3o~e D060 Loose Change Can Ad ott = oe o @_8 1e8_.7 _ = e@ Up To Holiday Cheer (NAPSA)—The majority of Americans expect to spend as much on the holidays this year as they spent on them last year—or more. The Coinstar National Currency Poll showed that 80 percent of Americanswill be spending the same or more during the 2004 holidays—an average of $892 per household. Experts say many consumers will supplement their holiday shopping budget with the spare change they have stashed away. It’s estimated that Americans have an average of $99 in “found money” around the house. This spare change can be used to purchase a variety of seasonal items: Wreaths, trees, and seasonal flowers to decorate the home * Ingredients at the supermarket for a holiday meal, including a turkey with all the trimmings * Coats, sweaters, scarves, boots and gloves just in time for that winter chill Holiday gifts for loved ones A fruit or wine and cheese gift basket to send to a friend Specially ordered holiday cards to mail to friends and family Stocking stuffers, including CDs, DVDs and movie tickets A bottle of champagnefor the holiday toast An unwrapped gift or toy for a local holiday drive Tickets to a seasonal concert or show. Gift cards are also growing in popularity as holiday gifts. According to the Coinstar survey, 57 percent of Americans say they plan to give friends and family the It’s estimated that Americans have an average of $99 in spare change around the house that they can put toward their holiday purchases. gift of choice this year with a gift card. “We expect the convenience and choice that gift cards afford will continue to fuel their growing popularity,” said Gretchen Marks, vice president of marketing, Coinstar, Inc. “Gift cards fit the bill for today’s busy holiday shoppers who are looking to save time and elimi- nate stress when it comes to choosingtheright gift.” Coinstar operates a network of more than 11,000 self-service kiosks in supermarkets across the nation. The machines accept unsorted change and countit at the rate of 600 coins per minute. Customers receive a printed voucher for the full amount of the transaction, less a nominal service fee, redeemable for cash or store credit. For more information or to find a Coinstar machine near you, visit www.coinstar.com.
