Your Spare Change Could Fund Your Next Trip

Edited by Jennifer L. Price

That once seemingly insignificant pocket change can go far beyond the downtown parking meter and turnpike toll booth, and enable an otherwise neglected summer road trip or in the case of Scottsdale, Arizona native Bill Becker, pay for an exotic cruise for two.

Becker had been collecting his spare change for some time - 15 years to be exact. He recently decided to cash it in on 7/7/07 at his local Phoenix Coinstar Center to partake in a free coin counting promotion. He arrived with a large glass jug and several bank bags of often-forgotten change, which cashed in for a whopping $2,125.73.  When asked of his plans for the money, Becker confided his intention to splurge on a cruise in the Mediterranean or Baltic Sea with his wife in celebration of her retirement.

Becker is not alone – other travel stories from consumers who have cashed in their change to pay for vacations often include:

• A family in Tennessee used their spare change to pay for a vacation to Disneyworld
• A girl in Texas used her saved change for a fishing trip to South Padre
• A couple saves their change each year to put towards a Hawaiian getaway
• A family used their change to pay for a trip to the San Diego Zoo
• And several others have used coin to upgrade airline seats and hotel accommodations

According to Coinstar, it is estimated that the average American household has $90 of loose change hiding in jars, drawers, couch cushions, and other forgotten places – that's at least an upgrade to first class, a deluxe suit upgrade at select hotels, sport utility rent-a-car and upscale dining.

So, search through your home and see what you can come up with.  What would you do with an extra $90 for your summer travel?