Trying something new~

[The Sweetness]

First off, you should all know that the idea of saving up money is foreign to both DH and I. (DD12 does a better job). I decided to do a little experiment though. I ripped the label off of a coffee can a couple of weeks ago, covered it in white paper, and let DD decorate it as a *Mickey money* can, then cut a hole in the lid. The plan is, and Ive done it so far, every day I empty my coins into the can (except for quarters if I need extra for the wash). When it gets full, or too heavy, Ill bring it to Publix where they have one of those coin counting machines, and cash them in for a recipt. Once I get closer to go time, Ill cash in the recipts at the store, and see how much extra fun $$ I had been able to save, without *really* saving. Its been painless so far, but we'll see if I/ we can REALLY save that $$ till June. Even if its just enough to tip the maids and pay for parking, it would be a first for me

 

[ceecee]

Good luck with starting. It's kind of like a game after a while. Everytime we use a coupon or get $ off an item...we add it. DH never uses change and we take some off the dresser and into the bank it goes.

 

[Amirah95]

Great idea...but what about wrapping the coins yourself? They sell the covers at the dollar store. Wrap them when you have nothing to do and keep them in the can. When it's time to go to Disney take them to the bank. I don't like to pay Coin Star fees. Just a suggestion.

 

[mom2alix]

We started this with DD2, but I'm taking the coins to our bank when it starts to get heavy and then transferring that amount into the ING account to earn interest until our trip. I don't like to pay those Coinstar fees either. Getting the kids involved is definitely a great idea. Everytime I receive change from a purchase DD is asking me for the "monies" to go put them in her bank.

 

[Belle0101]

Originally posted by Amirah95
Great idea...but what about wrapping the coins yourself? They sell the covers at the dollar store. Wrap them when you have nothing to do and keep them in the can. When it's time to go to Disney take them to the bank. I don't like to pay Coin Star fees. Just a suggestion.

Ask your bank for free wrappers. Around here you can get them for FREE

If they don't want them wrapped, maybe they prefer them loose, then they'll run them through the coin counter for FREE

At least that's how it is at our banks, never hurts to ask.

Good luck saving!!

 

[tink2dw]

I think you had best read the coin star rules!! Please! AS I remember you can only redeem so much a day! If you show up with hundreds of dollars worth of slips the store might refuse to redeem them all at once. I think Dh had to take half to one counter while I took the other half to another counter. And We only had about $50.00

I would loss those slips. Or Dh would more likely throw them out and my savings would be gone, because he never keeps receits!!

 

[Carrann]

Saving your spare change is a great way to save for Disney! I have been doing this for years. I ussually bring the coins to a Coinstar machine. I have never had a problem cashing in large sums of money ($100+). Maybe some stores have different policies about this? Even so, I suggest that you cash in the receipts right away and either buy Disney $$ or deposit in a savings account for the interest.

 

[mad4themouse]

I'm a big believer in the coin jar! It really drives home the point that "A penny saved is a penny earned." I never really paid that much attention to loose change until I started a daily routine of tossing it into the jar at night. The first time I cashed it in, I had over $100! After that, I became obsessive. Last Christmas, I gave DH a getaway "weekend" (okay, it was Sunday - Tuesday) in Las Vegas for the two of us. I paid for it completely with the $800 from my coin jar money!

I don't use CoinStar because I think that paying 8.9% (Canadians pay 9.8%) just to let them count it it way too much money! That's $8.90 out of every $100 or $71.20 out of my Las Vegas money! My bank has a free coin-cointing machine and I can deposit it right into my account when I take the slip to the teller.

I think that you're teaching your DD a valuable lesson in saving and you may find that having a coin jar also inspires you to find ways to add to it. You may even make that leap into opening a savings account just for your vacation money and make regular contributions to it. You would be amazed at how quickly small amounts of money can add up!

 

[GoofItUp]

Good for you for starting this! Rather than pay the CoinStar fees, why not let your DD wrap the coins for a 10% commission that she can use for spending money in the parks. Better that she should have the money than the machines getting it!

 

[breammom]

We have been saving our change for almost a year and are not going to Disney until June of 2005...very interested to see how much is there, but I'll wait...

Also doing this has made me more aware of "find a penny...pick it up" mentality, after all Mickey is worth every penny!!!

 

[Amirah95]

When my DH and I first met he used to throw his pennies out. Literally would through them out of the car window or drop them on the ground. We broke up half a day for that. LOL! Now, he's a penny/change hawk. Any change he sees he picks up and saves. I got him a few change keepers from Tupperware so he'll have a place to keep them or he'll get the urge to throw them away.

The wrappers are free at the bank, but I suggested spending a buck for a ton of them that way you won't have to go into the bank. and be tempted.

 

[pamluvsdisney]

I don't like to pay Coinstar either. I have never used it. I heard a suggestion on one of these boards I think. If you do want to use Coinstar, at least pull all of the quarters out yourself. This will cut down a little on the fees.

Another suggestion, if you just don't like to handle the money yourself too much, is to get one of those money separater banks at Wal-mart. I have seen them in their office supplies section. It separates them and maybe even counts them and you just slip them into paper rollers.

Have fun saving! It sure adds up.

 

[Microcell]

Originally posted by Amirah95
Great idea...but what about wrapping the coins yourself? They sell the covers at the dollar store. Wrap them when you have nothing to do and keep them in the can. When it's time to go to Disney take them to the bank. I don't like to pay Coin Star fees. Just a suggestion.

DITTO!! We had $500.00 saved over 4 years and DH (If that stands for dumb husband) took it to coinstar and I believe we lost $25.00 in charges becasue he could'nt wait to go to bank 12 hours later!!! UGH!!!!

We have a machine at Bank of America they let us use free. My DH (dear this time) has started to put $5.00 and 10.00 when he can. I never carry cash!

 

[cepmom]

We use the "change jar" too. I just got a job babysitting my friends two kids, and all the money I make from that goes in the jar, along with all of our loose change. When my DH wins at his regular card game, that money goes in there too. Also, any money I make from yard sales or selling my kids outgrown clothes to consignment shops goes right in the jar.

I don't quite remember when we started saving for this next vacation, but I have already saved enough to pay for our cruise deposit ($1000) and just last week we rolled the coins again and had $1369 to deposit into our vacation account! It's like a challenge for me to see how much of our vacation we can actually pay for just using this jar. Keep it up; I think you'll be surprised how much you end up with. It really does add up!

 

[hookedup]

We live near an Indian casino and I take our change there (except pennies) and get cashed out. I have been very good about not gambling with it either LOL
I use coinstar for the pennies - but I hate using coinstar. We just cashed out $300+ at the casino on dimes and nickels!!!!!

 

[pediatric-rnp]

I agree with hookedup - the pennies take forever to roll, so I use Coinstar for them, but wrap the rest on my own. I get the coin wrappers free from the bank, and it doesn't take long to wrap the dimes, nickles and quarters.

Keep up the good work -you'll be amazed at how quickly the $$ adds up!

 

[The Sweetness]

Thanks for the great ideas and support! I think I will avoid using the machine at the store, as if things add up as I hope, 8% could turn out to be a heck of alot. I will update my progress on the 17, just incase anyone else out here is savings/ budget challenged , and could use a little inspiration

 

[Ozymoe]

Originally posted by GoofItUp
...Rather than pay the CoinStar fees, why not let your DD wrap the coins for a 10% commission that she can use for spending money in the parks. Better that she should have the money than the machines getting it!

Does this ever take me back! My dad ran a movie theatre when I was a little girl. One of the most fun things we kids liked to do was sort the concession money and wrap it up for him.

Let the kids put the coins into stacks of a certain number of coins each (so you can check their accuracy when they're done...then help them put the coins into the paper wrappers.

This will keep the kids busy for quite a while (don't interfere with them while they're sorting and stacking except to encourage them by occasionally marveling outloud what a great job they're doing) The wrapping part goes fast (with you quickly checking the accuracy while you all load the wrappers). It's a good idea to do this in installments if you have a ton of change...but don't be surprised if the kids beg to keep doing it until it's done!

It has been my experience that 10 year olds (give or take 2 years depending on the child) seem to enjoy this the most.

...and don't forget to set aside the child's 10% "commision" (to use any way he/she wants at Disney) after all the countin' and wrappin' is done! Everybody wins and you've taught them a bit in the process.

 

[btass]

When you go to your bank, ask them if you can have some coin wrappers, the bank I work for gives them for free. Then, on a rainy day or a no-tv night (if you do those, I personally don't) get the family together to roll all the Mickey Money up and take it to your bank to open a Mickey Money account! I am sure if you ask them to they will title the account with your name and the second line could say Mickey Money account! Good luck on your savings!

I just thought of something else, You can ask your bank if you could have money transferred automatically from one account to another on a certain day of the month to save a little more!

 

[Madi100]

We have saved our change for quite awhile now. I need to cover our container because sometimes we steal from it But, I got a bunch of the coin wrappers and took them to a local bank. The teller was not very happy with me. She told me that unless the bank had rolled the coins, she would have to unroll them all to count them. I guess it makes sense. So, you might want to check at your bank to see if they prefer the wrappers not be on them. We don't bank locally, so anywher we take them charges. DH takes it to them bank when he is working and goes to his job bank.