Where to find loose change around the house

You can always count on finding loose change in parking lots. Sometimes you can find bills and even jewelry. Be sure to check ALL envelopes and folded up receipts as you may find cash folded up inside the receipt.

Also look for cigarette packs that might have cash tucked inside. Aldi's is a great shopping center to check because they require shoppers to deposit a quarter to receive a shopping cart. Once shoppers return their cart, by clicking a lock from the cart in front of their returned cart they get their quarter back.

This return is all the way in the front by the entrance and many times shoppers are too lazy or in a rush and just leave their cart in the lot and their quarter for the taking. You'll find Coinstar machines at many shopping centers and these coin return machines can payout VERY well.

Most US silver coins are automatically rejected by Coinstar machines and spat out into the coin return bay. You can also find valuable foreign coins like the Canadian toonie which is a two dollar coin. How often have you heard someone say "I lost my bus money"? It happens all the time and it's usually right there at the bus stop, making bus stops great places to find loose change.

You'll want to check the parking lot but the most productive place to look for lost money and other items in a movie theater is the floors under the seats. Coins will fall out of pockets or are set down between the movie goers legs forgotten and then when the movie goer stands up the seat automatically flips up and the coins and anything else on the seat slides down on to the floor. Most people leave during the credits when it's still dark in the theater and are unable to see or even hear what has just happened.

All you have to do is wait until the credits are over and the lights come on and do a quick scan of the floor around you. Sporting bleachers are great places to find a lot of coins. At many hometown softball fields and other sporting centers snacks and drinks prices are divided in quarters 1. This means almost all of the coins you'll find under the bleachers are going to be quarters and quarters make dollars fast!

Bad, windy weather blows bills all over the place until they hit a structure where they sit until someone like you finds them and picks them up.

Like in the parking lots be sure to check any folded up receipts, envelopes and cigarette packs. Just like the cushions of your couch the cushions of the couches and chairs at the mall will gather loose change. The best time to check would be later in the day, because you count on the fact that the custodians know where to find all of this loose change and they will check and remove all of the loose coins at the end of the business day, making morning time less profitable.

Restaurant booths can be very profitable too I know it can be icky but coins and the contents of the pockets are often time dropped and left on the floor inside the stalls. Again, be sure to wash your hands! Check all of the floors for dropped coins. Having worked at more than one fast food place earlier in life, I can tell you from experience that coins are dropped outside the drive-up window just about every day.

In fact, when I worked opening shifts at one restaurant, I would start my day by collecting coins on the ground there. Of course, to beat the opening manager to the punch you might have to take your morning walks really early. Parks are yet another place where people sit on the ground, and so drop things from their pockets.

A metal detector helps here, but you might find money with just a sharp eye if you walk around the most likely picnic locations. Under couch and chair cushions is a good place to start your search for coins and currency, but look a little deeper too.

Sometimes coins slip past the framework under the cushions and are trapped in the material that covers the bottom of the couch or chair. Shake it and listen for anything moving around in there.

People reach into their pockets at bus stops, and sometimes drop a coin or two. They also spill pocket contents when sitting, so the best bus stops for finding loose change are the ones that have seating. Some stores, like Aldi grocery stores and Cent stores, for example use carts that require shoppers to insert a quarter, which is returned when the shopper returns the cart.

Just scan the parking lot for any abandoned carts and return them for your cash reward. A quick Google search reveals that people often leave cash behind when they use an ATM. In fact, one commenter on Quora. Of course, you would have to return the money to its rightful owner, but a cash reward might be offered. I doubt they remember to retrieve the money every time they finish the cigarettes, which makes me want to at least flip over and examine any discarded pack I see on the street.

Carnival rides often cause people to lose stuff from their pockets — especially the ones that go upside down. Look around when you enter and when the lights come on again at the end of the movie. Although more and more parking meters are taking credit cards, enough people still use coins to make this a good place to look for lost change. Have you ever folded up a bill with the receipt when shopping?

Many people do this, and sometimes those receipts get lost. So if you see a folded up receipt lying on the ground, you might want to check it out. There are many reports of people who have found large amounts of money, some of which are linked to in this post. Of course, you could get lucky and find a large stash of cash. You also might do well if you combine your coin and currency searches with other treasure hunting strategies.

To get you started, here are some of my previous posts on that subject:. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The information on this website should not be take as a substitute for professional advice. View our privacy policy and our disclosure policy for more information.

Want to Make Extra Money? Join Survey Junkie Now Swagbucks: Make money watching videos, taking surveys, shopping online and more. He still gets excited whenever that happens! Love your site!!!!! I've also been able to find change at fast-food line-ups, on buses as if people are too rushed to bother , and I currently work in a shop, where I'm responsible for closing procedures so I make sure I sweep everywhere, especially under the seats.

Unfortunately, I haven't had any luck with the latter, but it's worth a try. Change is becoming scarce so I also do bottles. I know that sounds gross, but I make sure I bring some hand sanitizer while picking them up discretely. Great time for that is around shopping mall parking lots when most of the stores are closed, and out at night before garbage day. Movie theater parking lots can be good too.

He was apparently long gone. I don't find much money but I walk my dog two or three miles a days and occasionally see pennies, nickle or dimes on the groung. Yes, I do pick them Up. Thank you this is really interesting and useful, seen as I'm a preteen I'm always looking for loose change even though I have not used you're techniques yet. Yet another story My ex-mother-in-law used to always pick up any money she found. However, rather that put it in a jar and save it to bank, or for a treat, she would tape the coin s to an index card, and write on it, "lucky penny, found date and place.

Then, it went in a shoebox. When she passed, and the grown kids were cleaning out the house, they found the shoebox, overflowing with "lucky" coins, all taped to the cards. I don't know if it was mostly pennies, or what; I was not there. But sadly, they decided it was just too much trouble to bother trying to remove the coins from the cards, and then 'unsticky' the coins I couldn't believe it when my ex told me that! I go at night when no one is there , that,s when I find the most..

Then drive thru eating places , then drug stores , I keep it in a change bag that I also found , I just love it ,.

This is quite an interesting idea for a hub. I love looking for money and in fact some people have those money detection machines that they use on the beach and such. My daughter and I have a saying, "See a penny pick it up all day long you'll have good luck!

I'm not very strict about it unless I am challenging myself. It would be fun to keep a log. If I went out looking with a metal detector, I would definitely keep a log of the date, location, and amount. What fun. Wow great tips! Do you log your earnings? Very interesting and useful hub Sharkye11, it gives a lot of good ideas about where to look for loose change that would otherwise just go to waste. I'll be walking around with my eyes down today.

Another time I found an unmarked envelope on the ground in a car park.. Just today I found a quarter as I walked into a convenience store. On the way back to my car I found a dime! So exciting. I often find money. Outside liquor stores or pubs, I find ten-dollar bills.

A week ago I found a fifty-dollar bill! Being a pensioner, I sure needed it. I spent it on health supplements. Marion Reads. Here goes your th comment. Congratulations on your many HOTD accolades! This article is interesting, creative, practical, fun, useful and more.

I usually look for coins during my walk. Now, you'll have me looking everywhere. Reading this delightful hub made me begin to think you may be the daughter I never had. Paula's my name Penny pinchin-dollar stretchin's my game! Not my fault, it's in my DNA. I love the way your family made a game of this money hunting. While so many people see this as bizarre and a waste of time, I say, "fine," all the better for people like you and me to discover!

Great hub, I find the bulk of lose change in our washer and dryer. I have found several hundred dollars in there over time I'm sure. Yes, there are many great places, and I have learned some new ones from readers too!

Thanks for reading! Denise Handlon--Thanks for the hug and the congrats! I LOVE the idea you had for the found money. I could see that being a major project though, but definitely something you could chronicle as you went along.

A project like that might even make the news. Strangely, since I wrote this, I haven't found more than a penny or two! But then, found money usually comes in cycles. Hope you find plenty along your journeys, and thanks again! I LOVE this article! My husband has a metal detector and on his days off work, that is how he spends his time.

You might also want to look under the bleachers at your neighborhood pick up games along with playgrounds. They are a perpetual gold mine. Sounds like your mother really had the gift! The fact that she had dreams about it even though she didn't actively look for money just proves she was a very lucky lady! About finding coins in stores, I have asked at stores before.

I don't know if all stores agree, but the ones here say that if it was not paid to them, then it is not their money. Because they are a business, the only money that really belongs to them is what goes into the cash register.

Of course, money left on the counter in those penny dishes to be used by anyone who needs a couple of cents, or the money in charity jars is not free to take, but if it is on the floor, it pretty much belongs to whoever finds it.

Hope that helps! If it still bothers you, you could always pick it up and add it to whatever collection jar is on the counter or nearby. And that is very awesome about finding the quarter. Maybe now that you are thinking of it more, you will have some of your mother's luck more often.

I was at a local festival last weekend, and almost as soon as I got out of my car, found a quarter in the grass. Perhaps my mother was looking down on me, and sharing her "dream" sequence. Thelma Alberts--I am glad you pick up dropped coins. I do indeed believe that they are lucky!

Happy money hunting and thanks for reading! I am glad you enjoyed and I hope it helps you find some extra money! Chris in VA--Wow! Someone definitely had a hole in their pocket. I don't think I have ever found more than a few pennies at the bank. The closest gas station to us has a casino next door. You would think those people would hold onto their money, but I find lots of cash on that parking lot.

Mostly ones and fives. I guess the big winners can't be bothered with chasing down small bills! Vinaya--Sorry to hear about that. I always believe in returning large amounts of money, or any money found in an area where it is likely that the owner is still there. Usually, they won't even take small change if you try to give it back to them though. I still think it was nice that you used your found money to do something nice for others. Thank you for reading! Funny how finding money can change a person's attitude.

Once my friend and I went "rock-hunting" and she made her year-old girl go with us. Coat pockets including the ones hanging in your closet. Old greeting cards may find a green bill or two in a card from Grandma. Old piggy banks. Just when you think you may be broke, take a good look around your living space and see what you can find.

Make a sport of it for the kids to see who can find the most change. Get into the practice of leaving collection jars in centralized locations like the kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, and bedroom to make future change collections much easier. Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links.

But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors. Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. Who knew there was that much money in the house?? Why not take your change to a bank and never pay a percentage?

Even if there isn't a branch of your bank nearby, Credit Unions generally do it for free. We convert our change into gc at Coinstar. It gives you a receipt that you bring to a teller to redeem for cash No fee at all. The title of this article " These are not practical or useful tips. This isn't a joke. Unfortunately this won't work at my house. I don't carry change on a daily basis and, in the odd event that I get change from a cash transaction which are fewer and fewer as time goes by , all my change gets emptied out of my pockets and into jars on my dresser drawer each evening.

Once a year it becomes a donation to a charity that I support. Of course, that doesn't stop me from looking for change that others have dropped. Desk drawers after people have moved to a different location and the floor around vending machines seem to be the best locations.

Love the comment Very funny! Coinstar charges 8. Alas, I am just a freelance writer who happened to see an article about what Coinstar is offering in the way of merchant gift cards I personally don't have experience with banks that will convert change via a machine.

All the ones around my way require rolled coin with your account number on it.