So. Is this a thing? Are teens now hiding their loose change in pork and bean cans? Or just my kid? Seriously. Nothing will make you feel more behind the times then walking into your sons’ room and finding a can of pork and beans poking out from behind some books on a shelf.
Monkey Boy, he’s a clever one.
I guess I traumatized him enough last year when I swooped up all his {and the HH’s} spare change they left lying around on their nightstands, pockets and other strange places. Last year I secretly traded all their spare change in at a Coinstar machine for Starbucks gift cards and gave them those gift cards as one of the Christmas presents. It was hilarious. Well, The Girl and I were amused at least. 😉
So of course, I thought I’d do it again this year.
But after spying all of Monkey Boy’s coins in a bean can {because CLEARLY he was saving them} I asked him if he’d like me to trade his coins in for an Amazon gift card. He said yes. So obviously, I gave him the gift card straight away.
But the HH’s loose change? Well that’s totally fair game.
I think this year instead of giving him a voucher, I’ll try and find him something on Amazon to give him instead. Spare change, it’s pretty RAD. Especially when it’s not yours. 🙂
~Mavis
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Lisa MTB says
That totally sounds like an improvement over leaving the change everywhere else! Maybe the HH needs a can of beans for Christmas, lol 😉
Meghan says
What % does coin star take from the total? My kids piggy banks are overflowing! Thx!
PS in the interest of frugality, I am surprised you do not roll the coins yourself and turn them into the bank
Mavis Butterfield says
Our local Coinstar machine changes about 10% if you want cash. They do not charge for gift cards. We are Amazon shoppers so I love not having to roll coins.
Lauralli says
Our bank doesn’t accept rolls of change! You have to bring it in loose (I’m sure the can would work just fine!) and they throw it into a machine that does the counting for them. Then, they give me my cash–all of it! Don’t pay Coinstar!!
Gail says
Here in southern California Coin Star takes a percentage if you are turning in the coins for dollars.
If you are getting the certificates for one of the stores, however, they don’t charge anything here.
Different Coin Star machines around here have different choices of store certificates. We usually
get Amazon and put it on our account right away before the slip gets lost.
Gail says
If you are turning in coins for cash at the Coin Star, they charge around 10%–sometimes a little more or a little less
depending on location.
As far as turning coins in to banks, many banks don’t accept them any more and will direct you to use coin star.
Bryan says
Don’t use Coin Star.
Most banks will give you the coin rolls, have you roll the coins up yourself, and then you can get real cash for the coins. I did it at a Bank of America in Maryland.
– Bryan
Gail says
My husband would consider divorce if I did anything with his change; it’s HIS change! I do constantly scoop it up and put it in his pickle jar in the closet. He will never cash it in, though!
I do cash mine in, but only after it hits a certain imaginary line on my jar, and I always have a goal for it, such as trip spending money or something I consider extravagant for our home. I would be upset if someone cashed in my change. Mavis, you are brave! 🙂
We are also very fortunate to bank at US Bank; they will take our change in a bag, and no fees. They also usually like to take guesses to how much money is in the bag! I’ve always stayed away from Coinstar, I think that it’s a rip off.
Lisa says
My bank has a change counter. Take your bucket in and they will count it for you. Please don’t ever make me roll coins again!
Renay says
Roll your own! haha I have fond memories of rolling our ‘change jar’ with my sister and dad and watching great 70’s TV. I taught my son and we watched a Dirty Harry movie while doing so…ahh, tradition…
Practical Parsimony says
That is funny that you gave them back their own money. I suppose the gift was having it in a usable form without any effort on their part. I used coinstar a couple of times in the grocery store. Usually, I don’t have over ten dollars and empty it often for something like stamps when I am low on cash during the year. One year, I put it all in a snack bag and got rid of it a dollar at a time with the checker wherever I shopped. I spent $20 worth of change one Christmas in about two days. All the people taking the money were grateful for coins. One checker even asked for all the change I had. Since I was not spending that much, she gave me paper money for my coins.
The bean can is hilarious.
Rita says
Oh, Mavis! 63-year-old “boys” do this too! I could understand it if they had to have change for laundry day or toll booths, but having it “hidden” in FOUR coffee cans at the back of the underwear and sock shelf? I just recently found them while cleaning his neglected closet with a flame thrower and fire hose. He has, however, many redeeming qualities for which I adore him, so he’s worth the 10%.
P. S. If you have little rollers (children/grandchildren), pay THEM the 10%. Better yet, give them 15%. It’s quite a job.
Lisa says
If he is saving he may want to pick out his own items to buy. Maybe he was saving for gifts for the famly.
Or take him to the coinstar to use (kids think its fun. )And see what gift cards they have so he can choose.