What my children love most about my wallet is that I always have change. Like most kids they have a fascination with change and money and love to carry it around in their “purse” (for Ava) or piggy bank. And while your kids may love all your extra change too, if you do not find a way to utilize this change it really is like wasted money. The abundance of change is a definite side effect of the cash/envelope system. So what do you do with all that extra change? If you are a woman, it just makes your purse heavy, and if you are a man, it’s not that fun to jingle while you walk. You want to value your money, and that includes the change, but sometimes the abundance of change can make you frivolous with a “Just keep the change” attitude.
The plan that Matt and I have come up with is a change jar that we use as a saving jar for our anniversary. This gives all of our change purpose, and keeps us from being frivolous with our extra change. Every year before our anniversary we take the change jar and deposit it into our bank and then use that money towards a really nice dinner/ date or whatever we have planned for our anniversary. I have a friend who uses all of their change and divides it and puts it toward their children’s college savings plan each year. Whatever you choose to use your change toward, just give it a purpose and your change will all of a sudden have value to you and consequently you will be amazed at how it will grow.
So every few days, I just empty my wallet into the change jar. I usually keep 2 quarters, 2 dimes, a nickel and a few penny’s in there just in case. I don’t mind that it comes from my grocery money, because it’s not much to me right now and it is going to a great purpose. Matt keeps his change in a cubby in his car, or in a bowl on his nightstand and I just empty them into the change jar every few days (and yes he knows that I am doing this). Whatever plan works for you is wonderful, but the key is to give that money a purpose. That way the next time you are “jingling” while you walk, you won’t be thinking how irritating change is, you’ll be thinking what a great anniversary dinner you’re going to have with your wife!