counted my change and....

[Rock'n Robin]

We have $256 and that's without pennies! All we have to do is roll it (we will take the pennies to the machine at Kroger, but I'm not giving 9% of that much to the machine so I'll roll the rest) and get it--and then apply it to stateroom credit!
At least our tips will be paid!
Robin M.

 

[karebear1]

Robin- my bank has a change counter at it and they didn't charge anything to count the change there. It sure was easier then counting and rolling it myself!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

You know before I start rolling I think I will call a couple of banks. I know one of my credit unions does not count change anymore--their counter broke and they did not replace it. I will check my other CU and my regular bank. No sense rolling it if I don't have to!
Robin M.

 

[westjones]

My credit union just got one of these machines too. It is worth checking out.

Congrats on your savings! That is great!
DJ

 

[2tinksmom]

I'm going to go dig under my couch cushions right now!!

 

[makaylee]

Wow Great Job! How long did that take you?

 

[RKB]

We bought a change counter at Kmart - can't remember the price (was cheap). We still use it over and over. The kids love it. They sell wrappers there also.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Why don't you just give your servers big bags o' change?

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I had read about this fun tip before here on the boards and started saving all of our pocket change for our upcoming July cruise. Counted it the other day and we'd saved $492.50 with 5 more months to save! We did this the last time we went to Orlando and decided to take the bounty and dedicate it to doing something we'd never done before. So, we used it to hire a limo to pick us up at the airport and drive us in style to the Wilderness Lodge!

We had such fun doing that that we now say that each vacation, we'll use the saved coins for something different! Just makes it more fun. But, we make sure it's something everyone will enjoy!

My friend that's going with us at first looked at me like she thought I was crazy! Now, she's got the fever and has saved over $200 herself! It's so much fun and you really don't miss the change!

Good luck and keep saving!

 

[tiptoen]

Every since my oldest two children were 5 and 6 years old ,(now 22 and 23), our family has had the "Mickey Jar". We always put our change it it every day. We never used any pocket change to buy things. My children loved to see the jar grow full as they knew when the Mickey Jar was full, it was time to go see Mickey.
I couldn't leave any change in my car for tolls as my kids would snatch it for the jar. Grandma would hide her change too because she knew it would soon be gone.
We still do this with my youngest, (now 12). We average 1200.00 to 1300.00 every 18 months. It.s kind of a family tradition to gather everyone and dump all the change in a pile and separate it and roll it and talk about the upcoming trip. We have about a year's worth now and are looking at the fall to sail again.

 

[Hygiene99]

The Poland Springs jug, we have one and from time to time we raid it for spending money for trips... counted it in Jan...
and there was only $50.00 so i threw it all back in and we will let it grow....

 

[scottygirl]

We do the same thing with our change. Our bank has one of those change machines in the lobby. It is free to members. It spits out a receipt and then you get the cash from the teller, couldn't be easier! We also have a $0.10 deposit on carbonated beverage containers in MI. When I take the returnables to the grocery I put the money I receive in a "vacation" envelope and it really adds up!

 

[tevagirl]

We live in a seashore area and my DH metal detects the beaches. Last year before our cruise I convinced him to turn in the change that he found. He took it (kicking and screaming) to a local bank that has a change machine and he came home with $800.00. I have since been very understanding and happy about his hobby!

 

[ohMom]

you all are awesome~

we were so blessed to have my parent bring us a Mickey and friend in a taxi bank -- and so we put our change in it. I was thrilled that in the three years between trips we saved like a hundred bucks. now I feel like a heel more change required!!

even at that, having a dinner out paid for from the disney bank was a nice treat, i truly don't mean to degrade that. now i will asprire to greater goals!!!!!!!!

 

[CRB#33]

Commerce Banks have free coin counters

 

[Gupsmom]

Isn't saving change awesome! It's like found money. DH and I started a big coke bottle of change when we got married. We said from the beginning that once it was full we would use it to take a trip. Well, it was so full that we needed a dolly to move it and it cracked in half...ended up using a big rubbermaid container to transport it to my parent's house. With my parents help, we rolled it before our first Disney trip. It ended up being just over $1200. WOOHOO!!!!

Jess

 

[CACruiser]

I am so buzzed to see others doing what I have been doing!

I have a WDW, Cinderella's Castle Bank. We have been tossing in our change over the last two years. I have really stepped up our change hunt and we have almost $250 in change! This is our fun money on board.

LisaCA

 

[my3kids]

My bank always counts our change for free. They take my sacks and give me dollars back.

 

[disney3144]

We have always saved our change for our trips also. Now that I have found DCL (and LOVE it), I save all the change so I can play bingo!! I love rolling the coin. It gets me that much more excited about the cruise!

Jennifer

 

[Lori1035]

My family has a "found money" jar that we started a few years ago. We only put money that is found, like all those pennies that other people find pesky and throw out. Among the four of us, someone finds some type of money daily. In fact, I found a penny in the parking lot on the way in to work this morning. Some days we hit the jackpot and find several coins in a day. Once I found a $20 bill just laying on the floor in my bookstore. There had been several customers in and there was no way for me to figure out who it had belonged to. I held on to it for a while waiting to see if anyone called looking for it. My husband found a $5 bill stuck in a drainage grate in a parking lot. And once we even found $3 at our hotel in DisneyWorld at the snack machines. This is literally "free money." The little mason jar that we have been putting this money in is now full. Maybe we should cash it in and apply it toward our May cruise.

Lori