Late Night Stop at Fresh and Easy Nets Two Pennies

Tonight I watched two of my grandkids. I took bacon and waffle mix and my waffle iron. Guess what we had for dinner? Yes! Bacon, waffles, and berries. Tomorrow is Waffle Iron Day after all! 

On the way home, after 9 I decided to stop at Fresh and Easy.  When I was leaving the store, I scoped out the self-serve change trays and found a penny! Then in the parking lot next to my car I found another penny! Yay!

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination:  2 pennies

Year: 1995, 2001

U.S. Mint:  D, D
Condition:  both are tarnished, one is worn sort of smooth
Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $6.84

Found Eleven Cents at Sprouts

Today I went to volunteer but about halfway through, the power went off. We had to stop and wait for the power to come back on so we gabbed awhile. When the power did come on, we were told to wait and let the computers rest. So we did. We gabbed and gabbed. Then the power went off again so I left. I can take a hint.

I went to Ace Hardware to get a house key made then went to Sprouts for fruit and vegetables. When I went to check out, I spotted this penny by a check out lane that wasn't open. Then in the lane next to me, I saw this dime. Yay!

I was beginning to wonder when I'd find another coin or bill! 

Are you staying cool? Finding any money?

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination:  1 penny, 1 dime

Year: 1998, 1994

U.S. Mint:  D, D
Condition:  both are kinda dirty
Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $6.82

Two Dollars in the Mail -- Not Really Found Money

Today I waited to walk up to the mailboxes to get my mail until around 9 p.m. It's hot. Right now in Arizona it's 94 degrees F. At 11:35 p.m. Yuck.

But when I got back inside with the two pieces of what looked like junk mail, here's what I found:

That's right! Two dollars. Crisp, new dollar bills. I don't get money (actual money!) in the mail very often. I debated whether to call this found money but decided, no. It's not. I mean, I opened the envelope and found it but it was delivered to me. Addressed to me.

It's from Arbitron, radio and TV ratings company. They sent a survey for me to fill out and send back in. For 2 bucks, sure! And supposedly they'll send me $5 more! We'll see.

But I had to share this fancy, new never used money with you. It won't be going in my found money jar. It'll go in the my wallet.

Have you found any money (even like this) lately?

Found 26 Cents Today!

Today I found 26 cents! First, I headed over and volunteered then went to the bar where they're holding bottle caps for me. As far as I knew, I hadn't found any money.

Then I went to the post office, the real post office because yesterday I went to the small annex post office in the gift store where I usually go. I needed to mail something internationally that I sold on Etsy but was informed that I could no longer hand write the customs form! The clerk said I had to go online to the USPS Web site, fill in the form online, print it out, and bring it back to the post office. Somehow I was also supposed to magically know how much the package weighed so I could type that information into the form too. Since I had the package with me, he weighed it, but come on!

I was livid! I don't have a postal scale, just a big girl scale that doesn't show ounces, so I gritted my teeth and got online, signed up for a USPS account, filled in the form, printed it, and went today to the regular post office instead of the annex to see what they'd ask for. Come to find out, the annex does require customs forms to be printed (not hand written), but you can still go to a post office and hand write a customs form. Wonder which genius dreamed up this new rule?

So, if you come across the need to mail something internationally, you've been warned. I like going to the annex post office because the lines are never very long, but in the future I'll go to a real post office if I have to ship internationally. 

Then I went home. Relieved to be in out of the heat. 

Then I remembered I needed to go to Sprouts for some fruits and vegetables. Wednesday is their double ad day meaning that last week's ad and the coming week's ad are honored, so I can always find lots of stuff on sale. I ventured back out and stocked up on produce. When I was walking up to the front of the store to pay, I spotted a penny on the floor.

Then I got home and washed the bottle caps. When I spread them out to dry on a towel, I found a quarter! So, I'm keeping it. They save the bottle caps for me a big glass jar, and I bet some inebreated gentleman tossed it in there, so woo hoo for me!

What about you? Found any money lately?

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination:  1 penny, 1 quarter

Year: 2003, 2001

U.S. Mint:  D, none
Condition:  okey doke
Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $6.71

Found Money! 21 Cents!

Today I got an email saying a DVD I had reserved was in at the Scottsdale library. I didn't want to get out in the heat but wanted the DVD (Foyle's War, Season 4). So, I drove over there and went to a thrift store first. I found one of these dimes there.

Then I went to the library, and the DVD wasn't on the hold shelf. After talking to two librarians I found out that the DVD case was available but no DVD was inside. Crap! So, they reordered it for me. Oh well.

Then I stopped at Fry's for a few groceries. While walking around the store, I spotted the grungy looking dime first then the penny! So, I'm happy that I ventured out. Twenty-one cents. Wee ha!

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination:  1 penny, 2 dimes

Year: 1974, 1967, 2002

U.S. Mint:  D, none, D
Condition:  range from shiny to grungy
Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $6.45

Found a Nickel in the Parking Lot

I hadn't been out much today. It's 7:48 p.m. as I type this and the temperature is 102 °F. See why I've stayed in today?

But I had to scoop the litter box (I had to, trust me!) and take it out. While out there, I roamed around the parking lot a little and found this nickel!

I'll be making something this with spice tin soon so had it handy to pose the nickel next to.

How's the weather in your parts? Is it keeping you inside or is it lovely?

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination:  1 nickel

Year: 1989

U.S. Mint:  P
Condition:  still shiny after all these years, but dinged up and scratched on the tails side
Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $6.24

Found Two Pennies and Bottle Caps

Today after volunteering, I checked in at a bar in the complex that said they'd save bottle caps for me. I'm making some crafts that need a lot of bottle caps, so was thrilled to get a bunch! Yay! The bartender had a jar where she'd been saving them and I had a bag with me so me so we transferred them to the bag. If I get this many each week, I should have all I need soon!

Then I headed over to Dollar Tree for some envelopes and 9 other things (I spent $10 plus tax). I didn't find any money there.

Then I went to Fresh and Easy. As I was checking out, I spotted a penny on the floor under the check out lane. Then as I was leaving the store, I looked in a couple of the change trays and found another penny! Woo hoo!

Have you found any money lately? 

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination:  2 pennies

Year: 1994,1999

U.S. Mint:  D, D
Condition:  both tarnished, but one is one very tarnished
Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $6.19