DIY Coin Bank

Make your own bank and start saving.

Saving your pennies is much simpler when you have an attractive bank to keep them in. Decorate and embellish the classic piggy bank to fit your personality and interests. Instead of settling for a store-bought bank, make your own out of paper mache. While a pig is the usual shape for coin banks, you can also alter the design and create a bank in the shape of other animals or objects. Use your imagination and grow your savings at the same time.

Things You'll Need

• Balloon
• Newspaper
• Bowl
• Flour
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Tape
• Paint and brushes
• Acrylic sealant
• Utility knife

Instructions

1. Blow up a balloon until it is between 5 and 7 inches in diameter. The larger the balloon, the larger your bank will be.

2. Tear newspaper into strips that are 1-inch wide. Cover your work surface with a sheets of newspaper to protect it.

3. Combine 1 part flour and 2 parts water in a bowl. Add more flour as necessary until the mixture is as thick as glue.

4. Dip the newspaper strips in the flour mixture, wetting them thoroughly. Lay them over the balloon, overlapping them slightly. Apply between three and four layers of newspaper strips and cover the balloon completely.

5. Allow the newspaper to dry for 24 hours, then attach the legs, ears or other desired elements to the bank. Cut toilet paper tubes into 1 inch sections for the legs and snout, and cut out triangles from thin cardboard for the ears. Tape these to the balloon body then cover the cardboard with strips of newspaper moistened in the flour mixture. Cover any seams between the cardboard and the paper mache balloon with gluey newspaper sheets.

6. Stick a straight pin through the paper mache and pop the balloon inside once the newspaper strips are completely dry. Cut a slit in the top for the coins using a utility knife.

7. Paint the coin bank in the desired colors using acrylic paint. Spray the the entire bank with a clear spray acrylic sealer once the paint dries.

Tips & Warnings

• When you are ready to retrieve your coins from inside the bank, cut a small hole in the bottom. Tape the removed piece back over the hole afterward so you can keep using your bank.

References

• The United States Mint: Fun With Coins