Change Saving

[jlp651]

Hi-ya!
I'm just wondering...how long do you think it will take for me to save $500.00 for a down payment for a cruise if I am saving my change?
Anyone have any ideas???

 

[bigbabyblues]

Well, it depends on how much cash you spend. We have been saving for about 2 months and are up to about $35-40 or so, BUT, we don't carry or spend much cash. It will add up faster if you spend more cash than we do!

 

[etwinchester]

I save only quarters for disney. The other change I save for Knoebels, Wildwood, etc...

I rolled ours the other night and after 2 months, we already had $70 just in quarters. Hope that helps...

 

[Doug123]

I save my change, too. I'd recommend, though, that you not put pennies in your "jar." It just takes up space, and makes it appear like you have more than you do.

It takes me a while to fill up (a few years, actually), but it's a nice surprise when it's filled and I turn it in.

 

[jlp651]

I have a smaller jar and then a large crayon...I fill the small jar which takes about 35.00 adn then put it into the crayon...which sits about waiste level...I have yet to fill the crayon totally...but it helps...so I dont know how long this is going to take...but I'm trying...

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by Doug123
I save my change, too. I'd recommend, though, that you not put pennies in your "jar." It just takes up space, and makes it appear like you have more than you do.

It takes me a while to fill up (a few years, actually), but it's a nice surprise when it's filled and I turn it in.

I'd like to kindfully disagree about not putting pennies in. Yes they do take up space and looks like more than you really have, but I will never forget the time that I had $5.50 alone in just pennies!! Imagine how much that took to have that much in pennies.

So back to the OP. How much time will it take to save $500 for a down payment....you'd have to have a plan really I guess. When is your down payment due, or when would you like to have it paid? I have a tripped planned in 2006 to Disney with my hubby and my objective is to have the trip paid in full by time it rolls around. I decided to throw $20 a week of my tip money into my savings jar. I also put in loose change and odd dollars. I've only been saving since the beginning of May and I already have $225 saved. So if you go by my plan, you could have your $500 saved in about 3 months if you account for the $20 a week and throwing loose change in with odd dollars.
Please know I'm a waitress a couple days a week so having change on me is a regular occurence. I also don't have a debit/credit card so I always have cash on me to spend. Checks are my back up form of payment. Hubby has the debit card as he doesn't always have cash on him. Whether I work one day a week waiting tables or three, I ALWAYS put the $20 a week in. I'm not going to miss it as my real job is working at the zoo 35 hours a week and that's what pays my bills.
I won't be cashing any of this money in til I hit the $1000 mark and even when I do, it goes into a new account that I will have for my Disney trip AND for family emergencies...only. That money will be used for nothing else.
Best to you on your saving. Let us know what you decide and how it works.

Denise

 

[Weluvdisny]

We also have a change jar and each week when I get paid I roll up the coins in there (at least $10-$15) and add $20 from my paycheck and put it in my savings account for Disney. I think it's harder to spend when it's in the bank.

I don't give change to the cashier at the grocery store. Even if it's 5 cents. I just go home and put it in my change jar. My purse stays lighter too!

 

[Disney4me04]

I have 2 change jars. One in my file cabinet and on my desk. If I go out to lunch or to the vending machine. I put the change in there. I also empty all change every night except for the 70 cents I need for zone fare to get to work.

I just started. Right now it is all going towards Disney. I do transfer any money left in the checking account the day before payday.

I buy 5 to 10 of DD when I go to the mall. I am going to start taking a 20 out of my paycheck and put that towards it too. Right now I am not hard core saving since we are not going till October of 2005. I will start hard core saving come October of 2004.

 

[canwegosoon]

I usually can save $65 in change a month, but I sometimes do a lot of small purchases. If you primarily use atm/debit cards, I think you need to supplement occasionally with a single or two. Plus I do find I am getting a bigger hassle at the bank, the more change I bring in. Might just switch over to saving a buck every time I pay for something or use a card).

 

[patsal]

Everyone's cash spending habits are so very different. A great way to gauge it for yourself is to save your change for a week and then count it, multiply that by 4 to get an approximate monthly figure. Once you know how much you will have to work with you will see how long it will take to save the $500. For me I used to get about $80 per month, but that went down sharply when I stopped using cash and started using my CC to get the reward points. Now I only get about $65.00 every two months. The upside is I have enough to pay for one PAP with the reward $ I earned from using the card and paying it off every month!