Friday, February 23, 2007

Today I found $1.73 . . . 3 nickels, 5 dimes, 3 quarters, and 33 pennies (The Close to $500 Change Cycle).

The day started out slow, but I did manage to find seven cents (all pennies) in and around a change counting machine at Kroger, a local grocery store. I went there after lunch, with my co-worker Jennifer, in hopes of finding some change. While I scooped up pennies Jennifer looked for flowers for her grandmother, who had a birthday today.

On the way home from work I stopped an a no-name car wash along FM 1960 and hit the jackpot, 83 cents (one nickel, four dimes, one quarter, and 13 pennies). The quarter was under a soda vending machine and the majority of the pennies were sitting in an oily pile.

Taking some advice from Brian I did decide to check a Sonic, where I found 14 cents (one dime & four pennies) and the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash, where I found 12 cents (two nickels & two pennies). No bias towards Brian’s prediction, which is for tomorrow, but I was on a roll and wanted to hit some usual spots since I was on a roll.

The final stop, and big hit for the day, was JR’s Car Wash, where I found 57 cents (two quarters & seven pennies). One quarter was on the ground in a car wash station, the second quarter was in the coin return slot of an adjacent car wash station, and the pennies were scattered about on the ground.

In the evening, shortly after midnight, I made a post office run and did manage to find some additional change. I won’t spoil the surprise, and even after the change I’m not at $500, but I predict big things for tomorrow!

Totals for the day: $1.73
Race Totals: $499.86