Ahoy there, mateys! Welcome aboard me ship! I be but the humble Captain Stephanie, steering me vessel toward untold treasure! Actually, me treasure map came by email from Coinstar, but it be a treasure map none the less!

So hop aboard, and I’ll sail us round the dangerous water of… um… my house. And we’ll dig us up some treasure! You’ll be needin’ yer own copy of the treasure map, if yer ta be my first mate, ya scurvy dog! … Ok, I really can’t do this any more. I’m not as well-versed in “pirate” as I pretend to be. There should really be a Google translator for this. Anyways, here’s the treasure map:

1. Grab your lucky penny, drop it in your jar, and proceed to the front door to begin your hunt.
Take: $0.01

2. 71% of Americans find change in cups, jars and other containers. Leave no cup unturned.
I left no cup unturned… but I didn’t find anything, anyways.
Take: $0.00

3. Don’t forget the most obvious spots – your pockets and handbags are places many accumulate coins.
Take: $0.50 in my jeans from last night, and $2.66 in my change bag in my purse.

4. “Bank” on finding a large portion of your treasure in the most practical places – 50% of you keep you change in a “Piggy” or other kind of bank.
My family is all about the change jars. I have three, and my mom has two. My main change jar is an old glass half-gallon milk jug. I also have a smaller mason jar for quarters, and another mason jar for Canadian change. I’m hoping to fund a trip to Canada entirely out of Canadian change some day! While counting that, I found some British change in there as well – it really threw me off, since they both put the Queen on their money. Dear Canada: Stop confusing me!
My mom also has separate jars for quarters and smaller change.
Take:
Milk jug: $16.90, and $0.21 Canadian
Quarter jar: $0.50
Canada jar: $4.51 Canadian, and $0.26 America (sneaky money!)
Mom’s quarter jar: $31.00 and $0.50 Canadian (which I kindly moved to my Canada jar for her)
Mom’s loose change jar: $5.70 and $0.01 Canadian

5. Don’t give up, 18% of Americans find loose change in random places scattered around their homes.
I even checked under the fridge (ew), but didn’t find a thing.
Take: $0.00

6. Would you have believed that 19% literally sit on their stash every night?
I believe it, but I must be in the other 81% – nothing in the couch.
Take: $0.00

7. You might find more than junk in your drawers, 33% revealed they find spare change hiding there.
My mom just organized our junk drawer, so no change there.
Take: $0.00

8. Among the dryer sheets and lint balls, 36% of us find the cleanest of the coin in the laundry room.
I believe the close proximity of the laundry room to my mom’s room is why I didn’t find any change there!
Take: $0.00

9. Before making your getaway to your local Coinstar Center, sweep the car and you’re boung to find even more treasure.
Yep, I carry the family habit of hoarding change in my car.
Take: $2.60 and $0.01 Canadian

The email this treasure map came with stated that the average household is hoarding about $90 in change – so how did I measure up?
Final take: $60.13 and $5.24 Canadian.

That’s actually far more than I thought I’d find, considering it’s only been a few months since I last rolled up my loose change and took it to the bank. So if you include that money from February, I beat the national average with $101.63.

Hmm… only $5.24 Canadian? I may have to rethink my strategy for saving up for that trip…

So, ye scurvy dogs, do you have what it takes to take this treasure map and hunt in yer own stormy seas? If so, post yer booty in me comments!

Oh, School House Rock! A staple of my childhood. Actually, these School House Rock shorts I found about money seem to be newer than the ones I watched “back in my day,” so I’d venture to say they were made in the last ten years. Still, they’re very good, so show them to the youngin’ in your life. Or watch them for yourself – I won’t tell anyone. Just don’t blame me if they get stuck in your head!

Where the Money Goes (Family Budgets)

$7.50 Once a Week (Allowance)

Walkin’ On Wall Street (Investing)

Bash.org, if you’re not familiar with it, is one of those sites that’s “not for anyone under 18… or over 18, for that matter.” It’s a collection of user-submitted quotes from IRC, ranging from “purely stupid” to “stupendously hilarious.” I didn’t expect to find anything personal finance related there, but sometimes even sites like Bash can surprise you.

#743428

culturejammer: you know what pennies are AWESOME for?
culturejammer: throwing at cats
culturejammer: it only costs a single penny
culturejammer: and they’ll either chase it, or get hit by it and look pissed off
culturejammer: i now use that system to value prices of things
culturejammer: for example, a thirty dollar game has to be at least as awesome as three thousand catpennies

I can’t really recommend you throw pennies at cats (although, my brother does it, and it’s pretty friggin funny), but I do recommend you pause and think about money as it passes out of your hand, and whether or not the value of your purchases matches the amount you’re paying for them.

Happy April Fool’s, everyone! I’d try and play a trick on you, but honestly, I didn’t think far enough ahead to plan anything. Instead, I’m going to give you some advice: don’t let anyone fool you into paying for things you don’t need, or even worse, things that don’t exist! Listen to this hilarious recording of a guy trying to trick a young woman with made-up car repairs.

I would hope no one reading this would fall for “headlight fluid” or anything like that, but if you’re worried that you might get ripped off by a mechanic, then simply take a trusted friend who knows a lot about cars with you when you take your car in.

And remember, tires are interchangeable, left to right and front to back!