39 Best Places to Find Spare Change (At Home & in Public)

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Finding loose change probably isn’t going to make you rich, but you’d be surprised how many coins get lost or forgotten in places you walk past every day.

I’ve found change around grocery store checkout lanes, parking lots, vending machines, and plenty of other places simply by knowing where to look.

And that’s before searching your own house, car, couch cushions, old clothes, and junk drawers.

If you’re wondering where the best places to find spare change, I’ve put together 39 of the best places to look.

Some are inside your own home, while others are public places where people frequently drop or forget coins.

Keep your eyes open, because those pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters can add up over time.

Where to Find Loose Change

If you’re wondering where to find loose change, start with places where people frequently handle cash or empty their pockets.

Some of the best places to find loose change include checkout lanes, vending machines, parking lots, laundromats, car washes, sidewalks, drive-thrus, bus and train stations, and underneath seating in public places.

At home, check couch cushions, old clothing, your car, laundry room, junk drawers, old purses, and underneath furniture.

If you’re specifically finding loose change in public, pay attention to areas with lots of foot traffic or places where people regularly use coins.

Just be sensible about what you pick up and don’t take money that clearly belongs to someone nearby.

Where to Find Loose Change in Public

The best places to find loose change in public tend to be busy areas where people frequently take money in and out of their pockets.

Some of my favorite places to check include:

• Cash register and self-checkout areas
• Vending machines
• Coinstar machines
• Parking lots
• Fast-food drive-thrus
• Laundromats and car washes
• Bus stops and train stations
• Parking meters
• Movie theaters
• Sporting events
• Restaurants and bars
• Gas stations

I’ve personally had good luck around grocery store checkout lanes.

Usually, it’s only a penny, nickel, or dime, but I find coins there surprisingly often.

39 Best Places To Find Spare Change

#1. Look Under Your Couch Cushions

If you have a couch where there’s a significant dip between the cushions, or your seating cushions come out, chances are that there’s a lot of stuff that’s been forgotten in there over the years.

If you’re looking for where to find spare change, this is one of the top places to look.

Take out the cushions or run your hand along the insides to see if you find any cold, metal items in your couch.

No matter what type of change you’re looking for, it’s not odd to find the random penny, nickel, or dime in your couch cushions.

Who knows, you may even get lucky and find a few quarters while you’re digging in there!

#2. Check The Pockets Of Old Clothing

Old clothing is one of the top places where we might forget our own coins.

This is especially true for things like paper cash, where we might stuff it in our pockets, only to take our coat off and forget this change until the next time we put that same coat on.

No matter where you store your jackets or winter clothing, take out these items and rummage through both the exterior pockets and the interior pockets.

When you’re looking for spare change, you should also make sure to check the closets or drawers where these items are stored in case the change has fallen out.

#3. Look Under Beds And Other Large Pieces of Furniture

Change that rolls under heavier furniture like beds and dressers isn’t found because we don’t move these items around or look under them very often.

If you’re looking to do a deep clean of your home anyway, thoroughly check under heavy furniture and beds in your home to see if there’s any change you can cash out.

Even if you don’t find much, you’ll still take care of one of the things on your to-do list that you can cross off for another year. 

#4. Take A Peek Inside The Lint Trap Of Your Dryer

The lint trap of a dryer doesn’t just capture the lint from your clothing.

Because change is so heavy, coins don’t actually typically fall into the lint trap with the rest of the debris captured by your dryer.

Instead, they may fall down to the bottom.

Now, in your quest to find loose coins, you don’t want to disassemble your dryer.

However, taking a look to see if you can spot any coins that you can drag up towards you may help you get your hands on a few extra coins to cash out later.

Just make sure you clean them off and check to make sure there isn’t any extensive damage that makes them unusable. 

#5. Check Your Washing Machine

Odds are you are more likely to find coins in your dryer than your washer, but this isn’t to say you never will.

So give it a quick look and if you have a top load washer that has a spindle in the middle, be sure to not only look all around that, but also under it too.

There is a small opening underneath that some coins could get stuck in.

#6. Do A Thorough Sweep Of Your Car

Like the couch, the car is an excellent place to find change because there are so many crevices where change could fall into.

When you go to check your car, look under all the seats and check to see if there’s any change lodged in between the seats

Also look in obvious places like your cup holders and your glove box, and even check in places like the trunk and the bed of your truck.

Change doesn’t always fall where we expect it to, which is why it’s best to look for change everywhere. 

#7. Don’t Forget The Corners Of Your House And Garage

Change sometimes falls in odd places.

Have you ever been walking somewhere in your house, only to look down and spot a penny on the floor?

While you might not have such luck now, look around in the corners of your home and in more secluded spots like your garage to see if there are any coins hiding in the edges of the room.

These may not be the most obvious places to check when you’re looking for spare change, but it’s still a good idea nonetheless.

#8. Check Your Junk Drawer

Junk drawers are known for having everything we need when we need it most.

Do you have a junk drawer at home that you’ll occasionally throw things in?

If so, you might have tossed extra change in there from time to time.

Give your drawer or space a quick glance and rummage around to see if you can spot any coins.

After all, those who may not have used change in the past likely threw it into their junk drawer for safekeeping until the time came when they needed change. 

#9. Examine Old Purses And Wallets

A great place to check is old purses and wallets.

Old purses and wallets are only natural to double-check as they may easily have old change in there that was simply left behind when a new purse or wallet came into use.

It may not be a lot, but as they say, every penny counts!

#10. Sift Through Old Cups And Bags

Putting change away every time you go to the store isn’t always possible.

Instead, some people may throw change and receipts into bags so that they don’t have to fumble around for their wallets.

Then, when you get home, you may hold onto your bags until you need to use them again.

This is why old bags can be such a great place to look for change when you’re short on cash and need a little infusion.

Are you someone who also has too many cups?

Do you put things in them for safekeeping until you find another spot for those items?

If you said yes to both of these questions, you may also be able to find some change sitting around in cups and mugs around the house.

No place is too obvious or obscure when you’re looking for where to find spare change. 

#11. Kids Toy Box

If you have kids, there is a good chance you will find some loose change in the bottom of their toybox.

While it won’t be lots of change, it’s better than nothing.

#12. Clothes Hamper

Before your dirty clothes even get to the washer or dryer, they go in the hamper.

And there is the chance that any loose coins you have in your clothes will fall out and make their way to the bottom of your hamper.

#13. Check Your Piggy Banks

When it comes to things like a piggy bank, it can be really easy to convince ourselves that we’ve already cashed out all of our funds.

However, if you’ve forgotten that you’ve stored some extra cash in there along the way, this may not be the case.

Make sure to give your usual change storage container a shake to see that it’s truly empty.

You may be surprised to find a few coins rattling around in there that you can add to your total.

Where to Find Change in Public

#14. Cash Register Check Out Areas

This is one of the best ways to find spare change.

I regularly find coins at the checkout lanes of my local grocery store.

Usually it is just a dime, nickel, or a penny, but I find the change more times than not, making it a top spot to look when you are out.

#15. At The Beach

The beach is a great place to find coins.

The only problem is you need to buy a metal detector if you want any hope of finding the coins.

Luckily you can get one relatively cheap on Amazon.

In addition to finding coins, you might find jewelry which you can try to find the rightful owner of.

And if you can’t find the owner, you can sell it or pawn it for cash.

#16. On The Sidewalk

Next time you are walking down the street, keep your head down and look for coins.

You might be surprised at how often you find them.

While the store is a better option, with so many people walking on sidewalks, there is bound to be loose change every so often for you to find.

#17. Vending Machines

Take a few minutes the check out a vending machine when you find one.

Many times these and soda machines will give change back and the person won’t remember to take it.

So it just sits in the change slot waiting for you to take it.

But don’t just look there.

That is too obvious.

Check around the machine itself and underneath it.

Many times coins will roll under the machine and the person isn’t interested in getting on the ground to get it out.

Also check the top of the machine too.

Sometimes people will put their money up there as they need an extra hand for doing something else.

Then they get distracted and leave without their money.

#18. Parking Lots

Another great location to spend some time in.

I recommend taking a metal detector here too since most coins can blend in with the pavement, making them hard to find.

Mall parking lots are great as are grocery stores.

This isn’t to say you should ignore other parking lots, I’ve just had the most luck with the two mentioned.

#19. Car Wash

Coin operated car washes are a good place to check out as again, people will forget their quarters at the machine, or won’t take all of their change.

 I know because there have been a few times I’ve been in a rush and left a stack of quarters behind.

Other times they will drop their coins and it will roll to where the person can’t find it.

#20. Laundromat

Laundromats can be one of the best places to find loose change because coins are frequently used around the machines.

People may drop quarters while loading their laundry, carrying baskets, or paying for a wash or dry cycle.

Even laundromats that use cards or apps can have loose coins on the floor from customers emptying their pockets before doing laundry.

Keep an eye on the floor around the washers, dryers, folding tables, and seating areas.

Just don’t take coins that are sitting on a machine or otherwise appear to belong to someone.

Stick to loose change that’s clearly been dropped or left behind in common areas.

#21. Fast Food Drive-Thru Windows

Here is a one of the great places to find coins.

People will drop coins all the time and because they can’t open their car door, decide to leave the money behind.

Not only should you check the pavement around the drive thru window, but also the bushes and grass around the area too.

#22. Coinstar Machines

Same idea here as with vending machines.

People will drop coins and won’t be able to find them.

Or the Coinstar machine might spit out a coin that is damaged and the person just leaves it.

Check all around the machine as well as under it and on top to find coins.

#23. Bus Stops And Train Stations

People lose money all the time at bus stops and train stations.

They spend a lot of time standing there or sitting there waiting.

As they are waiting, they are putting their hands in their pockets, going in their purses, and more.

As a result, there is a good chance some loose change will find its way to the ground.

#24. Parking Meters

Take a walk downtown and look around the areas where parking meters are located.

Since you have to put coins in the meters, chances are you will find coins on the ground around these areas.

#25. Public Restrooms

Public restrooms aren’t the most appealing place to look for change, but coins can fall out of people’s pockets when they’re using the restroom or taking things out of their pockets.

If you’re finding loose change in public, you may occasionally spot a coin on the floor near the sinks, stalls, or other common areas.

I wouldn’t spend much time actively searching restrooms for money.

But if you happen to notice a dropped coin, you may want to pick it up.

Because restroom floors can be dirty, use a tissue or disposable glove to pick up any coins and wash or sanitize them afterward.

#26. Tampon And Condom Machines

While you are in the restroom, if it has a tampon machine or a condom machine, take a few extra seconds to inspect it.

Many times you will find coins in the coin return slot.

#27. Old Greeting Cards

People get money in greeting cards all the time.

And in some cases, they put the money back in the card and without checking it, out the card away for safe keeping.

If you have a pile of old greeting cards, take a few minutes to see if you can find any money in them.

While the odds aren’t great, chances are if you do find money, you will find more than with the other ideas on this list as people don’t put coins into greeting cards, they put bills.

#28. Movie Theaters

When people sit down or better yet, slouch down, to watch a movie, money falls out of their pocket.

Because it is dark and can be crowded, the chances of finding the money are slim, so people don’t try very hard.

Stick around to the end of the movie and then walk the aisles looking for any money you be able to find.

#29. Sporting Event Bleachers

If you can get access underneath bleachers, there is a good chance you will find a couple handfuls worth of coins, especially at larger events.

I remember when I was younger, I would go the high school football games and hang out under the bleachers.

I would find coins and many other things people would drop and lose.

You can even do this at major sporting events too.

Just hang around until most people leave and then walk around.

You might be surprised with what you find.

#30. Festivals

Spend some time walking around any area that had a large gathering of people recently.

This can include parties, festivals, community days, and more.

With so many people walking around, some of them most likely dropped some money.

By walking the area, you are in position to find it.

#31. Bars

When it comes to bars, any place is fair game.

This includes the area around the bar where people sit and tend to congregate when ordering drinks.

If there is live music, the area where people stand to watch is another good place to look.

And finally, around the tables where people sit is where you could find loose change on the floor.

#32. Restaurants

Underneath tables at restaurants or in the booths where people sit are two areas where you are bound to find loose coins.

Not only do people not want to put in the effort of going under the table to pick up a little bit of money, many times they don’t even know they dropped it in the first place.

#33. Convenience Stores

There are a couple of reasons why a convenience store is a place to look for spare change.

First, because purchases tend to be in smaller dollar amounts, chances are they paid with cash and not a card.

Therefore, there are greater odds of money on the ground, so keep an eye out around the checkout area.

Next, these stores tend to have lottery machines.

You might get lucky in finding coins around this area of the store as well.

Finally, walk the aisles.

In some cases, people might pull out their money to count it to see how much they have.

As a result, sometimes coins will fall to the ground.

#34. Drug Stores

Another place to check out is the drug store.

Many have self checkout lanes now and people are good at forgetting to grab the coins that dispense their change.

Another reason these tend to be good places is because if someone is ill or a family member is ill, they just want to get back home.

So stopping to pick up a dropped coin isn’t worth it to them.

#35. Seating Areas In Public Places

Here is a tip you can use just about anywhere people sit.

As long as the chair has a cushion seat and back, there is a good chance coins are wedged between the two.

So the next time you are at the airport, in the doctor’s waiting room, waiting to get seated at a restaurant, hotel lobbies, and more, take the time to check the seats.

#36. Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are another place where you might occasionally spot loose change.

People are constantly taking items out of their pockets, looking through merchandise, and moving things around, so coins can end up on the floor just like they do in other busy stores.

Keep an eye on common areas such as checkout lanes, dressing rooms, and the floors around clothing racks.

I wouldn’t go through the pockets of clothing, books, furniture, or other merchandise looking for forgotten money.

Until you’ve purchased an item, anything inside it could reasonably be considered part of the store’s property.

If you buy something from a thrift store, though, it’s worth checking it carefully once you get home.

You never know what a previous owner may have forgotten inside.

#37. Clothing Stores

Here is one that you wouldn’t think to check.

But the dressing rooms are a great place to find coins.

Since people are taking on and off clothes, change is certain to fall out and roll under the seat and not be found.

A quick look through by you could score you some money.

#38. Gas Stations

You might get lucky and find some coins around the gas pumps.

As people are filling their gas tanks, they might take a few minutes to clean out some of the trash in their car.

During this process, they may accidentally drop some money on the ground.

If the gas station also has a store, go inside and look around here too.

You never know when you might find some coins laying on the ground.

#39. Dollar Stores

The dollar store is another place to check out since people are paying cash for many of the items they buy here.

Make sure you look around the area where party balloons are filled with air if the store offers this service.

I’ve had a good amount of luck in just this section of the store.

Supplies Needed When Looking For Spare Change

If you are going to go hunting for spare change, you don’t need a lot of supplies.

But there are a few things that are good to have in case you have to pick up coins in dirty places.

And you will want a safe place to keep the coins you do find.

The last thing you want is to lose the money you found.

Here is a short list of the things I recommend you take with you.

That’s pretty much all you need to keep clean and stay safe.

What To Do With Your Spare Change

As you find cold hard cash, what are you to do with it?

Ideally you have a coin jar for the money where you can store it.

As the jar fills up, you can count and sort it and put it into coin wrappers.

Then you can take it to the bank and deposit it in your bank account.

Use the money to pay off debt or save for a rainy day.

Or you could treat yourself to a nice dinner.

Final Thoughts

There are 39 of the best places to find spare change.

No matter is you need spare change to help make ends meet, want to use it help you reach a financial goal, or some other reason, these are the best places to look.

While chances are slim you are going to find a large amount of cash, you can stand find small amounts, that when added up in all the places you look and over time, add up.