I cashed in my coins yesterday. If I'm remembering correctly, I last cashed coins in sometime during the first week of November, so about 17 weeks ago. The total came to $46.98, so about $2.76 per week.

I kept $40 out as cash, and applied the $6.98 toward my pickup loan. The previous loan balance was $901.01, $0.81 went toward interest (last paid March 1), and the remaining $6.17 went toward principal.

I must have cashed coins in a little more frequently 4,5, and 6 years ago, because it seems like I'd get $20-$25 each time I cashed them in. Lately I've been cashing them in, and getting between $30-40 each time, and +$45 this time. I'm a little bit less desperate for cash now, and that's a good thing.

Since the credit union where I cash in the coins is also the same place where we have our vehicle loans, I've always applied the change to a vehicle loan. In the past, I had always applied just the change to the loan - or if I had cashed in $23.68, I applied only the 68 cent to the loan. Now, I'm only taking the multiple of $10, and applying the rest to the loan. Another sign that I'm a little less desperate for cash.

What I really should start doing is to try to accumulate less change. $2.76 per week isn't really that much, but when it accumulates to almost $47, it kind of is a lot.

My (depression-era-raised) grandfather used to carry a change purse in his pocket. I was always horribly embarrassed when he would, at a snail's pace, count out the exact change for a bill at a parts dealer or gas station.

But, as far as that goes, I do a lot more transactions with a debit card or credit card than Grandpa did, so I have fewer opportunities to accumulate change.

Really, a few bucks a week change accumulation is not a big deal. At all. But, it just seems that it would be better if I didn't accumulate much change.