Coinstar?

[pezheadmeg]

I do the coinstar thing when I fill up the piggy bank. Usually it's about twice a year. And for the $40, I'd rather treat myself. I live cash only--the dimes and quarters here and there add up.

Usually it's an Amazon certificate--no matter what I can always manage to spend that. The last time it was an I-tunes code. And of course I had no trouble spending that one either.

 

[Mom2Ben02]

I'll have to see if BOA has one here or not. I just guessed nobody did anymore because I've only seen one bank that did and they weren't too happy w/ me ($300 between singles and coins...I got a lot of tips at a coffee shop).

I work for BOA - we don't have counters, but if you have an account we bag it, send it to be counted and deposit it to your account in a week or so. Easy peasy.

We used to have counters in the branches. People are DISGUSTING. The machines would break down all the time from the crud that would be mixed in with the coin. Gum, button batteries, nail clippings, food...NASTY. The worst was a dentist that used to bring in his coin. It made me shudder to think he put his hands in people's mouths.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have heard the same thing. It seems weird to me that someone would pay 9% of their money to keep it. I have never had a bank charge for coin wrappers either.

Once again, you can get gift certificates with NO FEE.

Also, at least out here in WA, many banks will charge 10% for any significant amount of coins (b/c they are being charged by their money hauling companies), so if that's your only other choice (beyond bringing it in little bits at a time), Coinstar is actually a *better* bargain.

 

[LWatson]

I work for BOA - we don't have counters, but if you have an account we bag it, send it to be counted and deposit it to your account in a week or so. Easy peasy.

We used to have counters in the branches. People are DISGUSTING. The machines would break down all the time from the crud that would be mixed in with the coin. Gum, button batteries, nail clippings, food...NASTY. The worst was a dentist that used to bring in his coin. It made me shudder to think he put his hands in people's mouths.

Thank you for the Info. I'm NOT even really stressed out about the silver change, just the pennies. I guess I could just roll them and switch them over to to bills/silver coins. I guess I can look at it this way...I have plenty of coins for toll rolls (we will of course give the kids back the money in cash)....

 

[seashoreCM]

Can't coins be spent several at a time?

Instead of have to get back more and more as change?

Not all Coinstar or similar privately owned machines offer to do it for free if you choose a particular kind of payment such as a gift card.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

A condo complex I used to own at had some coin laundry machines. One resident offered to count the money for free but would not accept any accountability. The management felt it was most cost effective to use him with a toothless honor system as opposed to monitor or audit (extra labor) or put coin counters (extra capital cost) on the machines or to hire someone else who would accept responsibility. The moral of the story is that it costs money to process money no matter which way you look.

 

[Octoberbride03]

If you choose to get a gift card they don't charge you the fee (or at least they didn't about 8 months ago in MA) we did that and UNDERESTAMATED the amount of change we had and ended up with over $300 on an Amazon gift card

Same here. I think it was close to $400 we came out with and that was a few years ago. STILL haven't spent it all. I'm down to like $6.00 I think. If they had had the Kindle or I had know it would be so big when we cashed in the coins i probably would have bought it with e-certificate we got. We still have more coins. 1 of these days we're heading back to coinstar and getting a new Amazon card.Its worth it

 

[andrews_dad]

The school I work for does a Penny challange every year. I lug $1200 worth of coins (mostly pennies) into the Commerce bank each March. They are great. They bring out a cart to help me haul in the dozens of heavy buckets. Their machine is GREAT

 

[JB2K]

Commerce Bank. A chain that is amazing. Free coin counting, customer kind hours including drive-through open with tellers on Sat and Sunday ... open late. GREAT!

Isn't Commerce Bank (Mid-Atlantic) called "TD Bank", nowdays?

For those of you in St. Louis and elsewhere in Mid-America, if a New Jerseyan on this board mentions "Commerce Bank", that is not the same institution we know in the midwest and Colorado.

As for Coinstar, their options are getting slimmer - I saw a machine at Walmart, last night that only gave you two options, the traditional exchange (for a fee) and a no-fee donation to a charity.