Lifestyle

TOPICS:

Previous

PAGE: 

1 ... 

423 | 424 | 425

 ... 944

Next

Previous

PAGE: 

1 | 2

Next

dem_z

dem_z

United Kingdom
June 2004

JAN 09, 2005 04:55 AM

So, after my in depth examination of US culture I discovered that a:no-one uses coins (apart from crazy slot-ladies) and b:everyone has a gajillion coins in boxes and stuff, just waiting to be sorted and counted and put into wrappers.

But sorting and counting coins sucks, especialy cents, because they are effectivly worthless. Unless you're making a sap to whack someone with. One metric buttload of cents will buy you about one Milky Way (bluergh) and a Hershey's bar ( puke puke ) and you'll also get looked at funny because you're using coins to buy stuff.

I tried to be helpful to my American chums by sorting and counting their coins but it was incredibly frustrating. They had this noisy electric thing that made a lot of noise, but spat most coins into a reject chute, before jamming. frown

So: Does anyone have suggestions for coins sorting / counting / wrapping devices? or is it always hellish?

crackedhead

crackedhead

San Jose, CA
September 2004

JAN 09, 2005 05:09 AM

I don't know how it is the UK, but in at least some parts of the states we have this thing called Coinstar. It's at grocery stores and you pour your assload of change into it, get a receipt, and cash it at the register. I'm sure they have something like that over there. It's actually kind of stimulating, I got over $100 on one large jar of coins, it strangely seemed like I won some kind of prize or something. Oh yeah, there is also a small fee, but there should be a notice on the machine stating the rates per dollar or pound or whatever.

dem_z

dem_z

United Kingdom
June 2004

JAN 09, 2005 05:14 AM

Okay, we have the huge machines in the UK, and over here they only charge 7.5%, which isn't so bad. I like them, but my american pal refuses to pay the commision, so he can't use them.

crackedhead

crackedhead

San Jose, CA
September 2004

JAN 09, 2005 05:14 AM

I know someone that wraps coins by hand and takes them to the bank just to avoid the fees, but he's crazy, and nobody ever hangs out with him because he is always rolling change in his basement.

djbenvolio

djbenvolio

Westerville, OH
January 2004

JAN 09, 2005 05:21 AM

crackedhead said:
I know someone that wraps coins by hand and takes them to the bank just to avoid the fees, but he's crazy, and nobody ever hangs out with him because he is always rolling change in his basement.


priceless! wink

almostfamous

almostfamous

NEWSWIRE

United Kingdom

JAN 09, 2005 05:30 AM

i work in a shop. it's awesome, i can change all my coins on a daily basis if need be smile

TheSeadog

TheSeadog

Reunion
September 2004

JAN 09, 2005 05:53 AM

crackedhead said:
I know someone that wraps coins by hand and takes them to the bank just to avoid the fees, but he's crazy, and nobody ever hangs out with him because he is always rolling change in his basement.


Ahhhh, I like to laugh. Thanks!

somethin1919

somethin1919

I'm lost
May 2004

JAN 09, 2005 06:16 AM

I use coins in vending machines at work on lunch....And I try to get rid of pennies or stick them in the ash tray of my car.....Problem solved (for me)!

GoatsGoToHell

GoatsGoToHell

USA
OLD SKOOL

JAN 09, 2005 06:17 AM

I miss my small town bank from where I grew up. They have had a giant sorting machine for years and don't charge you to use it.

appleboy007

appleboy007

Eliot, ME
September 2003

JAN 09, 2005 07:15 AM

dont know about your local bank but most banks i know of around me will take your change and run it through a big counting machine for you and deposit it right into your bank account

SnakePlissken

SnakePlissken

Corvallis, OR
December 2002

JAN 09, 2005 08:10 AM

crackedhead said:
I don't know how it is the UK, but in at least some parts of the states we have this thing called Coinstar. It's at grocery stores and you pour your assload of change into it, get a receipt, and cash it at the register. I'm sure they have something like that over there. It's actually kind of stimulating, I got over $100 on one large jar of coins, it strangely seemed like I won some kind of prize or something. Oh yeah, there is also a small fee, but there should be a notice on the machine stating the rates per dollar or pound or whatever.





These things are awesome when the bank won't take loose change.

RACER_X

RACER_X

Philadelphia, PA
February 2003

JAN 09, 2005 08:19 AM

There are "piggy" banks that automatically sort your change by size when you drop it in...although I don't think they do that thankless task of wrapping it for you....

MrZablowdowski

MrZablowdowski

Edmonton, AB
December 2002

JAN 09, 2005 08:19 AM

beggars. endless supply.

viator

viator

Torrance, CA
December 2004

JAN 09, 2005 08:41 AM

MrZablowdowski said:
beggars. endless supply.


at the stop on the freeway off ramp there's always someone to give it to

inkncarrots

inkncarrots

San Diego, CA
March 2004

JAN 09, 2005 09:39 AM

If your friend doesn't want to pay the machine commission, there is really no other way than counting them yourself. When you are desperate enough for money you will eventually sit down and count/wrap them all. wink

JonnyJonnyH

JonnyJonnyH

Seattle, WA
June 2003

JAN 09, 2005 09:59 AM

Change is needed when you live in a place with seemingly more parking meters then parking spots.

illstabyou

illstabyou

Brooklyn, NY
March 2004

JAN 09, 2005 10:01 AM

At just about any dollar store you can these plastic tubes that hold exactly $10 worth of quarters, $5 worth of dimes, $2 worth of nickles, etc ...

You just fill them up to the top, you have the exact amount, and then put it in the wrapper. If you have a lot of coins, you'll be done in no time. Its a dollar well spent.

crazydasaint

crazydasaint

Washington, DC
OLD SKOOL

JAN 09, 2005 10:39 AM

Sorting and wrapping coins is a nice chill activity when you don't feel up to anything else... quiet hungover afternoons and the like.

But better is always making sure you have ten or so pennies in your pocket and making the goal of every transaction walking away with fewer pennies than you came in with. Do this until your stupid penny jar is empty, then don't do it until it's full again. It becomes part of the cycle of life.

FireBrand

FireBrand

South River, NJ
December 2004

JAN 09, 2005 11:32 AM

demetrius_z said:
Okay, we have the huge machines in the UK, and over here they only charge 7.5%, which isn't so bad. I like them, but my american pal refuses to pay the commision, so he can't use them.


my bank has that thing for free

pensquare

pensquare

Tustin, CA
April 2003

JAN 09, 2005 11:50 AM

I refuse to offer my valuable insight.

Nobody that hates Milky Way deserves to know.

biggrin

turin

turin

Denver, CO
October 2003

JAN 09, 2005 12:15 PM

ankiel66 said:
Change is needed when you live in a place with seemingly more parking meters then parking spots.


I hear they're trying to figure out how to make us pay for stopping at red lights.

Solaris

Solaris

SUICIDEGIRL

British Columbia, Canada

JAN 09, 2005 01:24 PM

yea, i actually went hungry all week because all i had was dimes and nickles to buy stuff and i just couldn't bring myself to do it. haha.

JohnClement

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD
January 2004

JAN 09, 2005 01:31 PM

I go the Coinstar route when they accumulate, otherwise I usually give the change in my pockets to homeless people.
We were rolling a friend of mine's coins inside Wachovia one day, and an older man came over and bought all of his pennies for some reason. It was so random; the guy said he just likes pennies.

[Edited on Jan 09, 2005 by BillHaverchuck]

clara

clara

MODERATOR

Baltimore, MD

JAN 09, 2005 01:34 PM

I know this is crazy, but I spend my change. For instance, if my bill at the store is $3.24 I'll check in my purse to see if I have the change and actually give it to the cashier.

Stiles

Stiles

Oakland, CA
November 2002

JAN 09, 2005 02:03 PM

Here in the northeast, Commerce bank has free automatic coin counters. Coinstar machines are in almost every supermarket, and charge less than 10 cents on the dollar.

I use the free machines once a year for pennies, all of my other change goes in city parking meters now that they take dimes, nickels and quarters. At $1/hour, it adds up.

Previous

PAGE: 

1 | 2

Next