Coinstar kiosks located in Stop & Shop are offering a No Fee option when you chose the Stop & Shop gift card option. This is something that appealed to me because we were in need of a large shopping trip and we had a container full of change.
Saving money is an important part of working together as a family. We have a jug that we each put change in. I knew that Coinstar machines were conveniently available in local supermarkets but the idea of losing money when converting money did not appeal to me. In the past, we have brought our coins to a local bank that does not charge when you you use their machine and have an account.
I first learned of the No Fee Gift Card option while participating Collective Bias shopper insights study. Learning about the No Fee Stop & Shop gift card was appealing to me because I thought it would be a valuable lesson for my daughters to participate in. As important as it is for them to see us deposit the money in the bank, I thought it was equally important for them to see how much money we had saved and then to shop and see what the gift card would help us purchase.
Even with three children surrounding me, we were able to follow the directions on the kiosk screen and convert our coins for a Stop & Shop gift card. For detailed pictures of our experience, please visit our Google + story.
My girls enjoyed using the Coinstar machine because they think that I was more lenient in allowing them to make some food choices that I might not usually allow. I told them that by saving the money, it enabled us to purchase some items that we would like but normally do not choose. They were excited to pick out some fun baking items, cookies and a novelty ice cream. They said they would have to start saving coins right away again so that they could go on another spree.
Being a busy family, we hadn’t done a large shopping in awhile. While at Stop & Shop, we stocked up on necessities to fill up the refrigerator and pantry. As a working mom, I know that sports season is upon us and I would not have the weekend time I needed to grocery shop. I wanted to have enough in the house so that it would be easy just to do a quick run for milk, bread and eggs on the busy sports filled weekends.
So now, our coin jug is empty. The experience of savings needs to begin again. We will have to decide as a family what to do when our jug starts to get full. I do like the idea of having a Coinstar machine conveniently located in the store so that we only have to make one stop. I do like the idea of keeping all my money and not being charged for using the kiosk. I’m not sure if I will always want to get a Stop & Shop gift card when our coin jug is full, but I do like that Stop & Shop offers the no fee option to its shoppers.
I shop in Stop & Shop. I also shop in other local supermarkets. I use my fliers and online sales to help get the best value for my family. Savings and specials help me to make the choice of where to do my family’s shopping that week. I like shopping at Stop & Shop because they offer a variety of options for my family – healthy options, locally grown, baby needs, and our favorite, John’s Cavatelli. Other nearby supermarkets do not carry this local favorite.
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I have been paid (at Coinstar’s request) to try and blog about Coinstar’s products/services as part of a Collective Bias shopper insights study. All opinions are my own.
I love this idea that you get to keep literally every penny that is counted and can use it directly in the store. I’m sure everyone has loose change lying around and it adds up very quickly. I will certainly be using this in the near future.
I need to do this with our change jar! It really ads up!!
I had no idea that you could get a gift card without losing any of the funds. We always take our stuff to a bank because we hate paying the fees. Maybe we’ll have to start using the Coinstar now!
I never knew about the gift card option! We’ve always avoided Coinstar because of the fees. I might have to give it another try now!
This is great news to know you can get a gift card and skip the fees! Yay! I’m going to have to try this out! Thanks for the scoop
I neve knew of the gift card option. I have tons of change in jars all over the house. I am planning to do this soon! I think even a young preschooler can learn how saving money helps to buy things! Thanks for the tips!
I checked out coinstar a while ago at our local grocery store and was saw that they charged a fee. I’m too frugal ever to turn in my change for a fee, but I’d totally do it for a no-fee gift card.
To save that 7% would be great. I always go to my bank
so great you got your kids exciting about saving and that you were able to show them the benefits, too.
When I used Coinstar, the Stop & Shop gift card was unavailable. I was totally fine with getting an Amazon gift card instead, but it would have been nice to splurge in the grocery store with the gift card and buy treats we normally wouldn’t purchase.
It’s amazing how many people don’t know about the no-fee gift card option!
I used it today and turned by money into a gift card for Starbucks and the best part is I can add to a card i already have, saving some plastic!! Thanks for the post!!