Anyone Up for a "Change Jar Challenge"?

[DiznEeyore]

I know a lot of us save our change to help pay for our WDW trips. Would anyone be interested in taking part in a monthly "challenge" to see how much we can actually save? This wouldn't be to "compete" with each other (i.e., who saved the most), but to challenge ourselves to save as much as possible. We could check in at the end of each month and report how much we'd saved.

We've done this on another board I frequent and it's been great motivation! I've been averaging over $50/month since December! :D We put all of our silver into one bottle and pennies in another. I also add singles occasionally and bottle return money. At the end of each month, I add it up & deposit it into my ING account (specifically for vacation).

Anyone interested in something like this?

[s&k'smom]

Count me in!

[maleficent1959]

We don't usually have much change, and I don't live in a state with bottle returns (I miss Michigan) but I'll do it. Sometimes I score big when doing laundry!

[DisOrBust]

i am with ya! I need some form of motivation!!! Should we all start at o.oo and when?

[DiznEeyore]

Well, it's April 5th, still pretty close to the start of the month. Should we start now and give our totals at the end of the month?

[maleficent1959]

Sounds good to me. And today's laundry day!

[kimmie]

Count me in! Just got back on Wednesday and can't wait to go again!!
Just let me know when!:D

[Halle]

Can't believe there are others out there saving not only their change but also their bottle returns!!! I tturn the bottle returns into Didney dollars!! Anyone up for seeing how much money they get out of their washing machine each month???????????? Haha Many teenagers at my house!!

[disneyjunkie]

I wanna play!:bounce:

We're not going to the world until December. This may help me and DS keep our hands out of the change jar.

What's an ING account?

[maleficent1959]

ING is an online bank. I have a savings account with them. Right now the APR on my account is 3%. If you are referred then ING gives you a $25 bonus for opening an account.

[momto4obkids]

I`ve been saving since last month. So count me in!!


Amanda

[patsal]

I'm in. I just rolled over $300 in change this week--all that stuff in jars and cups laying around the house when I cleaned. I'm on a mission to pay for concierge upgrade for a week with the change I can save. Hubby doesn't believe I can, but I'm sure that in itself is enough motivation.LOL:D . Besides, I never want to roll out $106. in pennies all at once again so doing this monthly would really hold the frustration down!!!

[renessa]

I love the saving change in jars idea....I have mine .... but dh steals the quarters for pop machine at work sometimes!!! :mad: However, why on earth would anyone roll $106 in pennies? I just take mine to the bank and they dump it in the machine and it prints out a slip with my totals. I know this doesn't get the kids involved (I have cats, not kids) ...or maybe give the same feeling of accomplishment, but .... I hate rolling coins!!! Besides, the machine is neat, and I always get asked what it will go for and I can spread a "magical moment" at the bank with my story!!:D

[Pooh's Pal]

I'm game, but I'm leaving in 10 days for WDW...so all change is going to this trip, will start a new jar when I get home for my October trip! So 'COUNT' me in! :)

[Msslaydbug]

:bounce: :bounce: Count us in !!! :bounce: :bounce:

We will start this month too - I also put all the silver in a diffrent jar than my pennies !!!

[Diz-Me]

We also saved change (silver only) for our spending money at WDW - a little over $300.00 saved in 5 months.

Also I collected the money we saved using coupons at the grocery store - a little over $150.00 in 3 months. I wish I had started saving the coupon money sooner. Makes me more motivated to clip those pesky coupons!

As soon as we are back from our April trip I will start saving for the next trip!

[jjsmom]

Count me in! I've been doing this for years and it's really surprising how it adds up. Recently, I've also started hanging ALL laundry on a line to dry, since I read somewhere that it costs 50 cents to dry an average load of laundry (hmmm..., let's see... 5 loads dried on the line = 1 mouse ear ice cream bar...). I will scrimp and save any way possible to support my WDW habit.

P.S. We saw Disney on Ice last night and I can hardly hold myself back from planning another trip (right in the middle of renovating a recently purchased home). Yes, I'm totally nuts.

[DiznEeyore]

This is great!:D I'm so glad we're gonna do this!

So we'll check in at the end of the month and see how we're all doing! :cool:

[6_Time_Momma]

We do that!! Another thing you can do that helps a little is, whenever you write a check at a store, write it for an even amount. For example, your total is $21.16, write the check for $22 and take the .84 and put it in the change jar too.

[patsal]

Kids, not cats; on spring break for 2 weeks with lousy, cold, snowy weather. Need I say more!!!LOL:D

[aks22]

I'm emptying my current jar - about $500 - for our May WDW trip, and will start fresh for our Oct Magic cruise.
We have to roll ourselves b/c the banks charge to roll coins. You can also dump it into a machine at the grocery store, but it costs 10%!! That'd be $60 on my current jar!

I hadn't thought of including my coupon savings, bottle returns, and laundry cash as "found" money, but I will now!

[renessa]

Just bite???:D
Here's wishing we were all at WDW.... eating one of those Mickey bars!

I guess I am lucky to have a no-fee, coin-counting bank nearby!

:)

[starwood]

I don't let it accummulate. Whenever I have enough for a roll I wrap it up and put it in my special savings account. That way I'm getting interest on it.


13 Days 9 Hrs 22 Mins 56 Secs

[Poohbear123]

Count me IN!:D So far I have 7.00! 5.00 in dimes and 2.00 in nickles! Now I have started on the quarters, and I leave in 79 days!:D Update in 1 week!;)

[4nana]

GREAT IDEA!!!
Have been saving all our pocket, coupon, etc. change about a year now. Just rolled it and cashed it in for an amazing $500+ and still have until Dec. for our Magical famliy cruise :D

[4crusinransiers]

We wanna play! Watch out Iam a foodserver! TIPS!:bounce:

[funnygarcia]

I like to save money "earned" thru rebates. We also sell off old movies/books/outgrown clothing at local resale shops. Bought a DVD player so sold the VCR tapes an extra $108 !! I also ask for Disney dollars and gift certificates for places to eat for all bday /holiday gifts.. Plus varoius reward programs - earned enough for a meal at Rainforest Cafe for 5 people!

we use all of our quarters for laundry.... but did manage to save about $100 in just a few months-- difficult to do when we use credit /debit card for most things!

[Pixie Power!]

Count me in - I will start straight away!!

[DisOrBust]

This is a great idea!!

OK May 1st we will have to start a thread with our totals.

[dllmnmdth]

Count me in!!! I need some inspiration..

[disneygals]

Great idea! I wanna play too!

Next trip (I think) August 2003, just back from Feb trip.


Vivienne

[Joyfulsnuff]

Count me in too!! I do this anyway so maybe it will encourage me to save even more change. I usually save for a while and then go and buy disney dollars with what I have saved. What a great way to encourage each other.

[Sleepy]

Another way to really add to the coin jar is every Friday when you go to the bank to either cash or deposit your paycheck, ask for a few of those gold dollars to add to your jar. I like the idea of adding paper dollars to my jar, but I tend to use them when i am in a pinch for my son's lunch money. The gold dollars add up quickly. BTW, I do not cash the coins in until the day before I leave for vacation. As long as I have coins, I will not spend the savings.

Another way is on those nights when you really do not feel like cooking and decide to order out for pizza, force yourself to cook and throw that $20 in the money jar...it would have been spent anyway.

[Biyanna]

What a fantasic idea! Count me in. Last year we only saved 120.00 for the whole year!!!! Mostly pennies. A challenge will motivate me to do better. Thanks!!!!

[Jinnyboom]

In addition to saving change....I ask for $10 worth of rolled dimes each time I cash my paycheck....I get paid 23 times per year...so that's $230 right there....I add the rolls to my change jar and never miss it....
I too like the idea of paying with paper and putting the rest of the change in the jar!!!
Add me to the list!!!!

[babygarrettsmom]

Can I play too? I already do the change jar thing, but you guys are giving me great new saving ideas!

DH has decided we need to go back for a week. All have APs, lodging will be paid for (thank you HiltonHHonors!), so now all I need is food/spending money! I'm up for the challenge!

[Poohbear123]

WOO HOO! I now have 25.00 saved....thats in Paper Money!:D Also still collecting my coins! Oh, I forgot...I have 7.00 in rolled Pennies I need to cash in!;) So my total so far is....40.00 dollars! YIPPEE!

[s&k'smom]

OK already had a jar started but set up a new one for april. Already have $50 rolled from before. Let's all check in around the first of May.

[kellyla]

Thanks for all of the ideas to save money.I also have two different jars(one for pennies and 1 for silver)I like the idea of forcing myself to cook and depositing the take out money into the jars.Of course my money isnt worth what most of you guys dollars are but I am up for the challenge to see how much I can save for our Dec.2003 trip(gee,that sounds so far away.)

[Kevs mom]

I started my change jar a little over a month ago for our trip in January 2003, it will be fun keeping tabs on it with all of you:earsgirl:

[s&k'smom]

How about the winner has to buy everyone a drink at the lounge at the top of the Contemporary. Preferably while the fireworks are going off!

[maleficent1959]

Yesterday I got a nice surprise. My former OB-GYN sent me a refund from when I had DS two years ago. Seems I overpaid them $370. That went right into the bank.

[snowiit]

Oh my! I just today cashed my change in and NOW I find this thread!<G> I'm not sure how long we had been putting in the change but it came to $133. I promptly drove next door to our travel agents and put $125 towards our cruise in Dec. We are staying at Disney over Christmas and then hubby surprised me by booking the cruise (4 night) over New Years to celebrate our 20th anniversary, which is Christmas. Ok.... so I started putting change in today right when I got home<G> Great thread!

Nancy

[DiznEeyore]

Nancy, that sounds great! Definitely join in w/us! We're going to check in w/each other on May 1 to see how we're all doing. :D

[eeyorefanatic]

Just to encourage everyone out there. Two years ago I saved enough money from my change jar and "laundry change" and some reward program money to pay for my entire hotel charge!
This May I just booked a quickie trip to use my AP one last time. My change jar will also pay for the tent site as well!

Good luck everyone!

[Pig Pen]

I just bought a new car today, so I will be saving every, every penny from now till September!

See you May 1

[matu8063]

I have been saving for awhile, my best tip is do different jars for pennies and silver . For the pennies us a jar that has a removable top (mine are in a pringles can) every time it is full About 7.00 in pennies) I roll it and change it into doller coins so the day before my trip I am not sitting around rolling pennies. I started March 30th the day i booked my trip and i am leaving May 31st.

Melissa

PS i also pick up every coin on the ground. Unlucky or not i will spend it at disney. Pennies add up!

[Taddy]

My Dh and I started this a coupel of monthes ago....
So we are in!!!
All bottle and can money plus al spare change(anything under a 1 or 2$ coin(here in Canada) )
Will go in....

My dad did this once and in 7 mths he had 250$!!!!

We are gonna use the extra $$$ to be able to eat out at more upscale restaurants (we LOVE Fulton's Crab House and Wolfgang Puck) and character meals when we are there.

[SamSam]

I love saving change, it adds up so quickly! I also add any coupon money and any refund money. I'm also one of those that on a night I normally would say "let's go out and eat", I'll force myself to fix dinner and put the money I would have spend eating out in our "vacation" jar.

[asamgp]

We are going at the end of May, and I have been saving the "found money" for
many weeks. I would like to do this as well...so sount me in. No pun intended!

[s&k'smom]

Wow this is turning into a real contest. This trick works for me. Try to put $ in a container it's hard to get at. My DH had an old, long neck plastic mug from 50's Prime Time Cafe and it's really hard to get paper money out of. So this way I can't be tempted.

[annsteere]

Bummer. I just got back from Spain today so I am too late for this month.

But, I'll join the game May first. I go to Disney in October and this will be a fun
way to remember to keep my change.

[asamgp]

Did we decide to start from $0.00? Or start from what we already have?

[DiznEeyore]

Originally posted by asamgp
Did we decide to start from $0.00? Or start from what we already have?
We're just going to post what we collect each month. So May 1, we'll post what we saved from April 1 - 30. :) Then in May, if everybody wants to keep going, we'll start all over.

[Cherry]

Can I play, too? I already have a change jar and just counted it today ($135). I'll start over now even though there's only two weeks left in April. This will definitely motivate me to save more!

[DiznEeyore]

Hi, Cherry!

Of course you can play! :D The more the merrier!

[ttfnpooh]

Count me in as well!! I just rolled the change I had in my bank and took it to the bank (savings acct.) It was $60 (not a big bank) My kids and mom are really into this too. Were all saving for our FIRST trip in Set./Oct. (I really don't count when I went in 76, I don't really remember it) My kids 11/13 are so excited......well, so am I. Gina

[Sandra B.]

Hi,
Count me in too - I'll start today!
My next trip starts November 29, so I'm curious to see how much I can save before I leave:)

[DoeWDW]

I'm in!! I need to start saving for our December trip - can hardly wait. You all have some wonderful ideas and a thread like this will help motivate me!!

Even though I'm starting late, I'll post on May 1st.

Doreen in PA

[Tense]

For this trip april 2002 we emptied all our change jars... and had $ 500.00 roughly! WOW that was great to buy some sit down meals at wdw! SOOOO count me in.. I'm starting all over again for the next trip!

[allforpooh]

Count us in, we have been saving since the end of Feb for a Trip in early Sept. My 9yr DD loves to count the change each month to see how much we have saved. For every trip we decorate the change jars with Disney Pictures and stickers. The money we save is fun money to buy whatever they want, within reason of course.


Denise

[Mimi70]

Count me in!! :) :) :) :) :)

I've got to grab a coffee can from my mom & put all the spare change that I have in it. I've got T-minus 12 months to pull this off. I haven't even counted the change I've already accumulated, but it's a start! I'm in it for the long haul!!! :D

[wales]

I am leaving on 5/3 for disney world, I am taking my wife and four kids ages 13 10 9 and 5 the best part about this is we were there last year and the kids don't know that we are going again,they will find out this friday when we go take them out of school for a half day.anyway I cashed my change this morning and had $418.00 since my trip from last year so I encourage everyone to save change,IT CERTAINLY HELPS

[LindaBabe]

December 2001. I wrapped $128 tonight for my trip next month. That will feed me for 5 or 6 days :D

[chell]

Count me in also. A few weeks ago I started doing the checkbook thing also. (Hopefully my husband doesn't catch on since he thinks he will need to spend it!) My change jar is not filling up as fast as I would like, but maybe that will change soon.

[redsaid]

I am a part of this kind of challenge on another board but since my sis & I decided our families need to go July or Aug of 2003, now all my change has a purpose :D

So I'm in...I do have my tallies so far since I totalled 12/31/01. I did total this morning since I forgot to total March. I'm ready and SOOO excited. It will be the first time going back since I was a teenager and my kids first time. I can't believe I have to keep it a secret for over a year...

[s&k'smom]

Anybody count? I completely forgot and thought of it last night. I should have a chance to count this weekend.

[asamgp]

Keeping in mind that I had counted what was already in the jar, up until now,
I had $49 and some change (hahahahaha). I was quite excited! So were DS's, who loved rolling the money and counting it along the way! DH thought I should take it to the bank to count. But, that would have taken out the element of fun with the kids. I have been giving the boys there allowance in Disney Dollars for about 3 months. This way it could not be spent before our trip. They both have in the family of $50 bucks! I think the value of money is one of the hardest lessons to teach a kid.

[maleficent1959]

I counted and deposited $18 on the 1st.

I should add -- I work at TDS and some of the CMs save their change and buy Disney dollars at the end of the month. Another option to putting it in the bank.

[Pixie Power!]

Ive counted :Pinkbounc I have £35 which is $51 :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

[s&k'smom]

I can't believe I never thought to get Disney dollars so that I couldn't spend the change. What a great idea.