Much of the small change we carry in our wallets is practically worthless nowadays. However, just because you can’t buy much with it doesn’t mean that you can’t still put it to good use. Here are a few useful hacks to try using those loose cents in your pocket.

Fix a wobbly table

Got a wobbly chair or table in your home? Gluing a penny to the bottom of the table or chair leg could be a simple way to restabilize it. A glue gun and some glue sticks from Glue Guns direct could be the perfect tool for doing this (glue guns can be ideal for all kinds of quick home fixes). This will ensure that the penny stays on.   

Check the tread on your tires

A penny can be a great tool for checking the tread depth of your tires. Hold the penny so that the top of Lincoln’s head is facing the tread groove. Insert it into the groove – if the top of Lincoln’s head (including his hair) is still visible, your tread depth is too shallow and your tires need to be replaced.

Repel slugs and snails

Want to stop slugs and snails from eating your plants? Coins (especially old coins) can be an effective repellent due to their copper content. This works best with potted plants as you can stick the coins to the inside of the pot where they will stay exposed. It’s much cheaper than buying copper tape or copper rings to scare off slugs.

Make yourself a new button

By putting a hole in a one cent coin, it’s possible to turn a penny into a button. You’ll need a metal hole punch in order to do this. This could be a fun feature to consider if you’re making your own jacket.

Attaching hanging cabinet doors

When adding or replacing a flush door on a hanging cabinet, it can often be tricky to line up the door correctly. Ideally the gap between the cabinet and the door should be just enough to slot a penny through. By placing some pennies on the base of the cabinet, you can make sure that there’s enough of a gap.

Loosen flathead screws without a screwdriver

Need to loosen a flathead screw, but don’t have a screwdriver on hand? You may find that you’re able to loosen it using a penny. Obviously, this depends on the size of the screw (when it comes to smaller screws, you may be screwed).

Make DIY washers

Just a penny can be turned into a DIY button by putting a hole in it, it’s also possible to turn pennies into DIY washers. You could even turn it into a stylish feature.

Create crafts from coins

There are all kinds of creative ways of incorporating pennies into craft projects. You could use them to decorate a picture frame, turn them into coasters or even create bangles out of them (this could be a funky way to use spare change collected from places around the world).