A Grandma Saved Jars Of Pennies For Years So She Could Buy Her Granddaughter A Prom Dress
Irene Miller | Shutterstock Saving spare change for a special occasion splurge is a great idea. In fact, that loose change can quickly add up to more than you would expect, which one granddaughter discovered after her grandma converted the pennies she had saved into cash.
Some prefer to use saved change for vacations as a way to avoid using their credit card. Others have special rules for what type of change they save, such as setting aside every $5 bill they come across. But maybe the best use of all would be to save every penny for years until you have enough to buy your granddaughter a prom dress.
A grandma saved pennies for four years to buy her granddaughter a prom dress.
The granddaughter, Jayden, shared a TikTok video of the moment the two counted up her change, which quickly reached 31.1M views. She explained that her grandmother started saving pennies when she started high school to use towards her senior prom dress.
The video shows the two taking a trip to the bank, where they pour the jars full of change into a coin-counting machine. All the while, Jayden is beaming at how wholesome her grandma is (we all are too). Though Jayden and her grandma had some trouble with the machine getting clogged, everything worked out fine, and they discovered that she had collected 35,700 pennies.
Jayden and her grandmother left the bank with $340, which was more than enough to purchase the dress.
Oleksandr Berezko | Shutterstock
Jayden explained that the total of the pennies was $357, but they left with around $340 because the bank they used took 5%. In a follow-up TikTok, she shared prom pictures featuring her beautiful seafoam green prom dress.
Once Jayden’s video gained a million views, her grandma took notice of her newfound fame, and showed her playful nature by texting her granddaughter, “Apparently you made me tick tock famous.” Though she didn't quite get the spelling of the app right, she sure made a mark on the hearts of all who saw the video. Saving pennies with her granddaughter’s senior prom in mind was very generous and kind-hearted, and Jayden’s grandmother deserves all the recognition for such a beautiful act of love.
Everyone who saw the video thought it was adorable and shared stories about their grandparents saving change.
Julia Zavalishina | Shutterstock
“Tell your grandma how much everyone loves her,” wrote one user. “She’s our grandma now,” another wrote.
“My grandma used to save coins for me,” shared another viewer. “She died last summer & I still have the last quarters she gave me in a jar.” A lucky commenter shared, “My grandma has been saving pennies since I was born so I was able to afford college. She’s the only reason I made it there."
Another person claimed, “This will be me as a grandma," writing, "I swear everyone underestimates saving coins.” The commenter is absolutely right. As wealth strategies advisor Jeff Sekinger explained, "Don’t underestimate the power of physical spare change. Have a dedicated jar or piggy bank at home where you drop your coins at the end of the day. Once it’s full, take it to the bank or a coin-counting machine and deposit it into your savings account. It’s a simple habit that can make a significant difference."
The story of Jayden’s grandma saving jars of pennies is a beautiful demonstration of the power of saving and the love between generations.
Maddie Haley is a writer and contributor to YourTango. She covers pop culture, celebrity news, and lifestyle stories.
