One Year to Save 2016

[SunnieRN]

That's a fantastic plan and sounds really good! Your plans are coming along great! I love reading about people's plans as I have learned a lot of things I wouldn't know otherwise!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $3.73 to my Disney funds because I...

earned $1.73 from quickrewards...
added $0 to the USD cash pouch...
added $2.00 to the Disney jar...
earned/received $0 in Disney gift cards...
added $0 to the Disney account...

So the new totals are:

$71.85 in quickrewards...
$37.10 in the USD pouch...
$50.00 in the Disney jar...
$110.00 in Disney gift cards...
$170.00 in the Florida account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $438.95!!

Esso Extra Points: 3613
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 1387

Savings goal June: $650
Total Remaining: $211.05

I also added $6.05 to my Europe funds because I:

earned $0 from isay...
earned $2.85 in credit card rewards...
added $3.20 to the Europe jar...
added $0 to the Europe account...

So the new totals are:

$43.20 in isay points....
$37.48 in credit card rewards...
$32.16 in the Europe jar...
$442.00 in the Europe account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $554.84!!

Savings Goal June: $685
Total Remaining: $130.16

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1771

8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

 

[stayhomemom77]

I have a bit of an outline for our Magic Kingdom food.

Lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern
(I have made and subsequently cancelled reservations here on two separate trips...so it is HAPPENING this time!)

DH can have whatever he likes...I've budgeted for the most expensive entree so he'll get whatever he's in the mood for at the time.

I am getting the Pilgrim's feast

DD and DS are sharing the burger, which means he'll eat the fries and she'll eat the burger.

We'll share the Toffee Cake for dessert

Dinner at Pinocchio's Village Haus

DH can get anything for $10.49 or less

DD and I are each getting a kid's pizza meal

DS can get the kid's nugget meal or the kid's pizza meal

An order of breadsticks to share

Snacks

DH and DS get $4.69 each before tax to spend

DD and I are going to share an ice cream cookie sandwich from the plaza and an order of popcorn

Total Cost for our MK day $136.44

 

[SunnieRN]

Sounds like a great MK plan! Are the kids pizzas the same as the adult pizzas, just a smaller size? I'm one of the weirdos who likes Pizzafari pizza, lol.

 

[stayhomemom77]

According to the pics...the flatbreads are just half the size of the adult portions...at least at Pinocchio's.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $1.04 to my Disney funds because I...

earned $1.04 from quickrewards...
added $0 to the USD cash pouch...
added $0 to the Disney jar...
earned/received $0 in Disney gift cards...
added $0 to the Disney account...

So the new totals are:

$72.89 in quickrewards...
$37.10 in the USD pouch...
$50.00 in the Disney jar...
$110.00 in Disney gift cards...
$170.00 in the Florida account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $439.99!!

Esso Extra Points: 3613
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 1387

Savings goal June: $650
Total Remaining: $210.01

I also added $0.72 to my Europe funds because I:

earned $0 from isay...
earned $0.72 in credit card rewards...
added $0 to the Europe jar...
added $0 to the Europe account...

So the new totals are:

$43.20 in isay points....
$38.20 in credit card rewards...
$32.16 in the Europe jar...
$442.00 in the Europe account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $555.56!!

Savings Goal June: $685
Total Remaining: $129.44

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1771

8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $5.97 to my Disney funds because I...

earned $0.97 from quickrewards...
added $0 to the USD cash pouch...
added $0 to the Disney jar...
earned/received $0 in Disney gift cards...
added $5.00 to the Disney account...

So the new totals are:

$73.86 in quickrewards...
$37.10 in the USD pouch...
$50.00 in the Disney jar...
$110.00 in Disney gift cards...
$175.00 in the Florida account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $445.96!!

Esso Extra Points: 3613
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 1387

Savings goal June: $650
Total Remaining: $204.04

I also added $2.29 to my Europe funds because I:

earned $0 from isay...
earned $2.29 in credit card rewards...
added $0 to the Europe jar...
added $0 to the Europe account...

So the new totals are:

$43.20 in isay points....
$40.49 in credit card rewards...
$32.16 in the Europe jar...
$442.00 in the Europe account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $557.85!!

Savings Goal June: $685
Total Remaining: $127.15

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1771

8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

 

[stayhomemom77]

Plans for check in day...

The hope is that we will make it all the way to the Orlando area on our big driving day on Wednesday so that we can sleep in a bit (9 am) on Thursday, get up and enjoy the free hotel breakfast and then head over to check in to POFQ by 11 am. If we don't make it all the way, we'll stop by 11 pm, so that DH and I will get a full night's sleep and then we'll get the kiddos up and at 'em earlier so we can be on the road by 9 am (breakfast at the hotel and we'll grab something and bail if there's no time to sit and eat). We're hoping to check in by 1 pm, so we do plan to drive at least as far as Valdosta on that first day. Either way, we should be able to have lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks and dinner offsite at Chili's.

Lunch at Sassagoula

DH can get anything he wants...I have budgeted for the most expensive lunch item for him.

The kids and I are each going to get a kid's meal (burger, nuggets, uncrustables or pizza are the choices I believe)

We are going to get a six pack of beignets to share

We will drink our "brought from home" beverages and supplement with our own personal snacks if anyone is still hungry


We plan to explore the twin resorts...swim if we feel like it...take the boat to DTD if we feel like it and eventually head out to dinner at Chili's.

After dinner we plan to hit up Yeehaw Bob's show and see what that's all about. And that will be the day!!

 

[SunnieRN]

Your plans are coming along nicely!! I like that you're doing a combination of on site and off site meals! That would be a great money saved.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Yep! We love Chili's and Olive Garden and we don't have them close to where we live...so it's always a priority for us when we cross the border on vacation, to seek out those two in particular and add them into the mix. It's a nice TS meal for our family on a Disney QS budget (or thereabouts) and we nearly always do road trips, so going off property in search of food is never a bad idea in our estimation!

 

[SunnieRN]

Have you ever had Giordanos pizza? We got it on our first WDW trip and a few times since. It is deep dish pizza and it is really good! It's a very thin (think pastry thin) crust, with inches deep filling of cheese and whatever meats and vegetables you choose to add. It's really good!

https://giordanos.com/

The picture is very realistic to how huge they are! As you can see, the sauce is on top of the cheese, which looks odd but is wonderful!!!

I'm curious, I hope you don't mind me asking, have you ever tried Swagbucks? I'm just trying to start muddling my way through, to see if I can make a few dollars. So far I've only made $6.37, but it's a start lol.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Have you ever had Giordanos pizza? We got it on our first WDW trip and a few times since. It is deep dish pizza and it is really good! It's a very thin (think pastry thin) crust, with inches deep filling of cheese and whatever meats and vegetables you choose to add. It's really good!

https://giordanos.com/

The picture is very realistic to how huge they are! As you can see, the sauce is on top of the cheese, which looks odd but is wonderful!!!

I'm curious, I hope you don't mind me asking, have you ever tried Swagbucks? I'm just trying to start muddling my way through, to see if I can make a few dollars. So far I've only made $6.37, but it's a start lol.

Well I presented that link to my family but it wasn't met with much enthusiasm. We're definitely thin crust lovers, but nobody seemed interested in trying deep dish pizza. Thank you very much for the suggestion though.

As for swagbucks...I've briefly looked into it in the past, and from what I remember it pays out in Canadian gift cards (to Canadians) which is not the most desirable outcome, so I never got into it. I hardly ever shop online, so I likely wouldn't make much at all. So, I can't be of any help...sorry!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

can you get papal, swagbucks is what i use and its really good

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $0.83 to my Disney funds because I...

earned $0.83 from quickrewards...
added $0 to the USD cash pouch...
added $0 to the Disney jar...
earned/received $0 in Disney gift cards...
added $5.00 to the Disney account...

So the new totals are:

$74.69 in quickrewards...
$37.10 in the USD pouch...
$50.00 in the Disney jar...
$110.00 in Disney gift cards...
$175.00 in the Florida account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $446.79!!

Esso Extra Points: 3638
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 1362

Savings goal June: $650
Total Remaining: $203.21

I also added $3.15 to my Europe funds because I:

earned $0.05 from isay...
earned $0.10 in credit card rewards...
added $0 to the Europe jar...
added $3.00 to the Europe account...

So the new totals are:

$43.25 in isay points....
$40.59 in credit card rewards...
$32.16 in the Europe jar...
$445.00 in the Europe account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $561.00!!

Savings Goal June: $685
Total Remaining: $124.00

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1771

8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

Low earning day today. I couldn't use radio loyalty at all today...it's been causing my computer to overheat and shut down so no money there and I struck out repeatedly on surveys all throughout the day.

I did come in under budget for groceries though, so I tossed $3 into the Paris account.

I have a bit more excess grocery money as well as a bit of excess gasoline money that I'm holding onto until the end of the month. I may need it to get DS a pair of dress pants for church if I don't need it for gas or food. I'm hoping not to need it though. The day before payday I hope to be able to put it towards our vacation funds, along with anything else I manage to scrape together from those two budgets...but only time will tell!

 

[stayhomemom77]

can you get papal, swagbucks is what i use and its really good

I do have a paypal account. I don't think it's as good for Canadians as it is for Americans. I suppose it couldn't hurt to take another look though.

 

[SunnieRN]

I'm sorry it didn't appeal to your family, my grandmunchkins won't eat it either. We get them a regular pizza from Giordanos.

I just started Swagbucks a few days ago, but I figure if I get gift cards I will try to find things I would normally buy and add the money to my cash for our trip.

I don't buy a lot of things online, but they have surveys also. I got through two today so that boosted my total a bit. Thank you, I was curious as you are so successful with everything you do!

JadeDarkstar, I'm still lost, but after 4 days it is starting to make more sense!!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

check out the swagbucks post here on the dis. it gives many hints too. there are 6 apps that give you 10 sb a day, and i do ncrave + watch videos. sometimes I do surveys they do not always work out.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $0 to my Disney funds because I...

earned $0 from quickrewards...
added $0 to the USD cash pouch...
added $0 to the Disney jar...
earned/received $0 in Disney gift cards...
added $5.00 to the Disney account...

So the new totals are:

$74.69 in quickrewards...
$37.10 in the USD pouch...
$50.00 in the Disney jar...
$110.00 in Disney gift cards...
$175.00 in the Florida account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $446.79!!

Esso Extra Points: 3638
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 1362

Savings goal June: $650
Total Remaining: $203.21

I also added $5.40 to my Europe funds because I:

earned $0.95 from isay...
earned $4.45 in credit card rewards...
added $0 to the Europe jar...
added $0 to the Europe account...

So the new totals are:

$44.20 in isay points....
$45.04 in credit card rewards...
$32.16 in the Europe jar...
$445.00 in the Europe account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $566.40!!

Savings Goal June: $685
Total Remaining: $118.60

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1771

8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

No Disney earnings today. Sad.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Well the Disney plans have changed again already! I DID warn you!

After a chat with DD about what would be served at Tea...we've decided to abort. We think the idea is nice, but in practice...she wouldn't drink tea, she wouldn't eat the sandwiches or eat the cheese or lavosh and she was none too sure about the scone and dessert to be honest. So $30 for a jam tart seemed a little silly to me.

She wanted a fancy "girly" experience though...so I did some research and suggest a trip to the spa for a pedicure. She said it was too expensive. I don't know why SHE cares, SHE doesn't have to pay for it but she shot me down on that one. I'm pouting a little on the inside.

She is VERY excited however, about the change to have a nice fancy brunch and a peek in some of the stores...just she and I at one of the resorts. I have to look into this to see what might be good. Kona is a definite possibility and I'll check out all the other resorts to see if we can find something we think we will like. She wants to eat, shop and swim basically...while the boys swing some clubs around and pig out on pizza. And that can definitely be arranged!

 

[SunnieRN]

A resort on the monorail is a great idea as you can shop all around the monorail resorts!!!

check out the swagbucks post here on the dis. it gives many hints too. there are 6 apps that give you 10 sb a day, and i do ncrave + watch videos. sometimes I do surveys they do not always work out.

My ignorance is showing. What is ncrave? Also I think I need to start at the beginning of the thread, as I have no idea of the 6 ways to make 10 sb a day.