# Matrix Portal Money-Sensing Tip Jar
## Overview
https://youtu.be/l6O_qA9G6qs
Say "Thank You" in a fun and interactive way with this money-sensing tip jar. Whenever someone drops in a tip, the LED matrix at the back of the jar will reward them with a fun animation and some heartfelt gratitude.
This is a fairly easy build, using an upcycled snack jar to collect your bountiful tips and powered by a Matrix Portal M4 board plugged into the RGB matrix of your choice. Use our premade images or upload your own animations to make a custom "thank you" message for your most generous customers.
# Difficulty Level
This is a beginner project that doesn't require any soldering - you just need a screwdriver, some cutting tools, and some strong tape. I've also included an option that uses soldered headers for a slightly more secure build.
# Materials Needed
A plastic jar with a lid, large enough to hold ALL the tips.
### Adafruit Matrix Portal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display
[Adafruit Matrix Portal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4745)
Folks love our [wide selection of RGB matrices](https://www.adafruit.com/category/327) and accessories, for making custom colorful LED displays... and our RGB Matrix Shields and FeatherWings can be quickly soldered together to make the wiring much easier. But what if we made it...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4745)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4745/guides)
### Part: USB C Cable
quantity: 1
USB C to USB C Cable - USB 3.1 Gen 4 with E-Mark - 1 meter long
[USB C Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4199)
Choose the RGB Matrix size that best fits your jar. [You can see all the different sizes here](https://www.adafruit.com/category/327). I used the 4mm pitch 64x32 size.
### 64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 4mm pitch
[64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 4mm pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2278)
Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with this sweet 64 x 32 square RGB LED matrix panel. These panels are normally used to make video walls, here in New York we see them on the sides of busses and bus stops, to display animations or short video clips. We thought they looked...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2278)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2278/guides)
You'll also need a Time of Flight sensor. This is a very cool little sensor that uses a laser to detect proximity, and works within a really tiny range of a few millimeters.
Be sure to get one of the suggested cables to attach it to your Matrix Portal as well. Check out the "Add the Sensor" page for more details.
### Adafruit VL6180X Time of Flight Distance Ranging Sensor (VL6180)
[Adafruit VL6180X Time of Flight Distance Ranging Sensor (VL6180)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3316)
The **VL6180X** (sometimes called the **VL6180** ) is a Time of Flight distance sensor like no other you've used! The sensor contains a very tiny laser source, and a matching sensor. The VL6180X can detect the "time of flight", or how long the laser light...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3316)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3316/guides)
### Part: STEMMA Cable
quantity: 1
STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin Cable - 100mm Long
[STEMMA Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4210)
Or:
### Part: STEMMA to Male Header Cable
quantity: 1
STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin to Premium Male Headers Cable - 150mm Long
[STEMMA to Male Header Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
### Part: Female Headers
quantity: 1
Header Kit for Feather - 12-pin and 16-pin Female Header Set
[Female Headers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2886)
# Tools Needed
- Goo-gone or other solvent to remove any labels
- Box knife, rotary tool or saw to cut the plastic jar
- Rotary tool or heat tool to cut the lid
- Soldering iron if you're using the header-attachment method for the sensor (not needed if you're using the STEMMA plug-in cable)
- Gaffer's tape or other strong tape
- [LED diffusion panel (optional)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4749)
- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/matrix-portal-money-sensing-tip-jar/prep-the-matrixportal.md)
## Featured Products
### Adafruit Matrix Portal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display
[Adafruit Matrix Portal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4745)
Folks love our [wide selection of RGB matrices](https://www.adafruit.com/category/327) and accessories, for making custom colorful LED displays... and our RGB Matrix Shields and FeatherWings can be quickly soldered together to make the wiring much easier. But what if we made it...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4745)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4745/guides)
### 64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 4mm pitch
[64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 4mm pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2278)
Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with this sweet 64 x 32 square RGB LED matrix panel. These panels are normally used to make video walls, here in New York we see them on the sides of busses and bus stops, to display animations or short video clips. We thought they looked...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2278)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2278/guides)
### Adafruit VL6180X Time of Flight Distance Ranging Sensor (VL6180)
[Adafruit VL6180X Time of Flight Distance Ranging Sensor (VL6180)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3316)
The **VL6180X** (sometimes called the **VL6180** ) is a Time of Flight distance sensor like no other you've used! The sensor contains a very tiny laser source, and a matching sensor. The VL6180X can detect the "time of flight", or how long the laser light...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3316)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3316/guides)
### STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin Cable - 100mm Long
[STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin Cable - 100mm Long](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4210)
This 4-wire cable is a little over 100mm / 4" long and fitted with JST-SH female 4-pin connectors on both ends. Compared with the chunkier JST-PH these are 1mm pitch instead of 2mm, but still have a nice latching feel, while being easy to insert and remove.
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4210)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4210/guides)
### STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin to Premium Male Headers Cable
[STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin to Premium Male Headers Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
This 4-wire cable is a little over 150mm / 6" long and fitted with JST-SH female 4-pin connectors on one end and premium Dupont male headers on the other. Compared with the chunkier JST-PH these are 1mm pitch instead of 2mm, but still have a nice latching feel, while being easy to insert...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4209/guides)
### Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel - 10.2" x 5.1"
[Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel - 10.2" x 5.1"](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4749)
nice whoppin' rectangular slab of some lovely black acrylic to add some extra diffusion to your LED Matrix project. This material is 2.6mm (0.1") thick and is made of special cast acrylic that makes it perfect for glowy projects, especially matrices or NeoPixels.
Unlike...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4749)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4749/guides)
### Header Kit for Feather - 12-pin and 16-pin Female Header Set
[Header Kit for Feather - 12-pin and 16-pin Female Header Set](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2886)
These two **Female Headers** alone are, well, lonely. But pair them with any of our [Feather](https://www.adafruit.com/categories/777) boards and you're in business!
What do they do? They get soldered on either side of the Feather...
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2886)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2886/guides)
### USB Battery Pack - 2200 mAh Capacity - 5V 1A Output
[USB Battery Pack - 2200 mAh Capacity - 5V 1A Output](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1959)
A smaller-sized rechargeable battery pack for your [Raspberry Pi](http://www.adafruit.com/raspberrypi) or [Raspberry Pi B+](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1914) (or [Arduino](http://www.adafruit.com/arduino), or
No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1959)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1959/guides)
## Related Guides
- [Adafruit MatrixPortal M4](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-matrixportal-m4.md)
- [Creating MatrixPortal Projects with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/creating-projects-with-the-circuitpython-matrixportal-library.md)
- [Adafruit VL6180X Time of Flight Micro-LIDAR Distance Sensor Breakout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-vl6180x-time-of-flight-micro-lidar-distance-sensor-breakout.md)
- [Network Connected RGB Matrix Clock](https://learn.adafruit.com/network-connected-metro-rgb-matrix-clock.md)
- [RGB Matrix Automatic YouTube ON AIR Sign](https://learn.adafruit.com/rgb-matrix-automatic-youtube-on-air-sign.md)
- [Bluetooth-Controlled Matrix LED Sign using Bluefruit Connect](https://learn.adafruit.com/bluetooth-controlled-matrix-led-sign-using-bluefruit-connect.md)
- [Expressive Pixels for Adafruit Matrix Portal](https://learn.adafruit.com/expressive-pixels-for-matrix-portal.md)
- [RGB Matrix Portal Room CO2 Monitor](https://learn.adafruit.com/matrix-portal-room-co2-monitor.md)
- [I2C Addresses and Troublesome Chips](https://learn.adafruit.com/i2c-addresses.md)
- [Matrix Portal Flow Visualizer](https://learn.adafruit.com/matrix-portal-flow-visualizer.md)
- [AdaBox 016](https://learn.adafruit.com/adabox016.md)
- [ Memory-saving tips for CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/memory-saving-tips-for-circuitpython.md)
- [Adafruit Protomatter RGB Matrix Library](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-protomatter-rgb-matrix-library.md)
- [Cardboard Window Skull With Animated LED Eyes](https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-window-skull-animated-led-eyes.md)
- [RGB Matrix Dreidel Game](https://learn.adafruit.com/rgb-matrix-dreidel-game.md)
- [Scroll an SMS Text Message on your RGB Matrix](https://learn.adafruit.com/scroll-an-sms-text-message-on-your-rgb-matrix.md)