What are you doing with your change?
August 3, 2007 by kellys
Filed under budget, financial matters
I use my change jar for odds and ends. Usually, I end up spending most of it but then I take the time to roll the coins myself. I can’t stand using those coin rollers becuase they take a part of my money and I can actually enjoy a movie while I roll. It gives me a good excuse to sit for a while. So when I roll them, I usually use the money for date night. Don’t laugh! I am willing to admit that I am a cheap date. 
But as usual, Erin over at About puts me to shame. She takes her spare change and invests it. That is the wisest thing to do. I just can’t justify taking money out of my budget to spend on date night and a babysitter when I have bills to pay and diapers to buy. Of course, I am happy with Wendy’s for dinner or Mexican if it is quiet with no kids. Most mommies are. Actually, I could go for a good walk around Lowe’s as long and DH leaves his wallet in the car. That would make me happy.
My State Employees Credit Union doesn’t charge anything to use their coin counting machine. I have a jar full that I need to take over there. I’ve been putting it off because that means I have to take the kids inside the bank with me. lol I need to just do it so that I can get the interest from my savings account.
I used to save up my loose change all year and then at Christmas, spend it on gifts. The first year my son was born, we were so strapped for cash… but there was enough loose change to buy all the things we wanted for him, and it felt really good.
I am with Christina- I save my spare change to use for Christmas, because I always forget to open my Christmas Club Account. I save it all in a hollow vintage Santa Plastic blow light. (his electrical innards have been removed). There isn’t enough to pay for all my children’s gifts, but it does help. The other thing I was doing was layaway at Wal-Mart and so were all my friends.
I am a little irritated though- that Wal-Mart discontinued the layaway last year. I have 4 kids and one on the way- Walmart has all the toys I needed, and I would just put them on layway in September instead of doing any charging. If something went on sale in the same period your total was adjusted too. Apparently, Wal-Mart thought layaway was too archaic… Santa’s change jar is not going to cut it this year- and since there is no more layaway- I am going to have to figure something out. -Michelle Smart not Cheap