Coinstar anybody?

[Octoberbride03]

OK so we have what seems like a mountain of coins. I'm thinking about taking at least some of them to the Coinstar in our grocery store and cashing them in for a giftcard since there's a sign on the machine that says counting is free when I do that. Is it worth it to try it?

There are no banks around here that accept loose change and it would be nice to do something with the money since most of it is actually coins DH has been keeping since B4 we got married.

TYIA

 

[ceecee]

We did that at our grocery and wished we hadn't, there was a fee though. Our credit union has one and it gives you a receipt and you take it to the teller for cash. If you don't feel like rolling it yourself and don't have a bank with a counter, you don't have any other option it seems. DD has had the best time rolling all the coins we got with our GS cookie sales.

 

[seashoreCM]

Pay for things using the loose change for the last fraction of a dollar instead of getting change back.

Nothing wrong with using the Coinstar or whoever's machine if there is no fee at that particular location.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Bren's Mom]

Our Coinstar machine charges and I've never seen the gc option so I haven't tried it. Until recently I always rolled it myself and took it to our credit union. A couple of months ago I tried out Commerce Bank...they opened one nearby and offered free coin counting with their machine in the lobby. And it's true...free, free, free...the machine spit out a receipt and I took it to the counter and they gave me the cash. We don't have an account with them. One other option would be to see if any local banks will take loose coin if you have an account...and then open an account just to get all that change counted up. Deposit it there until you need it then you can close the account.

 

[DebMcDonald]

OK so we have what seems like a mountain of coins. I'm thinking about taking at least some of them to the Coinstar in our grocery store and cashing them in for a giftcard since there's a sign on the machine that says counting is free when I do that. Is it worth it to try it?

There are no banks around here that accept loose change and it would be nice to do something with the money since most of it is actually coins DH has been keeping since B4 we got married.

TYIA

We've done coinstar and got a Starbucks gift card for = to the amount of change that we had, it's was simple and a no brainer as far as I was concerned.

 

[BillSears]

My Credit Union used to count coins without a service charge but recently they added a 5% fee for it. So I decided to try out the Coinstar machine and I got an Amazon gift certificate so there was no fee. It worked out great for me and I'll use it again in the future. I'd rather get a Disney gift card but Amazon isn't too bad, I can always find something I want to buy there.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Pay for things using the loose change for the last fraction of a dollar instead of getting change back.

Nothing wrong with using the Coinstar or whoever's machine if there is no fee at that particular location.

If you knew how much change my Dh had you'd know that won't work. I do that wth the change i carry from recent purchases. But to dig into the jars we have already to do that, well it'd take the rest our lives to ged rid of half of it. And too much change makes your wallet heavy.

Days like this I really miss PA were i could visit a Commerce bank and throw the change in there. I'd rather not do the Coinstar, but rolling loose change for the rest of my life is not fun either

 

[DVCTiff]

Our credit union (Verity in Seattle) has a machine that anyone can use for free. It might be worth a couple of calls to nearby CU's to see if they offer a similar service. I think either way it's worth cashing it in. If it were a pile of bills, you wouldn't let it just sit in a drawer.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I use coinstar so worth it to me to not have to roll it myself..

 

[mominwestlake]

We use coinstar too and get the Amazon or Starbucks gift cards.

 

[NoeyLane]

Do you have a BankAtlantic where you live? They have the coin counting machines and there is no fee to use them - even if you don't have an account there. Coinstar is fine if you use them to get a gift card - they offer lots of different companies too.

 

[tinaninea]

I saw this too & wondered about it. The Disney Shopping Card is offered at my Coinstar location. I'm glad to see that some of you have recieved GCs from Coinstar. I was feeling kind of iffy about giving them my money and then waiting on a card to show up in the mail. Can you use a disney shopping card anywhere in Disney?

 

[disneychrista]

I always use the coinstar to get Starbucks giftcards. Right now I have a 1/2 gallon beer jug/growler that I am filling to trade in for our December trip to Disneyland.

Our coin star has Starbucks, Amazon, Itunes and others that I don't remember.

 

[BillSears]

.... I was feeling kind of iffy about giving them my money and then waiting on a card to show up in the mail...

Mine was an Amazon gift certficate type of thing not a gift card. On the Coinstar paper receipt there was a gift certificate number to key in on the website. There was no waiting involved I received the number when I cashed in the coins.

 

[ENSOCK]

I know that you have alot, but why not roll them yourself? Yes it will take time but your local bank normally has the empty rolls for free. Or you could go to Walmart and purchase a coin counter. We had one that took batteries and my kids loved to use it. Good luck.

 

[bumbershoot]

Mine was an Amazon gift certficate type of thing not a gift card. On the Coinstar paper receipt there was a gift certificate number to key in on the website. There was no waiting involved I received the number when I cashed in the coins.

I did the amazon GC too, and that was exactly my experience. No waiting at all!

Now, I buy things from amazon often (check out my siggie for a partial reason, lol) so it wasn't anything I wouldn't have normally used. And when we did it we were going camping and needed a few more things, and it was very helpful for that!

I know that you have alot, but why not roll them yourself? Yes it will take time but your local bank normally has the empty rolls for free. Or you could go to Walmart and purchase a coin counter. We had one that took batteries and my kids loved to use it. Good luck.

At our local banks, they charge 10% for rolled coin, and won't even touch unrolled coins. They tell me that they are charged by the cash-courier people and now they have to pass it along. I don't know if the OP's banks are like that (she might not even know yet if she hasn't tried it) but they are here!

 

[ncbyrne]

If you get a gift card be certain that there are no hidden fees, and make sure there is no expiration (or be sure to use it before that date). Personally, I want my change as cold hard cash. Some time ago we had almost $1000 in coins. We rolled a little at a time (using the free wrappers from the bank). I'd count and make piles...10 dimes, 10 pennies, etc., and DH would wrap while we watched tv. It didn't take as long as we thought. Since then we have purchased coin tube banks...when it gets filled to the top, we wrap and put it right in the bank to gain interest.

 

[cjl]

We use the CoinStar machines and get Amazon GC's to use for Christmas gifts. Love it.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

our bank tries to charge a fee but I tell them to count it or I will close my accounts. Since there are other banks and credit unions in the area that count for free, they comply. I find it is best to go at a really slow period of the day -- like around 2pm after the lunch hours. They're all just standing around then anyway. I also don't bring a wheelbarrow full in. I have a small jar that usually holds about $100. It takes them a couple of minutes.

I agree with calling the local credit union or a smaller local bank that hasn't been eaten by Bank of America or Chase yet. They are usually more customer service focused, especially if you tell them that you'd be willing to open an account with the money if they'll count it for you.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I don't like to pay money to get my money. Coinstar is not for me.

I saw one time where people separated the quarters from the change jar and only put dimes, nickels, and pennies through coinstar, thus reducing the fees. That makes more sense to me if time is an issue.

I don't use Amazon or Starbucks so the giftcards are worthless.