Spare change!!!

[MissMichelle]

WOW, I never really listened much when my parents said that they used saved pennies to "Gas up" Round trip from MA-FL back in the 90's when we went for a week....I thought they were nuts.

Well here I am 25, 2 kids of my own I started in October saving spare change. If my coffee came to $1.75 I used $2 and kept the change in my pocket...At the end of the day (vending machines, water, and lunch) I had quite a bit of change in my pocket.

I decided last night to count my change...Made piles of $1 each and had----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$115!!! I was shocked! it adds up so quick and I am going to cash it in and buying DIsney Dollars as SOON as I have the cash from it (as not to spend it)...

I still have 1 day shy of 2 months till my trip and I am confident I can almost DOUBLE my amount saved so far

Just thought I'd share! SAVE THOSE PENNIES!!!

 

[Amyn1274]

Saving change is a great way to save money. Another idea I heard of once was to save dollar bills. Don't spend them when you get them. It makes you think twice about the silly pack of gum because it is hard to break a five knowing you will have to save the ones. It adds up pretty quick. I have done this a couple different times and put the money in a savings account. Of course you get some odd looks from the bank tellers when you turn in all of your ones. When I have about 30.00 I take it to the bank. It is just too tempting to have it sitting around. It is much harder than saving change but adds up a lot quicker.

 

[thelionqueen]

going to start saving right now for our trip in May. Hopefully, it will add up quick!

 

[RADOPT]

. I have done this a couple different times and put the money in a savings account. Of course you get some odd looks from the bank tellers when you turn in all of your ones. When I have about 30.00 I take it to the bank. It is just too tempting to have it sitting around. It is much harder than saving change but adds up a lot quicker.

We do the same thing. It go into our extra savings account for trips and special stuff. We also will take the money we save at the grocery store (the amount they put on the bottom that you've saved) and add that to our money jar.

 

[disneychrista]

I don't use a lot of cash but even so I still come up with $50 or so every couple months. Lately I have been using at the coin star machine and putting the money on a Starbucks gift card. By doing this there is no fee taken out and then I don't have to spend my "real $$" on my addiction.

 

[MissMichelle]

Saving change is a great way to save money.------------------- It is much harder than saving change but adds up a lot quicker.

OOO great idea I am such a $1 bill person....I'd be better with bigger bills...I did that a few months ago for my deposit for this trip....When I cashed my check I'd take $20 automatically and put it away---then at the end of the week the extra "Cash" (since my check is spending $$ only and *his check* is for bills --and before I get hell this was HIS idea! LOL) I put the rest in the "spot" for saving..I ended up with $325 at the end of 5 weeks and paid my deposit.

 

[Rootskate]

We do the same thing. It go into our extra savings account for trips and special stuff. We also will take the money we save at the grocery store (the amount they put on the bottom that you've saved) and add that to our money jar.

That sounds like a really good idea!

Do you mean "money saved" by using coupons? Or "money saved" by buying things that were on sale?

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Last year, I saved all my change in a jar for the full year. I called it my "Italy Money" and told the family that it was for my one special souvenir of our trip to Italy. The change amounted to a little over $350.

I bought a gold-embossed leather purse in Florence. It's gorgeous and cost about $350 USD. I'm not a purse fanatic (don't buy YSL or Kate), but this was just something I really wanted. My family teases me about the amount of money spent and calls it my "change" purse.

I've got a new change jar started. I began it when we got back home. DD15's French Club will be going to France in 2007. I want to chaperone with them. And I want a special souvenir when I go...

Gotta love the change jar!

 

[PrincessPatty]

I just took all my change (been saving up a little over a year) and it was 964.37$ I was so excited!! I dont spend any change either, everything goes into the change jar! Good luck! it adds up real fast!

 

[TLC371]

We do both the saving change and saving the $1 bill thing...we use it to pay for our gas for the trip, getting the car ready to go, and odd expenses. In a years time for our last trip, we ended up with almost $300. Great way to save money!

 

[PlaneJoy1]

I'm saving my change for our trip in March! We've been doing this since September. DH and I use an all cash system for normal purchases, so we get change quite often. Of course, since we've started this system we also spend less money - which was the purpose.

I know we'll have at least $100 by March, but I'm hoping for it to be closer to $200!!

 

[rae662000]

I've been saving in an old water jug since we got back from our trip in Sept. I don't know how much is in there but because it is such a big container it looks like nothing. I won't even attempt to look at it until June. DH tells me not to let it get to full or I won't be able to move it if I do...LOL.

 

[mc'smommy]

Being Canadian and having the loonie and toonie ( $ 1.00 and $ 2.00 bills / Coin ) we save all of our change in a tall pasta jar that I have in the kitchen and each year just before Christmas we count it and use that as our spending money for our usual January holiday. Well we counted and rolled it on Sunday and we had saved $ 505.00 and last year we had $ 692.00 so it does add up fast, especially when the coin is so heavy in your pocket or purse...

 

[TINKTWINS]

I tend not to spend my change either. Neither does DH, subsequently, there is ALWAYS change piled up on his dresser, (or the bottom of my purse making it weigh a zillion lbs!) So I start throwing into a bucket, then I have that fun rolling day! I did coinstar once, but you know what, my kids would rather have that extra ten or so dollars, plus rolling and counting is part of the fun! You always have to scrounge for that extra 3 dimes or 4 nickles!
Now you see how much you can get with your saved change you will be like a change hound looking everywhere for it trying to get that last ten dollars in Disney money!! Have fun!

 

[nordkin]

We too save all our change and for our last vacation we had $736. I used to roll it and take it to the bank, but now several banks in our area have free coin counting which is much better than paying the 10% fee for Coinstar. You may want to check your local banks and see if any of them have this service. It is wonderful. Just pour the coins in, it counts it, spits out a receipt, and you take it to the teller to get your money. Best of all is you don't have to be an account holder at that bank.

 

[BankBunny]

Another change saver here.....
Whenever I spend cash I always save my change. Since I do not always spend a lot of cash I also buy 1-2 rolls of quarters every week to put in the change bowl. It's also a plus that my husband details cars for a dealership for a living--you would be surprised how much change people leave in their cars when they trade them in. I managed to fill the bowl between April and September this year and had $497.95. I've filled the bowl about another half way or so since then (mostly quarters). When the bowl is full I cash it in at the bank and put in my ING savings account that I have just for vacations or Disney.
I agree with Nordkin....most banks have a free coin counting machine for customers. I happen to work at a bank. It sure beats spending hours rolling all those coins.

 

[MissMichelle]

Now you see how much you can get with your saved change you will be like a change hound looking everywhere for it trying to get that last ten dollars in Disney money!! Have fun!

I did do Coinstar---I decided it took me over an HOUR to sort the change, then I placed it back in a jug and didn't want to RESORT it 9I had no change rolls).....Cost me $12 I think

I HAVE been a hound since cashing it in...I'm NUTS! LOL People at work and Dunkin laugh (I told them I am saving change lol) and say I am obsessive.....WELL I guess I am

 

[MELSMICE]

DH & I have been saving our change since we've been married (18 years). We made a hefty down payment on DVC with it, paid off our loan with more change & just recently made a deposit into our retirement account with it.

I know people don't think that pennies amount to anything, but they certainly do!

 

[SRRN]

I'M A SPARE CHANGE AND DOLLAR BILLS GAL, AS WELL. WE LEAVE CHRISTMAS DAY FOR 5 DAYS IN ORLANDO AND AND 7 DAYS AT DAYTONA BEACH AND I ADDED UP MY CHANGE THAT I'VE BEEN SAVING SINCE FEB AND IT CAME TO $543 AND THE SINGLE BILLS CAME TO $1300!!!!!! IT ALL ADDS UP AND NOW I HAVE LOTS OF EXTRA SPENDING MONEY FOR GIFTS AND MEALS,JUST FROM SAVING THAT CHANGE AND SINGLES! TRY IT-YOU'LL BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH EXTRA $$$$$ YOU'LL HAVE.

 

[bedgraynexl]

Change saver here too. My current jar is getting pretty heavy. When I counted it a couple of months ago there was over $100. I like the idea of getting quarter rolls and adding them. I tried doing the dollars but found myself raiding the jar. Unfortunately I use my checkcard alot so don't have as much change coming my way, but I do have about 85 cents to add to my jar. Every little bit helps