Update- Dollars to Disney

I haven't updated in a while because we are trying to finish out our yearly family budget in the "black". So. I haven't been paying great attention to the amount of my "savings".

However, I do have to share a blessing. We budgeted $200 for the remainder of our children's Christmas. We planned to spend $150 of that on a Nintendo DS and game. A really wanted Mario Brothers, but that just didn't fit into the $150. Scott started watching Craig's list, and he found a DS in a box with the Mario game for $90. WooHoo! Sounds like Disney money to me!

Savings: $60

Coupons: $15

Script: $1.48

Photo Money: $30

Total saved: $106.48

D2D Update Week 11

We saved $33.44 this week.

-We usually pay $12 every October to have our yard waste picked up. This year we decided to mulch our leaves, burn the twigs in our fire pit, and compost the rest.

This saved us $12!

-Coupons: $3.00

-Andrew's school is now participating in the Script program. We order/purchase gift cards, and the school gets a portion of the amount sold. The school then credits our account with a small portion of the money. This saved us $1.44 this week!

Every penny counts....right?

-I LOVE my quesadilla maker, and it played out last week. I almost bought one on Monday, but I just so happened to find one at a thrift store for $3.00. This saved us $17.00!

D2D Update-Week 10

We saved/earned an extra $158.99 this week.

Photo Money: $100

Coupons: 8.99

I took our own family photos: $50

D2D Update-Week 9

We saved/earned $67.80 this week.

Photo Money: $50.00

Coupons: $8.80

Pumpkins: $9.00

I budgeted $13.00 for pumpkins. Someone mentioned that Aldi had pumpkins on sale for $1.99. Scott and I were SHOCKED when we saw the size of the $1.99 pumpkins. Woo Hoo! He tried to convince me to buy 3, but I thought of Disney.

Here are our "thrifty" pumpkins!If you haven't bought your pumpkins, I would check your local Aldi!

D2D Update-Week 8

This week we saved/earned $161.00.

Photo money: $150

Creavtive Baby Shower Gift: $6.00

I had budgeted spending $10, but I put in a little extra labor and creativity. I only ended up spending $4.00.

I decided not to buy any mums this year:$5.00

D2D Update-Week 5

We saved/earned an extra $80.60 this week.

Coupons: $11.61

Photo Money: $50.00

I bought a kit to make my own leaf stencil because I couldn't find a leaf stamp. Then, I found this perfect stamp at a garage sale for $0.25. Needless to say, I returned the stencil kit. This saved me $6.74. Now, I just need to stamp the leaves in the bathroom.
One of A's friends loves Nascar. We were actually invited to his b-day dinner this week. On Saturday, I found all of these collector's edition Nascars CHEAP! Don't worry....I didn't keep it a secret. He LOVED them. WooHoo! I saved $12.25 on this b-day gift.

The little boy asked A, "Where did you get these cars?" A stated proudly, "My mom bought them at a garage sale for like $.0.50!" He was so proud!

I aslo bought a cute secret pal gift, but I am not going to talk about that because my secret pal just might be the only one who actually reads this blog. That would be my luck! I am not very good at the "secret" part.

Cuteness & D2D Update

The other day my sweet, adorable O was riding her tricycle when she stopped suddenly. She climbed off her pink trike, picked up this dead-as-a-door nail worm, and proclaimed, "Momma, look at da cute worm!" It had been dead for days and ran over by quite a few cars. I only hope that she can always find the "cuteness" in things even when others do not! Have I mentioned that she REALLY likes to pick up worms? Yuck!

D2D Update-Week 4

We saved/earned an extra $68.90 this week.

Coupons: 5.90

Photo Money: 50.00

We have not purchased any Coca Cola products for 2 weeks. I don't think that this is going to last much longer. I NEED my daily can of Coke! This saved us 6.00!

This is a photo of the freebies that my mother-in-law gave me on Sunday. I needed a few glasses, and I almost bought a box of Twinkies last week. A LOVES Twinkies, and another child in his class brought one in his lunch box. He played the momma-guilt card. She also gave me an "All You" magazine which is full of great coupons. Total saved: 5.00

My sister-in-law brought me a jar of homemade jelly and zucchini relish: 2.00

Dollars to Disney Update-Week 2

Our weekly savings and extra income for this week=$174.00

-Our family LOVES Six Flags. In fact, last year we went there at least 6 times, and our kiddos were 2 and 4. We all REALLY wanted to go to Six Flags on Saturday, but we decided to go to a state park instead. Total savings=$109.00

-Our favorite baby turned 1 this week! I LOVE to buy fun gifts and wrapping that matches the b-day theme which happened to be Curious George. However, I remembered something that I bought on clearance a while back. It is not Curious George, but he will like it. So, the money saved on baby C's gift=$15

-Extra income from taking family photos this week=$50

It was a busy week, and I am proud of the sacrifices and creativity that we used!

Thanks for all the money saving ideas and advice. It is hard for me to find new ideas that I haven't been using for years. I am already so cheap that finding extra ways is proving to be quite the challenge!

I am starting to think about Christmas.

I am certain that I can squeeze more out of my money around the holidays!

Dollars to Disney Update

Here is how I saved $66.08 this week:

-Coupon for Plaza Tire oil change=9.99

-Decided not to rent a movie=$2.99

-Purchased dry erase markers at Wal-Mart for $3.81. Found brand new set at a garage sale for $1. Savings=2.81

-Grocery coupons=$29

-Free Whopper=$2.99

-Free 11x14 photo at Walgreens=$9.99

-45 4x6 prints from Walgreens for $0.25. Savings=$8.30



$1933.92 in 358 days