* Saving Coins

[DisneyaHolic23]

I am sure there are a few people here who save coins for Disney World like we do. Our hope is to always save for a couple of good meals. However, it kills me to take them to CoinStar and lose 10% to the fee! I wish they offered Disney gift cards as a gift card option, so I don't lose the fee...

I wrote to CoinStar today, and asked them to consider adding Disney to their choices, and got an email back that my thoughts would be forwarded to those that make these decisions. I thought if more people wrote, maybe they would pursue Disney a little harder...

Anyway, it was just a thought, and really easy. I just went to their website and then to the contact link, and then just entered the feedback...

 

[Sadie22]

Our bank gives us free coin wrappers. We count the coins ourselves and turn in $15 to $20 worth at a time to get paper money. Why not do that? When you have enough, buy a gift card at Target.

 

[buckeev]

Our bank (Amegy Bank), has the coin machine and doesn't charge a fee to deposit it into our account.
We always aggressively save as many coins as we can...any coins-to use towards our Orlando trips. I believe the total for last years trip was over $400.

I do hafta watch the kids though during the year...as in "No! you can't take out $5 in "Orlando quarters" for the arcades! (Yes. They do still have them in our area!)

 

[marius97]

I've never used Coinstar because we just go to our bank. I just hand the loose coins to the teller and they run them through their machine. No fee involved at all.

 

[dreamin_disney]

I use to roll mine and turn it in to my credit union where I have my vacation fund account. In march I ran out of nickle wrappers so I asked for some free ones. The teller asked why why don't I use the coin machine, it's free. I decided to turn in what I already had wrapped. My next visit I counted all my change and turned it into the machine and it counted all the change correctly. I never tried coins tar because I didn't want to pay the fee. I love the new machine and no more wrapping coins lol! I have $55 to turn in. Try your local credit union and open up a Disney food account. I have a trip to Oregon in dec and all coin money is going toward food for the week

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Our TD Bank has a coin counter that is free if you are a customer of theirs. I would wrap my own coins before paying Coin Star any fees.
Why pay someone to count my own money?

 

[skysmom99]

I may be strange but I like to count and roll the change myself. It's probably the result of watching my mom, who was a waitress when I was young, count her tips and roll the change. Of course, I'm too cheap to pay for CoinStar anyway.

 

[Lilliputian]

I haven't used Coin Star in a while, but last time I did they gave me an Amazon gift card for 100% of the money I put in. I spend a few thousand dollars on Amazon each year, so that works for me.

 

[DizMe]

I read on here a while back that the coin machines short you some of the money (the coins get stuck and don't get counted). It's probably not a lot, but if you're a person who is saving coins you're probably interested in every little bit. I am, anyway! I just roll them myself with the help of the kids and we sort of enjoy it. I love the feel of a roll of coins. Every so often I roll them and don't do it all at once. I just keep the rolls in the same jar as the coins.

My Target lets me use the coin rolls to buy Disney gift cards. My grocery store takes them, also.

 

[nene0182]

My bank will exchange coins for cash with no charge so that's what we do. I think the only place I have ever seen a coin star machine here is wal mart and I've never seen anyone using it.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

I have a small (probably 12 oz) cup that I throw my change into. When it gets full or nearly full, I count and roll my own money. I can get free wraps from the bank.

When I first heard of those machines, I thought it was a great idea. Then I found out how much they charge and I thought it was ridiculous. I won't pay someone to count my money for me.

 

[plummer925]

I live in a VERY rural area and we have 5 or 6 banks in a 20 mile radius that has coin machines that are free for customers. if you are not a customer, simply open a savings account (in my area it's typically a $25 deposit to open one, with no minimum balance) - use the coin machines, keep $1 in the savings to just have it for the coin machines, and no fee.

There is NO reason to use coinstar. Even if you can't find a coin counter for free, banks will give coin roll papers for free and you can simply deposit the rolled coin to your checking or savings.

 

[msmama]

Coinstar usually does offer some GC's for no fee.

What about getting one of those (Amazon or a grocery store or something) and then earmark the money you'd use for that as Disney money?

It's always been worth it for me to get Amazon because I know it'll be used eventually.

 

[Colleen27]

I just cash in for a gift card that will cover something already in the budget (Lowes is great for that since we're DIYers) and then put the equivalent in cash into the vacation account. Or I cash in for a Southwest gift card because they're the only airline that goes non-stop to Orlando from our preferred airport and usually the cheapest from either of the two airports in our area.

 

[MsMamaBear]

I used it once, but not since I saw the gift cards they offer. I don't know if my credit union takes change, but I assume so, might try that.

 

[Redwitch]

About six months ago my credit union started charging "members" 3% to use their machine. Now I have an over flowing change bucket (Disney popcorn) and need to find time to roll the coins.

 

[North of Mouse]

I am sure there are a few people here who save coins for Disney World like we do. Our hope is to always save for a couple of good meals. However, it kills me to take them to CoinStar and lose 10% to the fee! I wish they offered Disney gift cards as a gift card option, so I don't lose the fee...

I wrote to CoinStar today, and asked them to consider adding Disney to their choices, and got an email back that my thoughts would be forwarded to those that make these decisions. I thought if more people wrote, maybe they would pursue Disney a little harder...

Anyway, it was just a thought, and really easy. I just went to their website and then to the contact link, and then just entered the feedback...

I would 'never' use CoinStar and lose 10%. I'd count and roll it myself first!

But, I don't need to - our Credit Union has a free coin counter right inside the door!

 

[kymom99]

I used coinstar once. I usually count and wrap my own coins, but last time I had a bunch I didn't feel like it. I got a gift certificate for TRU. It was a pain because it wasn't a card, but a piece of paper with a code number on it. The cashier didn't have a clue how to enter it and had to get help. They don't deduct a fee if you get a gift certificate, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the machine isn't accurate.

 

[RitaE]

I'm surprised Coinstar charges so much - didn't it used to be something like 5%?

Our bank actually won't take wrapped coins unless it is for a business account.
If you bring them in they break them open and run them through the counting machine so wrapping them is pretty much a waste of time.

But they don't charge a fee for under $100 in coins if you have an account with them. I have a small jar that usually yields about $40 in coins. When it gets full I take it in and deposit it into savings.

 

[Marionnette]

I'm surprised Coinstar charges so much - didn't it used to be something like 5%?

Our bank actually won't take wrapped coins unless it is for a business account.
If you bring them in they break them open and run them through the counting machine so wrapping them is pretty much a waste of time.

But they don't charge a fee for under $100 in coins if you have an account with them. I have a small jar that usually yields about $40 in coins. When it gets full I take it in and deposit it into savings.

It's actually 10.9% if you request cash back instead of a GC, according to their FAQs. Who knowingly pays that much for the convenience of having someone else process your coins?

So many banks are now offering free coin counters for their customers that I don't see a reason to bother with Coinstar unless they are offering some sort of bonus.