Wow, this economy is killing coin hunting!

June 26, 2010: I haven't found much lately... I did score some pennies near the Vacuums at the Yosemite Shell... 22 cents worth. I've also found 10 dimes and 13 other penny finds since the last posting. Not much else, unfortunately.

Total finds since last post: $1.35
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $1,040.83

I've been finding very little money.

It seems that with the economy in a shambles and the insane amount of jobless people out there that everyone is making sure they don't drop coins. I used to find so much more than I have of late. All that has been found since the last post is 2 quarters, 9 dimes and 2 pennies for a total of $1.42 -- very discouraging for a change finder.

Total finds since last post: $1.42
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $1,039.48

A coin find update.

February 27, 2010: I haven't found many coins of late but here a list of the total finds and a few oddballs.

Ajay found a five dollar bill at the Best Buy in Cerritos, CA
22 pennies
5 dimes
2 nickels
1 1961 Silver U.S. Dime
2 canadian Pennies
4 Euro Cents
1 Singapore 10 Cents Coin
1 bathroom Token

Total finds since last post: $5.82
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $1,038.06

Note to all Readers: Since I started my bookstore, I've become busy with the daily runnings of the shop and have had little time to posts on the Found Money Jar blog but I do keep up with logging my finds in a personal journal. All finds are accurate "to the penny." As for values for silver and/or foreign coins I've come across, I don't add their face values to the total amount found. I will only add their recouped values to this amount should I sell them. As a general rule, I don't sell my silver coins. The total amount found includes an actual accounting of current U.S. Circulating copper-clad coinage and Federal Reserve Notes

Finally 2009 is over! Live free or Die!

December 31, 2009: I never thought I would be happy to see a year end but I truly am. 2008, 2009 were complete disaster for me financially but somehow I'm still here. I feel a great sense of accomplishment in my survival skills and coping with economic depression has refocused my desire to create wealth. Today, I feel it's much more important to be self-reliant and self-sufficient than it is to make the kind of paycheck that can afford someone else to take care of my needs for me. I make less now than when I started my adult working life but I muddle through and feel good about it. Many Americans today are experiencing the first time in their lives living with less and making do. I believe it will lead to many new business creations and inventions as we all tinker with stretching our precious dollars. There are many complex problems to solve before us. The government efforts to stimulate the economy have largely failed and therer is no trickle down of stimulus to the bottom rungs of our society. We are losing more and more of our freedoms each and every day with new regulations and higher taxes. Here in California, the car registration fees and sales taxes are crushing whatever disposable income the poorer masses have while a credit crunch is causing defaults as we husband available cash resources to survive. The Question for 2010 will be HOW DO WE AMERICANS TAKE BACK OUR COUNTY AND RETURN TO OUR CITIZENS A SENSE OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY?

Total finds since last post: $1.20
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $1,032.24

Hey, big finds in the prior six weeks!

On September 30th, while attending a big sale at the Simi Valley Goodwill where I "cherry-pick" the good books sometimes for my Oddfellow's Book Shop, I found $18.00in the parking lot.

On October 10, I found a $5.00 dollar bill at the CVS store in Simi.

On November 12, I found 23 dimes and a penny in the coin counting machine at the Von's on Yosemite Ave.

On November 16, I found a $10 bill in front of the Simi Valley thrift shop on L.A. Ave.

Last Sunday, I found 9 quarters in the L.A. Times vending machine coin return shoot near the Carl's Jr. on L.A. Ave.

Also, found 2 quarters, 5 dimes, a nickel and 20 pennies in various other some finds since my last post.


Total finds since last post: $38.81
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $1,031.04

Recycling Update!

September 29: I have been experimenting with making drop-offs at a weigh-only center for our recycling that it nearer to my daughter's school. The attendant will handcount up to 50 bottles or cans for a manual receipt. This is rather slow but at least you get full value for the deposits. I've made several trips as it's location is along our way to pick-up my daughter from school and not much extra gas is consumed in the process. I've reduced my stash to the tune of $9.45 and I've added this amount to the B&C Fund.


B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected: N/A
Collection for the month: 366
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 683
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,411.80 (Running Balance)

Money finds!

September 29: Yesterday, I found a nickel at the Thrifty Gas Station on Tapo St. I also, found a penny on Eileen St. where my bookstore in located. Today, I found three pennies at the Wendy's on L.A. Ave.

Total Found: 9 cents

Total finds since last post: $.09
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $992.23
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected:2
Collection for the month: 177
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 317
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,402.35 (Running Balance)

Well, It's been a while. An Update!

September 25, 2009: Just thought I'd update the blog as it's been a while... I was planning to bring this back to regular everyday post but I've become quite busy with running t he book shop. So, here's a post of a few finds to update the FMJ:

1. I found a single dollar bill in a hardback novel that I purchased for the bookstore's inventory.

2. I found a single dollar bill along the street infront of Ajay's school.

3. I have found 16 sixteen pennies in various locations through out Simi Valley.

4. I found a nickel at the rancho simi tennis courts in August.

5. Ajay found a $5 dollar bill while shopping in Porter Ranch with his mother.

6. I found a quarter whilepumping gas at the Yosemite Shell station.

We turned in $8.85 in recyclables since the last post.... I haven't had much time for taking in the recycling since starting the business as my store hours conflict with the hours that the recycling center stays open. So, I do have a lot of "stash" to turn in... maybe next week.

Total finds since last post: $7.46
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $992.14
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected:0
Collection for the month: 30
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 317
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,393.50 (Running Balance)

During the Hiatus...

The FMJ is now back on schedule.... during the time off we found $23.70 with a twenty dollar bill scooped while strolling the main street in Carpenteria a few Sundays ago. Also, found a single dollar bill at the Yosemite Shell Station.

Another significant find was 3 quarters laying just outside the carwash at the Shell Station.

As for the Bottles & Cans Fund, we have turned in 29.25 during over these last two months.

So, here's the new tally:

FMJ
This Day's Money Finds: $.11
This Month's Total: $23.70
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $984.68
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected:0
Collection for the month: 30
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 317
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,393.50 (Running Balance)

The New Found Money Jar

July 21, 2009: Beginning today, I'm restarting the Found Money Jar. I just completed the buildout of Oddfellow's Books and have had the shop open for business since June 23, 2009. We're not seeing significant sales as yet but we are seeing increasing visits to the shop and our daily sales are closing in on our "half breakeven point." I was not expecting to hit breakeven in the first six months and do expect to lose money for the first 18 months. What do we need in sales to break even each month? Without hiring anyone, our fixed expenses are running $1,045.00 per month. In the first few months, our overall cost will be higher due to printing and signage costs. We're starting a coupon advertising campaign next month further increasing our overall expenses as the schools start their fall semesters. Hopefully, with school back in session, our sales should rise.

Why restart the FMJ? My daily routine is beginning to be more settled so I have time now to devote to my eccentric hobbies. I did keep a tally of all finds during the time away. I found a twenty dollar bill and 8 quarters ... about $25.00 in total. The new FMJ will include the old tally and a separate tally for all new finds.

So, come back tomorrow if you're reading this a see the new tally posting. I found 77 cents today while vacuuming the Jaguar at the Yosemite Ave. Shell station. So, there's my first daily post... ENJOY!

What happened to the FMJ?

Well, it's been like a month or so since our last daily posting. Yes, we've been slacking. But, it was all for a good cause. In the last month, I moved into a new house for a rental savings of $625 per month and I secured a lease for my new business venture -- Oddfellow's Books. I'm opening a bricks & mortar book store at 4374 Eileen St. in Simi Valley, California. We plan to sell novels, first editions, self-help and How To advise books, as well as DVD videos and compact discs. I'm building bookcases and arranging store on a daily basis to get ready for our opening later this month. I can't wait to open the store and meet new friends through the shop. Life is about experiencing change -- nothing better than a new business to create new times in your life. After almost 4 years of not working and tending to my children, the kids are bigger now. They're well grounded in their California lifestyles. It's about time to do something new and exciting... I'm ready for the challenge.

Once things settle down a little bit, I'll get right back to posting on this blog. I have found a few bucks and have kept a fair record of the finds. Until then, wish us luck!

Andy
www.oddfellowsbooks.com

FMJ - Day 1108

April 12: I found two pennies at the ARCO gas station on Orangethorpe in La Palma, CA.

FMJ - Day 1107

April 11: I found three quarters resting in the coin return slot of an L.A. Times vending machine in Cerritos, CA.

FMJ
This Day's Money Finds: $.75
This Month's Total: $1.57
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $960.98
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected: 1
Collection for the month: 22
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 287
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,364.25 (Running Balance)

FMJ - Day 1106

April 10: Ajay and his mom scooped a quarter in front of Brent's Deli in Westlake Village. That's Mommy's first find of the year.

FMJ
This Day's Money Finds: $.25
This Month's Total: $.82
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $960.23
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected: 7
Collection for the month: 21
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 286
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,364.25 (Running Balance)

FMJ - Day 1105

April 9: No Money finds for a second day.

FMJ - Day 1104

April 8: No Finds.

FMJ - Day 1103

April 7: I found a dime at Ralph's on L.A. Ave.

FMJ
This Day's Money Finds: $.10
This Month's Total: $.57
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $959.98
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected: 2
Collection for the month: 14
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 279
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,364.25 (Running Balance)

FMJ - Day 1102

April 6: I found a dime at the Von's and four pennies in front of the Wendy's on L.A. Ave.

FMJ
This Day's Money Finds: $.14
This Month's Total: $.47
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $959.88
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected: 3
Collection for the month: 12
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 277
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,364.25 (Running Balance)

FMJ - Day 1101

April 5: No Finds.

The long walk home!

April 4: After lunch at California Pizza Kitchen with my family, my wife and kids left for Cerritos to visit with Mayma. They spent the night... I had to play in a team tennis match on Sunday morning so I decided to stay home. I let them leave me at the Simi Edwards theater where I saw the movie, MISS MARCH. It was RAUNCHY! After the movie, I began my six mile walk home. It took 3 hours with a stop for dinner at Sharkey's Mexican on Sycamore Ave. I found 2 dimes and a penny along the walk.

FMJ
This Day's Money Finds: $.21
This Month's Total: $.33
Total Found Since January 1, 2000: $959.74
B&C FUND
This Day's Bottles & Cans Collected: 4
Collection for the month: 9
Bottles and Cans in 2009: 274
Bottles & Cans Fund: $1,364.25 (Running Balance)