It was a pretty good week for our budget…..
- $10 – I received a $10 McDonald’s gift card and since we eat at McDonald’s regularly, I swapped the $10 gift card for $10 out of our budget. It’s found money… so into the Disney fund it goes!
- $10 – My nephew had me order him some Simpson items on Amazon. He gave me the cash and I had a balance from gift cards I earned through Swag Bucks. Ones that I personally earned (I earn about $10 a month without referrals), so I am adding his $10 to my Disney fund.
- $15.76 – loose change.
- $32.50 – Opinion Outpost (for surveys done in April and May)
- $75 – Disney Visa Rewards for purchases made between April 20th and June 23rd. (We charge EVERYTHING we possibly can on the credit card and pay it off every month. We now pay Mother In Law’s bills for her as well (she pays us back), so hers also get charged on the card.)
$143.26 added to the Disney fund. $250.87 saved since June 3rd!
You can see all the previous deposits here.
Don’t forget that you can now showcase your own Disney funds via the Couponing to Disney message board! (See how to do it here.) You are more than welcome to link to your thread in the comments below!
Karen says
I just discovered your blog! Very nice and right up my ally. We are also going to Disney 1/3/11. I have $1100 so far.
carolyn burns says
Just wondering what the new total is since you didn’t post in almost 3 weeks. Just curious. I am using your site to motivate me for my Oct. 2011 trip but so far I am no where near as successful as you. Congrats on the new addition as well.
Amy says
We are going to Disney on 1/3/11, and I have saved $2101.08 since 1/1/10! We are definitely splurging since it will be our first trip with our girls. WTG Kristen!
Julie says
OH and one more SILLLLLY question – do you count all your spare change by hand or do you take it one of those machines ? I suppose I could put the kids to work on it … I happen to have TONS of change on hand right now because we had a garage sale and nought change from the bank – and I saved the quarters and pennies to do pressed pennies in Disney this past June – and we didn’t do too many – so I have a lot….
Amy says
My bank has a coin counting machine that is free to its members. It does charge a small fee after $50. If I bring it to CoinStar, I get a gc because you get free coin counting that way.
Julie says
Kristin- I have searched a bit on the website here and can’t find the answer, though I am sure it is out there…. SO I am just gonna ask. I just started CVS’ing… how do you “tally” your savings there for your fund ? For instance – do you go by the print out on the receipt that says what you saved today – or do you use the total of coupons/ECBs that you used on that transaction… etc? I hope that I am making clear sense…here ! Explain to me how you calculate your deposits ! Thanks !
Tanya in Carolina says
Just to let you know that I hit the $1000 mark last week!!! Total deposit was $147. $20 auto deposit from payroll, $42 in coupon savings, and $85 left from regular budget!!! Brings our fund total to $1021.00 since May 21st!!
Dawn says
Awesome! When are you going and what is your goal amount?
Lori says
Kristin can you explain how you handle your Disney Chase Visa Rewards? I have the rewards card that I transfer my point to every month or so. At about 35 now. Are you just leaving those on your rewards card and considering them as part of your overall fund? I know they are $ for $ at disney, just wondered how you handle them? Thanks!
Lori
Kari says
Amazing! Congrats to you!
BB says
This is so motivating. I even made a thread on your new forums….LOVE THEM. But you need a link to them from your blog. I just cashed in at Outpost for $5.00. I preferr to do it right away. Hoping I get more surveys.
Have you had any luck lately with Youdata.com…it seems dead for me these past few weeks.
bb says
Found the link to the forums. DUH!
CJ says
That is amazing. I was excited about my $50.
Holly S. says
That’s awesome. Do you deposit into a bank account, or tuck it away at home? I’m trying to decide how to do it!
Kathie M says
What a start! That would be $2500 in a year and I know with all the help you’ve been giving your MIL this past month your other months will be higher…Way to go!
Mandy says
That is awesome! I keep saving money with all my coupons, and my hubby keeps spending more. I really wish I could get him on board!
Christy says
Hi there ….curious what the trick is to Opinion Outpost? I receive survey opps from them all of the time, BUT it seem as though anytime I attempt to do a survey, I get thru a lot of questions only to be told that I don’t qualify, which is very frustrating. I’ve mainly been sticking to Pine Cone simply because I qualify for every survey sent and it’s always $3/survey. Granted, I only get maybe a couple per month and I would love to bring in the $32+ from Opinion Outpost. How long have you been with them? Do you find that you also don’t qualify for a lot of them as well? Thank you for any tips you can offer! :) And great job on your Disney deposit! You are inspiring. :)
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
Christy – It’s really hit or miss with them. I’m right up there with you on the frustration. I’ve been having those issues with them as well. I got lucky and got a few really high point surveys that sent my total up. I keep track of all the sites here: http://www.couponingtodisney.com/category/rewards-program-updates/
Maybe that will help some. Wish I had an amazing tip! lol
Wendy says
Wow – amazing progress.
Brandy says
I was almost $ for $ with you, but your deposit was a bit bigger than mine :) More motivation to get up there with you!
Tanya in CArolina says
I will let you guys know what my deposit will be come Monday!!! I am close to the $1000 mark!!!!
amy says
cant wait for my offical total!
lisa b says
SWEET! What a great start!
Kira says
Awesome!!
My DH is deploying soon and I’m hoping to get better on track saving money into a fund ( I already have the account set up just need to put money into it..lol ). I almost have $50 for Opinion Outpost then I’m going to cash that out and it will be my first deposit!!
Jamie says
Umm.. yeah, seriously. There’s never any mention of any coupons that are being used…. so you gotta stop, think and wonder… what’s the big deal? this website IS called, “Couponing to Disney”… correct??
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
Couponing encompasses a bunch of things. Not just coupons. It’s coupons and rebates and surveys and found money and saving on your everyday expenses, etc etc etc. There is no ‘coupon’ to Disney. It’s about being resourceful and inventive with how you save money. Sorry if you thought I had some great big coupon. That would be nice though. ;)
maggie moore says
Off to another great start! It will be time to go again before you know it!
@jamie – seriously??? Was your comment even necessary? Kristin goes WAY out of her way to help all of us earn extra money any way we can and then save as much of it as possible. If you read her blog you know it’s not just about coupons – it’s about saving money in lots of different ways. As much as she does for all of us I would think if you couldn’t say anything nice, well…
Lesley says
Awesome!!! I am around $300 since mid June. We had a garage sale and I racked up big there.
Jamie says
So… when did “couponing” suddenly become all about mail in rebates and surveys?? just sayin.
Susan N says
NO NEED TO BE RUDE!!! HER SITE IS ABOUT SAVING MONEY, THERE ARE MORE WAYS TO DO THAT THAN COUPONING!!!
maggie moore says
Susan – THANK YOU!!! After the response to my comment (regarding this same one) I just gave up because #1 I wasn’t sure I could respond politely – lol! And #2 I figured there was no use to even try to explain. Although I did want to ask why a person would bother to read, much less comment, on a blog they had deemed such a colossal waste of time.
Stephanie says
I was going to try to keep up with your deposits but you are way ahead of me. I haven’t done as good as before since we returned from Disney a few weeks ago.
Shellie says
This is my favorite old feature. I started a new Disney fund June 1st and have $171.
Tanya E says
That’s Great!! Keep up the good work!!!
Vilara says
That is one great deposit!
Sarina Jackson says
Way to go !
amanda johnson says
Awesome! Is there like an average of what you get a month/week etc??
Christina says
WOW, that is great!!!
Chasity says
Wahoo!!!!!!! You are already doing so good!!!
Debi says
I so admire your self discipline to stick with this and immediately sock away the extra cash, earnings from surveys, etc.
Alisha says
We are at $200 since April and I thought I was doing great…
Kayla says
Wow, that’s great! Awesome job.
Marle Fleming says
Way to go! Heck if you were me you could be 1/4th of the way to your needed amount! We went two years in a row on $1000. Regardless we did stay at a timeshare property we have so we had already paid for the room. AND!!! My husband got in FREE (military) and the rest of us only paid $99 each! So $300 in tickets, $700 for food, gas and souveniers! (we cooked in the hotel and took sandwhiches and snacks in to the park, borrowed my mom’s hybrid car to travel in, saved bookoos in gas, shopped at outlets and wal-mart for most souveniers)
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
Wow you rock Marle!
amanda says
SMART I never thought of paying others bills as well!!
Jen says
Kristin,
I’m thinking about switching to an envelope system to track and limit our spending a little better. We currently charge everything on our Disney Visa and I pay it off at the end of the month. On this post, you mention that you charge everything you can.
Am I missing something? Do you charge your groceries and such and then take it out of the envelope or pay cash? I’m just trying to think about my options. Thanks!
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
No. We do the cash for the groceries. I save a lot more that way because I save my spare change. Since I budget $150 a week… that would be $6 a month in rewards on the Disney Visa. But I get $150 in cash and I break my dollars and save the change and usually it’s about $10 a week. Does that make sense? I would spend $150 on the card, but with the cash system I spend more like $140…… But it feels like I spent $150.
Stacy E says
That’s awesome!
brittneysmith says
That is awesome!! I wish I could have a week like that soon.
Anna D says
Wow! That’s great!
Patty says
WOW!!! That’s quite a bit! My son and I started saving near the start of June as well as have $170 so far… I love this site!
Amber says
Man, so jealous of you Kristen!