So, about 9 years ago I bought this Coca-Cola bottle shaped coin container that measures about 24" high from Meijer in Bay City Michigan. I had these great aspirations of filling it with change and when finally full, go on this huge vacation.

Well at some point I figured I would just add pennies to it, since I like to play poker and the silver always made it way to poker parties.

So after nine long years, I managed to fill the thing about 2/3 full. It weighed a ton. As a result of the pennies and being moved about 5 times between houses and states, the bottom gave out. So I figured I would cash in my fortune and see what I could do with it.

I went to my credit union which had one of those way cool change counter machines and promptly overflowed the basket. Anyway after about 20 minutes and with black, metallic smelling hands, I carried my receipt over to the teller to deposit my wealth.

I handed the teller a receipt for $78.91.

Wow. My grandiose vacation has turned into... well... a trip to the next town over, a nasty hotel and McDonald's for dinner.

Sure, I could have filled the bank a little faster, but with credit card and debit cards anymore, why pay cash. After all ATM's charge you to take out cash unless you go to one of your bank's machines. So essentially, "Cash costs money." Further devaluing pocket change.

There also doesn't seem to be much that you can buy for less than a dollar anymore. Any pop machine charges a dollar or more. Some offer pop for less than a dollar but they're hard to find.

Really the only opportunities for me to spend pocket change in my regular day to day life is; vending machines, the gas station (candy bars and junk), and poker. I don't buy candy bars. They are not terribly healthy, I prefer to buy jerky at the gas station. It's low in fat, and who doesn't like meat?? And with poker anymore, all the people I play with have chips, so we just buy in with cash.