Money Saving Tip Archives - Couponing to Disney

22 Apps to Start Making Money for Disney Today

By Kristen

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Recently, I posted about how I saved $1326.44 in seven months to completely fund my Girls Trip to Disney World. There were many charts, graphs, and other assorted number crunching, but it turns out that my three of highest earners were Swagbucks, Cash Back Apps and Survey Sites.

Swagbucks came in top with $300, 22.6%. My second biggest earner was a variety of cash back apps that I use on my phone, making me $242.18, 18% of my total. These apps include Fetch Rewards, Ibotta, Rakuten, and CoinOut. Coming in at a close #4 (behind Found Money) was Survey Sites, bringing in $180, or 13% of my final total. This included Pinecone Research, E-poll, and Dabbl.

Here’s the key thing for me with apps and survey sites: know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em. I did not use every single app under the sun. I focused on the apps that worked well for me, the ones I enjoyed and were intuitive. I did not spend four hours a day doing surveys. I set myself a time limit, accomplished what I could in that time limit and moved on. Sometimes it was seven disqualifications and 7 sbs. Sometimes it was qualifying for a study that paid out $100.

I’ve copied all the apps, survey sites, and assorted cash back money makers here for you, but I present them with a caveat: not all of these will work for you. Find the ones that do and stick with them. Hold ‘em. Try as many as you feel are interesting, but if after a few months you’re not seeing the results you’d like, fold ‘em.

Two points to be careful of: notice I said a few months and not a few weeks. I know of no earning method that pays big instantly and if it claims to, I’d be wary of it. Two weeks isn’t really enough time to see progress. Give it a few months before you reach a verdict.

Secondly, don’t measure success only in big payouts. That might seem counterintuitive to a post that’s all about making money, but remember, time is also money. If you’ve got an app that takes no time or energy and gives you free money, even if it’s pennies, GREAT. Ibotta is not a huge earner for me because we don’t buy a lot of name brand or shelf stable food. But it takes me 5 seconds to upload my receipt and it still made me $25 in seven months. You might be tempted to be like, “$25 in seven months? That’s nothing!” If it takes me 10 seconds a month to upload those receipts, that’s $3.50 a month for doing nothing but scanning a receipt. $25 a minute, in the long run. A minute of my time is definitely worth 25 free dollars. Those little bits add up!

Click on any of these links to get a description, tutorial, and more info!

SmartPhone Apps

Survey Sites

Cash Back Websites

Which of these apps is your favorite? Do you have a tried and true that I missed? Let me know down below!

Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!

Pumpkin Spice Season Is Upon Us!!!!

By brandyvasquez14 on August 2, 2019 at 5:00 pm

Its everyone’s favorite time of the year again! What is that you may ask? Why it’s PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) season! While there hasn’t been an official launch date. My bestie that works at Starbucks says she is hearing around the 28th of this month. YES, August 28th 2019!!! While it is still sweltering with high temps thru out the nation. Starbucks says it’s time to bring out all the nostalgic goodness that makes us love Starbucks even more year after year. If you can’t do hot in the heat not to worry Starbucks has got you covered with Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino’s or Pumpkin Spice iced Latte’s. Before you head to Starbucks make sure you read our top 4 savings hacks for Starbucks!

Not only is the Pumpkin Spice Latte making its 16th year debut this month. Pumpkin Spice Latte was launched in test markets in 2003. By fall 2004 it was available nationwide. We also have my personal favorite Salted Carmel Mocha, and the NEW Pumpkin Cold Cream Cold Brew debuting. I am super excited to try the new cold cream pumpkin version.

With fall drinks comes yummy seasonal fall food options! That means Pumpkin scones, Pumpkin cream cheese muffins, and Pumpkin Spice Madeline’s. Rumor is a super cute Cat Cake Pop is coming in September but my friend couldn’t confirm that one. Usually there is a few more unannounced drink and food options that magically appear. Make sure you stop by your local Starbucks this fall to see what new and exciting things they have on the menu!

If you don’t have a Starbucks close by or can’t stomach paying $5.00 for one drink not to fret. Have your read the our savings hacks?Starbucks has a HUGE variety of Pumpkin Spice flavored things coming to grocery stores this fall. Including the NEW Pumpkin Spice Latte Creamer.

(Thanks, Brandy)

4 Starbucks Money Saving Hacks

By brandyvasquez14 on July 17, 2019 at 2:00 pm

The Tye-Dye Frappuccino is no longer available.
The money saving hacks still work!

This is what Frappuccino dreams are made of! Starbucks launched a brand new summer drink: the Tye-Dye Frappuccino. It is only available for a limited time. Non coffee drinkers can rejoice knowing this special drink doesn’t actually have any coffee! Its more of a hybrid between a snow cone and milk shake. Starbucks says, “It’s summer in a cup and something everyone can relate to; it takes you back to sunny warm days of summer spent at camp or with friends and family.” I couldn’t agree more!

I LOVE Starbucks just as much as the next girl! What I don’t love is that I can easily spend over $5.00 on a single drink. If I have my kids with me I can kiss a $20.00 bill goodbye. Ouch!

Did you know I worked at Starbucks for 4 years once upon a time? I am going to share some tips and tricks to save money at Starbucks. These are my top 4 savings hacks!

1). Ask for an extra cup with lid. Be prepared for the weird looks. If the side eye bothers you, just ask for a cup of water or ice. It’s really common for people to request a cup of water or ice. That is the safest way to get an extra cup and lid minus the side eye, though not all baristas will look at you strangely. Most are more then happy to give you a cup and lid! Starbucks is like Disney in that most employees are more than accommodating.

Why the extra cup? By far the best money saving hack I have is to split a Grande (medium) or a Venti (large) drink between people if you go with more than one person or kid. My kids love Frappuccinos, but there isn’t a kids size option. That means for a Tall (small) you going to pay $3.95 plus tax…ouch! If you order a Grande (medium) it is $4.75 plus tax. If you split a grande between 2 people or kids you are going to spend $2.37 per person, verses ordering a Tall for each person at $3.95 each. That is a savings of $3.15!

2). Don’t order Lattes. You can get almost the same exact taste by just ordering a Cafe Misto with whatever syrup you would like. A Cafe Misto is half coffee and half warmed milk of your choice. It’s also $1.00 less then a latte. You can add in any flavor of syrup you would like for an extra $0.50. If you prefer Iced Lattes you can replicate the taste by ordering an iced coffee with 1/2 the cup full of your choice of milk.

If you really like the taste of espresso or need the added boost of caffeine then order just espresso shots with warm milk of your choice. You can also order the espresso over ice with milk. When ordering ask for the amount of milk and sugar you would like in your shots. Remember, this is Starbucks- you can customize as much or little as you want!

3). Sign up for the Starbucks Rewards program! This is a MUST. You will earn points back on every purchase. Every dollar spent is worth 2 points. These points accumulate and are redeemable starting at just 25 points. You can either scan the app when you pay or use a Starbucks gift card that is registered to your account.

There is always some sort of promotion going on that earns you extra points for purchasing certain items. Usually the more you visit the more points you get during that promotion period. Each visit counts as each time you pay for a transaction and scan the code in the app or use the registered card to pay . Currently the promotion is earn 40 bonus stars when you order 2 Frappuccino’s or earn 80 bonus stars when you order 3 times. If you are strategic with earning, the points can be a gold mine of savings!

In addition to the bonus point earning offers, you can get free coffee and tea refills while in store during the same visit. Let’s say you buy a green tea. You sit down and read a book. An hour later you are realize you finished your tea and want another. You can then order a refill green tea and pay nothing for it. As long as you don’t leave the store you can get refills on hot brewed coffee and tea.

With the app you will also earn a free treat on your birthday. That treat can be a handcrafted drink, food item, or ready to drink bottled item.

4). Buy discounted gift cards from Raise! You can often find discounted Starbucks gift cards for up to 10% or more off. After you buy the discounted gift cards from Raise, you can add funds from one Starbucks card to another. I have a Starbucks card I have had for years linked to my Starbucks rewards. Every time, I buy or am gifted a Starbucks gift card I move the funds from that card to my registered card on Starbucks website. It is a very simple process!

(Thanks, Brandy)

How I just saved $64.00 on my Southwest flight and you can too!

By brandyvasquez14 on June 28, 2019 at 3:10 pm

I HATE driving anywhere! 8 hours is like my maximum amount of time I can spend in a car. After that I get stir crazy. Flying is not cheap. Now add on to that my family of 6. That makes flying anywhere very expensive. Over the years, I have learned a few hacks to make flying more affordable. Including one tip I have NEVER heard another blog recommend! I am going to say its exclusive to the CouponingtoDisney tribe.

These are some general savings hacks that you hear often. I am sure all your super savears have heard these but just in case here they are.

Take the earliest or latest flight of the day.
Fly on Wednesdays and Saturdays those are often the cheapest days to fly.
Be flexible!

Now, on to how I just saved $64.00 off my Southwest flight and you can to! Raise (a website where you can buy discounted gift cards) often has 5% or more savings with a coupon code, off the already discounted gift card prices. Usually a $200.00 Southwest gift card goes for 5% – 6% off everyday on Raise. I watch Raise like a hawk. Anytime they have an additional 5% or more off with coupon code I buy a $200.00 Southwest gift card off Raise. Then to sweeten the deal I go to Swagbucks and click thru. Swagbucks pays 1% in SB back on Raise purchases. The cherry on top is, that I use my credit card that pays 3% cashback to purchase the discounted gift cards off Raise. Immediately following (if not I forget which defeats the purpose of couponing to Disney), I transfer money from my Disney fund in Paypal to my bank account and pay whatever I spent to my credit card. Below is a breakdown of all the steps!

1. Go to Swagbucks and search Raise. This little step will give you back 1% ($1.74)
2.Click thru to Raise.
3.Search for a $200.00 Southwest gift card normally sells for $188.00 (6% savings).
4.If there is a promo code to save additional money add it. I used SHOP7 only good today to save an additional 7% (saved me $13.11)!
5.Pay with the highest amount of cash back credit card you have. For me that is 3% ($5.22 savings)!
6.Deposit or transfer money from your Disney fund to your bank account to cover the cost of the Southwest gift card. As soon as it has posted pay it on your credit card.
NOTE – I used 2 of the $200.00 gift cards towards the cost of my Southwest ticket. You can use up to 3 forms of payment per transaction. Each separate gift card is a separate form of payment.

Total Saved: $64.07

That is a lot of steps but totally worth it! Often times I have to do a few transactions on Southwest to purchase tickets for everyone using my discounted gift cards. We have never had an issue sitting together. Southwest doesn’t assign seats only boarding spots. Those boarding spots are not assigned until you check in 24 hours before. I have always checked us all in back to back. Usually we are in the same boarding group. Sometimes even one after another numerically. You can also have whoever boards first hold spots for the rest of your family.

(Thanks, Brandy)

FUNDamentals: Grow Your Fund by Using Trade In Programs for Books and Electronics

By Kristen on June 4, 2019 at 5:25 pm

Goodbye, books! Hello, Dole Whips!

I love a good book. In my many years as an adult human, I have amassed a sizable collection. At a certain point I realized I had more books than I could ever hope to read. When I say “at a certain point”, I mean, when my bookshelves were over flowing. And when I say “overflowing” I mean, I have gotten as creative as I can get with getting more books. My stacks got stacks. And when I say “I realized”, what I really mean is, “Mr B told me no more books in the house until I got rid of some because he’s tired of bumping into my stacks of books on every available surface.”

While it is never fun to say goodbye to our loved items, there comes a time in every household object’s life when it must move on. Maybe it is getting recycled. Maybe it is getting donated. And maybe, just maybe, it is getting sold. To make money for a Disney Fund.

There’s a variety of ways you can sell your no longer needed home goods. We’ve talked on this page about yard sales or selling on Ebay being great ways to turn your clutter into cash. Another option is to sell your stuff back to retail sites, online or brick & mortar, in exchange for either store credit or cold hard cash.

When Mr. B issued his book ultimatum, I set to clearing my stacks. “Clearing” meaning picking up each book in turn, promising I would never abandon it, and then setting it back on the shelf. While I was “clearing” I found some old copies of Disney movies that we had forgotten about because we upgraded when the new editions came out. Mr. B is all, “See? Your books are taking other thing hostage!” And I am all, ‘Hey, I can sell these!”

Now I’ve got books AND movies to sell. What are my best options?

Amazon

The first place I looked was the jungle. The Amazon Trade-In Program accepts books, electronics, video games, and DVD/Blu Rays in good condition. “Books” includes textbooks and homeschool materials.

The process is simple: click the link above, or go to the Amazon website, type “Trade In”, and you’ll be taken to that program’s page. You’ll see the categories of items they accept. There is a search feature to find title offers within those categories.

Pick your trade category.

See what Amazon will trade for your items.

When you’ve selected your items for trade, you’ll enter your information, and get a mailing label to print. Amazon pays for shipping. This allows them to track your items and you’ll be alerted once they arrive to Amazon. There is a window of time between when you print your mailing label and when the items are expected to be in the mail, so don’t print until you are ready to ship.

You’ll receive an Amazon credit that can be used in the future. You can use that Amazon credit for gifts, groceries, what have you, and then transfer that money you would have spent from your gift, grocery, or what have you budget into your Disney Fund.

Local Book Store

I’ll be real, I ended up with like 40 books to sell (sob), and I did not feel like putting each ISBN number into Amazon to see if they would trade me because I am lazy. By “lazy” I mean, “heartbroken over saying goodbye to my books.” Plus, while the Amazon trade in prices were great for electronics, they were a little less exciting for books. Also, I was not about to sit outside in my yard and sell books. I would price them all at $400 and I would sell nothing and Mr. B would use them as kindling for our bonfire.

We have a chain here called Half Price Books, and they buy back most books, refusing only ones in rough shape or that they have no hope of selling. I’ve been before but never with a haul this big. Worth a shot.

Selling to a chain that accepts buy back, like Half Price Books, or a local store that buys used books is a great option because you get cash immediately. You can usually get store credit as a possibility as well, with some stores giving you a higher percentage of store credit. For example, they’ll offer you $20 in cash or $25 in store credit. Mr. B went with me to make sure I didn’t choose the store credit option and bring home even more books.

Many of these places also accept movies and music in their buyback programs, paying very nicely for popular titles (Disney) or desirable formats (vinyl). What I like about a buy back program vs a yard sale for books, movies, and music is that the store is setting the price based on what they think they can re-sell it for. They’re not going to haggle with you. You, and by you I mean me, won’t be tempted to overprice your books based on sentimental worth and not market value.

I was pleasantly surprised that my books and movies earned me $38. I went in hoping for $20, and my expectations were almost doubled. This was a great, (relatively) painless way to add to my Disney Fund, as well as declutter my house. If you’re upgrading gaming devices or stereo equipment, unloading some vinyl records you inherited, of you have a husband who wants to walk through his home without the fear of being caught in a book avalanche, look into a trade in program.

Do you use trade in programs? Where have you had the best luck, online or in person? Are you a book hoarder like me? Tell me all about it in the comments!

FUNDamentals: Growing Your Fund by Pocketing Loose Change

By Kristen on January 28, 2019 at 5:19 pm

If you see a penny

Pick it up

And all day long

You’ll have good luck

I was in fourth grade when I first heard this little catchphrase. It was part of a unit we were doing on poetry and while I remember nothing else from my fourth grade poetry lessons, I do remember thinking, “I wonder if pennies are really good luck?”

So whenever I saw a penny (or nickel or dime) on the ground, I picked it up. I picked up so many pennies (and nickels and dimes) that I started saving them in a special shoe box I had decorated with my idea of what “luck” looked like. (Luck, in case you don’t know, looks a lot like unicorns, rainbows, four leaf clovers and lightening bolts.)

When my father found my luck box during a routine room clean, he asked what I was saving for. I had no idea what he was talking about, and explained about the poem and my stockpile of luck. He then explained to me the concept of saving money. We counted up my money, and after putting 10% in my bank savings, I had enough left over to go buy myself a few Littlest Pet Shops.

As time marched on, I remembered the part of always putting 10% into your savings account, but forgot the part about picking up pennies. I’m old now. I’ve been pregnant for the better part of the last five years, so I couldn’t even see the pennies on the ground if I wanted to.

But now I’ve got little luck chasers of my own. The other day, I caught the Glass Slipper fussing with our Dimes for Disney jar. I asked what she was doing and she silently held out a little fist full of change. I asked her where she had gotten it. Apparently, everywhere. Kroger, Target, the parking lot of her school, the floor of our car, underneath my desk. She told me she has just been looking for money to put in the jar so we can go to “the castle.”

Touched and encouraged, I sat with her to count it out. Y’all. In the span of a few weeks, my five year old collected $2.98. That’s half a Mickey Bar!

The lesson here is two fold:

Free money is free money. A penny may not seem like much, but put it together with a bunch of other pennies, and you’ve got the payment for a snack or a souvenir. Sometimes I get so caught up in making the “big money” (the surveys, or the grocery overflow) that I discount the small stuff.

Which is a big mistake. Don’t ignore that dime on the ground. It’s free! You didn’t have it before, now you do, and you didn’t have to do anything for it. That’s the best kind of Disney fund deposit.

Get your kids involved! Listen, as stated above, I am older now and the knees and the eyesight aren’t what they once were. But I’ve got two little ladies who are low to the sound and have keen eyesight. These gals love going to Disney World, so why involve them in the saving aspect? Get them involved on the ground level? Pun intended ;)

You could do a mini Dimes for Disney jars with them. Let them decorate the jars with their favorite Disney characters or past memories. Tell them they get to decide what part of the vacation they want to put their found money towards. That Dole Whip is going to taste a lot sweeter to them when they know it was their effort that got everyone a delicious snack.

Don’t discount the small ways you save for Disney, or the small people who want to be involved. Small steps and big steps on the same road lead to the same place. To quote our favorite frog loving princess, “Every penny counts.” So if you see a penny, pick it up.

Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey three years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!

Save Money while at Disney – Pack Snacks

By brandyvasquez14 on June 28, 2017 at 5:45 pm

Do you pack snacks when you travel? I always do! One of the easiest ways to save, I have found is to bring your own snacks. Whether at Disney or just taking a road trip snacks run at least $1.50 each or more at gas stations and tourist spots. Everyone in my family eats at least 2 snacks a day. With 6 people that comes out to $18.00 minimum per day of vacation. At Disney that is more like $5.00 a snack or $60.00 per day.

About 6 months before my planned trip, I start adding snacks that I found cheaply or free to a tote labeled “Vacation”. That is where all things for our upcoming vacation go. By having the tote easily accessible, mine is usually stored in my closet, I am able to save money and time by collecting small things that would be perfect for my upcoming trip year round and keep them out of my way until I’m ready to pack.

You would be really surprised by how fast your vacation snack food supply builds up without you even trying. I only get things that are $1.25 or less, until the last month. During the last month I go through and take an inventory. I make a list of any items, I feel like I need to purchase, usually its cereal. Most days we eat cereal for breakfast in the hotel room to save money.

I kept track of all my purchases related to my trip on a spreadsheet. In total on snacks and food that I brought from home I spent $25.23. By planning ahead while at Disney we where able to buy only one snack a day per person to share. At $30.00 per day savings, in one day of packing snacks the savings more then paid for themselves!

Click here to see, how else I saved on food while at Walt Disney World.

To save space and protect the crunchy foods from getting mashed, I take everything out of the original boxes and add them to plastic storage bins. When traveling in my car the snacks are usually stored in a plastic sweater box with a lid on top of all of our luggage. When flying I use smaller plastic shoe storage boxes with lids. They fit better in a suitcase.

I stack all the granola bars, packs of cookies, and any other individual packs I have nicely in a row. On the sides I add gummy snacks or other individual packs that are small and flexible. The cereal bag is laid flat. You can add more individual packs of flexible snacks around the cereal for added padding. Big packs of food that aren’t individual size, I put in the suitcase along the top.

If flying, I put a small blanket folded in half on the bottom for extra padding. The plastic bins are heavier and will go to the bottom during travel. I put those on the bottom. The bigger bags go on top of the plastic bins. I fill in any space with a beach towel or small blanket. I put a beach towel over the top. The beach towel serves 2 purposes it provides extra padding and if something does break that is a wet item it will soak up the liquid. I use an American Tourist 25″ spinner suitcase, everything fits perfectly with very little space. That is the goal. The less space the less movement and risk of damaged food.

Everyday we took a Jansport big student backpack with snacks, and water bottles as well as any thing else we needed for the day. The straps had lots of cushion which didn’t really bother our shoulders. We had a huge amount of space inside that bag it was perfect for a day at Disney.

I have never had any food packages bust or be damaged while flying using this method. I haven’t been brave enough to try this with drinks. I do have a friend who says as long as everything is packed tight and you pad it with beach towels you will be fine. She packs drinks in her luggage when she flies.

(Thanks Brandy)

Turn a Closet into a Mudroom

By brandyvasquez14 on May 14, 2017 at 11:30 am

Our home was lacking in storage area. The book bags, shoes, coats and lunch boxes were scattered throughout the house. So I decided to turn our small entry way closet into a mini mudroom. The transition was easy and affordable and I love the results!

Our first step was to remove the folding closet door and the tracks in the door frame. We took everything out of the closet, which previously was just a coat rack with hangers and a shelf above that.

Once you have a blank slate take measurements of your area. Decide what you need storage for. Do you need hooks for book bags and purses? How about cubbies for each kids school work or sports equipment? We needed baskets to hold winter hats and gloves and a shoe cubby to hold shoes that previously were flung all over the house.

After you have taken all of your measurements and decided on a design you can research what products you want to use. In our mini mudroom we purchased hooks and baskets from Hobby Lobby, peel and stick wallpaper and a shoe cubby from Target and then shelving from Lowes. We repurposed a piece of scrap wood to use as the bottom shelf.

If you are installing shelving be sure to use drywall anchors where needed for added support. The finishing touches are the fun and personal part. I enjoyed adding my own finishing touches to the space. For instance I purchased a shoe cubby from Target, but spray painted the back panel gold. Have fun and make the space yours. Think outside the closet and utilize your space!

Jessica Shockney is a mother of two and a Baltimore City Firefighters’ wife. Jessica is passionate about writing, photography, baking and gardening. She’s a busy mom trying to keep up in a Pinterest world of successes and fails.

Save Money by Cleaning your House with Lemons

By brandyvasquez14 on February 4, 2016 at 6:00 pm

cleaning lemons

Lemons are cheap, and they smell good, so why not use them to clean your house? Lemons have a lot of different uses in the cleaning department, but my favorite way to use them is to clean my bathroom fixtures. Just cut a lemon in half, and rub it on your faucets, shower heads, etc. No need to press down or scrub. A slow, circular motion will work just fine. When you’re finished, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe off any excess. Your fixtures will be shiny and clean! It’s so simple, and the bonus is that everything smells fresh!

Notice the before (right side) and after (left side) in the picture. No harsh chemicals were needed, but it looks so much better on the after side!

You can also use the cut lemon to clean windows. Rub the cut side, in a circular motion, over your windows, wipe with a wet cloth and then a dry one. It works so much better than Windex! Lemons are also a great stain remover. Before washing, rub some lemon juice on clothing stains and then wash as normal. In my experience, it works as well as, if not better than, Shout Stain Remover!

Kristi is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of two. She loves complete DIY projects especially ones that saves her money.

Garbage Disposal Fresheners

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on January 12, 2016 at 6:00 pm

Want an easy way to freshen your garbage disposal and help sharpen it at the same time? All you need to do is freeze some lemon wedges in an ice tray with a little water. Instant garbage disposal fresheners. Whenever you feel like it, throw a couple of these down your drain, turn on your disposal, and you’ll have a fresh smelling kitchen! Another option is to freeze them in vinegar, instead of water, and/or add in a couple drops of your favorite essential oil.

*Bonus Tip* – Another great use, for the frozen lemon ice cubes, is to add them to your water for a refreshing pick me up! Try it with limes, too!

Kristi is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of two. She loves complete DIY projects especially ones that saves her money.

The Quickest Way To Remove Lint

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on January 11, 2016 at 6:00 pm

The Quickest Way To Remove Lint

A super easy way to remove lint from my wool winter coat, as well as dog/cat hair from upholstered furniture without having to buy lint rollers.

Supplies: Rubber Dishwashing gloves ( you probably already own some)

Step 1: Put glove on one hand
Step 2: Brush gloved hand in one direction over fabric, you will notice that the lint ‘sticks to the glove’ and moves down the fabric to where you stopped brushing
Step 3: Pick the collected lint off of the fabric with your hand.
Step 4: you will now be lint free

Cleaning the lint off of a woman’s wool peat coat took me less than 10 minutes. Simple.

Suzanne Manning is a working mother of 2 from Buffalo NY and would live in Cinderella’s Castle if they let her.

Save Money With A Snack Box In The Car

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on January 10, 2016 at 6:00 pm

Here at our house we have the snack box. In the car we have the snack bag. It is my attempt at finding an easy way for the kids to access a variety of snacks in the house and to cut down on expenditures while out and about. It has been working for over a year now and it has saved us time as well as money!

I have everything from trail mix to granola bars to applesauce to pudding in it. When the kids want a snack, they still have to ask, but if it’s not too close to dinner, they can have their choice! I keep it in the lower cupboard where it is easily accessible to the kids. Cookies and gummies are kept up high and out of reach so that we have something resembling control over the junkiest of the snacks.

I also keep a snack bag in the car. I try to keep one or two things in it that are not in the box in the house. And obviously, nothing in it that requires a spoon or fork ;) I do however often toss a small lunchbox size cooler of juice pouches in the trunk if I know we are going to be gone from the house for an extended period.

So, how do I keep these ideas from “going stale”. If you’ve been with me for very long, you have seen the variety of items I buy and know that sales go in cycles. The contents of the snack box/bag follow the sales. My kids have been raised with my deal shopping ways and know that the sale will come around again for the item they love. The fact that they have a choice in what they pick each time also helps.

(Thanks Sarah!)

Refill Your Air Freshener Plug In

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on November 12, 2015 at 6:00 pm

Do you love the smell of plug-in air fresheners but hate the price of the refills? I know I do, so I came up with a quick, simple way to refill them for a fraction of the cost! All you need is your empty refill, a butter knife, essential oil of your choice (I know Kristin has some great smelling ones) and water.

Use the butter knife to gently pop or pry the top off the empty refill. Rinse out any remaining liquid.

Add 10-15 drops of essential oil to your empty refill. Then fill the rest of the way with water, stopping about 1/2 inch from the top, to ensure your top will fit properly, without overflowing.

Pop the top of the refill back on, and voila, a “new” refill for just a few pennies!

Kristi is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of two. She loves complete DIY projects especially ones that saves her money.

Sell and Shop at Consignment Sales to Save

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on August 19, 2015 at 6:00 pm

Shopping at consignments sales can save you some money, especially when it comes to kid’s clothes which they outgrow overnight or ruin. But selling the clothes your kids have outgrown at those same consignment sales is a win-win! Consignment sale season is February – April and August – October.

Reader Lynda shared this with us:

To save on my kids clothes, I always consign at local consignment fairs – and then buy their new clothes at the fairs too. It is like re-cycling their clothes. The money I get from consigning always more than covers what I spend buying their new clothes.

If there is a consignment sale in your area that you like to shop at, look up their website by googling the name of the sale. Look up the dates of the sale, dates of registration and requirements for consigning. Planning ahead will give you plenty of time to get your things together and have a profitable sale!

Check out this tip to learn how to make your own dyer balls!

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

Make Your Own Bread Crumbs

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on July 1, 2015 at 6:00 pm

Did you know you could make your own breadcrumbs? This tip comes from my reader Marci…

I have a little boy who does not like the crust on his bread and he eats a ton of sandwiches. I save the crust in a bag and let it dry out, when I have enough I put it in the food processor with some Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese and make our own bread crumbs to use on several things.

Check out this tip on freezing bread to save money!

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

Skip Heated Dry on Your Dishwasher

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on June 24, 2015 at 5:00 pm

Did you know you can skip heated dry on your dishwasher to save money? I rarely use the heated dry on my dishwasher. I usually start the dishes in the evening and then open the dishwasher after the rinse cycle is complete and let them air dry overnight. You can also barely crack the door to the dishwasher and the built up steam will dry your dishes. Or, if your dishwasher is like my friend’s, it has a switch where you can put it on Energy Saver and after it runs the cycle, it turns off.

Check out this tip on how to shop from produce stands to save money!

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

Drying Out Bars of Soap

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on June 17, 2015 at 6:00 pm

Drying out bars of soap helps them last longer and will save you money in the long run. This tip comes from my reader Jodie:

Whenever you get bars of soap, unwrap them as soon as you get them, and put them in a dry place. Let them dry out as long as possible. They’ll last much longer because they won’t turn into a goopy mess.

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

Washing Your Washing Machine

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on June 10, 2015 at 6:00 pm

Washing your washing machine will not only save you money in the long run (it will keep “gunk” from building up and over time messing up your washer), but it will get your clothes cleaner, too! If your washer is stinking, here’s a way to clean it without breaking the bank:

Pour 2 cups of vinegar or lemon juice into your machine and run it through a complete cycle on hot water.
Scrub the edge of the door with vinegar to remove mildew and odor

Be sure to check out my tip on how to make crayons from broken pieces.

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

How to Make Crayons From Broken Pieces

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney

Do you know how to make crayons from broken pieces? I actually just learned this today and it was so much fun! I got my kids involved and they sat in front of the oven and waited for them to come out. They couldn’t wait to color with them!

You will need:

Crayon pieces and Muffin Tins

1. Preheat your oven to 250.

2. Put crayon pieces in warm water for about 10 minutes. This makes the paper wrappers come right off.

3. Place crayons in a muffin tin. We used a mini muffin tin and a bug/butterfly mold.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes until all crayons are melted.

5. Cool for 30 minutes. Pop them out using a toothpick and they are ready!

Check out this tip so you don’t forget the crayons next time you are at a restaurant!

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

Keep a Permanent Marker in the Kitchen

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney on May 27, 2015 at 6:00 pm

Do you keep a permanent marker in the kitchen? There are so many money saving things you can do with it:

Write the date you open a jar of sauce, meat, etc on the label. That way you never toss anything out because you can’t remember how long it has been in the fridge.
When you stockpile an item, write the expiration date on the front of the product. This will keep you from letting items expire before you use them. (For example: Writing 8-11 on the front of a bottle of salad dressing that expires August 2011 when you put it on the shelf)
Write people’s name on plastic cups at a party. This will keep people from getting a new cup because they forgot which one is theirs.
Write the date you open spices! Many people don’t realize spices go bad and can cause your dishes to turn out tasting weird. You can usually find the expiration date on the bottom of the container, but sometimes it’s not there. So write the date you open the spice so you’ll know how long it’s been on your shelf!

These are some other great ideas from Couponing to Disney readers:

I use mine to mark my initials and date on food/drink I take to work. I have found that I forget to do it when I get there and if I don’t, people seem to believe it’s a free for all. So it saves me money so I don’t have to buy a replacement. – Miranda

I am doing weight watchers so I write on the front of the boxes & containers = how many points one serving is – so I am saving time and calories :) – Joanna

I write 1 of 4, 2 of 4 etc on my stockpiled items so I know when I’m on 4 of 4 it’s time to put it back on the list. – Kari

I use it to write the instructions on casseroles I freeze so I don’t have to look up the recipe when I want to use the frozen one. – Shelley

Check out this tip on how to get more out of your Lysol wipe containers!

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

What To Do With Old Cereal Boxes

By Kristin from Couponing to Disney

Looking for what to do with old cereal boxes? This tip comes from my reader Wendy…

I found two wonderful ways to recycle cereal and snack boxes! I pull the seams apart until the boxes lay flat, turn them over so that the solid colored side is facing up, and use them instead of newspaper when my kids paint. I also use the top “lid” of the cereal, fruit rollup, etc boxes for bookmarks…no worries if the get bent or lost….

Do you have a re-purpose for cereal boxes?

Check out this tip on how to save money on your summer power bill.

Learn how to save even more money with these Money Saving Tips.

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Sell and Shop at Consignment Sales to Save

Skip Heated Dry on Your Dishwasher

Drying Out Bars of Soap

Washing Your Washing Machine

How to Make Crayons From Broken Pieces

Keep a Permanent Marker in the Kitchen

What To Do With Old Cereal Boxes

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