Ways to Save Money 101

[Miss Kelly]

I know these tips have been discussed ten times over but I thought if we could get them all in one place, it might make it easier for all who need it. Like me!(I'm planning a surprise WDW/Disney Cruise for my brother and niece; they've never been!) PLEASE LIST YOUR BEST TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY!!! Thanks!
_______________________________________

I'll start...

• Change Jar - Save all coins and/or dollar bills.
• Coupons, Coupons, Coupons!
• Cut out the extras, ie. Eating Out, Shopping, etc.

 

[AMaloy314]

Sign up for surveys. I've made $15 so far and have only been doing it for a month! For more info, see the Rewards board.

 

[sap1227]

As of tomorrow I will have made $159 this month. This is not a typical month, I admit. I usually make around $20 a month. Every little bit helps!!

 

[HenDuck]

more ideas:

1. buy glow bracelets, light chasers, etc. before you leave home.

2. garage sales and ebay $$ go to the Disney fund!

3. stay off-site at a place with a fridge and micro and/or free breakfast!

4. bring water into the park

5. bring snacks into the park

6. try to eat one meal in the park, if any at all

7. do most of your souvenier shopping at the outlets or go to the World of Disney at DTD and use your AAA card or AP for discounts

8. If going to WDW, rent a vacation home and cook meals there. Both save mega $$.

9. go during value season.

10. save single dollar bills for tips

11. Buy Disney Dollars whenever you go to TDS (shucks I forgot to do that today )

12. Plan, Plan, Plan!

13. Read DisBoards!

14. Invite some friends along and share expenses (and the magic!)

I can't wait to read more...

 

[RoyalCanadian]

There are also money saving tips for those who don't Ebay and aren't able to stop by a Disney Store on a regular basis to pick up Disney Dollars. A lot of these are plain common sense things too.


1. Cancel all those unnecessary extra features on your telephone line such as Call Waiting, Call Answer, Call Display. Busy signals and a $10 answering machine for when you're really out work just fine.

2. Take your lunch and coffee to work. Those double tall fat free lattes at Starbucks really add up. Add to that the ability to eat healthier.

3. Stop smoking. 'nuff said.

4. Get a programmable thermostat for the home -- the ability to automatically set-back the heat or AC when you're going to be out of the house can save money off the oil/gas/electricity bill.

5. Replace burned out light bulbs with compact fluorescents -- costs a bit more initially, but the electricity savings will start to add up.

6. Do you really, really need high-speed Internet connection? Comparison shop and get the best price -- I'm looking at one dial-up provider which costs less than $120 CDN for the entire year, unlimited access.

7. Regular unleaded gasoline works just fine in your car. Higher octanes don't necessarily help.

 

[Muushka]

All great ideas and those pennies saved quickly turn into dollars.

I don't know how everyone else's supermarkets are, but here in the Triangle we have many markets that have "Buy one, get one free". Believe it or not, except for milk (which I get at Sams or BJs) and a few other items, I get pretty much everything I eat at 1/2 price (buy one, get one free deals). Ice cream, yogurt, tuna, soda, crackers, meat, chicken helper, cereal, frozen dinners, spaghetti and sauce, I could go on, but it would be way too boring.

We have a freezer in the garage that we store the frozen stuff and meat. I store everything else in the pantry and in the garage. It is pretty much like a grocery store here. And we are just 2 people. There are weeks that I buy $50 worth of groceries, and other weeks I buy nothing. I have 4 stores that I shop at. It is a game to me.

We rarely go out to eat, and if we do, we use coupons. Buy one get one free of course!

Due to the loss of a job, we got rid of our $35.00 cell phone and switched to prepaid- which is for emergency only and is about $1.00 a month if we just use it for 2 quick calls. I now use my AT&T Sam's club phone card for my long distance (miss the cell phone for that).

I just had my first ever yard sale. Probably my last! Anyway, a friend recommended selling soda and water if the day was warm. That was my biggest profit! I also learned a lot about my spending habits when I looked at the junk I had bought over the years and how little it is really worth. I will be a more careful shopper from now on.

I will stop rambling now.......

 

[hulabird]

I do surveys too, and have made so much from all companies that I do surveys for that I was able to pay for our room using just that money!!!!!

I just signed up for a bunch of different companies when I first started doing surveys, but has anyone ever tried those companies that send emails saying they can give you links to tons of companies, I think it's like 35.00 or something. I am always leary of stuff like that until I know someone has tried it and it is legit.

 

[sap1227]

Originally posted by hulabird
I do surveys too, and have made so much from all companies that I do surveys for that I was able to pay for our room using just that money!!!!!

I just signed up for a bunch of different companies when I first started doing surveys, but has anyone ever tried those companies that send emails saying they can give you links to tons of companies, I think it's like 35.00 or something. I am always leary of stuff like that until I know someone has tried it and it is legit.

Never, never, never pay for this information!! There are a ton of websites that will give you the links at no charge!! The rewards board on this site has a very long list of survery companies!

 

[Cindy B]

Yes, I 've done focus groups and surveys as well, also test drives incentives (if you can find them !), and other things

So far this month

$100 focus group (plus a nice free lunch)
$5 Target gc
$10 survey check
$5 survey check

The focus groups don't come often, but the survey checks are usually pretty good for about $20 month.

 

[smilingmouse]

Could those of you who do survey/focus groups please post the companys that you have signed up with.....there are soooo many out there that it's hard to know whats legit. Also, if any of you get extras for digning up new people, please PM me and let me know and I will be more than happy to say you referred me

TIA
SmilingMouse

 

[dolphincrazy]

I do many of these things already, I also opened an INGDIRECT savings account(online bank)there is a promotion going on that if you sign up,you can get $25 free as a bonus there is a frequently asked questions thread on the top of the rewards programs page
that will give details.
I usually deposit my checks from surveys and such into this account and it's harder to get at than a regular savings account so, you can't just blow it all on a whim!
Maryann

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by smilingmouse
Could those of you who do survey/focus groups please post the companys that you have signed up with.....there are soooo many out there that it's hard to know whats legit. Also, if any of you get extras for digning up new people, please PM me and let me know and I will be more than happy to say you referred me

TIA
SmilingMouse

I would look at other freebie boards to get some info on this

some good boards to check are

www.fatwallet.com
www.mycoupons.com

They usually have a good section there.

As for legit, if they ask YOU to pay, they are not legit.
Some companies are slow to pay, and some you get paid in points, which you redeem. Some give GC's as incentives. I paid for an entire college textbook ($65) with GC's incentives from surveys.

 

[pampam]

Bump

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

How about having only ONE credit card to pay for things and have that card be one that accumulates points that work for you. In the past I always used Discover because it gave you "cash back", but now there's Disney Visa. Sure it's not a lot of points, but I have $36 rewards to use in WDW when we go in June.

If you have a membership at Costco/BJs/Sam's Club buy in bulk WHEN IT"S CHEAPER to do so. Remember to compare prices before buying. Just because it's in a larger container doesn't mean it's cheaper than at the market. But 36 rolls of toilet paper for $10 is a pretty good price!

 

[brandip22]

I do most of the things already listed here. I also just started an at-home party-types of business. Kinda like Mary Kay, Tupperware. I am having a party this weekend and already have a lot of pre-orders, so that'll be good. My company actually lets me have parties to pay for the start-up costs and demo items, so I didn't have to put money up front, which helped a lot. I plan on using half the profit at first for new work clothes and the other half going to my Disney fund! I do mystery shopping, too, which has made me $15 this month and I just started, so that's good!

 

[Desiree]

Brandi, can you give me some information on the Mystery Shopping thing? I've been looking but all the places I've been to on the internet have not worked out. I've been thinking of doing that myself to make some extra $.

 

[Tigge50447]

I like to over pay some of my bills like my student loan and my cell phone (which is my only phone) that way I don't have to pay the month before I go on my trip which adds about $210 and I get a free week of daycare if my son is not there for 1 whole week so that a grand total of $355 extra.

I also do surveys and rebate checks go directly into my disney savings account.

I found that my credit union is out of the way and I can only take out cash in person so I have not touched any of the money in the disney fund because it's not convient or linked to a card.

I buy disney cash as well.

and I roll my change.

so far $1200 in the bank and airfare is purchased and since I purchased all the airfare 3 people owe me $ still so there is another $400

$1200 in cash
$400 (in IOU's)
$250 (in disney cash)
$ 355 savings in bill for November
= $2210

Anything left over is going into our wedding fund

 

[beansmom]

what can you do that not everybody else does? prepare taxes? crafts? cook? Use those talents to make some extra cash. I make crafts and sell them around the holidays. Made over $300 last year.

 

[sap1227]

Here is the list of survey companies from the rewards board
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=268188&highlight=+survey

I looked up "Orlando Focus Groups" on google and found 3 focus group companies to sign up with.

We also buy almost everything when it is buy one get one free, and we try to match the buy one get ones with coupons. It can add up to very big savings!!

If you have a Walgreens near you, do their monthly free after rebate items.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/rebateclub.jhtml
If you let them send you a Walgreens gift card, they will give you an additional 10%. This month is not real great, but last month I got $55 back.

 

[Miss Kelly]

BUMPING FOR MORE IDEAS!