“Couponing to Disney” is a term I came up with to describe what I do. I find unique and creative ways to save and earn money and I use it to pay for my yearly trip to Disney World. There is no ‘coupon’ to Disney. (I actually get asked that question a lot!)
You don’t HAVE to ‘Coupon to Disney’. You could follow this advice and use it to Coupon to another vacation, to replace one of your current incomes (some people are able to stop working and stay at home with their kids!), or save for anything that you might want or need. It’s about learning how to pay for things you thought were out of your reach. As the great Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
How do I ‘Coupon to Disney?’
- I save at the grocery store. I set a weekly grocery budget and I try to come in under budget every week. If my budget is $100 a week for groceries, I would take $100 cash out of the bank and use coupons to save as much as I can at the store. Whatever is left out of the $100 at the end of the week goes into the fund.
- I use rebates. If I find a rebate to use, I buy the item(s) with that week’s grocery budget. When the rebate check comes in weeks later, it gets deposited directly into the fund.
- I save found money. ‘Found Money’ is a term I came up with to describe money you weren’t planning on receiving. This could be anything from a refund check from a doctor’s visit a year ago to a birthday check from Great Aunt Myrtle. If you weren’t planning on receiving it, it can go into the fund.
- And a lot more ways that I am constantly sharing on the blog.
Why do I Coupon to Disney?
- Disney World is truly the most magical place on the earth to me. I absolutely love Disney World. From the moment I go under the welcome arch, I am surrounded by nothing but magic. I am a kid at heart and I love to meet Mickey and all his friends and I love to go as often as I can. “Couponing to Disney” let’s me do just that.
- I find the challenge of saving for Disney World magical. Every time I make a deposit into the fund, I sing the song Celebrate You. (My theme song.)
And it is my goal to teach you how to “Coupon to Disney” as well. When I was watching Mickey’s Phillharmagic on the latest trip, I was thinking about all of you and how I want you to be able to share this magic with your kids as well! Disney truly is the most magical place on earth.
Go here to return to the Getting Started “Couponing to Disney” page.
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
You are so awesome and dedicated to this, I really have to structure and discipline myself more to be able to save like you do!
I love love love that your blog is named Couponing To Disney! I think that when I refer to your blog to my husband, he sees the connection of coupons to much larger things! Thank you for all you do and share with us!
Kristen,
You’re right, there are so many things people can ‘coupon toward.’ In 2008-09 our family couponed (and started saving more everywhere) so that my husband could start his own business. In May 2009 he did it! He is gradually returning the ‘start up’ money to our family account and we are looking into what we should do next. We have 4 kids and are expecting our 5th so, of course, college weighs heavy on our minds. We are looking into ways to invest in a small business again (one that the kids can help with…we homeschool :P ) so that we can hopefully grow the $ even more before our oldest needs to start tapping into it. It’s been great to be able to help other families in need this past year with our stockpile and what a teaching opportunity!
Kristen, thank you so much for digging up all of these great deals for us. I love to be able to save and give but really don’t have time to hunt down the deals. I know the Lord is using you to minister to so many families like ours!
I started following your blog about 11/2 to 2 years ago… it all starts to bur together these days… but last year we were able to do a trip to disney that wasn’t even in the plans(budget). we aterted by checking in on the prices for when i wanted to go and then got down to business… if we wanted to go it was going to be a group effort… first we figured out how much money i was going to need to save each month. then figured out how much we could save if we gave up eating out a few times, didn’t go to the mall, and used coupons for the things we already buy anyway. i’m happy to say we spent less than $2000 for a family of 4 adults (we are all over 10 yrs old). now we also had some leftover passes so that was not figured in but we stayed 5 nights and even bought the Quick service dining plan… thanks again, and if you want any of my tips to pass along to your readers then just e-mail me!! thanks Debora
i should’ve also noted, that total included air fare and souveniers… also that we stayed at disney’s Old Key West!!
wow wait what…I want tips,it cost me so far 3,000 I pre-paid for July for a family of 4 adults and that is just for air fare,hotel 30 minutes away,rental car,and passes to park. I can only imagine how much more it’s going to cost when I get there.
Debora, please email me at robchrismikesami@yahoo.com with more info. We have never been to Disney, and would like to go next year, but my calculations say it wouldd cost us about 3 times what you spent. Thanks!
I can’t wait to see how you do this!!! We were going to go this November but had to cancel in order to pay for other things. I’d love to set up a secret account to start saving for disney, and just tell DH it’s already paid for next time we’re talking about it!!! I’ve already saved over $100 in coupons this year and it’s only 2 weeks in!
Great ideas! Glad to know a little more about how you do it, now I just need to coupon better! We love Disney every year and it is the only place where all your happiness can come out and wash away all worries! Thanks for everything!!
We’re “Couponing to a Complete Remodel” :)
Wow! How cool. :)
There is nothing like WDW! Everyone keeps asking why do we keep going back? I keep saying “why not”! Its a magical place. We have a great time when we go. Our teens want their Christmas present to be a trip next year to WDW instead of gifts! I’m all over that! I’ll have to leave a note for Santa that he can skip our house!
Love your blog!
Because of you. We couponed to Disney this year. YOu totally inspired us to do it this past year. Now we are 2 months until disney and it is paid in full. THanks for the inspiration.
Isn’t it a great feeling to have it all paid for in advance and not have to worry? :)
We love you for all you do Kristen! Your hard work is SO appreciated! And I do love the joy we all find in couponing. Thanks so much for all your hard work. I always think of you as I hand over my stack of coupons and watch the total get smaller and smaller!! ;)
I got some good updates yesterday- using what I can to save up for all 6 of us to go- first time for my husband and 4 kids!
I found your blog right after our first trip to Disney World in Aug of ’09 and have been couponing ever since. I have paid for 2 trips with our entire family and a Disney Cruise this passed Dec with just my hubby. We were able to put down 2 deposits for 2 other Disney Cruises.(1 for just DH & I and one for entire family)
Our family food budget is $100 biweekly for the 6 of us. It used to be $250 now the extra $150 is put into savings for our trips.
I also wanted to add the DH & I earned $230 in Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks and used it for Christmas for our kids. We are hoping to double that this year.
http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/Kitikat
I have a Fun Thing to do in Disney envelope where I put the extra money you are referring to. Mine is can recycling, Pinecone Research money, Ebates money, etc. This way we can do one extra special thing when in Disney. We have done Dinner with an Imagineer, the Illuminatons Firework cruise three times, rented a pontoon boat, and did the Behind the Seeds tour. I do think I will take your idea and sing the Celebrate You song each time I put money in that envelope!
We did the Illuminations Fireworks cruise last June and Behind the Seeds tour. So awesome! The fireworks cruise was the highlight of the trip, even for my 73 year old mother!
I love that you are able to Coupon to Disney every year! I was telling my husband about your 12-day trip, and he said, wow, that’s expensive. I said yeah, but it was all paid for with extra money!
I’m not couponing to anything in particular. I just love to save money to keep in good financial shape. Because we work year-round to save money, when something comes up that we want to spend on, we can feel good about doing it. We didn’t have to cut back when the economy went downhill. We didn’t have to cut back when my husband left his job to start a new business. And buying a house and having a baby didn’t put a financial strain on us, even though we were only only one moderately-sized income at the time. I guess you could say I coupon for financial freedom.
Thanks for all you do! I’ve learned so much.
I have to tell you how you and some of my other favorite bloggers have inspired me in the past 18 months. I am an RN and have been fortunate to work only part time when my kids were young. First, I worked weekends only, then 2 shifts/week on night shift, then 2 shifts/week on evening shift and finally day shift when my youngest started to kindergarten. My “baby” is now 15, I have a daughter a Jr. in college and a son out of college and working and living in NYC. For the past few years, I have worked full time plus all the overtime I can get. College tuition and expenses are ridiculously high! We love our family vacations to the beach and to WDW. 6 months ago I started back to graduate school. The $ for vacations, college expenses and “extras” come from my “found $”, which now includes a significant amount from couponing and rebates in addition to overtime and bonuses at work. It is,in part, because of your inspiration that I am getting my masters degree when I did not think it was financially possible a year ago. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Kristin, I really think you should start a testimonial page for all of us who were inspired and enabled to go to Disney thanks to your hard work! 2 years ago I would have NEVER thought a WDW trip was in our future- we had just finished our new house and bought a new car. When I opened our “Disney fund” account I had NO faith we would get there- but with the rebates, “found money” and your methods and posts I was able to save and book our trip in less than 8 months! We had such an amazing time (I tear up just thinking about it) that we’re already starting a new fund for WDW 2011 (or early-12) and I have NO DOUBT whatsoever that thanks to your inspiration, we’ll be heading down to visit Mickey again soon! ;) Thank you isn’t nearly saying enough for the inspiration that you are for those of us who thought we could NEVER “Coupon to Disney!”
Hello Dana!
I was wondering if you and your family have made it to Disney yet this year! (I know you said 2011 or early 2012).
-Jasmine
I found your blog last Nov. and have been following you ever since. My husband and I are hoping in 2 years taking my kids and spouses and my grandson to Disney. And like you we are keeping it a secret until we get closer to the date and we have the funds. Glad you had a great trip and all your wonderful memories. Your doing wonderful job on your blog. Thank you!
I just found your website. The interesting thing is just yesterday I was saying to my husband we really need to take our boys to Disney soon. Then, a friend posts on Facebook, a story she took off your website. I have been couponing for about four months now, and I am even more inspired now, thanks to you. Going today to open my Disney account for the deposits I am plan on making from my family’s savings!
I am going to start “couponing to Uganda” :). We are also saving for Disney, but we are starting the international adoption process and that needs to be funded first!! :)
I’m applying these same principles to pay off my debt, then I’m turning right back around and I will get to Disney World! Kristin you are so much like myself, and I love reading your blog posts! :)
You are an answer to prayer!
Love always,
)(ope*
Thank you SO MUCH for creating such a wonderful website, Kristin! I’m “couponing” for our next trip to Disney World, which will take place in November or December 2012, and I’m also “losing” for Disney, in my attempts to lose 130 pounds before our trip. (I learned the hard way on our last trip to Disney in November 2009 that it’s not such a good thing to try and visit when you’re extremely overweight). Your website is PERFECT for helping me achieve all of my goals! Thanks so much!
I love this…I’m going to print this out and also write it on my white board and use this method to help us have money in the bank at all times…as we have three kids and don’t often have extra money..and things come up like my husband who was just rear ended at work the other day and now has no choice but to work…so we can survive and his work is making him take a couple of days off to go to doc appointment that they are paying for but they are not paying for him to stay home…but I want to say thank you for putting it in such simple terms…
How do I find out from Debora in KY how they did the trip for $2000? We are looking a t a trip to WDW next year and I am figuring it will cost 3 times that! It is very discouraging for me, as I have never been there, and neither have my children. I really want to make this happen!
Hi Kristin.
I’ve just discovered your website and I am so Excited. I absolutely love Disney also and I love being able to take my kids every year. I was recently let go from my job and have been thinking about our family’s shrinking budget. Would we be able to go to Desney next year or take the Disney cruise we ‘ve been dreaming about? Your website has just reminded me that with a little extra effort, it truly is possible! Thanks again and I look forward to reading your posts!
Celine Y
Bay Area, CA
We are couponing to a Golden Retriever Puppy! I’m so excited!
I have been couponing for years now but am always happy to get lots of new pointers. I have only just found this web site and already love it. My hubby and I have been to DisneyWorld 3 times over the years and DisneyLand Ca. many times. The best coupon deal I ever found was in a box of golf balls. A free roundtrip airfare anywhere in the US from Delta with a bought companion ticket. Of course we were already planning Disney that year I bought the golf balls for somone we knew for 19.99 and paid the processing fee of 10.00 for the ticket once we bought the required companion ticket. So I waited for the air fare wars to start that year got a cheap round trip ticket and only paid a total of 30.00 with the golf ball fee and processing fee for my hubbys ticket. couponing really pays off. Sadly here in Fort Smith AR. we cannot use printed coupons at the stores, only from the paper unless on the store’s own website then you can print the ones they list but only use at their store. So I use a website called coupondough. you buy a certificate and can get up to 1000.00 in grocery coupons for the year. It’s one of the best deals I have ever used. We are currently hoping on going to DisneyWorld again at the end of 2012 and believe me couponing is going to help pay the way. Another tip for Disney fans if you call Disney about packages a tip I found is get an experienced sale rep and the last time we were told if you asked for what was at that time the magic package and stayed 7 nights or more you got a huge discount which most reps don’t mention. We saved 470.00 by staying more then 7 nights! We always stay on Disney for the extra perks and we buy the souviner cup at the disney hotel so we get unlimited beverages at the hotel resturaunt. The cup can not be used in the parks but you would be surprised how much you drink at the hotel! you can use it on coffee, pop, milk, juice etc. Also if you have kids staying at the Disney budget hotels is cheaper with more things for the children to do.
I read this and was truly happy. I cant believe there is someone out there with the same feeling about Disney that I have. It is the best place on earth and I would love to afford to go every year. I wear Disney clothes, I have the perfume, I decorate the house in it, my wallet is Disney, my keys have Mickey, etc….Some say I am obsessed. I also am getting my Bach. degree to one day work for the Disney Corporation. That is my goal. It is so nice to hear you say it is the best place on earth because I feel the exact same way.
M favorite thing about this blog is that it combines my two “hobbies”–Disney & saving money! Thanks so much, Kristin!