Getting Quarters from a Bank
Ask your bank teller to exchange a $10 bill for a quarter roll. If you hold an account with a local bank, pay them a visit. If you haven't already, take out some cash to exchange for quarters. When you get to the teller, ask them to change your paper money for quarters. A quarter roll is $10, so you can make exchanges in multiples of 10. If you have an account with that bank, you could also fill out a withdrawal slip and take out money. When the teller asks you how you'd like your money, ask them for quarter rolls.
Call ahead and ask if you need an account to make change. Some banks only make change for account holders. If you don't have an account with the nearest bank, call ahead and ask about their change policy to avoid wasting a trip. If you do go to a bank that only makes change for account holders, they might be nice and make a one-time exception for you. However, you probably won't have luck with them in the future.
Sign up for an account only if you can avoid monthly fees. If you don't have a bank account or your bank doesn't have locations near your current area, it might be worth creating an account with a nearby bank. Ask if they offer accounts without monthly fees or waive fees if you meet certain criteria, such as a minimum number of debits and credits. For example, they might offer a checking account with no maintenance fees if you make at least 10 transactions per month. Between exchanging quarters and making small transfers and purchases, you should be able to meet that number. Compare the interests rates of a potential new account and your current account. While it might be convenient to keep some money in a new account, it's not worth switching altogether if your old account accrues more interest.
Making Change at Other Locations
Exchange money with the service desk at a major grocery store. Most major chain grocery and department stores will exchange up to a $10 roll of quarters. Go to the customer service desk instead of a checkout line. A checkout cashier only has a limited amount of change in their register, so you'll have more luck getting a full roll at the service desk. Unless you go to multiple grocery stores, a bank is your best bet if you need more than $10 in quarters.
See if there's a nearby change machine. Check for nearby libraries, game arcades, and public transit stations, which often have change machines. If you're doing laundry, commercial laundromats usually have change machines, but they can be unreliable. Most college dorm laundromats, on the other hand, don't have change machines. You could try to insert a dollar into a vending machine, then press the change button. However, it's a gamble, since you might get a dollar coin instead of quarters.
Make a small purchase at a gas station or convenience store. You probably won't have any luck getting lots of quarters at a corner store, but it could be a quick way to get a couple dollars' worth. Buy a candy bar, and when the cashier makes your change, ask if they can give you 4 quarters for a dollar while they're at it. If you're paying with a debit card, you could see if the store offers cash back. Select $5 or $10 cash back, and ask the cashier to give you as many quarters as their register can spare.
Keeping Quarters Handy
Ask cashiers for change in quarters whenever possible. When you make cash purchases, try to notice when a cashier hands you dimes and nickels instead of quarters. Ask if they can give you quarters instead. You can also try to exchange a few dollars or spare change for quarters whenever you check out at stores.
Put your change into jars every day. Try keeping one jar for quarters and another for other coins. Check your car, pockets, furniture cushions, and other nooks and crannies for change routinely.
Plan ahead and buy more rolls than you'll need. Whether you need quarters for laundry or for your small business, estimate how many quarters you'll need. When you go to a bank or a major chain store's service desk, try to purchase enough quarters to hold you over for a while. For instance, if you need quarters for laundry, you might need $20 or $30 to wash and dry your clothes for a month. If possible, exchange that amount once per month instead of scrambling for change come laundry day. If you need to stock your small business's register, go to the bank once a week to deposit cash on hand and make change.
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