People are so careless with their money...

[2ndGenGranola]

We made a quick trip to the corner drug store this morning and by the time we were out of the parking lot my kids had collected $1.05. I just wonder how much people could save a year if they were not tossing pennies and other coins? If they want to keep tossing the coins, my kids will be happy to pick them up!!

[Darlene]

Ya, people are nuts. As I aways say, I accept bills too if they want to toss those.
Glad your kids had a profitable treasure hunt.

[Libby]

I agree...a penny is a penny and they do add up. The way I see it, its my time and effort to pick it up, its now my reward. DF used to drop change by accident and not bother to pick it up b/c it was less then $0.25. I always went around picking up after him (his pocket had a hole which has been sewed shut) so at the end of one long errand day, I had $3+! (enough to buy us 2 coffees at the drive thru) He was dumbfounded. Now he doesn't comment when I stop to pick up or look at something 'shiny'. Heck he'll even point them out to me sometimes.

What really gets me is how people can accidentally drop a looney ($1 coin) or twoonie ($2 coin)! WTH its CASH!!

Great lesson for your kids - be on the look out for free money

[frugal.lass]

People might not be tossing coins. I found out that the change purse part of my wallet can lose coins. There's an expandable section on one side of the zippered change pocket and, even if its zipped, if the expandable section is folded a certain way, coins can slip out (really hard to explain). I've been using this wallet for years and never really questioned why I always seemed to have random coins in my purse (I do sometimes just toss my change in my purse if I'm in a rush and don't want to dig out my wallet). It was just a few months ago that I figured out what was going on because I was carrying my closed wallet in my hand and all of a sudden $6 worth of coin was dropping all around me. I KNEW I had zipped it up but when I looked at it, I saw where a coin was beginning to come out and figured out what had been happening the whole time. I have no idea how many times I lost money without realizing it because I couldn't hear the coins hitting the ground...

Pockets and purses can have holes, people might think they pushed all their change into their wallet and accidentally have dropped a coin...I don't think its as if people are deliberately throwing money on the ground. Lucky for your kids though!!!

[madjen]

My Grandma taught me to never pass up a penny (or any other $) on the ground. I think on Black Friday alone she got close to $2 in change! I only found a penny! lol

Last summer on a walk, I found a $20 and then later in the summer my DH and DSS20 found a $50. Paid for the oil change, lunch & had $ left over that day.

[HappyMama]

How about the equivalent of 36.00 an hour?

36.00 an hour picking up penny
Did you realize that if you stop to pick up a penny, you've just made the equivalent of $36 per hour?It takes about a second. 60 (seconds in one minute) x 60 (minutes in one hour) = $36.00]That's a decent wage!

[pollypurebred39]

Do you know where the most change is "lost"? At car washes! The car carpet sweepers suck up lots of change and even bills, and jewelry. A fortune in a full sweeper canister.

[savvy_sniper]

I have pointed out change on the ground to my YOUNG nieces and nephews and they said it wasn't worth the trouble to pick it up! I have seen my husband's grown niece throw pennies on the ground because "they weren't worth anything"!

I pick up change ALL the time. I have also found paper money in my life time - several $1's, a $5, a $20 AND a $100. I have picked up close to $1 in the last 7 days.

BELIEVE ME, it adds up!

[frugalfranny]

If they want to keep tossing the coins, my kids will be happy to pick them up!!

And if they don't pick them up..........I WILL!!

Find a penny
Pick it up
All day long
You'll have good luck!!

Don't know where this came from; but I also quote it when I find money.

[akolb]

well we've been putting all of our change into a change jar for a little over a year and we are almost up to $400!!! This is our cruise fund. Hopefully for my birthday next summer...

Just FYI, a pound of change equals about $13 if you want to estimate your change jar.

[shoiji]

I always get excited when I see a nickel or dime on the ground. Feels so as if I really hit the jackpot compared to the pennies I always pick up.

[Contrary Housewife]

I don't toss money away either, but sometimes I do drop coins that I can't find. If I can't see it immediately, with a quick look I don't bother getting down on the floor to find it. My knees just can't handle that. 5 or 10 cents isn't worth the pain, and I'll happily let some kid with sharp eyes take the prize.

I used to pick up pennies in college. 50c would buy me a bowl of soup at the cafeteria, and some days that was the only thing I could afford to eat.

[TheresaRHPS]

Do you know where the most change is "lost"? At car washes! The car carpet sweepers suck up lots of change and even bills, and jewelry. A fortune in a full sweeper canister.

When I was little, my uncle owned a chain of car washes (well, 2, lol). My grandpa, a depression era tween/teen, LOVED it. My uncle gave him the keys to everything...so a typical day out with my grandpa always included going around town to the two car washes and "cleaning" out the vacuums. I was always amazed at all the stuff that came out of those things! My grandma received several nice pieces of jewelry that she knew never to question where they came from, lol.

[mauimagic]

I am definitely not too proud to pick up any change or paper bills on the ground!!

[mndtrp]

One of my coworkers always has change, and always throws the nickles and pennies at other coworkers. Once he leaves for the day, I go around and pick them all up. Easily a buck or two a week.