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Find "Extra" Money Challenge!

5K views 43 replies 17 participants last post by  Libby 
#1 ·
I liked the thread about finding extra money "this week" and decided that since it ended, to start another challenge. This week find extra money to put towards your savings goals or your debt payoff goals. Find the money by selling something, returning aluminum cans, making money, returning something, etc.

I found $30 in my change bank yesterday. I will deposit that into my bank account and use it towards our IRS bill which we will pay in Nov. I have no specific amount I want to "find" but will go with anything at this point!
 
#3 ·
i also love this thread also. Yesterday i found 2.00 in bills and then i found some change that i will put into my change jar. i am thinking of selling a pair of shoes i have never worn and a jacket that is in excellent condition.
 
#5 ·
Maine Girl, sell those things! They are just handing around gathering dust. Sassyclass, I found 2 cents yesterday and popped them into the change bank. (that's the only money I found yesterday!) Every penny helps.

Today I may have "found" $3300! We owe the IRS money in taxes but i recently found out I can file an amended return for 2008 even though we bought our house in 2009. My accountant will do it free of charge!!! I am so relieved because this has weighed heavily on my mind.
 
#7 ·
I like this thread. I'll look for extra money tomorrow.

I have a change jar that my husband and I keep putting our change into but I'm seriously going to look for "extra" money to put into our savings, since our savings is so small.
 
#9 ·
Today I forgot my lunch at home (all nicely packed and in the fridge). I spent $6.35 to get some lunch. Darn. Negates anything I do.

OK, I think I may have found about $300 in my checkbook. I have noticed that there seems to be a bigger balance than what I have written down. I went through the last 6 or 7 weeks this morning and subtracted, etc. I don't know when the balance crept in and all but 2 checks have been cashed. I don't quite know what to think about it. I don't balance my checkbook but I do look at things on a weekly basis and figure out what came in, etc.

Any suggestions?
 
#10 ·
Could it be a deposit you forgot to add in? A figure that's been written in wrong? I've got the same problem in the opposite direction right now of about $255 only to the banks good. Have to sit down and figure it out. Don't have any idea where it happened.
 
#11 ·
I'm going to try and sell some cloth diapering stuff that we don't use to make some extra money.
I'm also thinking about selling off my maternity clothes now instead of waiting until a consignment sale in March because I'd really like to have the money (and space) now instead of later.
I want to put it toward savings since we don't have any right now and that makes me very uneasy.
 
#12 ·
I took a few small things this week to church consignment in a historical building run by volunteers. One thing I have noticed there is a LOT more inventory there. So much so, that they opened up a bigger selling floor area. And you used to be able to take 20 things in at a time. Now they have new forms and you are only able to take in 10 things max each week. I asked her why and it's because they are getting a lot more people bringing in things. My response was....well the local economy is bad as we all know. More people looking for a few extra dollars where ever they can find them.

In NY, we will now have a 5 cents deposit on water bottles, under 1 gallon size. Means a few more people might be checking out the residental recycle bins. I have seen people on trash days in the city, with a bicyle and cart, picking out soda cans from the recyle bins. They have a regular route. Our newspaper even did a story on one guy and how much he made doing this.
 
#13 ·
I used to take cans out of bins when we lived in Calif. years ago. My neighbor saw me doing this and started giving them to me but I was a bit embarrassed.

I found 27 cents today on the desk at home. My rule is when I find change around the house, it is mine! I put it in a special can that we have and in a year I count it up and write a check to a charity (about $10-15). So that is where the 27 cents went.

In Aug. we got our 2 seniors pictures taken and I put a deposit of $35 each down. I don't want to pay $200 each for portraits when you can get them at JC Penney for $30-40 each. I am going to call and try to get the money back. Don't know if we forfeit deposit if we don't order, or what.

On a different note DD17's car may need a new transmission. Car isn't worth saving if it costs that much. don't know what we will do. She doesn't have the money and I was hoping to keep it going until she goes to college in the Fall. Then sell the car and give her that money for books, etc.Augh!
 
#15 ·
Mahalo for starting this thread up - I need it to be focused 'cause then I always find money!!

There is change all over the house and in my car that I need to get collected and in our change jors - we both have been really sloppy about this lately. I have noticed that our quarter jar is almost empty - we have been using it for necessities - thank goodness we had it!! Now to fill it up again!!
 
#16 ·
Yesterday, when we were cleaning off our covered porch and storing things in the basement for winter, I noticed we have some nice camping gear that no one really uses. I might sell that. I also found DD17's bike that she no longer uses. Maybe that would be good to sell too? Who knows.

Other than that possibility I don't see any way for found money. We had family over and I spent so much money on food that I am thinking I will go over the food budget. Darn! (see signature).
 
#18 ·
I took some ones I had in my purse and put them in an envelope.

I don't know where I'll hide my money. My husband is back on his money mismanagement kick. I'm ready to pull my hair out.

I'm gathering a few things to sell on ebay. I know someone who will consign my items. (I honestly do not have time to fool with ebay.)
 
#20 ·
Well, if it's your money and you forget about it, and then remember it - does it count? Maybe this is un-lost money.

A couple of weeks ago at the library a woman owed us $2 for a fax, and had a $10 bill. We don't keep change here - the auditors apparently go nuts if they think there is actual money in the library. So I gave her $8 of my own for change and left a day worker a note asking her to get the bill changed so could get my $8 back. We both forgot about it. Friday I remembered, but too late to do anything about it.

She said to e-mail her a reminder so I can get it. Done. Should have it Wednesday when I come back to work. It will save a trip to the ATM (I'm down to change), which will increase what is left for savings at the end of the month.
 
#21 ·
Wow

Love this thread, after reading it and all the little change everyone found, I noticed .16 cents in my desk drawer. Guess thats going home to the change bin! YAY:applause:
 
#22 ·
I received a reimbursement check from work for $38.00. I'm going to put that in my "hidden" envelope. I should be getting another check soon.

We are reimbursed for the snacks and items we buy for our students. We have a "store" called The Diamondback Den. They earn points then use their points to buy snacks and the items. It is part of their incentive/reward system. They love it! They keep a ledger like a check book with their debits and credits. It's really cool.
 
#23 ·
I have received no money. None, nada, zip. BUT, I teach at a community college and I saw 10 cents lying on a cafeteria table. I have often found pennies lying in places. Purposely left since they aren't worth anything to the younger generation. I didn't take it but the attitude annoyed me. I should have taken it and put it in my "charity" change bank. Any money I find around like that i put in that bank. I have over $12 since last year.
 
#24 ·
I'm a penny-picker-upper, and it also irks me no end, as another poster said, that some people think they're not worth picking up. I don't track how much I pick up, but maybe I should.

The most money I've ever found this way is a $20 bill, and I've found $5s several times. I did once "find" $50, but I saw who dropped it, and had a heck of a time chasing her to give it back. It was in an extremely crowded area, and I've wondered to this day if I got the right person :) .
 
#25 ·
Found 43 cents when I was cleaning an area of the LR and popped it into our change jar!!
 
#26 ·
I love finding pennies lying around! It is sad people think they are not worth anything. I always pick up change. Whether it is on the floor, sidewalk, parking lot, etc.

One year a friend of mine saved all her change she found from our daily walks. At the end of the year she had found $35.00. Just from picking up change on our walks! I always joked with her that she watched out for change more than cars.
 
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