“You’re saving up for something special?”, the bloke behind the counter asked me,
“Not sure, maybe…” I said in reply.
On a whim I bought a money box today.
I haven’t had one for many years.
First there were the plastic pigs you eventually hacked to pieces.
And later, there was the more grown up “miniature bank” you could more simply open.
Even at university, I’m sure I had a money box. Never much money. But a money box, nonetheless.
And for the last ten years or so I’ve been collecting coins in plastic take-away contains.
I have five of them on my kitchen benchtop – 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 – in which I place loose change until eventually I have enough to make a visit to the bank.
I used to love the “counting machine” my local branch used to have, which swirled around like a merry-go-round, and which both sorted the coins and gave you a final sum.
It’s not as interesting these days to go to the bank, as they simply weigh the coins. Boring… :)
“How much do you think it will hold?”, the bloke asked me. He suggested maybe $900 or $1000.
“No idea”, I told him.
And I guess that’s part of the appeal of my new money box. It’s quite large, and will need a can-opener to retrieve the contents.
One day when it’s full – or I need cash – I can’t wait for the thrill of going to the bank with my freshly opened money box and seeing what’s inside.
And when I know how much I have, I’ll decide what to do with it.
Unlike saving for a specific project, this one has brought out the child in me again, I think.
i’m a money boxer too! been though all kinds-my favourite being a silver cube one with the alphabet you could actually open but I secretly like those clay pig ones you can smash. recently I saw my niece with a donald duck one I had as a child from disneyland- it still had an aussie 20c piece or something stuck in it! those stupid money boxes were only suitable for miniature american coins I think! I tend to collect the 50c pieces and sometimes the $1 and 20c for the different designs. Also went through a bit of a 50c Diana collecting phase after she died thinking they might be rarer.
A mate of mine told me he recently cashed in $207! How cool.
My Mum used to collect “special” coins – commemorative 50c pieces, shiny new $2, keeping them in various jars and dishes. It was her painless way of saving a bit extra.
When I moved to the country, she gave me a box filled with saved coins – handy change, “just in case”. It must’ve been a few hundred dollars, which was handy, but more than that it was uncounted days of saving, putting a bit aside.
Good luck with your saving, Jamie x
Wow what a lovely story. This is my approach to saving also. It’s a little bit here and there with no specific project in mind. It’s painless, and a bit of an adventure too. Every time I have a dollar, in it goes.