Stories of Kindness from Around the World

5 Things to do with Spare Change


--by papaya, posted Apr 17, 2007
Change is heavy, jingly, and annoying, so why keep it around in your wallet?

Here is a list of my top 5 kind things to do with pocket change:
  1. Cover someone's expired parking meter. It only cost you a few quarters, but it might save someone a $40 parking ticket.
  2. Put it in a vending machine, pay phone, laundromat, or any other service machine requiring change for the next person who comes along. Make sure you leave a note and a smile card so the person knows what you did.
  3. Just Drop It! Someone in need of a lucky penny will come along and pick it up!
  4. Throw it into a public fountain. The change from those usually go to a charity anyways. Plus, you get to make a wish!
  5. The next time go get an ice cream or a cup of coffee, leave your extra change behind with the clerk and tell them to use it towards the next customer's purchase. Trust me, it'll make their day!
Got any more?
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Readers Comments

tambu wrote: GOOD IDEAS THANKS.
AURELIA wrote: Papaya, great ideas. It's funny, I do drop pennys and hope they land heads up for someone who can use some good luck!!! Even little kids like to pick up pennys, and I think of them and smile imagining them seeing the sparkle on the ground and bending over to pick them up as if the pennys are gold!
optimist wrote: Another idea... in your workplace/school/whatever, start a "Jar War": different groups get different jars, and coins in your own jar are positive points, while bills are negative. The team with the most points at the end gets to choose where the money is donated to. I've seen a lot of money raised this way, and it's a great way to get rid of everyone's loose change.
samson95 wrote: Someone I work with had 2 deaths in her family. I dropped pennies every so often so she would find them..you know pennies from heaven...
:)
SmileMU wrote: I tried to put money in the parking meter of a random car that was getting a ticket. I asked the officer if I put money would she still write the ticket. Unfortunately, she said that was illegal? I gave the officer a smile card and explained what it was about.
She seemed disintested but at the same time she was on her job and she did put the card in her pocket.
akbj wrote: Those are great ideas. I like the one about leaving change for the person behind you at the coffee place, & the one about just dropping change so someone will find it. I know I have trouble bending down, but I still pick up change, & finding a quarter could give someone a smile. Feeding the payphone is cool too. All good.
*me* wrote: Yeah, like smilemu wrote, watch out about putting them in meters! Read about one lady who got taken to court for trying to help a stranger that was over his time.

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