Where to convert coins into paper money or should we start rolling our pennies?

[toysmall]

We should know the great power of time, know the truth of many a little makes a mickle!

[bjl584]

After reading up on this situation more it seems that many banks have gone full circle on this. They used to accept loose coins, then many of then enacted policies that did not accept loose change. Any change turned in had to be rolled. However, recently many banks have once again accepting loose coins. There was a lot of theft going on whereby people were turning in rolls of coins that were actually washers or blank slugs. So, we are back where we started, but it is a case by case basis. You will have to contact your particular bank and see if they will take coins loose.

[YLTL_Dan]

A few years back I used Bank of America. They took the coins, but they wouldn't count them in the store. Instead, they'd seal them in an envelope and send them to a central location to do the counting. The money would post a few days later.

I like the Coinstar option with Amazon gifts cards... my wife will be happy to see more vistis from the Amazon ferry!!

[elessar78]

One of my bank's branches has one, but it's about a 40-45 minute round trip for me. So factoring gas and what my time is worth. Maybe the $7 coinstar charges me isn't so bad (I tend to cash in my coins every six months, which reminds me! and it's about $60-70 worth)?

[Maxoman]

My son loves, loves, loves to roll change. He just found a silver quarter and we were all quite excited!lol My bank will give you the rolls for free. Handfuls. Maybe it helps that an 8 year old is asking? We save our change for the shore as well. I am a born and raised Jersey Girl (no, not like the dumb show - that thing gives Jersey a bad name) and I would freak if I didn't get to Wildwood every summer!lol

[LuckyRobin]

Our credit union gives us the roll papers for free. I roll as I go and deposit when I've got about $30 worth and am going by the CU due to other errands in the area. No point in it sitting around in a jar for a year when it can earn even a tiny amount of interest. Since I use my spare change to build up my emergency fund, CoinStar and a gift certificate do me no good.

The CU uses a magnet to run down the length of the coins. If the magnet sticks to the roll, they know there is something in there besides American coins.

[bennkar]

I guess I am missing something here. If you have excess coins, why don't you use them? Yes, I get coins from purchases, but I also use them when I buy groceries or at yard sales, so my batch never gets too large. The only time I get too many is when I have a yard sale, and then I slowly use them up over the next month or two. And yes I do have a collection of coins, but I plan on keeping them long term, so I'm not worried about them (and they aren't a huge collection anyway).

[JustBill]

Well, I suggest you don't do the same as these thieves. Thief drops stolen coin collection into Coinstar machine | The Sideshow - Yahoo! News

[disneysteve]

I guess I am missing something here. If you have excess coins, why don't you use them?

That would require carrying them around all the time. Sorry, I have enough in my pockets. I don't need to jingle with every step due to a pocketful of change. Fortunately, I don't get that much change because I pay for almost everything with my credit card for the convenience and reward points. I do still make the occasional cash purchase, though, but only need to convert coins to cash every year or so.

[bennkar]

That would require carrying them around all the time. Sorry, I have enough in my pockets. I don't need to jingle with every step due to a pocketful of change. Fortunately, I don't get that much change because I pay for almost everything with my credit card for the convenience and reward points. I do still make the occasional cash purchase, though, but only need to convert coins to cash every year or so.

Oh, I understand that, but what I do is have a small change pouch. I leave it at home unless I am going to a local Aldi's (grocery store that only takes cash), or to yard sales. This is convenient for me, and my coins never over accumulate, but I guess its a YMMV situation.

[disneysteve]

Oh, I understand that, but what I do is have a small change pouch. I leave it at home unless I am going to a local Aldi's (grocery store that only takes cash), or to yard sales. This is convenient for me, and my coins never over accumulate, but I guess its a YMMV situation.

When I'm going to yard sales, I do put a pile of quarters in my pocket. I also take a stash of quarters if we go to the arcade down the shore. Other than that, I never intentionally spend coins.

[Like2Plan]

DH and I tried COINSTAR for the first time. We elected to get an Amazon gift card. I guess it's not really a card, but an ecertificate to redeem. I had planned to put it on an Amazon account, but the terms and conditions state, "GCs cannot be reloaded, resold, transferred for value, redeemed for cash, or applied to any other account." So, I am wondering if it is possible to put it on an Amazon account?

[jpg7n16]

DH and I tried COINSTAR for the first time. We elected to get an Amazon gift card. I guess it's not really a card, but an ecertificate to redeem. I had planned to put it on an Amazon account, but the terms and conditions state, "GCs cannot be reloaded, resold, transferred for value, redeemed for cash, or applied to any other account." So, I am wondering if it is possible to put it on an Amazon account?

I do Amazon cards every time I go. It prints out a "gift card" code on your receipt, which you enter at checkout on Amazon.com as your method of payment. It credits your Amazon account with the amount of the Gift card. (That way, if you don't use it all the first trip, you don't have to enter the code every time)

I've used it multiple times and haven't had any issues so far!

I guess that's saying you can't try to transfer the funds from your Amazon account, to someone else's Amazon account?

[disneysteve]

DH and I tried COINSTAR for the first time.

Wow. Redbox and Coinstar. You've had a busy week.

We elected to get an Amazon gift card. I guess it's not really a card, but an ecertificate to redeem. I had planned to put it on an Amazon account, but the terms and conditions state, "GCs cannot be reloaded, resold, transferred for value, redeemed for cash, or applied to any other account." So, I am wondering if it is possible to put it on an Amazon account?

You can absolutely apply it to your account. That's the whole point. As jpg said, though, once it is in your account, you can't transfer it to anyone else. For example, you can't use the credit in your account to buy another Amazon gift card. That rule always annoyed me because I have a ton of Amazon credit from surveys and I'd love to be able to use it to give gifts to others but I can't.

[Like2Plan]

I guess that's saying you can't try to transfer the funds from your Amazon account, to someone else's Amazon account?

Thx-That is good info