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Friday, December 28, 2012

not quite a Sealed Pot Challenge

In January, lots of my blogging compartriots took part in a Sealed Pot Challenge. They did an amazing job. Truly amazing. All their loose change or spare bills here and there went into  a sealed off container to be opened in December and counted. What fun that must have been. Such self control to not peek.

I debated long and hard about joining and knew my coin counting nature could not withstand the year. I didn't want to break a goal before I even got started. So I rolled up my change at the end of each month and took it to the bank. It went to one of two places - towards debt or towards a savings goal.

It really added up, I have to say. Keep in mind when I use cash, all the change goes in there and not back into, say, my grocery jar. And being in Canada, the toonies and loonies can really add up.

 And I appreciated each and every little roll I took to the bank. Here is a snapshot of each month:

jan-$50
feb-$50
mar -$50
april - $75
may -$30
june -$37
july- $50
aug - $75
sept - $60
oct - $47.50
nov - $25
dec - 0

I checked my change today and I don't have enough of any particular coin to roll. I know I know I could take it into the bank and dump it in that machine and get a paper to take to the teller, but I just don't want to. I am such a type A when it comes to wanting and needing those perfectly filled rolls. So I will wait to January and count it for 2013.
total $549.50

Amazing how things add up - debt or savings.

8 comments:

Maura said...

Jolie: I'm with you on the sealed pot challenge. I would be peeking in to see how much was in there. I like the rolled coin idea. I usually wait till I have a coffee can full and them take it to one of those coin counters in the grocery store, but they take 9% so in 2013 I have vowed to roll it up.
Maura

Northern Living Allowance said...

Wow! Fantastic amount. It's amazing to think how much money your change actually adds up to. I know I think of "money" as bills, not coins, but you were the one who inspired me to keep the coins and roll them instead of spending them. I've currently got about $75 in rolled coins waiting to go to the bank (I'm feeling exceptionally lazy at the moment). I have to decide what to do with it, but will likely put it on my Visa bill. I bought a bed on Boxing Day and this amount will cover most of the delivery charge.

Louise said...

thats a really good amount! I like your idea of banking it monthly.
I'm participating in a $2 a day spare change challenge in a forum, similar to the sealed pot challenge but less tempting to peek and cheat as we are all aiming for $700

Sharon said...

You did awesome with the rolled coins! Isn't it amazing how quickly it adds up? Either way, sealed pot or rolled coins, savings is savings. I just made another sealed pot. My kids keep me 'honest' so I don't peak. I'm hoping to double my amount from this past year. Here's hoping!

Jolie said...

Maura - I have decided I just am addicted to rolling, and it's a good thing :-)

NLA - Congrats on the new bed. Those treats don't come around very often.

Louise - that sounds fun Louise! I hope you hit your $700

Sharon - with all the determination I have come to expect from you, I am sure you will make it to your goal.

Rose said...

Wow! Thats great! Especially that you keep track of how much you took in. I am going for the sealed pot challenge this year....i cant wait!

Jolie said...

Rose - you will do an awesome job with it!!

~Carla~ said...

That's awesome!! Hubby bought me my new lens for Christmas with his savings! Then he gave me the rest to put into the budget.... he had saved over $850!!! Then spent most on me... *blush*