Looking for change -- the loose kind
In August we reported on a New York family that's built a sizable savings from money found on the ground. Kai Ryssdal checked in with Scott Humphrey and his 5-year-old daughter to find out where their nest egg stands now.
Hand holding coins (iStockphoto)
More on The Economy, Odds And Ends
TEXT OF INTERVIEW
KAI RYSSDAL: We can usually tell what stories are going to generate the most e-mails from you. But one that did this year was kind of a surprise. It wasn't about the bailout or the market troubles or the election -- although it was about change: Hunting for nickels and dimes on the sidewalk.
Back in August our reporter Sally Herships met up with a family in New York City that's built a sizable savings, all from money found on the ground. We got part of the Humphrey family, Scott and his 5-year-old daughter Karen, on the phone to find out where their nest egg stands now.
Scott, welcome back to the program.
SCOTT HUMPHREY: It's good to talk to you.
RYSSDAL: How long have you guys been looking for money now?
SCOTT HUMPHREY: We actually started about two years ago, off and on. The change pot really started to kick in last year. We've collected, I think the last time we checked it was a little over a thousand.
RYSSDAL: Put Karen on the phone for me would you.
SCOTT HUMPHREY: Karen. Just tell them that you -- what you do.
Karen HUMPHREY: We pick up change on the floor and we, and we find change at the mall.
RYSSDAL: And where do you put it, Karen?
Karen HUMPHREY: In the change pot.
RYSSDAL: Can you actually pick up your change pot? Or is it too heavy?
Karen HUMPHREY: It's too heavy.
RYSSDAL: Alright, good. Let me talk to your dad, would you?
SCOTT HUMPHREY: OK, OK.
RYSSDAL: Hey Scott, where is all the money now? What are you guys doing with it?
SCOTT HUMPHREY: My wife put it in ING.
RYSSDAL: ING -- it's in the bank.
SCOTT HUMPHREY: Yes, compounding interest. I think we're up around $1,200 or $1,300.
RYSSDAL: When you found out how much you were saving, I mean, how did things change? You know, nickels and dimes are great, but when you start getting up to $10, $20, $30, $40 in the bank, you really sort of start thinking about it differently, don't you?
SCOTT HUMPHREY: We became a lot more fiscal. When we would do our shopping, we'd be more conscious of what we were doing. And it actually kind of turned into a recycling thing. Because when we're around the neighborhood we find that we're not only picking up change, but we're picking up, you know, we're help beautifying our neighborhood where we live at in Staten Island.
RYSSDAL: Yeah and, which is great, but do your neighbors ever look at you kind of funny?
SCOTT HUMPHREY: Oh of course! One of my neighbors -- he walks the three dogs -- he goes, "What are you doing?" I said, "I found a nickel." He goes, "It's only a nickel." I said, "Well, for you it's only a nickel, for me it's $1,197.25." And he's like, "What?" And I told him, and he's like, "You did not!" But I'm like, that's OK, you can think I'm nuts and when I'm on the plane flying to Hawaii we'll see who's nuts.
RYSSDAL: How much longer do you think you're going to keep this up, or are you going to do it forever?
SCOTT HUMPHREY: I'll probably do it forever. I'll probably incorporate my kids with it, because when they move out they can start theirs -- it'll be like change pot part 1, change pot part 2. When my kids start learning how to blog, we'll probably have them start their own.
RYSSDAL: Scott Humphrey and his family look for change wherever they go. We did a story on them back in August. That blog he was mentioning, you can find a link to it on our website, it's Marketplace.org. While you're there you can listen to the story that Sally Herships did for us. Scott, thanks a lot.
SCOTT HUMPHREY: Thank you very much. You have a wonderful, Happy New Year.
Comments
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From Hillsboro, OR, 01/01/2009
This past summer I had fun doing something similar. I rode my bike into the countryside near my home "looking for treasure" or in this case cans and bottles with a nickel redemption. I also looked for abandoned fruit trees and other forgotten resources. There were so many delights and surprises in doing this, that each day felt like a new adventure. I am middle-aged and middle class, so this wasn't out of financial need. It was an exercise to see the what abundance is all around us but is unseen in a world of excess. The reaction of fellow bike riders was often to ask if I was okay (thinking, I suppose, that my bike might be broken down at the side of the road). I always said with a grin, "I'm fine, I'm on a Treasure Hunt!" While I didn’t bank a thousand dollars, seeing my home environs through new eyes was priceless.
From CA, 01/01/2009
I was interested in this story as I drove home today, especially since I read about a similar change collecting story in the Sacramento Bee this week at http://www.sacbee.com/159/story/1504931.html
It's surprising to think of how much treasure is available...just for the effort of picking it up.
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