$6.34!!

On Saturday, hubby found the first dollars for this fiscal Changepot year!!! He found a five dollar bill and a one dollar bill right outside of Dunkin Donuts (our mecca). The family collectively found 34 cents in the form of fourteen pennies and two dimes- looks like we're finally getting somewhere :)


Total today: $6.34
Total thus far: $11.19

$2.09

What a busy couple of weeks! Despite the cold andsmall trips back and forth, we managed to find a total of $2.09- four quarters, seven dimes, two nickels, and twenty nine pennies. No traces of dollars yet folks!


Total today: $2.09
Total thus far: $4.85

$0.63

Things have been speeding up over here at the Changepot household! Although we've been finding ALOT of pennies here and there, we haven't had much time to report the finds. It looks as though we'll be checking in periodically instead of daily so bear with us :)


Total : $0.63
Total so far: $2.76

The Ketchup Post

And a glorious day to all ye out there! We've been pretty busy here the past few days! The Changepot is now THREE YEARS OLD!! Since our last posting, we've found a total of $2.13 in all change. This will be the total amount for the beginning of FY 09' (year four). The total collected in Changepot for the year 08 was : $402.72. INCREDIBLE!!!

Here's to another year of eyes on the ground and coin selling!!

Total today: $2.13
Total so far: $2.13


BTW: We also redeemed our pepsistuff caps and received a copy of the first season DVD set of HAPPY DAYS! Love those guys!!

$7.57

Ahh woe is me! I haven't been updating this blog on a daily basis even though we've found change and dollar bills. Right now we've collectively found a total of $7.57 in the form of a five dollar bill, a one dollar bill, three quarters, three dimes, five nickels, and seventeen pennies. There are more coins that are unaccounted (not to mention interest accrued from the previous changepot years) which I will tally up right on time for the Changepot's third birthday (October 9).


Total: $7.57
Total thus far: $402.72

$0.18

Today we found a total of 18 cents- a dime and eight pennies- while running errands. Not much else to report today.

Total today: $0.18
Total thus far: $395.15

$0.33

Today we found a total of 33 cents- a quarter, a nickel, and three pennies. A strange thing happened when I was out and about today. As I passed a neighborhood in the village today, someone was blasting the song "Lover Man" by Billie Holiday from their first floor walk up apartment. It was fitting as the sky looked so gloomy and the air thick with cool remembrance. Nostalgia. This is how autumn days are supposed to be.


Total today: $0.33
Total thus far: $394.97

$0.05

Today we found five pennies scattered around the mall. Happy Fall everyone!! Hopefully the colder days will incite more change dropping :) Right now it looks as though we won't be hitting the 330 mark for the changepot's October birthday but the fact that we've surpassed the 1K mark is an astounding feat in itself.

Check out this flower that bloomed in one of my household plants. Isn't it wild?



Total today: $0.05
Total thus far: $394.64

$0.09

Today we found nine cents- a nickel and four pennies- while running errands on this beautiful, crisp, pre-autumn day. I was able to watch the last game at Yankee Stadium with mixed emotions. Next year marks a new era for the New York Yankees- onward my pinstriped players! Check out the highlights here: Yankees prevail as Stadium goes dark

Total today: $0.09
Total thus far: $394.59

$0.03

Today we found three pennies while walking around the mall. I think my youngest may have found a nickel while I was on the phone but since she's sleeping over her best friend's house I don't have access to her changepot purse.


Total today: $0.03
Total thus far: $394.50

$0.53

Today we found a total of 53 cents- a quarter, a dime, a nickel, and thirteen pennies- all found by hubby at work. I passed a dime that looked retrievable so i'll try to go back for it this weekend.

Total today: $0.53
Total thus far: $394.47

$0.74

Today we found a total of $0.74- two quarters, a dime, a nickel, and nine pennies. Hubby found this change while working on the job for extended hours- poor guy! I'll be giving him a nice massage tonight for all his ping efforts :)

Total today: $0.74
Total thus far: $393.94

$0.06

Today we found $0.06- a nickel and a penny. The nickel was found in a shopping mall parking lot and the penny was found in front of Stop N Shop.

Total today: $0.06
Total thus far: $393.20

$0.27 Vacation Wrap-up

We found a total of $0.27- and a canadian penny- during our mini vacation. One of the pennies is a 1942 wheat so we didn't add it to the totals. The penny along with the canadian coin do not count toward our current total because they have been set aside for resale at a future coin show. We had so much fun despite the rain!! I will post pictures from our finds later on today when I download the files onto this computer.

Shown below: Here is a rare find- a wheat penny outside a RED SOX loving pizzeria in Cape Cod! Good pizza despite their taste for baseball teams hehehe.



Shown Below: Here is a picture of the first two pennies found in Masachusetts- the vehicle behind us got a good chuckle out of us bolting out at the stop light to grab the wayward coins!



Total found: $0.27
Total thus far: $393.14

$0.06

Today we found six cents- a nickel and a penny. While I am documenting it on here, the day isn't over yet. If I find more change I'll add it here in the form of an update. We are heading out of town for a few days (our first vacation for 2008 lol) so let's see what a change of venue will bring to the Changepot.

In commemoration of the events of 9/11, here is a moving tribute by Woody Ulmer and Kurt Bestor entitled: Prayer for the children. I remember all too clearly what happened that day. It seems like so many people live in denial that 9/11 ever happened.



Total today: $0.06
Total thus far: $392.87

$0.28

Today we found a total of 28 cents- two dimes and eight pennies- at CVS, Dunkin' Donuts, and Stop N Shop. I engaged in an interesting conversation with a police officer about found money. Apparently there is a blue law that states if you find money inside a store, it's considered store property as much as the items the store sells (even if it's a penny). What I don't understand is why employees won't pick up the change when they 'clean' the store. When I told him about my blog and how we document our change finds, he smiled. The Changepot is turning three in less than a month!!! We're all very excited here!


Total today: $0.28
Total thus far: $392.81

$0.23

Today we found a total of twenty three cents- two dimes and three pennies. I was reading an article today about a woman using dollar bill rolls to wrap gifts. I got such a kick out of it, I decided to post the link here.

Total today: $0.23
Total thus far: $392.53

$0.14

Today we found a total of 14 cents- a dime and four pennies. The dime came from my oldest and the four pennies were scattered around the neighborhood here. One penny is so badly scratched that it appears silvery and outstretched. I think this one will have to be traded in at the local bank eventually.

Total today: $0.14
Total thus far: $392.30

$0.49

Today we found a total of 49 cents- three dimes, one nickel, and fourteen pennies. The majority of the find came from hubby's business trip. Apparently people dislike random change at 7-11. The Changepot won't turn away any funds whatsoever!


Total today: $0.49
Total thus far: $392.16

$0.01

Today I found a lone penny during my morning coffee run. I'd seen a few pennies and a dime in the parking lot but since I had my hands full, I didn't get to them in time. Pity. Hubby found a few coins during his business trip but I won't add them into any totals until I have them in my hand. The rain is coming down hard over here today- perhaps it will bring up a few buried coins tomorrow ::fingers crossed:::

Total today: $0.01
Total thus far: $391.67


P.S. While I usually like discussing politics and respect what other party affiliates have to say, I deleted a comment left on this blog today that offered an opinion about my political preference. We all have our beliefs and faiths in our candidates. America is great enough to allow freedom of speech but I won't entertain bullish comments about political affiliation on this blog. There are forums specifically for that cause. This blog is about finding change and that's how it will stay.

$0.21

Found a total of 21 cents- two dimes and a lonely penny. The first dime and penny were found on the way to Dunkin Donuts and the other dime was found under the steps of the former Coast Guard exchange. Two dimes in one day... I'm feeling lucky!!

Total today: $0.21
Total thus far: $391.66

$0.07

Today we found a total of seven cents- a nickel and two pennies. Not much else to report since the kiddies are back in school, my change hunters are pretty busy now!

Total today: $0.07
Total thus far: $391.45

No Finds.

No money found today BUT I think we found a gold nugget in VP nominee Sarah Palin. She's getting my vote!!

$0.01

Today hubby found a lucky penny- while doing his rounds. I didn't get out most of the day as I was cleaning the house.


Total today: $0.01
Total thus far: $391.38

$0.01

Today I found a penny by Dunkin Donuts while I picked up my morning brew. We'll be venturing out later today but I wanted to document the find before I step out.


Total today: $0.01
Total thus far: $391.37

$0.02

Today we got our two cents worth- two pennies- at the bowling alley after an afternoon of fun, laughter, and great food with our favorite friends! Here's to another great Labor Day!!


Total today: $0.02
Total thus far: $391.36

No finds

No finds. Didn't go out. Boo hoo!

$0.19

Today we found 19 cents- a dime and nine pennies- while shopping for last minute back-to-school items for the girls. Not much else to write today.. hopefully there'll be more exciting news to report tomorrow :)

Total today: $0.19
Total thus far: $391.34

$0.25

Found a shiny new quarter at the gym today. I guess the find was reassurance that my determination to hit the gym is on the right track!

Total today: $0.25
Total so far: $391.15

No Finds

No finds today. Didn't go out even though it was a beautiful day!

$0.02

So today I found my two cents worth- literally- in front of Chuck E Cheese where I took my kids and their best friends for a farewell playdate. My daughter's newly appointed best friend goes back home to Michigan and won't be coming back until Christmas vacation... how sad.. thank goodness for the internet and unlimited long distance!

Total today: $0.02
Total thus far: $390.90


P.S. Here's a youtube video of one of my favorite songs of all time.. White Lion's Love Don't come easy- the song reminds me of my aqua net days... and my avid fascination with lead singer Mike Tramp!!

$0.04

Today we found a whopping four pennies- all conveniently scattered by the Dunkin donuts parking lot! I think i've developed a new vice.... FRENCH VANILLA coffee!!


Total today: $0.04
Total thus far: $390.88

$0.24

Today we found a total of $0.24- two dimes and four pennies. It was so beautiful today- low clouds, hazy sunshine! Dime one was found across the street from my favorite nail place. Dime two was found while walking to the bus stop. The pennies were found scattered around the Staten Island mall.

Total today: $0.24
Total this year: $390.84

$0.13

Today we found a total of thirteen cents- a nickel and eight pennies. Two pennies were found during a bowling party and the other eights were found at a Dunkin Donuts drive through. I'm so happy I actually bowled a 110!! I haven't bowled since 2004 and it was nowhere near 100 lol.


Total today: $0.13
Total thus far: $390.60

$6.82

Today we found a total of $6.82- a five dollar bill, a one dollar bill, a quarter, five dimes, and seven pennies! The paper currency was found in the basketball court over by Forest Avenue where we played a few games and felt like teenagers. Hubby was extremely excited by the find because we'd been finding nothing over a dollar. He spotted the folded up bills right by a nearby grass patch. The rest of the change was found at the Staten Island mall where we did some leftover shopping for my daughter's birthday. Time to cook!!


Total today: $6.82
Total thus far: $390.47

$0.24

Today we found a total of $0.13- a dime and three pretty beat up pennies. Hubby found the pennies during his outing and Bri found the dime in the playground close by. It's a beautiful, sunny day.. and here I am feeling rather melancholic. If we do go out and find more change later, i'll update this entry accordingly. In continuation with my current music video fascination, here is some Luther. I wonder if he wrote his own lyrics? They are pretty potent...

UPDATE: Chalk up another eleven cents for the changepot. We found a dime and a penny at Party City- where we picked up party supplies for my daughter's upcoming birthday jam.


Total today: $0.24
Total thus far: $383.65

$0.11

Today my hubby found 11 cents- a dime and a penny while at work. I spent the majority of the day listening to 80s tunes and cleaning my home office. Here's a video from my youth dedicated to my best friend and bloodsister CandyRose- wow how time flies!!! 25 years later who'da thunk girl!

Total today: $0.11
Total thus far: $383.41

$0.19

Today we found a total of $0.19- a dime and nine pennies- while picking up the last of the back-to-school items for our kiddies and running multiple pre-Labor day weekend errands. This summer came and left so quickly! Usually I have a song that reminds me of every summer that passes in my life.. I'll have to come up with one quick!
Ahh yes... Ne-Yo's 'Because of you'.




Total today: $0.19
Total thus far: $391.34

$1.47

Today was full of change surprises! My first find was a nickel as I accompanied my BFF to get a haircut. The next outing provided us two dimes and five pennies while we shopped for a new Ihome (my old one died). By the time we got back home, hubby decided to go back out for some Micky D's (drive-thru) and to grab a few things at the drug store. The outing at 7pm provided us with three quarters, three dimes, one nickel and seven pennies total! Shocking! The majority of the silver coins were uncovered at the drive through and the pennies came from outside the CVS store ( a great spot for first thing in the morning change finds)

Total today: $1.47
Total thus far: $383.30

No finds

NO finds today - didn't go out today at all (though we were tempted to!)

$0.04

Today we found $0.04- four pennies. The first two pennies were found right by the driver side door when we drove over to the gas station. $3.97 a gallon feels much better than $4.33 (the price I paid a little more than a month ago). Penny number three was discovered in the grass right by our neighborhood playground (congrats to Karen for the eagle eye find) and the last penny waited for us in front of our apartment complex. It was quite hot to the touch (guess it took some sun along the way) but that's just fine. One thing we've noticed is that our normal routines aren't producing much found change lately. Hubby wants to change course when we go out for walks to see if a different walking path will add more coinage to our jar- I believe we're doing just fine with what we've found. So far we've exceeded change find expectations by passing the $365.50 mark (surpassing year 1's total). I must say our little pot is coming of age quite nicely. After hearing our radio interview, a good friend of mine brought over an empty five gallon Poland Spring bottle 'for good measure' . As much as i'd love to change containers right now, I can't help but feel superstitious!! I'll wait until the Changepot's third birthday to start using it.


Total today: $0.04
Total this year: $381.83

$0.01

Today I found a lonely moldy penny outside Stop N Shop where we purchased some goodies for tonight's sleepover. My daughters have their friends over for a night of popcorn, laughs, and plenty of Jonas Brothers music and video mayhem. Ahh I'm not looking forward to the teen years lol...

Total today: $0.01
Total thus far: $381.79

$0.17

Today we found a whopping 17 cents- a dime and seven pennies- while picking up some things at the Mall. I was quite surprised to find a dime considering the lack of 'silver' on the ground lately. I am still in shock over the events this past weekend- I went to Atlantic City (once a changepot treasure spot) and found absolutely nothing! No penny vouchers, no renegade penny, zip. I'm thinking they knew I was around and hid all the coins lol. Congrats to Bri who found the small stack of pennies in the mall parking lot today- we would have missed it since the location was on the opposite row of cars.

P.S. Got my new Blackberry today so I'll be taking pictures of the coins in the wild and hopefully upload them on here for all to enjoy :)

Total today: $0.17
Total for FY 08: $381.78

$0.27

Today we found a total of 27 cents- a quarter outside the dentist office (my little one had a very bad cavity bout) and two pennies in front of the pharmacy where we picked up some prescriptions.


Update!!

We gathered around after dinner to listen to our Sally Herships' interview on the radio. Thank you so much for the opportunity to spread the word about collecting found change. You can catch our story here Picking up loose change and for our new visitors from the Marketplace website, please feel free to comment about your own found change stories on our blog!

Happy Hunting!


Total today: $0.27
Total thus far: $381.61

$0.31

Haven't been out much since i've been feeling under the weather but we've found a total of $0.31- two dimes, a nickel, and six cents.

Total so far: $0.31
Total thus far: $381.34

$0.25

Found a quarter today at Dunkin Donuts where I sipped on some iced coffee. Not much else to do on this lazy hazy Thursday.


Total today: $0.25
Total thus far: $381.03

$0.28

Today we found a total of $0.28 in the form of a quarter and three pennies. The quarter was found on the floor at a picnic and the three pennies were scattered in the parking lot of the event. Not much else going on... lazy summer days woohoo!

Total today : $0.28
Total thus far: $380.78

$0.28

Today we found $0.28 in the form of a quarter and three pennies. The quarter was found in front of Costco and the pennies were found by Lyons pool. I'm so happy with my yanks!!


Total today: $0.28
Total thus far: $380.50

$0.03

Since Hubby took a few days off, we decided to spend our days indoors cleaning up around here. We haven't found much since Tuesday (3 pennies) but it's still something!
Tomorrow looks like we'll be heading out early- maybe some nice change will come into the equation as well.


Total today: $0.03
Total thus far: 380.22

$0.13

Today we found a total of thirteen cents again- same form (a dime and three pennies) while running errands in the city. My oldest got to participate in an exclusive Nickelodeon activity and had a blast. I on the other hand, got to witness my youngest get a cavity fixed at the dentist ::cringe::


Total today; $0.13
Total thus far: $380.19

$0.13

Found thirteen cents today- a dime and three pennies- while running errands around Staten Island. I'm pretty disappointed in my Yanks lately... perhaps they'll wake up and smell the coffee soon.


Total today: $0.13
Total thus far: $380.06

$0.39

Today we headed over to the Bronx Zoo and found a total of 39 cents in the form of a quarter, a nickel, and nine pennies. Finding change here is always pretty hard since they dispatch cleaners regularly. I did happen to find and bring home these three animals: a Butterlfly, a Lion, and a Wolf. Gotta love daytrips!

Total today: $0.39
Total thus far: $379.93

$0.53

Today we ventured out into the city and found a total of $0.53- four dimes, a nickel, and eight pennies. We'd originally found 54 cents but one penny is a 1938 wheat so I've sifted it out for resale later at the next coin show. We also found a 1989 Canadian penny and a 2006 Bahamas penny (worth a lot less than what it's printed on lol). We were trying to get to the Central Park Zoo but with all the train service outages affecting the metro area, we settled upon Times Square where we stuffed our faces with M&M's, ate at the Olive Garden, and hung out with Geoffrey at the Toys 'R Us flagship store. Tomorrow, if the weather permits, we'll go out again.. this time to my native stomping ground Da' Bronx.


Total today: $0.53
Total thus far: $379.54

$0.15

Today we found a total of 15 cents- a dime and five pennies. I found the dime and a penny at the gym and hubby found the four pennies while running errands. We got to play some handball today and I feel completely exhausted!

P.S. I heart Celia Cruz caballeros! Azzuuuucar!





Total today: $0.15
Total thus far: $379.01

$0.06

Today we found 6 cents- pennies all - as we traversed the town. My oldest got her braces put on today... no more gummy bears for her!


Total today: $0.06
Total thus far: $378.86

No Finds

Didn't go out today- spent all day cleaning and watching the baseball games. Maybe we'll find something tomorrow.

$10.06 Double digit day!

Sometimes it pays to be firm with children! Today we headed out to the mall and I got my haircut finally. My daughters were itching for Applebees but I told them it would be better to buy cold cuts and italian bread at the supermarket. They complained but eventually acquiesced (there was no choice really lol). As we walked into the supermarket, I noticed my daughter was stepping on a folded piece of paper. When she moved I spotted a familiar number 10 on it and quickly scooped it up. The bill was cold to the touch as though it had been there for a little while. My guess is people kept stepping on it and not looking down. I was very happy since I hadn't found a bill that great since Halloween 2006 (twenty dollar bill find) and it was under similar conditions- no one looked down except me! The nickel and penny were found in the Staten Island mall.

OOpsie

A few days ago we went food shopping and bought a whole bunch of meat. Unfortunately we forgot to take out a fryer pack of Chicken Legs and well.. you can guess the rest. We're fighting the two day old stench and nothing seems to work.. ughhh...


Total today:$10.06
Total thus far: $378.80








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$0.44

Today we found a total of $0.44- three dimes and fourteen pennies. We also found a canadian penny which will go into our foreign money changepot and rest there until we can find a way to sell it or use it during a future trip. All three dimes and twelve pennies were found in the handball courts by South Beach. Most of the coins were extremely hot to the touch so we picked them up with napkins and settled them inside our stylish changepot purse. The other two pennies were found by Sandy Bri during her outing with grandma. She wanted to hunt for more change but grandma couldn't stay out in the sun too long (I can't blame her!). Hope your summer is going well!

Total today: $0.44
Total thus far: $368.74

$0.10

Today we found a dime- my oldest made the find outside while playing in the sprinklers. It is going to pour soon- guess I better bring my plants inside :)


Total today: $0.10
Total thus far: $368.30

no finds

We stayed home the entire day. No change. Nada. Rien. Zip. Nyet. Non.

$0.24

Today we found a total of $0.24- two dimes and four pennies. The first penny was found outside of CVS where we purchased goodies for our family trip to the movies. The two dimes and a penny were found at the checkout counter of a nearby grocery store. We went to go see the matinee of the long anticipated summer blockbuster The Dark Knight. It was worth every penny!
The remaining two cents were found at Wendy's where we feasted on old fashioned hamburgers and reminisced about the the film for an hour or two. Despite the immense heat, we were very happy to spend some quality time together.


Total today: $0.24
Total thus far: $368.20

Today we found two pennies- both laying under the hot sun awaiting rescue in Elizabeth, NJ (my good friend Joe made the rescue). We watched the film Hellboy 2 and had a very interesting lunch at Jimmy Buff's. After watching a spot on the Travel channel, we decided to take this special trip to try the 'italian hot dog' firsthand. It was a hit!!! If you're in Jersey, I highly recommend you take a drive over to try this sandwich!












Total today: $0.02
Total thus far: $367.96

No finds

No finds today whatsoever BUT I did receive close to $40.00 in survey checks-- today is a good day :)

$0.11

Although the day isn't over yet, I wanted to report the finds thus far. It seems way too hot to go for a quick walk around the general area so I doubt we'll be heading out anytime soon. Still, we found eleven cents- a dime and a penny- while paying our cable bill at their main office. A quick walk around KMart yielded a pepsi bottle cap- making it 34 caps total for our redemption disposal :)


Today I received a check from Surveyspot- a survey website. Woohoo! I'm going to stick these $7 in my savings account for a rainy day :)


Total today: $0.11
Total thus far: $367.94

$0.02

Found two pennies while walking around the neighborhood for an after dinner retreat. I'm hoping a dollar bill will float my way soon....


Total found: $0.02
Total thus far: $367.83

$0.11

Found a total of $0.11 today- two nickels and a penny while getting some groceries in the morning. It is hot as heck today!!! I think that will be it for going outside today.


Total today: $0.11
Total thus far: $367.81

$0.52

I found a total of $0.33- a quarter, nickel, and three pennies- while having some fun with my friends in Atlantic City. While I don't expect to strike it rich, it was more fun to see my old buds and reminisce about youth. My oldest daughter found nineteen cents while at the museum with her dad: making it a grand total of $0.52.


Total today: $0.52
Total thus far: $367.70

$0.59

We found a total of $0.59 today. Our first find- a shiny quarter- was found while shopping in Costco. Our next find- six cents- was found right at a busy intersection during rush hour. The next twenty three cents were found in a bank parking lot. One dime is in pretty banged up condition- hardly recognizable actually. The last find was a nickel on the floor across the street from my house. No money found yesterday as I was home all day with the kiddies. I'm actually pretty amped up to go see Hellboy 2 tomorrow. Love that comic book!!


Total today: $0.59
Total FY 08 so far: $367.18

$0.28

Found a total of 28 cents- a quarter in front of Dunkin Donuts and three pennies in Subway. The quarter was definitely a shock considering the lack of silver finds in front of stores lately. Aside from the two quarters in Brooklyn, it looks like more people are hanging on to their loose change!

Side note: On my way to run an errand, I saw four cars on the side of the road in different streets with their hazards on. The fourth car just stopped short of a gas station. A very sunburnt man came out of the vehicle, muttering curses under his breath. Apparently his gas tank gauge was stuck on F(ull) meanwhile he had no gas. He had just traveled from South jersey and claims he was swindled by the mom and pop gas station. His tank was nowhere near full yet he paid the full amount. I'd read about Jersey Gas station violations earlier this week but i'd never thought this to be true. Anyhow, the man paid $143.00 to fill his tank and he was NOT a happy camper.
Keep an eye on your tank-- way too many cons going on right now!

Side Note #2: As some of you may have heard already, we were interviewed by radio correspondent Sally Herships regarding our Change Finding exploits. Ms. Herships sent us an email stating that the story has been postponed until further notice but when it airs, she'll let us know. It was still a great experience to get interviewed as a family about our change hunting hobby. I can't wait until we get to the next $1,000.00!!

Total today: $0.28
Total thus far: $366.59

$5.50

Today we took a trip to Brooklyn and we had a ball! My daughter found a wet five dollar bill in the parking lot of the Brooklyn museum! We also found two quarters on top of a newspaper machine in the street. I wish they had these newspaper machines in Staten island! We were very impressed with the exhibits. My oldest daughter is into art now. I think our next trip is going to be museum row in the city.





Total today: $5.50
Total thus far: $366.31

$0.20

Found a total of twenty cents in the form of a dime, a nickel, and five pennies while on our after dinner walk. The weather seems so dismal- we're hoping it'll clear up this week so we can get out more.


Total today: $0.20
Total thus far: $360.81

No finds- two days straight

We found no money yesterday or today. We did attend a farm team game yesterday and had a blast! Hopefully tomorrow will be better for finding change. Hope you all enjoyed your fourth!

$0.01

Today hubby found a penny in the parking lot as he took our lovely Calico to get spayed. She's got one of those crazy space-like elizabethan collars on to prevent her from getting to the wound. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Total today: $0.01
Total for FY 08: $360.61

$0.02

Found two pennies today- one while picking up my daughter from school and the other in front of Dunkin Donuts. @--<---


Interest for Changepot June: $1.59
Total today: $0.02 (+ $1.59)
Total thus far: $360.60

$0.05

Today we found a total of five pennies- three by my oldest, one by hubby at work, and one by my best friend and Partner in crime Joe. Joe came out to visit us and we played a little handball. My arms are a bit sore but hey, it could have been worse, right? lol

Total found for month of June: $39.14
Dollar find days: 3
Double Digit day: 1 (sold silver and copper found coins for $20.00 at coin show)

Total today: $0.05
Total FY08 : $358.99

$0.43 - and a story

Today we found a total of $0.43 in the form of a quarter, a dime, a nickel, and three pennies. My oldest daughter pulled through in finding the quarter as we walked along the boardwalk- she spotted it in the sand and ran down to get it. From a distance it looked like a bottle cap but sure enough it was a New Hampshire 2000 semi-oxidized quarter! Eagle eye strikes again! I found the nickel while walking to the gym this morning- this nickel looks pretty banged up as well. The dime was found while waiting for the light to turn green at our exit on the SI expressway. It looks as though it was run over a few times. Two of the three pennies were found in a parking lot by Petsmart. The last penny was found while waiting in line at Modell's where hubby passed wind and giggled like a school kid to which the lady behind me replied to her young son: "::sigh:: It's ok Johnn, that's what guys do." I burst into laughter upon hearing her comment!

Total today: $0.43
Total thus far: $358.94

Lucky seven (cents)

My daughter bought a shirt with the above statement on it. I thought it was kinda cute..?

Today we found a total of $0.07- all pennies- as we shopped for some mid-summer clothes at the new Steve and Barry's here on Staten Island. We're kinda liking that store for some reason- I guess the Old Navy craze is over :)

We spotted our next door neighbor stuffing giant plastic bags filled with recyclable cans into her pretty little lexus. She flagged us over and told us 'times are tough, gotta make money for gas somehow'. I was a little shocked because obviously she'll need more than 100 cans to make decent gas money. What gets me is she often ridicules us for picking up change- here she is picking up cans in the street during her free time. She's on the right track bless her heart!


Bill Roundup-

My daughter counted the bills in the Changepot and grouped them according to denomination. Here are the results:

Total # of bills: 64

100 dollar bill (1)
20 dollar bill (3)
10 dollar bill (3)
5 dollar bill (6)
1 dollar bill (51)

She is working on Project Foreignpot. I'm actually very excited about this finance assignment because she is going to learn some things about foreign coins. I'll get into detail about it in tomorrow's post.



Total today:$0.07
Total thus far: $358.51



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Change Hunting...and a movie.

Today we found a total of $0.34- a quarter and nine pennies- while we did the shopping and a movie-thing with the whole crew. We saw the Disney movie Wall-e . We loved it! I haven't been to the movies in a long time (at least over a year) and I must say, I didn't mind paying the big bucks to take them. I'd do it again, as a matter of fact! The film was beautiful with a powerful message to deliver. I won't spoil it any further. I will say though- as I was watching the film, I couldn't help but compare Wall-e to Johnny Five (the lovable robot from the film Short Circuit). Here are some pics of them. Can you see the similarity?















Check out their movie posters- wow, I loved Short Circuit in the 80's. How about you?





























Total today: $0.34
Total thus far: $358.44

fruitless friday

Found Nothing. Ho hum. Then again, we didn't go out walking today.

$0.08 day

Today we found a total of $0.08- a nickel and three pennies- as we celebrated a V.I.P's birthday. My daughter is excited because we gathered enough points from a Pepsi cap promotion to order this nifty little gadget. We still have caps left so maybe we'll get something else with the points and put an end to this bottlecap frenzy lol.










Total today: $0.08
Total thus far: $358.10

Wednesday blues

Found nothing today despite walking after dinner and some light shopping ventures.

$0.53 day

Today we found a total of $0.53 in the form of a quarter, a dime, a nickel, and thirteen pennies. Hubby came home with the quarter and seven cents from work. With the recent influx of new people, it seems as though he's finding alot of pennies in the parking lot right by a convenient little grass patch. Since the coins make little or no noise when they fall, people aren't noticing the decrease in pocket change :) My oldest found the dime, nickel, and four pennies while we walked around the mall today. The last two pennies were found while in Toys R Us as we redeemed a gift card my youngest received for her birthday. All in all, it was a profitable day at the changepot :)

For those of you who collect coke reward caps, tomorrow is double points day so be sure to save up your 12 pack codes to receive double points! We've got a nice little jar filled with caps from our daily walks. Right now we've got enough to redeem some nice goodies but since the prize will go to my youngest, i'll let her decide when we've reached a good amount of cap points. Their rewards program is valid until December 31 so we've got a few months to play around with thus far.

While on our walk today, we were reminiscing about the fact that our changepot is turning 3 this year- my daughters want to celebrate the changepot's birthday by creating a new logo both on this blog and on the change jar itself. Who am I to deny their excitement?

Per request, a shot of the Manhattan Ferry port taken by my youngest. She's got an eye for pictures I think :)













Total today: $0.53
Total for FY 08' : $358.02

Fast Food Blues

Today we found a total of 27 cents- twenty two pennies and one nickel- in two precise locations : White Castle drive thru and Dunkin Donuts. The nickel was found early in the morning as hubby grabbed his morning Java on the way to work. The twenty two pennies were found scattered all around the White Castle parking lot and drive-thru during our late night dinner run. I am not at all happy with WC because my youngest didn't digest the food properly (projectile rejections all night long). I guess there is credibility in the words 'Murder Burger' and/or 'Belly Bombs'.

Today the family was interviewed for Marketplace- a program aired on NPR about our change-seeking habits. We had a great time and wanted to thank reporter Sally Herships for coming over and spending some time with us. Our daughters were very happy and can't wait to hear the segment on the air! I'll post the link when it is available online.


Total today: $0.27
Total thus far: $357.49

Penny Lane

Today we found one penny in the checkout lane of the supermarket. We didn't get a chance to walk around much due to the weather but hopefully tomorrow will bring more change. I've finished devising my daughter's first changepot-related finance assignment (will post it on here once she finishes tallying up the results). I'm pretty excited because tomorrow we are going to get interviewed about the Changepot! More details tomorrow :)





P.S it's pretty sad what's happening to Amy Winehouse. I happen to like her music- despite her drug haze the girl has talent. Oh well.











source:mp3bud

Total today: $0.01
Total thus far: $357.22

Happy Day after Summer Solstice Day!

Today we found a total of $0.23- two dimes and three pennies- while enjoying some summer sun! Dime #1 waited for us at the bank parking lot as we dropped grandma off. Dime#2 came from a depressing place- our local gas station. The dime was extremely hot to the touch- my guess is it was sitting in the sun for a long time waiting for us to come pick him up. Two pennies were at the Wendy's drive thru where we picked up some light lunch and the remaining penny was found outside of Stop N Shop. All in all a very nice day to be out.



Total today: $0.23
Total thus far: $357.21

Related Link-Posts

Here are various change related articles i've found in my Google searchings.


1. I found Change- a cute little found change blog/web app created by a Luke Brookhart.
2. Neediest Cases article- New York Times (a rare little gem)
3. Finding Coins- Here are comments that support change found as a sign of a passed loved one

Last Day of School !

What started out being a bad day turned into something great- all in the blink of an eye! We found out one of my daughters has to go to summer school BUT a few hours later while walking to the supermarket, she found a crispy five dollar bill outside a nearby tavern! The bill was pinned in an unkempt patch of grass. My daughter earned a new nickname- BILL MAGNET- since she's found bills in two consecutive days this month. We also found a dime and two muddy pennies while on our walk- making today's total $5.12. As promised, here is a picture of our new pets:












By request, here's a side shot of the pot. I may need to find a new receptacle soon.















Total today: $5.12
Total thus far: $356.98

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Dollar Day!

Today we found a total of $1.84 in the form of a dollar bill, a quarter, three dimes, three nickels, and fourteen pennies- making it an awesome super Staten Island change cycle for today:) Wow.. The Last time we found a dollar was at the Ferry (see post Ferry Green) Congrats to my oldest daughter for finding a dollar in front of Toys R' Us while shopping for Kitty's birthday gift! We found three dimes and a nickel during our evening walk and a quarter and a nickel while buying items at PetSmart for our new pets (will post pics once I download them off the digicam). I've noticed that it's getting harder to find Quarters around here lately. We also headed out to the park for a while and found all fourteen pennies scattered around underneath one park bench. It looked like someone sorted out the pennies out of their bag and left them there. The Changepot is getting heavy now :) Pretty soon we'll have to change our coins for bills to make room for the lonely, unwanted pennies that need a home!

Total today: $1.84
Total thus far: $351.86






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two pennies.. and a rant.

We found $0.02 today- both pennies lying right by the pump at our local gas station ($4.19 uggh). I thought we were going to have a no find day but our quick trip out proved otherwise. I got extremely upset at the convenience store attendant at the gas station because we happened to have two coupons worth a free 20 oz soda courtesy of the Drink1win1.com promotion and he said they couldn't accept it. We went to three other places and neither of them carried the brands in the promotion. Although I found three caps with the 'uwin' code (I didn't purchase the soda), I redeemed it via the website and we received the coupons for the free soda. The coupon quality isn't so great- it has a scanning bar code but I myself wouldn't accept this coupon to be honest. I guess i'll just keep it in my bag and hand it out to somebody who likes the product. Ironically on our way home, we found yet ANOTHER 'Uwin' bottle cap. I'll redeem it only because I'm a sucker for good news and freebies in the mail.











Total today: $0.02
Total thus far: $350.02

Trip to the fair

Today we found a total of 37 cents- three dimes, a nickel, and two pennies- and had a great old time at the Fair by the Staten Island Mall! There were two pennies under a ride which we couldn't get to so we photographed them to commemorate their existence :)














Here's an added bonus- little Kitty and hubby squeezing into a fun little helicopter ride!


















Total today: $0.37
Total thus far: $350.00 Even!!

Fourteen Cents in the rain...

Today Hubby found fourteen cents- a dime and four pennies- while embarking on his daily routine. According to Mike Woods, my favorite meteorologist on Fox News, it's going to continue raining on and off this week so we don't expect to find much change anywhere.














source: A photo journey

Total today: $0.14
Total thus far: $349.63

Video Gaming again

Happy Father's Day!!

Today I spent the day indoors but my daughter and husband went out- both returned successful in their hunts- hubby brought home a penny (and some amazing shell steaks!) and my daughter brought back a dime and four pennies (excellent!)

I restarted an Xbox360 video game called 'Blue Dragon'. The game is addictive! Here is some wikipedia info on Blue Dragon for the curious :)




Total today: $0.15
Total thus far: $349.49

$0.57

For the past few days, we found a total of $0.57- Two quarters and seven pennies. I guess we'll wait and see if we get better weather where people will flock around and drop some pennies :)

Total today: $0.57
Total thus far: $349.34

$0.43 day!

Today we broke the penny days streak by finding a total of $0.43-- a quarter (shocking!) in the street, a dime under a park bench, and 8 pennies throughout the day (various locations). I was impressed by the hotness factor in these coins (meaning they 'd been sitting there under the sun for hours, possibly days). The quarter was a scratched up North Carolina model and the pennies, as usual, looked to be in pretty bad condition. Today was definitely a beach day! I love the boardwalk (even though we have NEVER found any money up there in our travails).

Total found: $0.43
Total thus far: $348.77





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Another Penny Serenade

Seven Lonely pennies made it to our pot today. Three pennies waited for us at Dunkin' Donuts. One penny said hello in front of my favorite parking spot. Two pennies called out to Hubby while at Shop Rite and one penny stood the test of time by signaling for pickup right by my friend's apartment complex. I guess seven pennies are better than nothing, right?



Total today: $0.07
Total thus far: $348.34

Penny Day!

Found a total of ten cents-- all pennies while running some errands at the mall. Times are tough. The mall was like a ghost town today-- very few people with light bags (a sign of the times, i'm afraid). Something has to be done soon :(.

Total today: $0.10
Total thus far: $348.27







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The Onion's take on Can-opoly!

I just finished reading this article at the onion. I thought i was so interesting I decided to share it here. Do you think this is fair?

Nation's Poorest 1% Now Controls Two-Thirds Of U.S. Soda Can Wealth

May 23, 2008 | Issue 44•21

Can magnates like this Chicago-based entrepreneur often take advantage of obscure deposit loopholes in ME, VT, NY (5¢), and MI (10¢)

WASHINGTON—A report on growing disparities in the concentration of U.S. aluminum-can wealth, released Tuesday by the Department of Commerce, revealed that 66 percent of the nation's recyclable assets are now held by the poorest 1 percent of the population.

According to the sobering report, the disproportionate distribution of soda-can wealth is greater than ever before, and has become one of the worst instances of economic inequality in the nation's history. Data showed that over-salvaging of cans by a small and elite group of can-horders has created a steadily growing and possibly unbridgeable gap between the rich and the mega-poor.

Enlarge Image

"Although our nation's upper middle class actually consumes the most beverages, a staggering percentage of these cans wind up in the hands of a very few," said economist Cynthia Pierce, who worked as a consultant on the three-year, $14 million government study. "It's a troubling trend. And as a tiny fraction of the population continues to maintain its stranglehold on redeemable can wealth, it's a trend that shows no sign of slowing."

According to Pierce, the study points to a distinct economic advantage for the most can-affluent—those who possess the resources necessary to collect, transport, separate, and accumulate more and more cans than the rest of the population.

"Members of this exclusive group come from exceedingly poor backgrounds and have access to outrageously low levels of education, which makes them much better prepared to reap the benefits of digging around in garbage," Pierce added.

The report details several key factors involved in the lopsided distribution of container wealth, including aggressive foraging, which leads to higher returns on deposits and a tendency to reinvest can profits in additional redeemables, such as beer. In addition, the report found that those involved in the returnable-gathering industry often minimize financial risk by diversifying between aluminum cans and glass-bottle holdings.

While less than 1 percent of Americans own the domestic rights to a majority of Coca-Cola and Pepsi cans, this same group has also cornered the international market by branching out into such imported container commodities as Fanta and Perrier.

"The typical American spends an average of $65 on beverages for every dollar he or she earns back through redeemable deposits, and the rest of that money goes to the country's can and bottle barons," the report stated. "Americans who are at a foraging disadvantage due to over-employment and home ownership therefore have limited access to these discarded commodities, causing the market to unfairly favor those with an exclusively disposables income."

Perhaps more alarming, the report continued, the can monopoly enjoyed by the poorest 1 percent has been unintentionally buoyed by millions of environment-conscious Americans who leave plastic bags full of recycling in front of their homes, which are in turn preyed upon by enterprising collectors.

"These people were born into a lifestyle, often going back generations, where any can left on the street is seen as their birthright, whether they purchased it or not," Houston resident Dale Palmer said. "They have the knowledge and ability to get out there and scoop up all the good cans before anyone even knew they were there."

The vast disparity in can-wealth distribution is difficult to understand for many Americans. Most people, according to the report, cannot relate to the lifestyles of the super-poor, who never have to go to work, pay a mortgage, or struggle to find money for rent.

One canned individual cited in the study is can tycoon Will Dorsey, a 33-year-old Detroit resident who spent his childhood living off the funds collected from his family's vast can holdings. At the age of 16, Dorsey inherited five carts and dozens of garbage bags overflowing with recyclables when his father passed away unexpectedly one cold December morning.

According to economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, people like Dorsey, who maintain an ultra-poor lifestyle that is vastly different from the rest of the population, are egregiously out of touch with the everyday economic realities of mainstream America.

"Dorsey is one of those select few who come from old can money," Krugman said. "They're just hoarding their assets so nobody else can benefit. And then they parade down the street with their carts full of recycling."

In the wake of the report's disturbing findings, many citizens claim to feel exploited by those who convert their discarded property into cash or change without sharing the incredible profits.

"It's not fair," Chicago native Melissa Arnold said. "Something should be done to even the playing field."

In an attempt to mitigate the disparities in soda-can wealth distribution, Congress is currently exploring numerous options, including levying an 80 percent tax on the incomes of those possessing 100 or more refundable containers, with the ultimate goal of eliminating all recycling programs by 2010.

Can you imagine this? I just thought i'd pass it along to you :)


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Cruel Summer

Despite the cruel pre-summer heat, Hubby found $0.36- a quarter, dime, and penny while at work. I stayed home the entire day with my AC on-- cleaning the house thoroughly and doing mounds of laundry. It's amazing how quickly laundry piles up geez....

On a lighter note, we received $0.27 for transferring the Changepot account over to ING-- bringing the two year total to $656.52. Since the CP money will be online, i'll be keeping better track of its growth by looking it over every first week of the month.

$1,000.00.
I still can't believe it.
I wrote a post on a social community site (Gather.com) and asked the local public what they would do with the extra 1K. When I see this money, I don't want to spend it-- I want to make it grow. A thousand won't make people rich but it can help a little. Even in this gas crisis, a grand helps.

Here's the scenario for my usual gas activity:

Tank capacity: 18 gals.
Full tank @ $5.00= $90.00 weekly
12 weeks of summer: $1080.00


I'd actually use up all the changepot funds for gas alone (and that's figuring NO more increases once it hits five)

Somehow I don't see the gas prices easing up anytime soon. I happened to catch the local news and they're calling for $150.00 light sweet crude by July 4. I don't even want to think what that's going to look like.

Before I get myself too depressed to leave the house, I must ask you all this question. What would you do to make the changepot (found money) grow? If you were given 1K right now no questions asked, how would you make that money grow?

Total today: $0.63 ($0.36 found + $0.27 ING interest)
Total thus far: $348.17


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The $1,000.00 Post!

Today is a special day indeed here at the changepot! We broke $1,000.00 in found money!!! Sure we are maximizing the benefits by selling the found silver coins and broken jewelry in addition to the money but the fact that we were able to surpass the thousand dollar mark is incredible! Here is today's finds along with location :

$0.13 found at work (around the mess hall)
$0.10 found right by foot when we parked our vehicle at the mall
$0.10 found outside of KidsWorld
$6.00 (a five and a one dollar bill) crumpled up inside a receipt from Spencer's gift store outside mall
$0.12 found all over the mall (stores)
$0.35 found in food court (Wendy's, Cinnabon)
$0.25 in parking lot outside Stop N Shop
$0.05 given to us for using our own recyclable bags

Our Yanks won today thanks to Johnny Damon (we knew you could do it JoDa!) I'm pretty happy... so happy, in fact, I think i'll celebrate by calling forth a meeting of the thousandaires (my family) to discuss a reward for our noble efforts :) From now on, i'm posting the side totals to reflect the entire changepot balance (it looks so much prettier that way :) )

Update: I think my meeting will have to wait until tomorrow-- my daughters are both knocked out on the couch after all that walking (changehunting). I'm still soo happy!!

Total today: $7.10
Total thus far: $347.54
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Coin Sale Proceeds : July 2008

And so despite the immense heat, our family set out to sell the last of the found silver we'd unearthed back in this post (Silver Coins) at a nearby Coin show. Our last chunk of silver coins ($4.00 face value) yielded us $20.00 even- thus bringing the changepot up by $20.00! The dealer wanted to take a look at our foreign coins but my daughter was in charge of that- she wouldn't allow him to take a peek. Congrats to her for being so headstrong! I told her that we should look into the values of each individual coin and launch a just for fun appraisal campaign to see what these coins would yield us over time. She agrees it would be a great math project for the summer. I'm all for it!

And now we head out again.. but before I go, I'll factor in today's Coin Sale totals and add it to the changepot:

Total today: $20.00
Total thus far: $340.44



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