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How to avoid paying Coinstar 9% of your change.

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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:29 AM
  #1  
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Default How to avoid paying Coinstar 9% of your change.

http://duggmirror.com/mods/Get_Around_the_Coinstar_Fee/

Background

Recently, CoinStar started a campaign where they won't charge you any fee if you turn your coins into iTunes gift cards, Amazon gift cards, or Virgin mobile cards. The machine doesn't actually give you any cards, but rather PINs which can be typed in on the sponsor's site and redeemed for their value. This works because the CoinStar machine has the power of the internets.

How to do it

This is really quite simple. Follow the directions as usual, but when it asks how you would like your money, make sure to pick the iTunes gift card. After it counts all of your change, the machine will ask you how much of your money you want as a gift card and how much you want as cash. Go ahead and set it all to gift card. Now, before proceeding, you need to find a way to unplug the phone jack from the back of the machine. I'm lucky because the wall phone jack for my local CoinStar is at about shoulder height right next to the machine.

Now the poor machine is in quite a pickle. It already has all of your change, and it can't give that back to you. It can't give you an iTunes card either. It could give you cash, but it's not going to lay that 9% fee on because you obviously didn't agree to that when you put your change in the machine. What can it do? Give you cash for FREE. After a few minutes of trying, it will simply give up and just give you a slip which can be redeemed for cash at the store customer service counter.
I also heard that if you do get an itunes pin instead, you can exchange it at customer service anywhere they sell itunes cards for cash. Good to know
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Pete
http://duggmirror.com/mods/Get_Around_the_Coinstar_Fee/



I also heard that if you do get an itunes pin instead, you can exchange it at customer service anywhere they sell itunes cards for cash. Good to know
so bassically launder the $? through i tunes and save the 9%? thats alot of trouble for 9% of some change....
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by lil_1_2002
so bassically launder the $? through i tunes and save the 9%? thats alot of trouble for 9% of some change....
Not if you're cashing in $300 in change. That's $27.

There are also some places that will count your change for free and cash it for you:

http://www.theunderstory.com/index.htm
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by lil_1_2002
so bassically launder the $? through i tunes and save the 9%? thats alot of trouble for 9% of some change....
you drop in $200 worth of coins, that's $18. doesn't seem like that much trouble to me to keep from getting ripped off.

however, i imagine this "bug" will quickly get fixed, given that it's now on the internets for all to see.
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:36 AM
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and now that it has been posted across the web that trick won't last very long at all.
__________________
"I'll keep my money, guns and freedom. You can keep the "Change."
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:37 AM
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take it to my bank and only get charged 2% FTW


too much work to save a couple bucks
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:38 AM
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I just think that 9% is ridiculous to count my money for me. Especially when there are places that will do it for free. I'd rather count the money and roll it all myself.

Originally Posted by rebeld
too much work to save a couple bucks
I dunno, I am always trying to save wherever I can. Especially now more than ever with a kid on the way.
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:41 AM
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Thankfully at my store the Coinstar is flanked by a very heavy instant lotto machine and the ice cooler.

I'm sure some moron will try to slip between the machines and try this. Most banks have these types of machines anyway and don't charge as long as you deposit it into your account.
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by rebeld
take it to my bank and only get charged 2% FTW


too much work to save a couple bucks
I take it to my bank and get paid 2% apr for putting it into an account
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Old Feb 5, 2007 | 11:47 AM
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Commerce Bank + free coin counting = win.
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