All frugal homes should have a change jar. I firmly believe this. I made a change jar for Donnie’s and my first apartment eight years ago, and we’ve been using it ever since. It is an absolutely effort-free way to accumulate a nice little stash of “extra” money.
Whenever we pay for something with cash (which is almost always), we toss the change in the jar. When the jar is full, we cash it in. That’s all there is to it. Not exactly rocket science. Yet the cash from the change jar has always been a blessing. Over the past few years, we’ve used the change jar money to make charitable contributions, bolster our savings, and have a little extra spending money on vacation. During our younger, broker days, we often used money from the change jar to buy groceries or pay bills.
Seeing firsthand how much benefit can be reaped from such a miniscule effort is what leads me to believe that even the smallest changes can yield big results. You don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to become more financially secure. It’s possible to save thousands of dollars a year by adopting just a few frugal habits. You can overcome debt, build savings, and consume less of our earth’s precious resources while still having a wonderful, full life. You can get the things you really want, without borrowing against your future. And the best part is, you can start making those small changes today.
There are a million things you can do, right this very minute, to get started on the road to financial freedom. Turn down the heat. Clip a few coupons. Resolve to make dinner at home tonight, and really do it. Or, just put a few coins in a jar. Whatever first frugal change you decide to make, do it today, and don’t ever look back.
Originally published December 2007.
Whenever we pay for something with cash (which is almost always), we toss the change in the jar. When the jar is full, we cash it in. That’s all there is to it. Not exactly rocket science. Yet the cash from the change jar has always been a blessing. Over the past few years, we’ve used the change jar money to make charitable contributions, bolster our savings, and have a little extra spending money on vacation. During our younger, broker days, we often used money from the change jar to buy groceries or pay bills.
Seeing firsthand how much benefit can be reaped from such a miniscule effort is what leads me to believe that even the smallest changes can yield big results. You don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to become more financially secure. It’s possible to save thousands of dollars a year by adopting just a few frugal habits. You can overcome debt, build savings, and consume less of our earth’s precious resources while still having a wonderful, full life. You can get the things you really want, without borrowing against your future. And the best part is, you can start making those small changes today.
There are a million things you can do, right this very minute, to get started on the road to financial freedom. Turn down the heat. Clip a few coupons. Resolve to make dinner at home tonight, and really do it. Or, just put a few coins in a jar. Whatever first frugal change you decide to make, do it today, and don’t ever look back.
Originally published December 2007.
3 comments:
I don't use cash much, but when I do, I toss my coins in a jar.
My bank doesn't have a coin-counting machine (can you believe that?) so I take my coins to a CoinStar machine.
It charges $0.089 per dollar, but if you opt for a gift certificate to an online retailer such as Amazon instead of getting a voucher for cash, they waive the fee.
When I was a kid, I used an old decorative wine bottle as a repository for all of my pennies. The bottle was about four feet tall and the neck just big enough for pennies, not quarters. When I finally cracked it open (actually knocked it over and broke it) there was $125 dollars in it. Just pennies.
I want a kitschy cute little piggy bank to store my change in like $1 and $2 coins, etc...
But I like the idea of saving little bits of money here and there
Fabulously Broke in the City
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver...
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