I thought that sounded like a fun idea. So I decided to do my own experiment, and I immediately began putting all of my found money in one place. (I also started to be vigilent in my search for coins, something I never did prior to this experiment.)
If you've been to my apartment, you may have noticed this folded paper version of a NYC Bus. It's a piggybank I got from the Transit Museum. I used this flimsy little bank to house my 2009 found money:
Finally, 2009 was over. And yesterday, the day after New Year's, I opened it up to see what I had collected:
And then I counted it - It came to a total of $27.96. Not bad for money I found on the streets (Note: that 20 dollar bill was actually found in a bar in Williamsburg - my biggest score of the year!)
But I knew there was more *free money* I had collected over the course of 2009. I turned to my Quicken program and ran a few reports to see just how well I fared over calendar year 2009.
First, I ran a report for the total amount of money I received from my credit cards in the form of rebates: $477.88! Quite a hefty sum - especially considering I pay zero dollars in service charges, late fees, interest or other card fees. (I am totally on top of my paperwork and never pay fees of any kind.)
Then I ran another report to see how much more "free money" I had collected over the course of the year - in the form of coupons and other rebates. It was an additional $352.00! Nice!
My found money ($27.96) + Credit Card Rebates ($477.88) + Coupons & Rebates ($352.00) = a total additional income of $857.84 over the course of the year! Not bad for doing next to nothing!
I have restarted my "found money" bank for 2010 and of course will continue to (obsessively) track my money in Quicken. This year I am going to aim for $1000. I have $100 so far, thanks to my Netbook rebate. Only $900 to go!
9 comments:
Wow - that is amazing the additional savings over the year.
Can you explain abit more re the rebates and coupon savings for us outstide of the states???
Thanks
Lisa in New Zealand
I've thought I doing something similar. Maybe one of my pretty jars or vases can be for found money.
We check our light rail ticket machines now, as one time we were buying tickets and I noticed a bunch of dollar coins in the change return, $6! Funny how some people are in such a rush; their loss my gain. =)
LPM
Wow! That's an old twenty dollar bill. Do old versions of paper money appreciate in value the way coins do? If so, hold onto that!
I saw a similar blog post and have started same. Your point about the credit / bank accounts is spot on -- that's where the real money is. Well done
How fun!!
What a great outlook...
You're so inspiring!!
xox
That's really not a bad haul at all for *found* money.
What kind of netbook did you get?
Q
Pinky- I use credit cards that either give periodic rebates for use (Amex & Chase) and occasionally, there is a tie-in with NYC Transit for transit rebates (10 back for every 150 you spend in a certain time period). Whenever I see those posters, I sign up for the program and make sure to use that card for that time period so that I qualify for the max (usually 50) refund.
QI- My netbook is a gateway from Verizon. It was 200. The plan is 60/monthly.
I don't spend my change throughout the year. I throw all my change in piggie banks instead of spending it to have "exact" change anywhere. This year I had saved almost $150 in loose change I never missed not having!
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