Revolutionary Coin Hack: How to Use Coins for Purchases Without Extra Fees

A recent viral video on Imgur titled "Y'all realize you can use your coins like this?" has sparked a lively discussion about the practical and often overlooked use of coins. The video, which ends with a simple "Thanks for watching," has prompted a range of reactions from disbelief to nostalgia.

One commenter humorously noted, "Wait, are you telling me you can exchange legal tender for goods and services?" This highlights how the basic concept of using coins has become almost foreign in a digital world. Another user shared their long-time strategy, "Been using this 'hack' since college in 2006. I'm not paying 12 cents on the dollar for a third-party service to do what the bank does."

The conversation also delved into the fees associated with coin exchange services. "Or just make sure that you don’t join a problematic bank or credit union. Any genuinely respectable outfit would never charge you for changing coins," advised another commenter. This sentiment was echoed by users from different countries. One Australian user remarked, "Wait, is America such a hellscape you get charged for deposits? It’s free here in Australia, pretty much every decently-sized bank branch will have a machine in the ATM lobby, open 24h, and deposits straight into your account."

Despite the seemingly straightforward use of coins, some users expressed confusion. "I don't get it? What is the hack?" asked one, while another sarcastically commented, "Paying for stuff is a lifehack now?" The practicality of using coins was also highlighted by another user who said, "I haven't had to really deal with coins in years, but I do know that my credit union has a coin machine members can use for free."

However, not all experiences were positive. One user shared, "I did this once to get rid of a bunch of coins and ended up jamming the machine and got told off by the person who had to unjam it that I should use the coinstar machine if I have so many coins since the checkout could only handle a few at a time." Another pointed out the inefficiency of self-checkout machines, "You can absolutely dump 50 bucks worth of coins into a self-checkout, but it's going to take a minute for it to count everything while also kicking back coins randomly that you will need to put back in."

The video has even sparked some international comparisons. "Too bad self-checkout machines in my country are card only..." lamented one user. Another added, "Every single self-checkout I've seen in my area has basically a single coin slot, so you can't just drop like 100 coins in unless you want to be there for like 45 minutes."

Despite the varying opinions, the video has undeniably brought attention to the practical use of coins. As one user succinctly put it, "Imagine that, using paper money and coinage for its intended purpose, to pay for things! What will they think of next?!"

For those looking for a real hack, one user suggested, "A real hack is to just take it to a bank and deposit it into your account. Coinstar is literally a scam for idiots." This simple yet effective advice underscores the importance of understanding the tools at one's disposal, even in a world increasingly dominated by digital transactions.

The Imgur video has opened up a fascinating discussion on the often overlooked utility of coins, reminding everyone that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective.