What to do with a vase full of change?

[Deleted]

I get $20-40/week as an allowance that I usually either spend on coffee, lunch or just save it up.

I usually keep the change and put it in a flower vase that my wife doesn't use and let it add up.

Last time it was full, took it in with my wife to the store and we had over $200 and spent most of it on groceries and used the rest on movie/dinner, etc...

Now it is halfway and trying to decide if Ishould:
-> just let it seat full and start filling up another flower vase
-> spend it (after all it is change from my allowance)
-> put it towards savinds or Roth Ira

[Deleted]

My dad used to do this when we were growing up, and it was vacation spending money every year.

[zibazinski]

I do it and it is earmarked for charity but that's me. Never for bills, though.

[jenna30]

I don't use cash very often, so I tend to spend my change. Generally at the laundromat.

Now, if I had your amount of change... I'd spend it on Dr bills from Labor & Delivery of LO.

[Deleted]

Once many moons ago when i was working, some personality was recommending that if you rolled your change into a 529 type program a couple times a year, you could send a kid to college...

When we talked about it in the lunch room, someone said that's how they paid for pizza fridays/ out to eat... if there was no change in the barrel, they ate at home...

Lots of ways to do it... i suppose...

[Deleted]

Buy yourself an extra latte....

[Wisconsin Beth]

We tend to it in the kids' savings accounts once every year or two (or when it's full.)

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I have about 8 jars of coin in my bedroom now. Normally, I'd just take it to my bank and have them run it through the coin counter and deposit it into my savings. Bank is no longer available since I moved out of state (I use USAA).

Now, the coinstar machine across the street will count the change and give a gift card for the coin to various merchants without a 9% fee taken off the top. So I've been using this feature when I need to place an order to amazon.com.

[sunuva]

I don't hoard coins anymore. 20 years ago when I rolled a vase full of change and only got maybe $80 I decided it was too painful (in time and boredom) to do that again. Now I simply spend the change on coffees and slurpees and don't let it accumulate.

Start spending your change on your coffees and don't break the bills of your allowance and save those instead. When the vase is empty of change, see how much money you have in bills and then go do something special with that money (special meaning it makes you feel real good - evening out, charity, whatever).

[Cookies Galore]

We keep a tea tin in the bedroom with our change. I take some out when I think I'll be wanting something from the vending machine at work or just to have some change in my wallet (for those times when something is $3.04 and I'd be stuck with too much change). We go to BF's bank and cash in the change jar every few months and go out to eat or hold onto it for when we go on weekend trips.

[Jake 48]

We keep a jar for change, once a year before vacation we cash it in, usually around 150-200 dollars, extra fun money

[8 Bit WWBG]

Banks like TD or Capital One have free change counting machines, so you can it in there without worrying about losing a cut.

There have also been stories about people who do the same thing with all their $1 bills. Wasn't there a guy whose daughter laughed at him, until, as a graduation present, he handed her a few thousand dollars paid for via his method?

cawiau, I think that should be YOUR money, after all it is from your allowance. The last thing you want is to be penalized for saving.

[Deleted]

Jan 11, 2011 10:39:43 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

Banks like TD or Capital One have free change counting machines, so you can it in there without worrying about losing a cut.

Yep I have TD:)

cawiau, I think that should be YOUR money, after all it is from your allowance. The last thing you want is to be penalized for saving.

Thanks... just don't see what I will spend it on

[Urban Chicago]

We use the change counters for an amazon gift card. Last time, we had enough to order a large case of formula for DS (yes, I know that by using formula I am evil incarnate).

[alsmez]

Jan 11, 2011 10:39:43 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

Banks like TD or Capital One have free change counting machines, so you can it in there without worrying about losing a cut.

Not anymore, at least not at TD. I was informed last time I went in that there's now a 6% fee for non-customers. Very annoying. Especially since I hear their machines are none too accurate and that you typically lose a few % when you let the machine count your coins anyway.

[thyme4change]

When our house was robbed our coin jar was emptied. I try to keep as little as possible in there, now.

The kids and I roll the coins every once in a while. It has been a great tool to teach them to count. I will say that I've always found rolling coins very relaxing. Once I rolled a bunch of coins that belonged to my boyfriend's friend's roommate, because we were watching basketball and I was stressed out, and getting drunk didn't seem to be helping. I saw a jar of coins with a bunch of rolls there and just started rolling. At the end of the day, all his coins were rolled. I had our friend frisk me so he could vouch that I didn't steal any coins. Our friend was excited because his roommate owed him money.

[Deleted]

Jan 11, 2011 11:30:42 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

When our house was robbed our coin jar was emptied. I try to keep as little as possible in there, now.

Now you make me want to run to the bank
Sorry about your house getting robed!

Our friend was excited because his roommate owed him money.

LOL ;D

[thyme4change]

As it turned out, the guy had a lot of silver in there, including several dollar coins and bunches of quarters. It ended up being over $100. And this was when we were in college 20 years ago. I think my rent was about $250 - so $100 was a decent find.

[Deleted]

Jan 11, 2011 12:05:38 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

As it turned out, the guy had a lot of silver in there, including several dollar coins and bunches of quarters. It ended up being over $100. And this was when we were in college 20 years ago. I think my rent was about $250 - so $100 was a decent find.

Nice... compared to that time, that is alot of money to have sitting around!

[sesfw]

I have a coin jar also and about once a year take it to my credit union and run the coins through the coin counter in the lobby. Last year I deposited around $180 and hubby's comment was 'it's a painless way to save'.

A very long time ago (1960s) DH and I would save our pennies all year and that is what we used to buy our Christmas Tree. Worked real well.

Figure out your priorities and go from there.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

When our house was robbed our coin jar was emptied. I try to keep as little as possible in there, now.

LOL....when my apartment was robbed, I had this big ugly ceramic piggy bank sitting on the floor of my bedroom, right next to the dresser that my jewelry box (which was emptied) was sitting on. In the pig was about $500 in bills and $800 in coin that I had saved. I couldn't move it, it was so heavy.

They never even touched my pig. I accidentally broke it when I ran the vacuum cleaner into a leg though, so decided it was time to bank the money.

I had to bring the coin into USAA in my rolling suitcase, I couldn't lift it. The guard at the door did look at me rather strangely!

The pig paid for the better part of a trip to Greece.

[thyme4change]

I had to bring the coin into USAA in my rolling suitcase, I couldn't lift it.

LOL - I would have made multiple trips.

[The J]

I roll mine and deposit it.

[hsclassic]

Use the Bank's coin machine and typically deposit it. Normally get $125 +/-, which is a good amount of extra fun money.

[Nazgul Girl]

Mich1, get an account at TCF. All you need is a little savings account with $100 in it or so,and you can use their Coinstar for free.

Before my husband & I were married, one of the dog walkers he used had stolen his giant bell-shaped bottle ( as big as a water cooler bottle ) that was full of change. Nowadays, we take our coins to TCF every so often, and use their Coinstar for free ( we have a little checking account there ). We don't have much money around the house, except for bills which we keep hidden for emergencies.

I also have a "decoy" jewelry box so that if we get robbed, they think they got away with everything ( most is in the safe deposit box ).

[cronewitch]

Save it until you buy a house. There is a time while buying a house were you don't want to spend money in the bank account that is for closing cost. You can spend it then or wait until you are moving to the house. A house doesn't come with yard equipment like a mower, tall ladder or garden hose. Go to the hardware store take money, problem solved.

When you get a home make sure you register at the hardware store like you would for a wedding in case people want to get housewarming gifts. My coworkers asked what I wanted for my housewarming and I told them a shovel they got me a shovel, rake and gloves, I still have the rake 25 years later. I grew a nice garden with my new tools.

[Deleted]

Oh when we were kids/teens we all knew how to strategically skim off of the bottle so that no one would notice...

[Deleted]

How much would it date me if i told you that, back then, i could put a gallon of gas in my tank for 1$ or less... and i drove a lecar and later a geo metro... which meant i could fill it up for like 8$...

[mrsgords]

We just cashed in a piggy bank and a jar full of change. Got $186, which we're taking on our vacation to Florida next month to just blow. Normally we put our change "savings" into our checking account and spend it on the usual bills.

[quotequeen]

Jan 11, 2011 19:56:14 GMT -5 oped said:

How much would it date me if i told you that, back then, i could put a gallon of gas in my tank for 1$ or less... and i drove a lecar and later a geo metro... which meant i could fill it up for like 8$...

Not that much... I have a distinct recollection of the first time I saw gas over $1.