For all you folks with jars of coins sitting around gathering dust instead of interest, here’s a guide to getting cash from a CoinStar machine fee-free.

In short:

1. Haul your change to a CoinStar machine.
2. When it prompts for how you’d like your payout, specify that you want an iTunes gift card. Don’t worry, you’ll end up with cash; CoinStar doesn’t charge its usual fee if you say you want a gift card.
3. Put in your change.
4. Verify that you want all of your money on the gift card.
5. The trick: Unplug the CoinStar machine’s internet cable from the phone jack.

Since it can’t dial home to get a code for the gift card, it has no choice but to give you a receipt redeemable for cash at the customer service counter. And since you didn’t agree to be charged a fee, it can’t charge you one.

I’m going to try this out today and will report back on my attempt. Hopefully I won’t go to jail.

Update: CoinStar machine at the supermarket was out of order. Maybe someone beat me to it.