We like to have fun around here. But sometimes the fun stuff costs money, especially with six of us. So we created the fun jar.
Since we make a habit of always spending cash we tend to accumulate lots of change. We took an old flower vase and began putting our change into the jar. The plan was to gather enough change to do something extra fun. Not the regular fun stuff like swimming or hiking or movie nights but bigger.
Pretty soon the kids decided to put their pennies in there. It became a fun game as we dreamed about what we could do with the money. The kids would pull it down from it's resting place above the wall oven and count it every time it looked a little fuller. The anticipation was as much fun as the day it was actually full. And on that day we dumped it out, counted up the loot, and the full jar equaled $324. We got a motel and went to the beach for the weekend.
Now we're filling it up again hoping for a trip to Great Wolf Lodge. We might need two jars for that one.
For more works for me Wednesday tips go HERE.
16 comments:
awesome idea Gayle!
We have a 5 gallon jug we are saving up for wdw someday! At the very least it will be spending money while there.
What a great idea! I'm sure everyone appreciates the expense a bit more when they helped foot the bill!
We do this too. We do lots of little trips ad such with ours.... ho fun indeed!
That's awesome! We'll have to try that. I never would've guessed you could accumulate so much in change!
-Heather
Ours is a very large football shaped Eagles bank my husband received as a gift years ago. We just started this but plan on putting coins in during the year and emptying it on December 31st every year. Then we'll take a quick weekend trip to one of the timeshare places near us before tax season starts in full.
Great idea! I just wanted to say, I know you've been a part of First Class in your area. Down here in Vancouver our First Class was able to get a few dates for our group to go to Great Wolf at great prices. They did it in the spring and coming up this fall. I'm hoping they will do it again maybe next spring and we will be able to afford to go.
It's usually a Sun/Mon and this time the cost was $99 plus fees for a family of 4 and $149 plus fees for a family of 6. Just thought I would mention it. I wasn't sure if your co-op had done anything like that or not. It was for any homeschoolers so even if they don't you could probably tag onto ours if they did it again. :)
Love your site. Made your broccoli pasta last night, but w/ egg noodles-it was a hit.
I don't want to inconvienience you but I have a question. What kind of ground beef do you buy? Leaner and higher priced or Fattier and cheaper?
Thanks for all the great tips.
Shan
I buy fattier and cheaper and just make sure to drain and rinse the meat after browning. I don't buy the fattiest, it usually stays in the 85% range.
We do this also. Who would have guessed counting change could be so much fun!
Thanks,
Shan
Hey we do that too- ours currently reads NYC or bust! :)
We saved our change for years in one of those tall plastic Coke bottles--robbed it a little here and there--but eventually filled it to the top :) However, when we tried to pick it up, the bottom started giving way. We rolled it into our suitcase w/wheels and took it to the bank to the change machine--we called to let them know that we were coming to deposit not to rob them--and if you deposit it, they don't charge. We had almost $850.
Wow, that would hardly get you a day trip to Rehoboth, DE, Wildwood NJ or Ocean City, MD. Hotel rooms close to the beach are super expensive, food prices are average and its free to walk to Boardwalk but some beachers in New Jersay require you to purchase a beach pass. You are lucky to live near a beach that is affordable.
What an incredible idea. That way the kids are involved in the saving also. Thanks!!
We do this! We bought our first computer with our first "change jar"! Our second "full" jar was our spending money on our honeymoon in Mexico. It really truly does add up. It's 12 years later and we still save our change. Sometimes it's just pizza money, sometimes something bigger but it's ours and we appreciate watching it grow! Our 4 year old stalks around the house scavenging change to put in his piggy bank. Apparently we teach by example. LOL He even says to Grandpa (who does NOT save his change) "Grandpa, is that change I hear in your pocket?" That one is not an opportunity waster! LOL
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