Spare Change

[RitterKreuz]

My wife and i used to save up our spare change and take it to the bank once every couple of months, but we have not done so in quite a while.

Long Story short...

I got a traffic ticket the other day, the fine is $178, so i had the idea that i would gather up all the lose change from the house, and the change holders in our cars to see if it would be even close to enough to pay the fine as opposed to just drafting the money out of our bank account. (got bills to pay you know)

[DaveSims]

I've always done that, as I hate carrying a bunch of coins.  Sadly I only manage to save about $100 a year by doing that, but its better than nothing.

[expat]

Can you pay directly in small change too  ;D

Matt

[Mushroom_Farmer]

 Oh, they will hate you for making them having to count out all that change.  ;D

 Supposedly there will be plenty of change around after Nov. 4th.

[machineman9]

Well I found

[Felix/FFDS]

Another way to get some cash "savings"  is the $1 method.

At the end of the day, remove all one dollar bills in your wallet, and store them someplace.  Each month, check to see how many you've saved.

By "forcing"  youself to "break"  larger denomination bills (pay for that $1.99 item with a $5 instead of two $1 bills (or three, presuming you also pay sales tax)) you end up with more "savings" .

Exception - if practical, use available $1 bills to pay tips ...

I've done that and at the end of a month, count out 30-50 dollars at a time.

[Craig.]

[quote]Another way to get some cash "savings"

[WebbPA]

I think exactly the opposite and usually grab some spare change from an old ashtray on the way out the door.

I reason that if I can give someone exact change it "saves" me $1 - I have a $1 bill in my pocket instead of change in the ashtray.

Multiply that a few times and I end up with $10 in my pocket instead of a change jar.

With that "extra" $10 in my pocket I don't need to withdraw money from the ATM as often.

With interest rates what they are this may save me as much as $1 a year but I don't have the clutter of a change jar.  My ash tray next to the door rarely accumulates more than $2.

[beaky]

I find the spare change method works pretty well... if I always pay with paper, dump the change from my pockets when I get home and keep away from the container I put the change in, it accumulates pretty quickly. It's not a very sound investment- no interest or anything- but it takes the edge off the shock of realizing what I've been spending out-of-pocket for lunch, etc.
I keep quarters handy for laundry, but since early this summer I've been slowly filling a 5-gal. water jug with other change. Got about 3 inches of nickels, dimes and pennies in it so far.
I figure by the time it's full, I'll have almost enough for an airplane.

My friend Gus actually bought a 150 that way some time ago- squirreled away loose change for 5 years.

[Sir_Crashalot]

I always keep my spare Euro coins in my wallet. At least I try to. Something or somebody is always removing them. I think I'm married to it/her...

Crash

[TacitBlue]

I used to do that but now I use vending machines all the time. I know those machines over-charge A LOT for everything, but it is convenient and there is always enough in my change cup for a cup of coffee or a candy bar.

[H]

Got about 3 inches of nickels, dimes and pennies in it so far.

"That will be three dollars and a quarter-inch of change, sir!" :-?

8-)

[BigTruck]

I roll change for beer every weekend  8-)