2 is the new 100.

Today two lonely pennies hitched a ride into the changepot. One was found at the school parking lot and the other at Toys R Us as hubby completed his preliminary shopping bout. Time certainly flies when you're not looking. This time last year, the change finds started to diminish just like it is now. It's ok- times change. I'll be out of town for a few days and hopefully hanging out in a different city will rejuvenate the found change fund.

Total found: $0.02
Totall thus far: $125.90

Found NOTHING today.

Found nothing today. I did happen to find my daughter's first christmas ornament in spite of all the shuffling of boxes during this year's hectic move. Ladies and Gents, the grinch officially stole last year's Christmas tree. Quel Dommage!!

---Change Counting update--

Total recovery!!

At long last I got a chance to sort through the found change and re-counted the totals. A few days ago I noticed a discrepancy and after discussing it with the family members, the culprit surfaced and admitted guilt, claiming to have"borrowed from the wrong jar" (I still can't see how there was an error since the Changepot is quite distinctive in my home. It never leaves the designated spot!!) While the guilty party tried to put the 3.10 back, I told them to keep it. I have adjusted the totals and having them put their own money would defeat the changepot purpose. Here are the adjusted totals and current denominations floating in my changepot jar:

Bills
20's- 2
10's- 1
5's - 3
2's - 2
1's - 14

22 Bills

Coins
dollar- 1
half dollar- 1
Quarters- 77
Dimes- 154
Nickels- 81
Pennies- 268

582 coins

Total $125.88 (yay!!)

Goal!!

Today the Krabs family found a total of 37 cents- the exact amount I remember paying for a stamp a while back. The letter was addressed to my hubby and the words were loving and flirtatious- ahh the olden days.

Sandy found two dimes, Kitty found a dime and nickel, and Papa Smurf caught two cents at the 23 yard line.

(GREAT GAME TODAY... SEAHAWKS KICKED BUTT 34-24.... YAYYYY!!!)

(Totals postponed until tomorrow ladies and gents)

Swing.. and a miss..

Today hubby found a few coins scattered around the island as he shopped for bargains. He brought home a skinny artificial tree that looks like a giant wire hanger with a few green limbs secured onto it for leverage. Oyy veyyy.

Sabado Gigante!

Hubby found four cents today. I spotted a cellphone on the New York Thruway this afternoon. While traffic was at a complete standstill, I did not pick up the phone.

Totals will be added tomorrow.. right now I'm off to nurse this looming headcold which I've developed during our mini-vacay...

Friday at the mall

We headed out for some black friday shopping (I ventured out at 4am!!!) and the Krabs found some noteworthy coins even in this unfamiliar territory. Right off the top of my head I remember three specific finds but I know there was more.. many more (which is why my totals are missing since Tuesday)

Find #1: nickel and penny at Walmart as a down-on-their-luck solicitor asked for some money. I pointed to the ground and said "There's a bit.. why haven't you taken the coins?" She replied "I don't like the kind that jingles- I prefer the kind that folds". I shrugged my shoulders, bent over and picked up the coins and went about my merry way.

Find #2: Nickel by the perfume ninjas (aka the fragrance boutique sampler people). I pefected the scoop and swat before she got too close with the overpowering colognes.

Find #3: Dime by the Piercing Pagoda- as we bought pretty little earrings for my friends baby, hubby secured a shiny new dime for our troubles :)

Turkey Day

As we awaited the final fixings of our turkey meal, I again took the kids to the same playground and found in the exact same spot as yesterday, another circular object that looked ridiculously worn yet questionable. I picked it up and squealed in delight as it was a real quarter (Georgia state quarter in fact!) Not too far from the quarter was a pretty 2006 nickel.

(total update pending)

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Day one of our family vacay started a nice change streak. Before leaving our island, we found two quarters as we filled up the car with gas. Hubby found himself a dime by the coffee machines (he waited while this dangerous looking biker prepared his coffee. He walked off and hubby scooped it up for our lil' pot. As we headed northbound on the Interstate, we found two pennies by a vending machine.

Later on in the day, I took the kids to a play area and found a FAKE quarter discarded under a park bench. I picked up the fake coin and placed it in my change purse (I think I may have the entire play set.. i'll check later lol).

(Total will be updated on Sunday folks)

Tuesday, November 21

Today we found a total of 97 cents (3 quarters, 2 nickels, 1 dime, 2 pennies) and a few foreign coins which were conveniently placed right by the bottle redemption area of our local supermarket. Apparently no one likes foreign loot... oh well.. more for me!!

New foreign country coin(2): We got our hands on a 1967 Australian nickel and a recent east carribean quarter... yippee!!

(totals will be added up on Sunday, November 26)

The PS3 fallacy

I got a bogus email offering a brand new PS3 for three hundred dollars this morning. I knew it was garbage since it had awkward ebay headers and a hotmail email address... what lengths they go to in order to scam the commoner.. geeessh!


Hubby found five pretty pennies today. I managed to clean my living room and rearrange the furniture accordingly. Yippee! I found a bottle of my favorite linen spray... double hooray.



ROAD TRRIPPPPPP ALERT!!

The Changepot will be on hold for a few days as I may/may not have 'net access where i'm headed. I'll jot down the finds (if any) on a daily basis and report the finds accordingly (though I'm sure I'll find a few gained pounds instead of cash on this mini-vacay lol). Happy Gobble Gobble day y'all!!! Be sure to catch them Cowboys on the tube! Oh and Long live Tryptophan!

Total found today: $0.05
Total thus far: $123.45 <-- I have got to play this in tomorrow's Lotto. This is toooo cool to ignore, wouldn't you say??

SCORE!!!

Shoutout to Mike H. for cursing three times during tonight's game... I live for your rants dude! :)

As predicted, the Krabs family raked in a whopping $4.34 in found change. I would personally like to thank all the enthusiastic college students which contributed either willingly or reluctantly- since the majority of the quarters found were all around campus OUTSIDE of the buildings. Love those smokers!

Here is an inventory of what we found on this rather blustery day:

11 quarters
8 dimes
11 nickels
24 pennies

Foreign and other coins:
1 Trinidad coin (25 cents)
1 St. Tropez casino cruise coin
1 Super Laundry coin token
1 Bermuda coin (25 cents)
1 British coin (10 pence)
1 odd silver saint medal (looked like a dime so I picked it up)
1 Charter member PGA tour partners club round thingie (not sure what this is)

We're on our way to recycle some cans and pick up some snacks for our 4 o'clock game. Hubby and I have bonded over football lately.. gooo Seahawks!!!

**Update (1857 hrs)**
Bottle & Can redemption: $5.50
and just one question (about the game)... who the HE&* were you throwing to, Seneca???


Total found: $9.84
Total thus far: $123.40

Day two of Zero Finds

Today was yet another official day that the Krabs family found nothing on the ground- not even a trinket. The Changepot is hungry but the patrons are holding on to the coinage thus far. Hopefully Sunday will provide a hearty meal as the four of us are going "hunting" in various spots.

Side note: Today we saw the film "An American Haunting". After having read some background on the Bell Witch prior to seeing the film, I was quite disappointed. Fortunately Wikipedia's account of the haunting made it all worthwhile.

On this day last year, I was too busy thinking about Butterflies and didn't document found change. This is what I posted.

--
Accounting error:

While I am not quite sure how it happened, the changepot is short exactly $3.10. I am thinking somehow a little coinage got mixed up in Sandy's bag while she counted the total earlier this week. A little more detective work is in order. I'll post the details as I gather them.

Here is the actual corrected coin and dollar totals that are inside the changepot as of November 18, 2006:

Bills: 21
Total dollar value: $78.00

Twenties: 2
Tens: 1
Fives:2
Twos: 2
Ones: 14

Coins: 468
Total coin value: $35.56

Dollar Coins: 1
Halves: 1
Quarters: 58
Dimes: 144
Nickels: 63
Pennies: 201

Deviating from the topics at hand...

Despite the fact that today was a beautiful day with lots of foliage, blue skies for miles, and lots of smiling happy faces, we found NOTHING on the ground. We did discover a 1920 buffalo nickel in a roll of nickels my daughter purchased while filling her circulated coin collection folder. The nickel was safely tucked away into a growing pile of rare coins which will be appraised sometime in the spring. Since it's Sandy's coin, she'll decide its fate then.

Fake $20 = $10,000+ 3 years in prison?

Today's laser printers can be quite noteworthy in printing currency but uncle Sam's press still prevails. Check out the story of a poor, unfortunate struggling counterfeiter in good ole' Sheboygan, WI:

Woman tries to use $20 bill that is blank on one side

Associated Press
Nov. 13, 2006 07:42 AM

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - A woman's attempt to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a gas station was easily foiled when the clerk realized something odd: It was blank on one side.

Leah R. Jarolimek, 21, of Cedar Grove, was charged with a felony count of forgery after her failed attempt to buy chips and cigarettes, according to a complaint filed Friday in Sheboygan County Circuit Court.

Jarolimek handed her driver's license to the clerk early Wednesday to prove she was old enough to buy cigarettes and the bill, according to the complaint. The cashier told police the bill was placed face up on the counter but it felt suspicious when she picked it up.

Teresa Wells said she flipped over the bill and found it blank. Jarolimek replied she didn't know it was fake, the complaint said.

Wells said Jarolimek had to pay for the chips, which had been opened. When Jarolimek went to her car to get money, Wells copied Jarolimek's information from the driver's license.

Jarolimek faces up to three years in prison and a fine of $10,000 if convicted.

On the found money front:

2 Dimes

4 pennies

graced us

despite the rain

while hubby read plays

that sounded

much

like

Haikus.

Total found: $0.24

Total thus far: $116.66 (ewww.. what an ugly number! Perfect for the November Rain)

Dollar Bill Heaven!!

Today was a highly unusual day for change hunting. While Sandy, Kitty, and yours truly found no money whatsoever, Hubby found enough change for all of us for the entire week! I am so shocked! He found a total of three (3) dollar bills, six quarters, four dimes, six pennies, and a canadian coin (which will be added to the foreign change found jar). All three dollars were found in parking lots (three different ones of course). One of the bills has some cryptic writing on it that says "0725 2 st bx 50 cent ticket" in blue ink. A Washington is still a Washington, though. This bill will have to wait a year before going anywhere else! Bill Two was found perfectly folded and hiding in the grass outside a Subway's sandwich shoppe. Bill Three was discovered stuffed inside a coin return slot by a municipal parking meter where Hubby parked briefly to get some work done. I haven't had the full scoop on the other money just yet.. he was quite excited with the dollar finds (I can't blame him).

Side Note: On to happier news: My Sandy brought home a stellar report card today. According to her school principal, if Sandy would have scored an additional five points in Science, my little girl would have been in the honor roll. I don't care if she didn't make the silly honor roll, I think she is special either which way and I wouldn't trade her for anything.... love you Sandy Cheeks!!!!

MOMMY IS VERY PROUD OF YOU BABY.














(here's a face only my Sandy Cheeks could love!)


Total found: $4.96
Total thus far: $116.42

Unusual winter we're having, hmm? (updated)

After reading Jim's Post on Wood over at One Coin at a Time, I started thinking about our recent weather pattern. Since I no longer live in a home with a fireplace, I pretty much have to depend on the heater for now. My parents do have a fireplace but they aren't planning on lighting it because of the potential hazard of setting the place on fire (mom is super cautious). How's the weather elsewhere?

Found Coinage alert: Today's total comes from two places. Hubby found two quarters and a nickel while at work and three pennies were found during our quick Christmas shopping bout at Target. We usually don't start shopping for Christmas this early. I am shopping for one specific family that I've known for years (twenty five, in fact). My very best friend since FIRST GRADE which I'll have the privilege of joining for Thanksgiving dinner this year. Thanks for putting up with me Ro!

Preliminary found change overall update #1:
October started off as quite a great month here in year two of the Changepot. The twenty dollar bill find on Halloween wrapped up an awesome change find streak here. Hubby and I moved the Changepot Savings account over to a higher interest bank (a 4.0% increase in interest). The children are quite into numismatics after attending their first coin show early last month. We bought Kitty a new toy called "Pig E Bank" ($14.99 online, $8.99 at your local Costco by the way) which identifies coins by denomination and squeals "Feed me!" She's asking for chores just so she can earn a few coins to put in there... I love it!!! On the flip side, our daily totals are starting to decrease due to odd weather and lack of traffic at the mall. Hubby says it's because people are gearing up for the holidays. I think it's more like people are into using plastic than carrying actual cash- who knows? Total Money found as of November 13, 2006- $490.96

Total found: $0.58
Total thus far: $112.04

It's Mater (as in Tow-Mater)

I forgot just how loveable the Tow Mater character is in Disney's Cars. I figured I'd drop in to update before I forget :)

Today's finds:
11 dimes (thanks Sandy for the stealth finds!!)
4 nickels
4 pennies
1 GSP token
1 Bermuda coin
1 odd Angel gold colored coin (no markings, just an angel on both sides)

Yep.. today was a good day fer shure. Now it's back to the umpteenth viewing of CARS with my favorite people.

Total found: $1.34
Total thus far: $111.46

Check this out... you can find the original article here: Man fights with city over money found at scrap heap


Man fights with city over money found at scrap heap
Associated Press
Nov. 13, 2006 07:42 AM


NEENAH, Wis. - A sanitation worker who found $1,900 attached to a discarded desk at a city scrap heap says he deserves the money - but the city won't give it up.

"It's been very hard on me for being honest and then being told that because you're honest we're going to pat you on the back and take your money," David Voight said.

Voight, 52, found the cash in July, in envelopes attached by magnets to the underside of the metal desk at a junk drop-off site. Voight turned the money over to police and waited for someone to claim it within 90 days.

Now that the 90 days are up and no one claimed the money, city officials have been wrangling over what to do with it.

City Attorney James Godlewski said the city owns the money if Voight found it within the scope of his duties, but if he was acting as a private citizen, it would belong to him.

Voight said he had permission to scavenge things from the scrap heap, and he was doing it on his own time when he found the money.

"It wasn't mine to begin with," Voight said. "But it kind of rubbed me the wrong way that all of a sudden the council said since it was found on city property you can't have it."

Family is great.

Got to spend some quality time with my people today. Our change finds brought us a total of $0.70. We got one interestingly corroded penny that looks alot like Pacman. For those of you who don't remember the 80's well, here's a refresher course on Pac-man. Gobble Gobble!


Total found: $0.70
Total thus far: $110.12

Quickie X2

Today was so beautiful outside!! We found a little coinage here and there but the motherload waited for us at Dunkin' Donuts by our old house. I'm rather pooped so I'll write the accounting stats for now and I will interject later.

Total found: $1.06
Total thus far: $109.42

A Quickie...

In all our travails held on this beautiful pre-Veterans day, we only found twenty one cents (2 nickels, 11 pennies). Still, it was a good day because I ate a succulent breakfast at the BKS Bistro.... such nice service there....


Total found : $0.21
Total thus far: 108.36

Add another six to the pot...

Today we found a total of six cents. Sandy found a 1941 wheat penny and I unearthed a pretty filthy nickel on the way to the drugstore. I think I'd been spoiled the last few weeks with the over one dollar finds and the like. Methinks this is a lesson in patience and humility :) Update: Hubby came home with three dimes, one nickel, and five pretty pennies. There's much change to be found after yesterday's rain apparently.





Total found : $0.46
Total thus far: 108.15

Sidebar: I'd like to personally welcome the Roccos into the found change blogosphere. While they have only been collecting found change and separating it since August, the totals are quite impressive. Keep up the good work! You can check out their beginning blog here -->Piggy Bank

Short and Sweet...

Hubby found a nickel outside of Michael's today. I feel so rich!! There was a complete power outage by the mall- causing us to change dining plans for the evening. I will never have Applebee's again. I'd rather cook ::shudder:: .

Got yesterday's penny and am going to update the post to reflect Sandy's well-deserved find.

Total found today: $0.05
Total so far: $ 107.69

Woe is me...

Sandy found one penny today but since I didn't receive said penny, I can't count it towards the total for today. I didn't find money, I didn't vote- nothing. ZIP. Zilch. I did find an extremely cute pattern for a crochet sweater on the internet that I may try at some point. Oh.. and I did get a very funny email by my greatest friend in the whole wide world, the $900 richer "A". Ironic. She has had the worst luck for the past week or so... Karma police?? I still luvs ya, gurl...

Total found: $0.01
Total thus far: $107.64

Progress is coming...

Total found: $3.73- five quarters, twenty dimes, twenty three pennies, five nickels, two british coins, 1 finland markka, and one no cash value coin.

Source of change: Times Square, Central Park, School Campus (volunteer work pays off, folks).

Sooo tired.. will update later.. right now my feet are screaming at me.

Total found today: $3.73
Total so far: $ 107.63

The Wasteland...

Picture 1 used to show a typical pre-race scene at Fort Wadsworth (photo taken down at previous website). This year the portable bathrooms lined up where the buses are. Picture 2 shows the incredible mess left behind yesterday. Soon after the athletes left, flocks of charities, spectators, and cleanup crew emerged to pick at the leftover clothing.

This was my daughter Kitty's first glance at the NYC marathon. She was quite impressed. We managed to get her a huge orange ING balloon which kept her occupied as we helped collect coats with the local girl scouts.

On the change front, we managed to find five pennies- none of which hailed from the start site of the marathon. We came home with : an American Express Blue card (which I called to immediately report its whereabouts), three cases of Poland Spring Water (given to us courtesy of our friendly park ranger Chuck), a bunch of free magazines given to the runners and spectators, and two super cool fold away chairs which were left behind. All in all a pretty cool day, I'd say.

Total found today: $0.05
Total so far: $ 103.90

Pre-Marathon Jitters!

Tomorrow is the big NYC Marathon!! The fam and I did some quick October financial housecleaning (redeeming bottles, cleaning up $$$ messes, etc.). This being the second time we've redeemed since the inception of the fiscal year 07' changepot, we redeemed 75 cans/bottles. In addition to this courtesy cash (school, hubby's work, etc.), we also managed to pick up $0.31- (one dime twenty one pennies).

Thanks Bailey for the ING tip. I've been studying the rates rather closely and I am leaning toward this particular bank since there's one not far from where I live. Here's the link for those of you who like to copy and paste directly:

http://www.theapplebank.com/grandyielddirect/index.html

5.25% is quite attractive, methinks.

BTW, I've been playing the new Final Fantasy XII- WOW.. the graphics!! the storyline!! the gameplay system!! the characters!! RPGs have come a long way since that loveable lil' zelda dude in the 80's. Whatever happened to ULTIMA anyhow?

Total found today: $4.06 ($3.75 bottles, $0.31 in change)
Total so far: $ 103.85

Clean-up time.

2007 is creeping up on the horizon, folks. I'm already mapping out resolutions and assorted junk associated with a new year. One thing I've decided to do a little early is fix my banking relationships both on and offline. I realized just the other day that one account I've had for over a year was only yielding 0.25% EVERY THREE MONTHS!!! Fugedaboudit!

Change hunting yielded $1.63 today- two quarters, ten dimes, two nickels and three pennies. Three of the ten dimes and one of the pennies were found in a penny roll I bought at a local bank ($0.50 in pennies =$0.81 total). I found a liberty nickel (1904) and a beat up buffalo nickel (the date was faded) in another roll I purchased as well. Both coins are worth more than face value but since it wasn't "found change", I am not counting it towards the total. I also found a 1920 penny which much to my surprise was the last unfilled hole in my daughter Sandy's penny folder. Now it's time to work on Kitty's stuff...

Total found today: $1.63
Total so far: $ 99.79

Side post: What would you do?

A close friend of mine woke me up at 6am today with a particular dilemma.

Barb! Sorry to wake you up but I have a serious question to ask and it can't wait. I just found a plain white envelope with $900.00 on the floor. I'm at (--censored--) Gas Station at (--info undisclosed--). No one is around so I just picked it up. I'm in my car and I could drive away with it right now since no one is looking or asking around for it. Should I keep it or turn it in?

My reaction was almost automatic.

Turn it in, I said, and hung up the receiver. Nine Hundred isn't something I'd like to profess finding. I know there's a law somewhere that states if more than a certain amount is found, you must report it to the local police station. If no one claims it after a given amount of time, it's yours. In her case, I'm thinking someone absently dropped it. Nine hundred is a mortgage payment, or a car payment. Nine hundred could be someone's check recently cashed. I bet that 900 belongs to a gas attendant cashier who got careless and didn't realize what he/she dropped.

I've yet to find out what the verdict is: will she do the right thing and turn it in or will she take me and my extended family to lunch as payment for waking me up half hour before my alarm clock scheduled time?

A piece of advice for my dear friend A (finder of said cashola) who is probably reading this while sipping coffee at work right about now.

First, action really is happening -- it
is not an illusion.
Second, you really are responsible for your actions.
There is no outside force like the stars or some good or evil being acting
through you. When you are conscious, you are the one who decides what to do.
Third, your actions have results -- you are not just writing on the water --
and those results can be good or bad depending on the quality of the intention
behind the act.

What goes around, comes around what goes
up must come down, A!

UPDATE! -- After careful deliberation, 'A' decided to keep the cash and though she fully gets the karmatic implications this might have, she refuses to heed my prophetic words. It's not that I enjoy giving people a hard time, I just hate being the human handkerchief when tragedy/drama hits.

On a lighter note, hubby and I found a collective $0.49 in change today. The first nickel was unearthed in front of my new favorite place the 24 nail salon. They are true geniuses in the art of eyebrow waxing!
The rest of the change hailed from the greatest place in the world, my alma mater campus. I spent a few hours there waiting for my Graduate Advisor to show up. Although she didn't show, I had a fun time perusing the classrooms, collecting pennies and nickels (six nickels and nine dimes in all), and watching the undergraduates act out one act plays (I wonder what Michael Caine would say to these young idle thespians?)

Total found today: $0.49
Total so far: $ 98.16

The Coach is here!

I was feeling kinda bummed today for no apparent reason until late this afternoon when UPS rang my doorbell. It has arrived!!! My first free gift courtesy of Citibank Rewards:














COACH SOHO SIGNATURE MINI SKINNY
This versatile accessory functions equally well as a roomy wallet or as an all-in-one case for your credit and business cards, cash and iPod® Nano.
Outside credit/business card pocket
Zip-top closure
1 1/4" attached split keyring
Signature jacquard fabric with leather trim
Fabric lining
4 (L) x 4 1/2 (H)

It's my very first Coach item! I've bought Coach bags for my mom in the past but I've never purchased one for myself. In all honesty, I don't think I'd spend $38.00 on this item... I kinda prefer mine FREE, know what I mean? I also ordered christmas gifts for hubby's bosses so I can save some cashola to buy presents for the people that count.

Change HAPPENS:

While three of the changehunters found no change today, Hubby rescued the totals with three dimes and six pennies- all in one location. He also found the two dimes I knew we dropped in Kitty's booster seat. We're adding the dimes to today's total.

Total found today: $0.56
Total so far: $ 97.67