When I started “Couponing to Disney”, my original goal was $2000 for 7 nights. But that $2000 was quickly reached, so I added on more and more days and we have finally ended up at Disney for 12 nights! (My husband is on vacation from May 18th to June 8th!!)
It seems like just yesterday I was excited to have saved my first $100 for Disney. And now, 11 months later, I am making the very last deposit:
$54.04 – My math was off on the fund!
$250 – Each week we budget $150 for groceries, entertainment, out to eat, etc etc. Since we will be at Disney for 12 days, we are applying the money to the Disney trip (since we would have spent it anyways if we had been home!).
That brings the grand total to……………………………….. $3223.32!! I am OVER BUDGET!!
Here’s the final breakdown:
$677.38 from Rebates
$253.10 in spare change
$11.97 in interest
$157 by consigning the kids clothes
$516.04 in found money (this is money we weren’t planning on receiving such as gifts from relatives, side jobs, money found in the dryer, etc)
$118 in Disney Reward Dollars
$88 from Lightspeed
$680 from My Survey
$192 from Mindfield
$177.60 from Opinion Outpost
$15 from YouData
$30 via Paypal from Swagbucks
$25.50 from Survey Head
$23.73 check from Viewpoint Forum
$8 from Buzzback
$8 from American Consumer Panel
You can also see all the deposits since the beginning here.
I can’t wait to reset the fund to zero and start saving with you guys all over again!
*please note that about 60% of the survey money from My Survey, Opinion Outpost and Mindfield was from referrals. I will not be including money earned off referrals in my 2011 fund because I don’t think that is very fair. :)
I’m glad you found a way. Congrats. I hope to someday to give my kids that too. I only wish. They’re getting older all the time. It’s very difficult in my situation where we have step families, so a lot more challenging.
I just found this website. So how are you going to Disney for 12 days on that amount. Someone please let me know how this is done. And can you really do all those surveys and make that kind of $? How much time does it involve?
Thank you for any help.
Sara
Awesome job! You’re inspiring me to start our fund for the next trip. July’s trip is already paid for and spending money saved, so I need a new goal. Great on all the survey/swagbucks funds – I need to get better about doing my surveys and putting the $$ in savings. Did you know MySurvey offers PayPal now?
I agree, while most of us are not as lucky to have a well known blog and are able to get a lot of referrals from these websites, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include them in your total. It contributes to money earned!
I have been saving for 7-8 months for our vacation to the beach. (there now-wahoo!). We saved a little over $1,000! I plan on doing this on my blog and breaking it down this year. I plan on saving alot more this year and doing rebates also. Which rebates is one thing I have NEVER done.
I like that you include referrals in your total but maybe you can note on each how much came from referrals.
I (for one) am glad you are not going to be counting your referral money in your fund. Not because it’s not fair, because it is fair – you earned it. The reason I’m glad is that people that don’t have blogs (like me) can see how much you can save just doing everyday things. I do participate in the survey companies, but I only have a referral here and there from family/friends.
We just went to NC for a week last month and my husband and I also used our weekly budgeted money that we would have spent at home. Great minds think alike! :)
Have a fabulous time! Looking forward to your reports!
You are awesome. I’m so proud to know you, through the blog anyways! We have been saving also. First i saved for 2 months for fair money. Ended up $93. Now we are saving for out trip to VA this summer. We are going from AZ. My brother decided to get married, so our disneyland trip turned into bucsh gardens and plane tickets. BLAH….. ANyways i have about $200 saved so far, which is pretty exciting! Thanks for inspirering me to SAVE!!!!! Oh and i can’t spell. lol
Awesome! Congrats!!
Kristen, when you say you spend $150 for groceries, gas, and entertainment, is that $150 total for all 3 combined or $150 for each catagory?
I am so excited for you and your family. I have enjoyed watching you every step of the way and can’t wait to watch you again :-) You are the best! Congrats and enjoy every second of your trip!
Congratulations! I am so impressed by your commitment and hard work to reach your goal. You truly deserve a nice vacation. Thank you so much all your “blogging”. It has really helped me in saving money and given me some great ideas. I check you blog several times a day as I don’t want to miss anything. :) I am a big Disney fanatic and enjoy reading your posts about Disney. I am not sure if this tip has been mentioned but get a balloon for your stroller as it will be easier to spot in the park. The CM’s always seem to move the strollers around and it takes me forever to find ours sometimes. A balloon really helps spotting it right away. Have a great trip and thank you again for your dedication to your readers. Your hard work is truly appreciated!
$500.+ found in the dryer…….I have to wash clothes more often! LOL
Congrats & have a MAGICAL time at DISNEY!!!
Great job! Our trip is offically paid for now too..but I”m still buying and selling till we leave for extra expenses that we might have. Smart adding in your next 2 weeks grocery budget. I probably wouldn’t have thought to do that.
Just curious to why you won’t be including your money earned off referrals? If that happens to be the way you earn money..then why not include it. I’ve earned some of my fund from survey companies..but near as much as you. But, my way of earning is different then yours. We all find our own niche and if earning money off referrals is yours..I think you should include it in your fund total!
Wow, awesome job! I was about to say, I hardley get a survey from mysurvey! Then I read your disclaimer LOL. I am shocked at lightspeed, only $88? I made $35 from lightspeed in just a few months, I am guessing survey opportunities might get lower the longer I do it eh?
Wow, remarkable! Way to go, girl! Have fun in Disney World. Can’t wait to hear about your trip.
Way to go Kristin!! You have worked hard to get to this point – that is awesome! 12 days – amazing!
You are inspriring to me and so many others. Congratulations on setting a goal and achieving so much more.
Congrats on getting all your hard work to pay off! I would love to work up to spending 12 fun days in Disney. We’ll be starting off small with 3 days, mostly with your help. We’ve told our family that we are saving cans and bottles for the trip (in CA we are paid to recycle them), we’ve had 3 large bags donated to our effort and today we redeemed our plastic, aluminum and glass for 122.64! My girls were soooo proud! Whoo hoo!
randi….great job :) 122 dollars thats great!!!!!!
Congrats on this awesome achievement! I hope you and your family are blessed with a wonderful and eventful trip!
Congrats! I am excited for you! I am saving my way to Disney too. I do have to say though, that i doubt just anyone could come up with as much as you do. I mean, much of the money must be coming in from referrals that you would not get without this site. Anyway, congrats! I am so glad for you!
Kristin- Inspiring! Hope you get some sleep in the next few days! :)
We will use any over-budget for NEXT year’s “couponing to…” trip!
I am curious why you aren’t going to count your referral money….I’d say go for it. It’s totally fair….it’s your money and you earned it by gaining all those referrals. If you don’t use it for the Disney fund, then what else would you use it for? I’ll take it if you are just looking for something to do with it! :)
Congratulations! You are so creative to have found a way to take a Magical trip virtually for free.
Congrats and Wat to Go!!!!
Way to go!!! Congratulations!!! That is just wonderful. Enjoy your trip and being with your family and your hard earned vacation!!
So are you going to buy some extra souveniers with the extra money, or tip the maids really well ;)
Kristin that is so awesome! You should be so proud of your efforts and the example that you have set for all of us. I am starting after my Disneyland trip in June…we are heading to Disney World in Oct of 2011 – cannot wait to start saving!
Congrats! I have been wondering all week if you were going to make another deposit, and you did and you are over. You really are an inspiration to others.
I am soooo happy for you and your family! It is such a treat for me to pull up your site every day and save hundreds of dollars. Thank you…..
I hope your family has the trip of a lifetime. I can’t wait to read all about it. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a magical vacation! I know you will enjoy every minute of it. I look forward to saving with you this next year for our vacation next Fall. You are an inspiration!
That is great! Congratulations!!!!
I really appreciate all you do, it has helped me so much. I really love how you break down all of your savings too, it shows how every little bit here and there really does add up and can be used for something so incredible!
I am trying to save all of my rebates and cashback sites all year for Christmas, hopefully I can hold out because we’ve had some unexpected Dr. bills.
Can’t wait to see how your trip turns out!
that is REMARKABLE!!! I am so impressed. SO IMPRESSED!
That is amazing how you were able to save all the money. I have started saving but always seem to get into it for some reason or another.
I hope you have a great trip.
You must have such an amazing feeling of accomplishment. What a job well done! And you’ll feel such pride in yourself (the good kind of pride; not the sinful one :) ) as you pay for things at Disney and know that it’s not affecting your family budget at all and that you provided this magic for your family out of your own hard work and dedication. How awesome is that?! I know you’ll be super excited to start again when you get home. I wonder: will you come back with left over cash to jump-start your 2011 fund? :)
Congrats!! What a wonderful job you and your family did.
That is great, congrats! Hope you guys have a magical time!
Congrats!! I decided this weekend that we are going to start saving to be able to take our kids to Disney next September for my daughters 4th birthday. Money is tight right now but I really want my kids to get to go soon. Thanks for all the money you have saved us and we can’t wait to see the pictures of your trip!
I really want to know what “found money” is. Kristin, I think you have done wonderfully. You’ll have fun at Disney!!!
Cograts! That is amazing! I still don’t see how you have time for all this. Are you sure you didn’t clone yourself along the way? Amazing- have a wonderful time at WDW!
Yay! You rock. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful, safe trip. :)
I am so so so very excited for you! I’m very proud of you! As soon as I find a teaching position, my husband and I are going to start saving for Disney. We’re going to try and save just like, or as close to how you saved your money. I can’t imagine 12 nights in Disney. I WOULD DO A VERY VERY HUGE HAPPY DANCE!! Please take lots of pics! Anyways, have a great time! Also wanted to let you know, I recieved my Kraft Summer Food Pack Sampler. I chose the one with the mayo, mac and cheese, Wheatables, and International Delight. I WAS SO HAPPY to see that they gave you 3 nice size samples of each the Wheatables and International Delight. You also recieve one coupon for the mayo and one coupone for the mac and cheese(both are for free products). They also include a mail in rebate! Just thought I would let you know!
I AM SO PROUD!!!! YAY!!! I WANNA DO THIS TOO! YOU INSPIRE ME ..
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS WEBSITE TO HELP ALL OF US…
YOU SO DESERVE 12 NIGHTS!!!
YAY!!!!
WE WANNA SEE LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!!!
So happy for you! You are inspirational. I am glad you are starting at 0 again so I can attempt to keep up!
Congratulations Kristin! Have a great time. Say hi to Mickey!
yay! awesome!
have a fantastic time! Way to go!
Congratulations! Have an amazing time!
Yay! Awesome job.
Woo Hoo! But what is my survey? The above link does not work.
I just fixed the link. I’m sorry!
That is AMAZING!!!!!! I am going to need to know about this “found” money. I hope I find that much!hehe!! Have a wonderful vacation!!!
can someone please explain swagbucks to me??
yahoo! Have fun at Disney with your extra $200+
WOW now hurry up and get home so I can start my fund with you!
Congrats! I’m so excited for you and your family to be able to go to Disney basically free!!!
That is awesome!! The amount you make with rebates and Mysurvey is astonishing!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
That is so AWESOME! Way to go!!
Kristin~ Congrats on this amazing achievement. Have a wonderful trip!!
You ROCK! I can’t wait to go to Disney (seemingly FREE) w/all of my coupon savings!
Wow that is GREAT! I am curious though as to what you consider the category of “found money”?? I need to FIND ME SOME MONEY! ;)
My found money comes from unexpected sources. I once received money back from an overpayment on a car note. Occasionally I receive money back from the doctors office if my insurance pays more than I expected. I recently found $20 in an old jacket pocket. All of that is what I consider found money. I am really inspired to try to save for my next trip.
HAHA! It is money that we weren’t counting on receiving. Like an unexpected job, gift or even money found in the dryer.
Congrats!!! What a HUGE accomplishment!! I cannot wait to see & read all about your fantastic vacation. Hope you and the family have a wonderful time.
Woooo whooooo way to go! :)
Awesome, congrats!