Even though we are well into April, I wanted to give you a quick update on my Disney fund! I typed this up a few weeks ago but never posted it!! March was pretty good to me…I was able to add $307.55 to our fund yay!! Here is the breakdown:
Rebate Checks = $27.50
- I don’t do a lot of rebate checks unless it’s something I am buying anyway.
Deposit From Paychecks = $125
- Starting January 2012, we set up an automatic withdraw to a new “vacation savings account” of $25 a week. In years past, my goal each year was to pay for our trips entirely with ”free” money! But since our trips also include visiting my family for a week or so, we always spend more than what we’ve budgeted. Having the ”vacation savings account” is like a back-up plan so we don’t feel strapped while we’re there. If we don’t spend it, then we just have more for next time! $25 a week is very do-able! We never see it or miss it. $25 doesn’t sound like much, but that adds up to $1300 a year my friends
– Tip: If you bank online, do NOT add this account. You’ll never miss the $25, and you’re not seeing the balance every time you log on…out of sight, out of mind!!
Ebates Cash Back = $48.30
- Buy everything you can online so you get FREE cash back for your purchases. It’s free money and I usually get a better deal online anyway. Sign up HERE and get a FREE $10 gift card or $5 bonus! I haven’t cashed out since June of 2011 woohoo! Well, I haven’t spent the money (the checks get cashed & put into the box) – Ebates will send your “big fat check” (or Paypal) quarterly. See my tip HERE
Change = $59.50
- Here’s my tip - NEVER spend your change unless it’s pennies. For example, if my total is $1.25, I give $2.00 and get $0.75 back. If my total is $1.26, I will give $2.01 so I get $0.75 back. I will use my pennies to get more silver back, but never spend my silver. It’s a tip I saw on Oprah years ago and IT WORKS!! I keep a big 5-gallon water bottle in my closet and add all my change weekly (after counting it).
Sureys = (it was a down month)
- MySurvey = $16.00 (I got two $6 surveys this month yay!!)
- Inbox Dollars = $9.25 – Just clicked emails this month…no surveys.
- Pinecone Research = $12
- IPSOS = 220 points (I save these and cash out via Paypal about 30 days before our trip)
- MyPoints = 1595 points – Did an Avon 1,000 point offer and just clicked emails. See my review HERE
- Swagbucks – $10 (2 – $5 Amazon cards. I collect and use these to order essentials for our trips. If I don’t use them for a trip, I save the for Christmas)
Since we are moving to Nashville in a few months, I have been packing and building a yard sale pile as I go. I always have a yard sale about a month before our Disney trip, and count that as ”bonus” money. Since there is no way to know what we are going to make at the yard sale, I try to save enough to cover the cost of the trip without it. Anything we make is considered “bonus” money and we’ve made as much as $600 woohoo!! Since this will be a “moving sale”, I think we’re going to do really good this time…I’m getting rid of a TON of stuff!!
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See how I paid for our last Disney vacation,
