Need ideas for rasing $300 for our trip to WDW

[robinb]

Absolutely. I hate the Cubs, for example. I worry about your daughter being raised in a home where no matter how hard you try, you never get to win. Your daughter is adorable and looks well adjusted, so I will just try to get past my feelings about you if you post on here about putting juice boxes in your suitcase, or if you can have a hot plate and cook all your meals in your room..

Obviously the above is just in jest to make a point. I really think that when someone posts a question, we should try to ANSWER the question, rather than speculating on the circumstances or judging the poster. Sigh.

You must have me confused with someone else. I have never packed a juice box in my suitcase nor do I even own a hot plate.

As for the Cubs ... I have no defense. AND NEITHER DO THEY ... .

 

[Marionnette]

Obviously the above is just in jest to make a point. I really think that when someone posts a question, we should try to ANSWER the question, rather than speculating on the circumstances or judging the poster. Sigh.

Im with you on that! I think we need to focus on the ops question and ignore the surrounding drama. Maybe the op could do shopping for shut ins. Or clean out closets and attics in return for the the cast offs which she can sell.

 

[crisi]

I'm not sure i can link it the right way but basically she is only teaching her daughters to be baby producing home makers. There is no other option for women in her eyes.

I wonder if her church knows what she is using the money they are giving her, for? Maybe they do and are trying to give them something. Either way people like her blow me away.

I would assume her church shares her values and finds supporting people who produce a lot of children and raise them with the church's values to be a worthwhile community effort.

And I'm a card carrying Feminist Unitarian Deist for the record.

 

[Anjelica]

I wonder if her church knows what she is using the money they are giving her, for? Maybe they do and are trying to give them something.

Wait - are you saying she gets money from her church? For what purpose? How do you know?

 

[DawnM]

I see. Well, that makes sense, although when we did our GAD we didn't emphasis the Disney part of it.

Dawn

The kids all put in a volunteer day to get passes. I'd consider that enough of a pledge that its a moral obligation for them to figure out a way to make it work.

This isn't a trip that can be easily postponed. Without the GAD passes, this family has a LOT of money that needs to go for tickets - six kids, plus two adults. She's on a real shoestring - functionally free passes, a tent they own, gas cards and food budgeted as "we will eat anyway." Its now or never (which, Robin, is why I'm rooting for them). I doubt they'll ever do another GAD promotion.

It probably is a trip they can't afford, but it really sounds to me like if they can't afford this trip, their financial ship is so far sunk that they are one curve ball away from bankruptcy anyway. This isn't someone blowing $10k on a Disney vacation and coming back to file bankruptcy. And this doesn't sound like an unusual circumstance for them - this doesn't appear to be someone who was living within their means and then had their income cut temporarily, and will see things straighten out soon. This appears to be someone who lives overlooking the financial cliff. $300 isn't going to really shore up that cliff, and if it sends them over it, they are already over it.

 

[iheartdisney]

Dawn, and others- have you looked at some of OP'S previous post on boards. Before you jump to defend her i would suggest you do. Maybe why I feel bad for her daughters will make a bit more sense.

And before anyone takes what you say with a grain of salt, they should read YOUR past posts so they get a feel for your judgements on women who make choices different than your own.
Some folks will only support a woman's right to choose if the choice is in lockstep with what THEY think the right choice is. A bit hypocritical.

I LOVE craigslist for making quick money. You never know...
And i second the change jar concept. I'll go one step further. Stop using your debit card all together, and use cash for all of your purchases. I find I buy ALOT less when I use cash. Then you have some change to go into the jar. In 3 months, we had almost $70 in change for our cruise.
Also, who does the shopping for your family? When we have a tight month, I give DH the grocery list, because he tends to stick to the list and doesn't buy the extras that wind up in the cart when i go shopping.

 

[mamaLori05]

Absolutely. I hate the Cubs, for example. I worry about your daughter being raised in a home where no matter how hard you try, you never get to win. Your daughter is adorable and looks well adjusted, so I will just try to get past my feelings about you if you post on here about putting juice boxes in your suitcase, or if you can have a hot plate and cook all your meals in your room..

Obviously the above is just in jest to make a point. I really think that when someone posts a question, we should try to ANSWER the question, rather than speculating on the circumstances or judging the poster. Sigh.

Totally agree!! I am seeing this WAY too much and I find it really sad. What is the point of going back and looking up what so and so said on another thread. Is it that hard to just answer the question presented? My opinion, the people who do that are either REALLY bored, or are looking for a way to make themselves feel better about their lives by cutting down others. Either way, it's just sad!!

 

[robinb]

I really think that when someone posts a question, we should try to ANSWER the question, rather than speculating on the circumstances or judging the poster. Sigh.

*ahem* that WAS my point. MaleficentandGoons suggested that we look up the OP hinting there was something strange. I did and didn't find anything odd or nefarious or unexpected. And, FWIW, I did answer the question in an earlier post.

 

[Virgderon]

You must have me confused with someone else. I have never packed a juice box in my suitcase nor do I even own a hot plate.

As for the Cubs ... I have no defense. AND NEITHER DO THEY ... .

No, I get that you don't pack juice boxes. I was just picking out something to use as an example, and your Cubs loving self was right there.

I was trying to be funny to make a point.

 

[robinb]

No, I get that you don't pack juice boxes. I was just picking out something to use as an example, and your Cubs loving self was right there.

I was trying to be funny to make a point.

Yeah ... we all have our cross to bear ... even Cubs loving atheists.

 

[Virgderon]

*ahem* that WAS my point. MaleficentandGoons suggested that we look up the OP hinting there was something strange. I did and didn't find anything odd or nefarious or unexpected. And, FWIW, I did answer the question in an earlier post.

Robin, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have use a specific person to illustrate what I was trying to say. I truly was trying to be humorous, and then make my point. I don't know anything about you except that you are a Cubs fan, and I was trying to be funny.

I said that I was writing in jest, but even in jest, I shouldn't have used anything about you specifically.

Again, I'm sorry.

 

[karice2]

Wow, this is getting kind of personal. The OP asked for help about how to get $300 for her trip to Disney. We can infer from her post, that the budget is really tight and that she has been unable to save the $300 because of that.

So everyone who is recommending that she save the $1 or do the change jar thing is not considering how tight the budget already is. She has already stated that she has $25 that she needed to save for 6 months so in two months it will be difficult for her to get $300 using that method. Let's be honest $300 is not a lot of money to earn in two months unless you don't have it. So now as a collective group, the focus should be on what extra things can she do to raise $300.

We have mentioned Craigslist, Ebay and house cleaning. The family already seems like they are a pretty tight unit so the kids would probably not mind doing a little extra to pitch in, Although if you read her siggie there are only a couple that are really old enough. Anything that we recommend has to consider the logistics of her being gone so that will typically mean service related or at home things. She is also home schooling so that needs to be taken into consideration too.

So we got
1. Can Recycling -Earning Potential (EP) $20 in the time alloted
2. yard work -EP $300 in the time alloted minus cost for gas and supplies
3. Ebay or Craigslist - (EP unknown based on value of stuff in home)
4. House Cleaning - EP <$300 if getting a steady clientel
5. Scrap metal - EP Unknown
6. laundry service - EP $100
7. Shopping for elderly/elder care - EP $100 if you can get 4 clients at $25
8. Overnight baby sitting - EP $80
9. General babysitting by kids - EP $75
10. Newspaper delivery - Unknown too many variables
11. Ebay profit sharing - $ 75 if you can get enough people to sign up.

I am sure that there are some that I missed that were good but the general idea is to help someone who came to the board for help to do a budget trip to Fort Wilderness and use the GAD tickets that she and her family have earned.

The personal attacks about her personal and family decisions are unwarranted. They make her happy and her family is happy with their lives as it is right now. If not, I am sure that we would have seen a post somewhere that says, My DH wants me to go back to work. Crap, I have to put my kids in school for the first time. We don't have to agree with everyone's personal choices.

I don't have kids, don't like them very much and probably won't have them. That doesn't mean that I am a feminazi. That means I made a choice that was right for me. Just as the OP is making choices that are right for her.

Sorry for the long post but just trying to match the spirit of the board. I am also a problem solver and not a problem dweller.

 

[Virgderon]

Dawn, and others- have you looked at some of OP'S previous post on boards. Before you jump to defend her i would suggest you do. Maybe why I feel bad for her daughters will make a bit more sense.

I don't have time to look at every posters previous posts and decide if I want to help them or not based on their politics and or religion.

I have another idea- is the OP crafty? Are there any craft shows that you can do before the trip, or have you looked at selling on Etsy?

 

[Nayan]

And my concern was if she even gets to her $300 goal for the trip, how bad would it be if something major were to happen and not have the money to cover it. As a PP said their DH got sick and it cost them $2k due to being out of their insurance network. Cars break down, people get sick, things happen. Imagine this, one of her kids gets really sick and they end up having to stay in Orlando for, say, 3 extra days in a hotel. Can they afford that? What if the car breaks down. Can they afford to fix it or afford to rent a car to get home? The idea of going to Disney, or anywhere for that matter is great and as I stated before I love to hear about budget trips. But the true reality is if you don't have a cushion money-wise in case something big were to happen then it's best to not go. If you can't save up $300 in 6 months then you really shouldn't be going.

 

[kirstenb1]

Karice, that was kind of you to compile a go-to list of ideas, and re-direct the thread back where the OP was seeking advice, not judgment. Like I said, the GAD passes will be expiring, and this is definitely a "use it or lose it" type deal.

I hope the OP gets to take her family, and has a great trip.

 

[robinb]

So we got
1. Can Recycling -Earning Potential (EP) $20 in the time alloted
2. yard work -EP $300 in the time alloted minus cost for gas and supplies
3. Ebay or Craigslist - (EP unknown based on value of stuff in home)
4. House Cleaning - EP <$300 if getting a steady clientel
5. Scrap metal - EP Unknown
6. laundry service - EP $100
7. Shopping for elderly/elder care - EP $100 if you can get 4 clients at $25
8. Overnight baby sitting - EP $80
9. General babysitting by kids - EP $75
10. Newspaper delivery - Unknown too many variables
11. Ebay profit sharing - $ 75 if you can get enough people to sign up.

I think the kids could earn more than $75 babysitting. Here in WI babysitters charge about $5 per hour and when I hired one it was never for less than 3 hours. So, each kid could earn about $15-$20 per week if they babysit only once a week. Or ... the OP can leave the older kids in charge at home and be a baby sitter ala the Fairy Godmothers at WDW. Honestly, two babysitting gigs per week will pay for the whole vacation.

 

[punkin]

I think the kids could earn more than $75 babysitting. Here in WI babysitters charge about $5 per hour and when I hired one it was never for less than 3 hours. So, each kid could earn about $15-$20 per week if they babysit only once a week. Or ... the OP can leave the older kids in charge at home and be a baby sitter ala the Fairy Godmothers at WDW. Honestly, two babysitting gigs per week will pay for the whole vacation.

$5 is little around here. DD gets $10 at a minimum and sometimes more if she only sits an hour or two.

I think it's definitely doable.

 

[robinb]

$5 is little around here. DD gets $10 at a minimum and sometimes more if she only sits an hour or two.

I think it's definitely doable.

My numbers are a bit stale since my DD is now 11 and doesn't need a baby sitter anymore but is not old enough to look after other people's kids.

 

[hoffmann2828]

I'm going to ignore the naysayers and add another idea -

Call some local gas stations and ask if you can have all the coupons out of the papers that don't sell on Sundays. Put up some ebay auctions for them - ebay allows 100 free auctions ea month if you start them under .99 - this would be no money upfront and could load up a pay pal account quickly.

 

[cheerforchelsea]

I'm going to ignore the naysayers and add another idea -

Call some local gas stations and ask if you can have all the coupons out of the papers that don't sell on Sundays. Put up some ebay auctions for them - ebay allows 100 free auctions ea month if you start them under .99 - this would be no money upfront and could load up a pay pal account quickly.

What a great idea!!