One Year to Save!!

[Deffenm]

So for Jan. I "found" the following.

5,251 pts - cash in for $25 Lawndry's gift card (use at rainforest cafe)
$7.55 earned for surveys - cash in for Disney Gift card
$10 Disney Gift card from DMR
$21 coin jar
$66 savings from gas and groceries

Total: $129.55

I didn't meet my goal of $225 so will work harder to complete survey's.

 

[WanderLuster]

I'd like to join in - I thought it might be fun to try to pay for my fall trip to F&W with "found" money.

I do Swagbucks, Bing Rewards, My Points, and Quick Rewards.

I also use MTurk - my goal for the year is to earn $75/week there to put towards debt, so anything over that $75 is getting earmarked for Disney!

Thanks for starting this thread and helping to keep me motivated.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $7.25 to my fund today because I...

earned $2.19 from quickrewards...

earned $0.51 in credit card rewards...

and added $4.55 to my change jar.

So the new totals are:

$44.55 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$58.99 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$42.30 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$4.50 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$34.85 in the change jar
$135.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $321.24!!!

 

[Deffenm]

I completed a survey this week and earned $3.00. I also found a bunch of change laying around and added it to the coin jar.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $29.07 to my fund today because I...

earned $1.13 from quickrewards...

earned $2.24 in credit card rewards...

earned $0.70 in credit card rewards...

and added $25.00 (unspent grocery money) to the bank account.

So the new totals are:

$44.55 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$60.12 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$44.54 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.20 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$34.85 in the change jar
$160.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $350.31!!!

I have earned myself several dollars so far this week ($5-$6) by completing surveys that should be credited to me by Monday or so. I sure hope I get all the money I have earned!! That's my one fear!!

 

[Monknmom]

Cartwheel is a digital coupon program from Target. You "clip" digitally what coupons you want and at check they can scan a bar-code on your phone to apply all the coupons.

Oh, okay! I don't have a smartphone... I guess that's why I haven't heard about it! Thank you!

 

[Marionnette]

Oh, okay! I don't have a smartphone... I guess that's why I haven't heard about it! Thank you!

You don't need to use a smartphone. You can access your Cartwheel from a laptop or desktop computer and then print your list. The cashier can scan it at the register.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $5.41 to my fund today because I...

earned $4.93 from quickrewards... (my surveys were all credited for this site...still waiting for isay)

and earned $0.48 in credit card rewards...

So the new totals are:

$44.55 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$65.05 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$45.02 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.20 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$34.85 in the change jar
$160.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $355.72!!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $11.50 to my fund today because I...

earned $1.05 from quickrewards...

earned $0.45 from isay...*

and transferred $10.00 into the Disney account.**

So the new totals are:

$45.00 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$66.10 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$45.02 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.20 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$34.85 in the change jar
$170.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $367.22!!!

*I did a 45 cent survey on isay last night and then emailed them about the 95 cents they still owe me from February 5th. I had a response in my inbox when I opened my computer this morning. Apparently some problem has caused a delay but they say I should receive the credit soon. Whew!!

**DH refused my offer to make him a lunch yesterday because he keeps a few noodle bowls in his office and planned to eat one of them. Unfortunately, he forgot to ensure he had a spoon, so instead of getting a free plastic one from the cafeteria...he bought himself a $10 sub. We were carrying a $20 balance in the bank account, so I covered the cost of his unnecessary expense and decided it was only fair I take the other $10 for myself.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $5.54 to my fund today because I...

earned $1.64 from quickrewards...

earned $1.05 in credit card rewards

and tossed $2.85 in the change jar!

So the new totals are:

$45.00 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$67.74 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$46.07 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.20 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$37.70 in the change jar
$170.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $372.76!!!

 

[Deffenm]

Earned another $6 doing survey's and DS owed me money and paid me back $5. It also looks like I am going to get a good bonus in March as our company hit all of its goals. So I will save some of this money towards the trip. This was unexpected so it is so exciting.

 

[msmama]

New to this thread but I wanted to share my new saving trick. I got some gift cards for Xmas, and found some more when I was cleaning out my closet. Every time I use a gift card, I am taking that cash and adding it to my disney fund! It is in no way actually "saving" anything, lol, lol but any bit that I can add to the Disney fund is worth it.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $11.36 to my fund today because I...

earned $0.85 from quickrewards...

earned $0.51 in credit card rewards

and tossed $10.00 in the change jar!

So the new totals are:

$45.00 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$68.59 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$46.58 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.20 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$47.70 in the change jar
$170.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $384.12!!

I was really hoping to get to $425 tomorrow ($25 from groceries, $10 from gasoline) but I'd still need to come up with $5.88 and that might be a bit of a stretch even combining all the other sources. I've been surprised quite a few times with extra bits I could move over though, so you never know...

Still no appearance yet on the isay credits. I'll wait another week and then email again if I have to. I'm GETTING that money.

 

[rlu929s]

Went to a charity event and bought $100 worth of Walmart Gift Cards for $85. Took this out of Disney Fund.

Won $50 at a conference yesterday.

Taking my $150 to Sam's club to buy $150 in Disney Gift Cards for $143.

Total additional saving for the whole process: $72.


Puts me over $200 now!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $45.13 to my fund today because I...

earned $2.15 from quickrewards... (They actually cut me off...saying I've exceeded my survey limit for the moment. )

earned $0.90 from isay (no...not the one I was waiting for...a new one I did late last night)

earned $1.59 in credit card rewards...

earned $0.44 in credit card rewards...

found a nickel when getting gasoline and tossed that into the change jar...

and added $40.00 to the bank account ($25 groceries plus $15 gasoline)!!

So the new totals are:

$45.90 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$70.74 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$48.17 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.64 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$47.75 in the change jar
$210.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $429.25!!



I was doing this completely on the quiet from DH (who is NOT a Disney fanatic) but I let him read my financial goals for 2014 and "saving for Disney using found money" was an entry on it. He wanted to know what found money was so I explained. He sort of scoffed, thinking it would take me forever to save up enough to go back so it's going to be quite a shock for him, I think when I reveal how I've nickeled and dimed myself enough for us to vacation there next winter.

 

[jojosam]

Vacation fund is steadily growing. I was at $214... random $1 and $5 bills are going into the bank, plus another roll of quarters from the change jar for a total of $31.... That brings us to $245. Then I cashed in my Savingstar account and added another $23.35. Grand total $268.35!! Just added a few new eBay listings and we are still finding treasures for our yard sale next month, so we should be over $500 in no time!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added $4.69 to my fund today because I...

earned $2.69 from quickrewards...

and added $2 to the change jar.

So the new totals are:

$45.90 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$73.43 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$48.17 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.64 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$49.75 in the change jar
$210.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $433.94!!

STILL haven't received the outstanding isay credits but I'll wait until Thursday and jet off another email then. But, I'm hoping it won't be necessary.

On Saturday we went out for lunch. The restaurant we were supposed to go to would have cost us about $30...which I had in cash...but at the last moment, I suggested an alternative, which ended up being MUCH more expensive. I had to pay for the tip out of the WAM I had on hand, forfeit the $20 I should have gotten this coming Friday and sacrifice $15 from the gasoline budget to make up the difference.

This means that I have only $10 left to my name in WAM, which needs to last the remainder of the month and I may not have any money left in the gasoline budget to put in the Disney account come Friday.

I have adjusted the goal for the month accordingly and feel I should be able to reach $475 but am still going to TRY and get to $500 if I can.

 

[mamilovesdisney]

I just have to say you are doing a great job! Congrats and keep it coming!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Thanks mamilovesdisney!

I'm so excited that I have this goal. Even if the trip doesn't actually come off as planned (I may have to postpone to spring 2015), I LOVE seeing my totals add up on basically a daily basis.

I don't try and earn anything on Sundays at all, so that means that my goal is to try and make $0.85 a day from the survey sites (just over $5 a week), put $100 away each month in grocery money and $40 a month in gasoline money and $40 a month in unspent WAM money. If successful, that adds up to $200 for the month.

The credit card rewards earned I view as "extra bits" and of course anytime I make or save more than the above totals is extra too.

I was irritated with myself for being the one who suggested the more expensive lunch place (essentially because it felt like I was stealing potential Disney fund money), but in the end DH was so THRILLED with the outing that the irritation didn't last too long. He can't feel deprived at all, nor should he...this plan was about how to save without making sacrifices to our regular budget, so I have to be careful not to go overboard!

Good luck with saving/earning/finding this week all!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Added the smallest increase of February today. Only $1.99 added to my fund today because I...

earned $1.99 from quickrewards...

So the new totals are:

$45.90 in rewards dollars for a survey site (which I will cashout to paypal)
$75.42 in quickrewards (which I will use to buy Disney gift cards)
$48.17 in credit card rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$5.64 in cc rewards (which I will use for groceries, freeing up the cash)
$49.75 in the change jar
$210.00 in the account
$1.05 american cash

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $435.93!!

Isay credit still outstanding and now QR owes me $0.75. I emailed them about it yesterday and they said if it hasn't showed up by tonight to email again they'll issue a manual credit.