Save $100 in 10 Min: Go On The Hunt… For Cash

Easter is just around the corner and that reminded me about a fun ‘hunt’ that I went on last spring. This wasn’t for chocolate, eggs, or a seasonal bunny – it was for cash. My usual money searches usually revolve around couch cushions, casino floors or jacket pockets, but this one was a little more involved.

About a year ago, I saw an ad on TV for a credit union and it reminded me about the account I had at my local credit union when I was a kid. Most of my paper route money went in there, and I used it throughout middle school.

Near the end of high school I switched to a bigger bank and forgot about the account. Now – this has obviously been many years, but I decided to check out the dormant account to see if there were any hidden treats.

To my surprise, there was $249 in there! It was like free money, even though the 11-year-old version of me totally earned it. Like the smart and responsible spender that I am, I put half of the cash onto my credit card bill and put the other half into my pocket for fun.

Take this as a reminder to make a consistent inventory about where your cash is. What’s important now can fall by the wayside in the future. So keeping track of your finances – or revisiting where it used to be – can yield some excellent rewards for you treasure hunters out there.

Other Places to Search for Cash:

• Online Accounts: Think Paypal, Moneybookers or Neteller. Have an account? There might be some extra bucks waiting for you.
• Store Credit / Gift Cards: If you’ve made a return in the last year, you might have available store credit where you made a purchase. While it’s not cash, it is a great way to ‘spend without spending’

Any more tips? Let us hear them in the comments!