what we keep at work and in our cars. And there was already a large amount of previously rolled coins that we never did anything with.

A pile of metal isn't easy to deal with as a unit of exchange. We'll be converting the stash into Christmas gifts and charitable contributions very soon.

If you haven't scrounged around your house, cars, coat pockets, couch cushions and other hidden places for spare change lately, I suggest you give it a try. You will be surprised how much money you might have just lying around.

17 comments:

dr sardonicus said...

33 cents, maybe, but no way I have $332.50 lying around...

Natalie said...

We didn't count our change the whole 6 years we lived in Florida. We kept it all in a giant Captain Morgan plastic bank (classy, huh?). Before we moved Dean cashed it in and we had over $300 as well. It covered the hotel rooms and gas on the trip up.

Dave said...

Couple of bucks, plus or minus, sitting in a bowl on the kitchen bar and on the dresser in the bedroom.

fermicat said...

dr s - you might be surprised at how much is there if you gather it up and count it.

magnetbabe - good use of the savings. And there is nothing wrong with a Captain Morgan plastic bank. Unless it has "pirate booty" printed on it somewhere. That would be tacky.

dave - PDM's basket of change was nearly full, and mostly quarters (bonus). He says there is more in his truck. I don't keep money in my car, but I have a coffee cup at work full of change from buying lunches. It comes in handy for the vending machines.

MacRankin said...

You know, this might sound daft, and it probably is, but I wonder if selling your coins to a scrap merchant might bring in higher rewards.

Of course, I have no idea whether current coin metal prices would turn a pretty penny, so to speak. :D

Jenn said...

oooh i like the counter under the change!!! my bank lets me cash in change @ no charge, sure beats rolling n counting!

fermicat said...

Madre - the metal in pennies and nickels may indeed be worth more than the coin value. I suspect that it would be illegal to turn them in for scrap though.

Jenny - thanks. It is formica, but it looks like stone from a distance. My bank is a pain in the ass about coins, which is why we let them build up so long.

dr sardonicus said...

Actually, I have a jar where I do that. Twenty bucks, more or less.

Quarters are used for newspapers and vending machine junk food, both of which I could do with a little less of...

BC said...

Ihave an old water jug with alot of change in it. I use it when Im in a desperate moment.

Jenn said...

what about them coinstar's that are poppin up all over. Molly cashed her change in a week or so about and had almost thirty bucks! That was just penny's she'd picked up from parking lots over the year.

fakies said...

I hang on to all my change. Then it pays for a yearly concert, renn faire trip or snowboarding day. My bank takes care of it for me, cuz I would be way too lazy to roll it all.

Dianne said...

I try to do the change thing every few months

what a great photo!! it could be the cover of the Wall Street Journal lol

happy shopping!!

NYPinTA said...

Those coinstars are a good idea. But a former co-worker that also worked at a grocery store that had one told us that she was there the day a coinstar employee opened it up and a bunch of coins got stuck on some inside ledge and didn't get counted. Doubt it jipped anyone out a large amount, but an odd coin here or there that accumulated, but just thought I'd share.

tiff said...

That's insane!!

First time I rolled coin not tool ong ago there was 40-something in the pot. We're saving it for vacation next eyar, so you can bet that rolling nad couting and sorting is big fun around these parts no.

fermicat said...

dr s - I keep a stash at work for the vending machine. Not the best source of food, but sometimes you get hungry.

BC - it can come in handy sometimes.

JennyLu - I am going to use Coinstar to convert some of it into gift certificates that I will give people for Christmas. In this case, the merchant pays for the counting.

trinamick - It is a painless way to save for something fun. I wish my bank would take it unrolled.

Dianne - thanks for the compliment.

NYPinTA - Since I have all this rolled now, I would know if the Coinstar cheated me. Not sure what I could do about it, but I would know.

tiff - PDM's stash was awesome. Almost all quarters. That is how it added up so quickly.

Kathleen said...

You aren't saving it and storing it in a mason jar in the backyard?

fermicat said...

Kat - nope.