How to Make a Flat Coin Purse
A Flat Coin Purse became absolutely essential while using an envelope budget. I desperately needed a coin purse that wouldn’t bulk-up the wallet I’m using for my envelope budget system.
In looking for just the right fit for a change purse in my wallet, I scoured Etsy and Amazon, but couldn’t find what I needed. I also looked through several local shops which were also a no-go. Nothing I found was truly flat and small enough to fit in my wallet.
The idea for my Flat Coin Purse came to me one day as I was making new envelopes for my cash budget. Oh incidentally, the longer I’m on it, the more I love it! You can read about the Envelope Budget here.
If you’ve been on a cash budget of any kind, then you already know that managing coins can be a big pain. Below are the tips I promised you about how I learned to manage coins on a cash budget:
Ways of Dealing with Change
Funny thing, I’ve never seen coins or change management mentioned in an article I’ve read about the Envelope Budget. What do you do with all the pennies and nickels that make a wallet bulge? Try some of these suggestions and please add your own in the comments below.
- Get a piggy bank and dump the change into it after each spending trip. (More ‘Blow’ money and sink savings for you!)
- Get the change out of your wallet first before the paper money when at the checkout – everytime.
- Keep it in a little plastic bag in the car and use it to buy a little treat when there’s enough change. (Don’t be embarrassed by all those dimes! You’ve earned this treat!)
- Keep under a dollar’s worth of change in your wallet – it tends to spill everywhere if there’s too much. — Experience speaking here!
- Try keeping this mixture of coins in your wallet – 3 quarters, 1 dime, 2 nickels and 5 pennies. You can make change for any given amount of change with this mix.
- Make a nice little flat change purse to slip in your envelope wallet to keep things tidy.
Making a Flat Change Purse
Items needed to make the flat change purse:
- 8″ x 4″ piece of cardstock or heavy scrapbook paper
- scissors and/or rotary paper cutter
- laminator and laminating sheet or 4″ of 1/2″ wide duct tape of desired color.
- one self-sticking 5/8” Velcro dot.
Instructions:
Cut Out and Prepare the Paper
- Cut out an 8” x 4” piece of heavy scrapbook paper. (Cardstock weight)
2. Fold in half so that it is a 4″ x 4″ square.
3. Measure 1/4 “ from the fold on the wrong side of the back. Then make a second mark 1/4” from the corner that is kitty-corner from the first mark. This line will help in a later step*. (See picture.)
4.Fold on this line back toward right side of paper. Unfold and allow it to rest wrong sides together again.
5. If you don’t have a laminator, proceed to #6 B. If you do, please continue. Put the folded paper through a laminator. Place the fold against the bottom of the laminator pouch.
Create the Pouch
6. Create the pouch. The sides of the corner you previously bent back on the drawn line will be used as the outside flap and the inner pouch top.
6A.If the item is laminated then cut or slice open the two sides that meet at a point and were open before laminating.
~ OR~
6B.(No laminator) Hold the folded edge of the square in your right hand. The bottom edge is the edge you will tape together.
7. *Trim the inner flap away corner to corner along the folded line you previously drew.
8. Fold down the remaining flap over the pouch and crease well.
Option: You can also make a small, pinched center crease on the inside upper edge to help open the purse to get change out later.
9. Add the Velcro closure dots. Remove one dot and precisely place it fuzzy and loop sides together. (Sticky side out.) Place the dot about 3/4 of the way down the inside of the flap and then press the flap down firmly against the body of the purse. Peel open your evenly matched Velcro dots.
10. If desired, round the pointed corner edge of the closing flap with scissors and this can make it easier when opening and closing the pouch. Now your flat change purse is complete.
Aside from everyday use in your wallet, this purse make a nice little surprise gift for a child. Especially when stuffed with coins. It can also be tucked into a lunch box with a note and some change. I hope you have fun with this little change purse. Enjoy! – Laura
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