Where's George???

nurseangel

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This morning DH woke me up and gave me a five dollar bill stamped in red with "Currency Tracking Project." I never knew such a thing existed, but I get happy and excited over little stuff. I went to the Where Is George website and registered, then entered the serial number from my bill. The person started the tracking in SC (just one state away) and it took 224 days, 17 hours, and 32 minutes before I logged it in on their website. It traveled 44 miles in this time. I have always been fascinated by the migration of money. Now I can find out how far this bill goes after I spend it, if anyone logs it in on the website. How neat! They have the same project in Canda, though it's called Where is Willy.
 

pushylady

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That's cool! I love stuff like that too. I've never heard of the "Where's Willy" but you never know I might find a bill. I do so little transactions in cash nowadays though.
 

mrblanche

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I've gotten a couple of "Where's George" bills in recent years.

Tracking dollars can be interesting. The most striking case I heard about was an Army base that was having trouble with the locals wanting it closed. On one payday, the workers and soldiers on the base were paid with dollar bills stamped with something like "Paid to a worker on ______ Army Base." The people in town were amazed at how many times those dollars changed hands, and the economic impact that indicated.

Wouldn't work these days, with direct deposit, debit and credit cards, etc.
 

binkyhoo

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Wouldn't work these days, with direct deposit, debit and credit cards, etc.
I almost never use physical money any more. I use credit and then pay it off each month. That is how to build your credit. I do want to buy a house someday.
 

mrblanche

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Originally Posted by binkyhoo

I almost never use physical money any more. I use credit and then pay it off each month. That is how to build your credit. I do want to buy a house someday.
Actually, paying off your credit card bill will NOT build your credit. Or, at least, it doesn't help much. Paying off a balance with regular payments over time is what it takes.
 

binkyhoo

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Actually, paying off your credit card bill will NOT build your credit. Or, at least, it doesn't help much. Paying off a balance with regular payments over time is what it takes.
Really? Them maybe I should buy my car on payments? Does a school loan count?
 

taterbug

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Originally Posted by nurseangel

This morning DH woke me up and gave me a five dollar bill stamped in red with "Currency Tracking Project." I never knew such a thing existed, but I get happy and excited over little stuff. I went to the Where Is George website and registered, then entered the serial number from my bill. The person started the tracking in SC (just one state away) and it took 224 days, 17 hours, and 32 minutes before I logged it in on their website. It traveled 44 miles in this time. I have always been fascinated by the migration of money. Now I can find out how far this bill goes after I spend it, if anyone logs it in on the website. How neat! They have the same project in Canda, though it's called Where is Willy.
I've gotten about 8 of those dollar bills this summer! Isn't it awesome? I can't wait to get home and enter those seriial numbers whenever I find one!
 

mrblanche

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Originally Posted by binkyhoo

Really? Them maybe I should buy my car on payments? Does a school loan count?
A school loan counts.

My sister, when she got close to graduating, went down to the local bank (small town) and got a $500 loan. She put the money in a savings account in the same bank and faithfully paid the loan payments each month. It helped her credit quite a bit.

A lender wants to know that you have the discipline to pay your payments on time. Paying the entire balance on a credit card is not much more help to your credit than using a debit card would be. NOT paying anything on it would, of course, be VERY bad!

Some things don't get reported to the credit bureaus. Local utilities are the best example. So, paying your electric bill each month doesn't help your credit, either.
 

mrblanche

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Originally Posted by taterbug

I've gotten about 8 of those dollar bills this summer! Isn't it awesome? I can't wait to get home and enter those seriial numbers whenever I find one!
Did you find out anything interesting from them?
 

katachtig

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Originally Posted by binkyhoo

I almost never use physical money any more. I use credit and then pay it off each month. That is how to build your credit. I do want to buy a house someday.
Originally Posted by mrblanche

Actually, paying off your credit card bill will NOT build your credit. Or, at least, it doesn't help much. Paying off a balance with regular payments over time is what it takes.
Paying off the credit card in full each month shows that you are paying it regularly. Carrying a balance does nothing to help your credit score and can hinder it by showing a large percentage of credit used. Why pay the interest unnecessarily. You are better off putting that interest into a savings account towards a down-payment.

As to the original topic. Wouldn't it be cool if the dollar could tell a story about every person who handled it?
 
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nurseangel

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

That sounds fun! Is this just a random thing or is there a place you can go and get currency that is stamped?
I think it's just a random thing...according to the website, it's been around since 1998, and this is the first stamped bill I've gotten. I have been carrying the bill around, wanting to spend it in just the right place, hoping that someone else will go to the website and log it in when they receive it. $5.00 doesn't usually last long in my hands, but this is an exception.
 

captiva

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

A school loan counts.

My sister, when she got close to graduating, went down to the local bank (small town) and got a $500 loan. She put the money in a savings account in the same bank and faithfully paid the loan payments each month. It helped her credit quite a bit.

A lender wants to know that you have the discipline to pay your payments on time. Paying the entire balance on a credit card is not much more help to your credit than using a debit card would be. NOT paying anything on it would, of course, be VERY bad!

Some things don't get reported to the credit bureaus. Local utilities are the best example. So, paying your electric bill each month doesn't help your credit, either.
I have to step in on this credit thing. As far as lending goes, it is good to at least keep a very small balance on something. If you don't have any credit over a long period, it can be a pain when you apply for financing.
 

taterbug

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Did you find out anything interesting from them?
Yep! Well, I thought it was.
The first one I checked had been documented on Where's George in 2001, in the closest large city(Knoxville) next to my county.

Then, in 2005 it was entered by someone in a city about 50 miles to the west of Knoxville.

In May of 2009, old George found me, and I'm about 50 miles to the "east" of Knoxville.

I think it's amazing that the one dollar bill stayed in this general location for 8 years!
 
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nurseangel

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I'm having a terrible debate with myself about whether I should send it across country somewhere (maybe when I do SS) or let it travel its natural course. I think I'm just going to spend it and let travel on its own.
 

coolcat

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Originally Posted by nurseangel

I'm having a terrible debate with myself about whether I should send it across country somewhere (maybe when I do SS) or let it travel its natural course. I think I'm just going to spend it and let travel on its own.
oh,,,, hard decision....
...I hope you can make it boths!..

Originally Posted by butzie

I usually know where George is. He is my DH.
Oh that´s histerical!...
...
 

pushylady

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Originally Posted by nurseangel

I'm having a terrible debate with myself about whether I should send it across country somewhere (maybe when I do SS) or let it travel its natural course. I think I'm just going to spend it and let travel on its own.
Spend! It's burning a hole in your wallet!
 
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