Coin machines at Walmart: The Use of Coinstar currency apparatuses

When people visit such places as laundry or car park, clients often need coins. They can get them in banks, markets (at the register desk), special vending machines. Yet, buyers frequently face a reverse situation when they require cash as banknotes. Then Coinstar turns out very useful. Via the kiosks of this US company, bills and eGift certificates can be obtained.

People also can make donations. Since 2021, Coinstar apparatuses at Walmart provide a withdrawal of cryptocurrency.

Coinstar, LLC previously constituted a part of Outerwall, yet, in the 2016 fall, Apollo Global Management became its new owner.

Can I find in Walmart Coinstar equipment?

The answer is positive. A trading network has coin terminals in the majority of Walmart outlets. All apparatuses are typically close to an entrance. An affinity for cash registers is quite convenient when people urgently need to scare up cash or pay at other retail outlets on the hypermarket’s territory.

Yet, terminals charge customers who try to exchange their coins for getting banknotes. The commission, while using currency machines in Walmart, is approximately 12 percentage of a transaction. It may vary because of its position on the US territory.

Therefore, calculate beforehand an exact sum that you are going to provide. When people click a gift certificate button, they don't have to make a payment. However, Coinstar sets a limit of 2,000 dollars per financial operation.

Terms of use of the Coinstar kiosks

Cashing apparatuses are too handy. It’s necessary to drop a few coins into a special slot in a green kiosk, and the automaton will load them into a special storage. Next, the machine will recalculate the dropped money and issue a receipt, which will show the amount for the exchange of funds. Buyers shouldn’t drop too many coins at once, as this can lead to an overloading of the system or malfunction in its operation.

After that, you need to approach the cashier's staff and present the document received at the terminal. The client receives the required amount in cash.

How not to pay commission in coin kiosk?

It will not be possible to simply not pay the commission since the calculation of additional fees is carried out automatically and is considered when making a transaction. But if a client doesn’t want or can’t pay commission, several ways out allow people to save on this operation.

Customers may select donating or take eGift Card. But clients need to bear in mind that the latter option can’t replace physical funds and can only be applied in specific markets that accept electronic means, such as:

• Amazon
• AMC
• Applebee’s
• Domino’s
• GameStop
• Lowe’s
• Roblox
• Steam
• Home Depot, etc.

The US Controller of the Currency (OCC) regulates such privileges, and states control the benefits under local legislation. The rules for applying such financial instruments may change without prior notification of buyers.

When people don’t want to pay a commission, customers may contribute donations in any amount to:

• protection of rare animals;
• assistance to indigent persons;
• medical care

through organizations, including:

• Red Cross;
• Make A Wish;
• Children’s Miracle Network;
• WWF, etc.

Yet, the chosen organizations are not in each kiosk.

What service can I apply to instead of Coinstar?

If customers opt for the path of total savings, and they are not going to pay a commission while cashing coins at Walmart Coinstar, several alternatives are available to clients. Among them:

• Apple River State Bank,
• Republic Bank (NJ/PA),
• TCF Bank.

Some alternatives are free on special terms (they are available for free only to clients of the organizations):

• Shelby Savings Bank,
• Hancock County Savings Bank.

Some companies have an additional transaction commission for those who are not their customers, but a remuneration is lower than in Coinstar:

• Home State Bank; 
• People’s United Bank; 
• JBT (one of the lowest interest rates on cash transactions).

And this is not a complete listing of the ways of getting banknotes.

Coinstar availability in Walmart hypermarkets

In almost all trading places of the US retail chain, customers discover a currency withdrawal terminal. Yet, Coinstar apparatuses are still not available to customers in all Walmart outlets. To ensure precise information, buyers should visit the official Coinstar web page and select «Find a kiosk» section. Next, people enter an address in the empty search field, then the nearest supermarket will be displayed on the map with a possibility of cashing metal currency. In addition, all the options that the device can offer will be displayed:

• Coins to Cash;
• Charity Donation;
• eGift Cards.

Summary

When a customer wants to collect banknotes in place of loose change, the most rational action is to apply a Coinstar apparatus in one of the Walmart retail outlets. But this service is chargeable, a change machine incurs a surcharge for a transaction. Not in each Walmart, customers can find such equipment. Instead of paying interest, clients may opt to donate any amount of money (only to specific organizations) or pick up a special gift certificate instead of getting banknotes, with which buyers can make purchases (but not in all stores).

If no option is suitable for a client, the change can be cashed out via other companies’ machines. Some banks offer privileges only to their clients, while others give the opportunity to all categories of customers to assign a financial transaction with no commission or at lower interest rates.