Tip: turn your coinage into iTunes credits with Coinstar vending machines

Coinstar iTunes

The popular coin-counting service, Coinstar, is great for people who just want to get rid of their spare change in return for a cash back minus a small fee.

The company operates vending machines at supermarkets such as Walmart where people frequent for shopping.

What you may not have known, although Coinstar has been doing this for several years now, is that its machines can take your loose coins and spill out a receipt with an iTunes redemption code that you can use to refill your iTunes balance…

According to Coinstar’s web page, you can now cash in for your iTunes Gift Card using Coinstar kiosks found at select Walmart stores. There’s also a handy search tool that can list all iTunes-enabled machines in your area.

A free account with the service is required for cash ins. The minimum amount with iTunes Gift certificate is $5 in change or cash. Best of all, there is no service fee when redeeming coinage for iTunes credit, unlike when you redeem for cash.

Also keep tabs on Coinstar’s Special Offers web page where they occasionally run interesting deals. For example, an iTunes promotion may give you an extra $10 when you redeem a minimum amount of forty bucks.

Coinstar iTunes promotion

You can also have Coinstar alert you via email when any such deal goes live.

In addition to iTunes Gift cards, the machines also offer the choice of gift cards from such merchants as Starbucks, Amazon.com, Banana Republic, Gap, Regal Entertainment Group, Old Navy, J.C. Penney, CVS Pharmacy and Overstock.com.

As you know, iTunes credits can be used against content purchases on iTunes, including applications, songs, movies, television shows and other media sold on iTunes.

If your wallet (or a money jar) is packed to the gills with loose change, this is a great way to get rid of the coins and turn them into some iTunes allowance.

The feature may particularly appeal to parents opting to turn their spare change into an iTunes allowance for their kids.

I know this has been around in the U.S. for years now, just thought you should know.

Hat tip to Kelly Hodgkins of TUAW.