Do you have a purse or even a bucket full of pennies? That’s right, even when we are buying something, people don’t really pay attention to pennies anymore. Try and give the cashier two bags of pennies for payment, and she might give you a mean look. So what would we do with all these pennies? Try different projects with pennies!
If you find yourself with jars full of pennies at home, we will share 9 great projects for pennies that you’ll definitely love.
Repel Garden Slugs
What are pennies made of? That’s right, these cute coins are pennies made from copper.
Did you know that copper can repel garden slugs? Though we don’t know the science behind it, they say if you bury a ring of pennies around your plants, the slimy insects will stay well away.
Well, it’s technically unproven, but many gardeners swear by this little trick. It is true though that copper reacts with the slime of slugs in a way that sends an annoying electrical impulse to their brain, so who knows, there might be something to the old wives’ tale.
Try it with a few pennies and let us know.
Projects With Pennies: Stabilize Wobbly Chairs
Don’t you just hate wobbly chairs? Or have you ever sat down on a chair at a restaurant and found that one leg was shorter than all the others?
It’s a very common problem, and did you know your pennies can help?
Just pop a penny underneath the leg of the defective piece of furniture and you’ll be good to go.
Save Stale Wine
Every wine connoisseur knows that once a bottle of wine is open, it won’t be long before it starts to go bad (which is also a good excuse to drink an entire bottle).
So, if you find your wine has already gone stale though, don’t panic. Don’t throw it away.
Just drop a penny into your glass. Of course, you’ll have to make sure that the penny is dated between 1909 and 1982 though as it needs to be a copper one.
The copper neutralizes the sulfur compounds that form when the wine starts to go bad. Amazing, right?
Make Buttons
Don’t let your pennies be hidden, instead, create buttons. These pennies can easily be turned into trendy new buttons for your coat, jacket, or pair of pants.
Just polish them up by letting them soak in a bowl of vinegar and salt for a while. Then drill two small holes in each of them.
Keep in mind that some jurisdictions do have regulations surrounding the altering currency, so it’s always recommended you do some research on the laws in your area first before attempting something like this.
Weigh Down Curtains
Many varieties of curtains are too light to hang properly. Fortunately, that is a problem that is easily fixed by using crafts with pennies!
All you have to do is make a small opening in the hem at the bottom of the curtains and slip a few of the coins in there. You’ll want to make sure that they are evenly spaced across the bottom.
Check Your Tires
Wait, what? How does using a penny to check tires work?
Well, pennies are great for diagnosing the state of your tires. You can use them to check the depth of the tire tread and make sure they are still safe to drive on.
Just insert a penny in between the tread with Lincoln’s head facing down. According to Goodyear Tire, if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, then your tires need to be replaced.
Use Them When Laying Tile
While it’s true you can buy bags of plastic tile spacers at almost every hardware store, why not save yourself the trip? It’s better and cheaper to use something you already have on hand — such as pennies.
Wait, can you use penny tile on floor? Sounds surprising? Well, you can.
When it comes to spacing tiles, pennies are the perfect width and they are also reusable. Just rinse them off after the fact and throw them back in your purse.
Decorate Your Home
There are all sorts of fun sorts of home decor items you can create with pennies. You can try accenting a photo frame or mirror by gluing them around the edges.
There are so many penny art ideas, and once you’ve started, you will get addicted.
You can also build a cool penny coaster like in the photo below. There is a video tutorial for how to make one on The Penny Hoarders YouTube channel.
Collect Them
Did you know that not all pennies are created equal? In fact, certain types are worth much more than just one cent.
To the right collector, an especially rare penny can go for hundreds of dollars. For starters, you can try searching through your coin jar for wheat pennies.
Wheat pennies are pennies that were minted between 1909 and 1956. Instead of the Lincoln Memorial, pennies made during this time period have an image of two stalks of wheat on the back.
Takeaway
Don’t be afraid to start projects with pennies. Not only will you learn how to use them, but you will also find DIY projects like these to be fun.