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I got an email today from coinstar.
https://www.coinstar.com/NewPartners

Just thought I would share with those of you who use Coinstar.

I noticed the new options when I dumped a bag of zinc in the CoinStar machine at my grocery store recently. The grocery store's gift card was no longer available unfortunately. I ended up getting a gift card for The Home Depot instead.

Is one of them cash?

I don't understand why anyone would use a coinstar. You can open a free Christmas saver account at a td bank and use their machine for free. I also get bonus foreign coins just about every time I dump.

DaMangRon wrote:I don't understand why anyone would use a coinstar. You can open a free Christmas saver account at a td bank and use their machine for free. I also get bonus foreign coins just about every time I dump.

Coinstars are slow and have extra hoops to jump through to avoid fees, but not everybody has the luxury of a coin counter at the bank. There aren't any local banks with self-serve coin counters around me. I find it much easier to buy sorted coppers when I need them than to run around sourcing and dumping pennies.

When TD took over BankNorth (years ago) the branch didn't get a coin counter. Fact, I never found a counter in any TD bank I went to. However, I did however get a good premium on the BankNorth stock. I never use coin star. I'd rather hand roll.

In the Syracuse area of NY it appears only Solvay Bank and Empower Federal Credit Union (EFCU) have coin counters. The Solvay Bank one is slow and clogs/jams often. The newly discovered EFCU one is fast and EFCU has a better (B+) rating from Weiss Ratings compared to Solvay Bank (B). What used to take 1/2 hour to 45 min now takes 5 to 10 min at EFCU. Good bye Solvay, Hello EFCU.

All of the banks around here require coins to be rolled. No coin counting machines available for dumping. Some credit unions have CoinStar machines available and discount the fee for members or even waive the fee if certain membership criteria is met. But the machines are from CoinStar and are just like those in other retail locations so there is no getting around dealing with the slow machines when it comes time to dump. To avoid excessive dumping at your local credit union you have to sometimes turn to using one of the other CoinStar locations and settle for the best no-fee gift card option available.

Wow..I guess I'm just pretty lucky to live in the tri state area. There are 10 td banks within a 30 min drive from my house. I actually go to a different one every time I need to dump coins just so I can scrap the magnet for free Canadian money...lol

Check with area credit unions. You can also do small dumps in self serve Walmarts.

DaMangRon wrote:I don't understand why anyone would use a coinstar. You can open a free Christmas saver account at a td bank and use their machine for free. I also get bonus foreign coins just about every time I dump.

There's no TD in my area, nor any other banks with coin counters for that matter.

It truly is a game. This bank charges to get coin, one charged 10% per roll. I have even told me if they give me any rolled coins they will not be able to make change.

Coin Star here charges 3-7% depending on the day. One bank will count it if I deposit it only. One credit union will only take it in rolls. Another credit union will take all I want, but it is 30 miles out of my way.

Bet we all have tales.

Do the cards coin star gives work ok?

The cards that I have received from CoinStar machines have all worked okay so far. Many are actually printed vouchers that the retailer accepts like a gift card. Some options are actual gift cards dispensed by the machine. The Starbucks option is an actual gift card from the machine as was the Albertsons gift card that is no longer an available option. I sure do miss being able walk into an Albertsons grocery store with a bag of zinc pennies for the CoinStar machine and walk out with a cart full of groceries.

I thought it was 9.8 everywhere. But found this from there site...

For the Coins to Cash™ service in the United States, we charge a 9.8% coin processing fee. Fees may vary by location. Some retailers or financial institutions may subsidize this fee. Free coin counting is available at most locations in the United States if you convert your coins to a nationally-branded gift card or eCertificate via the Coin to Card™ option.

It's 9.8 here in Tucson AZ

I have three PNC banks within a 5 mile radius that have coin counters for free use to account holders. There is a $4 fee for accounts under $400/month. Non-account holders are charged 5% for dumping coin, but still cheaper than coinstar for the cash aspect.

DaMangRon wrote:I don't understand why anyone would use a coinstar. You can open a free Christmas saver account at a td bank and use their machine for free. I also get bonus foreign coins just about every time I dump.

Not all of us are lucky enough to have even a bank that has a coin counter natch.

RichardPenny43 wrote:I got an email today from coinstar.
https://www.coinstar.com/NewPartners

Just thought I would share with those of you who use Coinstar.

Yep, companies I either rarely go to, or won't go into for whatever reason. Great marketing strategy Coinstar!! *sarcasm*

I love stirring up the coinstar debate!

I would never use coin star because I just roll my own and take them to the bank, but Staples, Red Robin, and IHOP all sound pretty good. And Bass Pro means you could turn pennies into ammo!

I use Coinstar for Amazon gift cards - I buy a ton of stuff there. I would be interested in a Bass Pro card.

I've noticed the companies listed for zero-fee gift vouchers are different depending on where I go... like at my Wal-Mart Coinstar there isn't much selection, but at the grocery store there are several screens to scroll through, including Amazon, iTunes, etc. Wonder wh

Zincanator wrote:I've noticed the companies listed for zero-fee gift vouchers are different depending on where I go... like at my Wal-Mart Coinstar there isn't much selection, but at the grocery store there are several screens to scroll through, including Amazon, iTunes, etc. Wonder wh

Maybe Walmart doesn't want to encourage competition with other retailers

cooyon wrote:

Zincanator wrote:I've noticed the companies listed for zero-fee gift vouchers are different depending on where I go... like at my Wal-Mart Coinstar there isn't much selection, but at the grocery store there are several screens to scroll through, including Amazon, iTunes, etc. Wonder wh

Maybe Walmart doesn't want to encourage competition with other retailers

Yup. Walmart has a strict no-competitive-presence policy. They even restrict what the Subway and McDonlads restaurants that are in the stores can give away. You won't see any options even remotely competitive to Walmart (no Sears, no Staples, no Amazon, no grocery, no Lowes, no Home Depot, etc).

I use Coinstar to dump occasionally. For me, it is always Fee-Free Amazon or Chili's. I have a lot of dump options with coin machines. I just feel like it is nice to give them a break every now and then.

Wow, interesting, who knew.

I'd be so happy if CoinStar machines would spit out an actual "Gift Card" and not a receipt with redemption code. I'd save a s-load on Christmas and birthday gift cards I'm always buying for the extended family.