What will it be for trip #3? (August 5-14, 2012) About This Page:

[mommapants]

Great job with the surveys - I really need to organize myself and get going on them. I have such a slow internet connection I need to look into upgrading as well.
As far as the shows at DHS I don't think you would be able to hit EVERY show in one day. Be aware that the LMA show is a crazy mob scene when it is time to leave. Just a mass of humanity flooding into the streets, we were stuck in this crush of people and everything around the show got incredibly longs lines for about 30-45minutes after the show let out.

[benjiboo25]

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

Congrats on all the money from surveys! Sorry about the dishwasher! Love the Mousekeeping envelopes!

The new dishwasher works so much better!!!

Originally Posted by mcc0313

Wow is right, some great earnings there. A big portion of our trip has been paid for through surveys as well, they covered the tickets as well as I have purchased a bunch of Disney cards for food and souveniers. I have a friend who is always complaining that she has no money for extras like vacations, I tell her all the time about the surveys but she says she just does not have the stamina to sit and do them when they earn her a $1 here or there...I try to tell her those $1s add up but I have not converted her as of yet.

I think I mentioned this to Sparky but there is a site called Savingstar - not surveys but you link your supermarket / drug store reward/savings cards up to it. Each week they offer a bunch of coupons and all you do is click the ones that you want to use and they automatically go onto your supermarket / drug store card. Instead of you getting the savings at the time of purchase the savings gets put into your Savingstar "Bank" - you can cash out anytime over $5, I did not think I would see much savings but I just cashed my 1st $25 check, I was surprised at how quickly it added up.

I have also tried to get friends who complain about money to try the surveys. Its not a ton of extra money...but it is good earnings while watching TV!

I will check into savingstar...I am not much a couponer and tend to visit my local grocery store and SuperTarget....many of the "good" coupons seems to send you to many different places...

Originally Posted by KMB733

Congrats on all the earnings from the survey sites!!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by OCEANGRLLG

Congrats on all the extra money!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by saibot0001

Caught up again (we've had a busy summer too!). First, you are a great mom! I'm sure some days are harder than others, but we all have those days...just reading about Ben and the Disney t's proves just what a great mom you are! What a sweet boy! Second--YAY for finding the scale and I agree with your comment when your mom's house did not sell that "everything happens for a reason". It sounds to me like you didn't need anymore stress added in your life before your trip! third---WOW!!! On the surveys! I have been too busy to start them, but after seeing your results, I'm gonna seriously get busy in trying them out! As for DHS, yes...go straight to TSMM. It gets crowded quick...I don't think the line que is worth a long wait, but that may be just me! I can't wait to read about your trip!! We won't be going this year b/c it doesn't fit in with our girl 's school schedule, so I'll live through your TR. lol

Thanks so much for your supportive comments. Our plan will be to go immediately to TSMM. If we are there before the park opens...I cannot imagine that it could be more than a 20 minute wait. We will see. I am hoping Hannah will also have the stamina to wait first thing in the morning. I would like to see the queue...but not if it takes an hour!

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

Wow Shelly!!! That is such an awesome payout and it's only July, so it wasn't a full year. Great job! You blow me out of the water.

Your getting so close now, and I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

Thanks!

Opinion Outpost seemed to completely dry up after cashing out the big sum. I cannot figure it out--maybe the sites do not let you get too much money so that they do not need to bother with the tax stuff if you approach $600? Or maybe I was a more "valuable" panelist when I had such a large point bank? Not sure...but I am bummed.

I am also about done with Toluna. As soon as I earn my next reward I do not expect to spend much time there.

Originally Posted by Linnynad

OMG, my brain hurts from reading about your survey money. I am so inspired by what you have done. While I sometimes do have the time to do things like this, I feel I am not so organized. Makes you feel good when you sit back and look at it all doesn't it?? GREAT JOB!!!!
Your trip is really right around the corner!!! So exciting!!

You certainly do not need to be organized to do surveys...but I was skeptical so I wanted to track it. It also helped to justify it to DH when I had to be on the computer for a scheduled survey or discussion group (which always paid well for the time commitment). It took about 3 months before I started getting better surveys and opportunities. I wonder if you need to prove that you are reliable and consistent before being sent products and being recruited to panels? You also need to think this stuff it fun for it to be worth your time. For me...I get excited when I see a product in stores that I took a survey on or when I see a magazine cover about which I gave feedback prior to publication.

Originally Posted by sc507

Great job earning that extra cash! It definitely is nice to have most of the trip PIF before you go!

I know we will still spend a lot on our trip....But I also plan to track that!

Originally Posted by mommapants

Great job with the surveys - I really need to organize myself and get going on them. I have such a slow internet connection I need to look into upgrading as well.
As far as the shows at DHS I don't think you would be able to hit EVERY show in one day. Be aware that the LMA show is a crazy mob scene when it is time to leave. Just a mass of humanity flooding into the streets, we were stuck in this crush of people and everything around the show got incredibly longs lines for about 30-45minutes after the show let out.

Thanks for the info about the LMA show. Is it any worse than leaving after fireworks or Fantasmic?

[benjiboo25]

Getting excited now!

We worked out a big wrinkle in our plans....who will care for our dog.

My brother and his girlfriend were planning to take our dog, Marlo, during our WDW trip. However, he and his GF have been going through some stress with house and kids and I was worried that may be too much to ask of them (and not the best place for Marlo). When we got a cabin invite the week before WDW and 2 weeks of dog care turned into 3...I started worrying.

Yesterday I found out my best friend from childhood is also looking for care for her dog for the 2 weeks AFTER our trip. My brother has also been her dog-sitter (he LOVES dogs--and would jump at any chance to dog sit before he got a GF with an instant family...).

So I proposed her taking Marlo for 3 weeks and then us taking her Cody for 2 weeks. She was not instantly sold on the idea...but came around to it--especially once she knew my brother's home is a bit chaotic at the moment.

Woohoo!

[Tabitha34]

Congrats on the dog sitter!

[benjiboo25]

Since there was so much interest in my survey totals....I thought I would post about all the free products I have gotten through surveys.

This is my master list, since starting last summer. I have a description of the product and an approximate retail value of the product. For all of these items, I had to take a survey about my experiences in using the product. All of the surveys included points on whichever website originated the study. The average is probably $3-$5 for the survey after a product and it is reflected in the money totals and not product.

8 packages of squeezable applesause packets $6.00 Always ultra thins overnights w/ wings. $3.00 Hand soap $3.00 3 boxes of Kleenex $6.00 I box of trix cereal $3.00 1 can of sour cream and onion pringles $1.00 1 container of Planters cashews $5.00 1 container of Planters cashews $5.00 Progresso Soup Starters $6.00 Laundry Detergent $12.00 Knorr rice sides $1.39 Bear Creek Stroganoff $2.50 Knorr rice sides $1.39 pillsbury french loaf $2.39 chex mix $1.99 Stuffed french toast $3.99 8 packages of squeezable applesause packets $6.00 TreSemme Shampoo and conditioner $8.00 gogurt $3.00 Laundry Detergent $6.00 Bear Creek Chili $3.00 Nivea lotion $5.00 hairdryer $40.00 velveeta cheesy skillet dinner (2 boxes) $7.00 Dayquil $7.00 Clean and Clear and Noxema $8.00 Kleenex $2.79 Charmin toilet paper-12 double rolls $8.00 2 boxes hamburger Helper $2.00 furniture polish $4.00 toothbrush $3.00 stain/laundry booster $10.00 Instant Oatmeal-2 boxes $6.00 $192.44

[saibot0001]

Thanks so much for your supportive comments. Our plan will be to go immediately to TSMM. If we are there before the park opens...I cannot imagine that it could be more than a 20 minute wait. We will see. I am hoping Hannah will also have the stamina to wait first thing in the morning. I would like to see the queue...but not if it takes an hour!

I think you will be find if you go there first thing. We did that too, but we also grabbed a FP prior to getting in line. We did have a wait...I think maybe 30 minutes?? But it did not take long for that line to grow!

So glad you were able to find a sitter for your dog. We have outdoor cats (they are strays that we feed and look after) so we always have to worry about finding someone who is willing to come by and feed them everyday.

WOW! on your free products. Did you get to keep the hair dryer too? I agree...I think it would be fun to try out all the new products, but then again, I have a degree in marketing. Thanks for sharing all of your experiences!

I'm seriously excited about your trip!

[KMB733]

Glad you found a dog sitter!!

Did they send you the products to test, or did you have to buy them and then fill out the surveys?

[Linnynad]

A whole can of Pringles......I'm in!!!!!!

[mfirst]

We're taking a "weather break" so I wanted to let you know that the Y.E.S. tickets have to remain separate from the KTW card.

Also -your DHS rope drop questions -
We arrived via boat at 8:45 for a 9 am opening. They announced that they would be opening the turnstiles "momentarily" and that the entire park would be open and ready to go. We got into line right away for Toy Story and rode it with a posted wait of 20 minutes, but an actual wait of 10. We also picked FP after our ride - with a return time of 1:05 - 2:05 (it was then 9:20). We used our FP right at 1:00 and had maybe a 10 minute wait (if that). The stand-by line was up to 120 minutes.

[benjiboo25]

Originally Posted by saibot0001

I think you will be find if you go there first thing. We did that too, but we also grabbed a FP prior to getting in line. We did have a wait...I think maybe 30 minutes?? But it did not take long for that line to grow!

So glad you were able to find a sitter for your dog. We have outdoor cats (they are strays that we feed and look after) so we always have to worry about finding someone who is willing to come by and feed them everyday.

WOW! on your free products. Did you get to keep the hair dryer too? I agree...I think it would be fun to try out all the new products, but then again, I have a degree in marketing. Thanks for sharing all of your experiences!

I'm seriously excited about your trip!

Thanks for sharing in my excitement!

About the products--Yes I have gotten to keep everything! There were a few (including the dryer) that I was told to keep the box it was shipped in to send it back at the end of the study. That made me frown. However...after the first survey they asked if I would keep using it for another 2 weeks and take another survey....and then 2 weeks later again. At the end they said to keep they dryer as a token of their appreciation. They already paid to ship it once...figure they would not want to ship back!

There were a couple of things (laundry booster and dusting spray) that I needed to send back in the same shipping box before I could receive my incentive. It included the pre-paid postage so the only hassle was getting to a post office to drop it off.

Three times I have been sent things in coolers!!! (The coolers were small styrofoam things packed with dry ice for frozen item or cooler packs for fridge items). One of the shipping labels showed it cost $28 to ship the cooler to me! (And we kept it...)

Originally Posted by KMB733

Glad you found a dog sitter!!

Did they send you the products to test, or did you have to buy them and then fill out the surveys?

Read above....I have never had to buy anything...with the exception of a coffee study that paid $275 hat they explicitly chose people who would be buying bagged coffee in the next 2 weeks anyway and we knew when we signed up that we would need to buy 2 bags of our choice and record information about the process, decision and experience.

Originally Posted by Linnynad

A whole can of Pringles......I'm in!!!!!!

Originally Posted by mfirst

We're taking a "weather break" so I wanted to let you know that the Y.E.S. tickets have to remain separate from the KTW card.

Also -your DHS rope drop questions -
We arrived via boat at 8:45 for a 9 am opening. They announced that they would be opening the turnstiles "momentarily" and that the entire park would be open and ready to go. We got into line right away for Toy Story and rode it with a posted wait of 20 minutes, but an actual wait of 10. We also picked FP after our ride - with a return time of 1:05 - 2:05 (it was then 9:20). We used our FP right at 1:00 and had maybe a 10 minute wait (if that). The stand-by line was up to 120 minutes.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO FILL ME IN!!!!!!

Have you done your YES class yet? Are the tickets a hassle? Any glitches I should be aware of before our trip?

[Colexis Mom]

Congrats on finding a dogsitter! And great stuff you got!

[OneLittleSpark]

WOw Shelly! You have gotten way more test products than I have.

Congrats on finding someone to care for Marlo while your at WDW.

[saibot0001]

Thanks for all the info., Shelley! Good to know they pay for all the shipping! Also, thanks for the info in the Y. E. S. program! I'm excited to read about your experience. It sounds fun and a great way to save on tickets for Disney!

[benjiboo25]

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

Congrats on finding a dogsitter! And great stuff you got!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

WOw Shelly! You have gotten way more test products than I have.

Congrats on finding someone to care for Marlo while your at WDW.

But---You also said you do not track your test products...That is my total for the entire year since I started this craziness--It seems like a lot all at once!

Originally Posted by saibot0001

Thanks for all the info., Shelley! Good to know they pay for all the shipping! Also, thanks for the info in the Y. E. S. program! I'm excited to read about your experience. It sounds fun and a great way to save on tickets for Disney!

I am excited to hear more from other people about their YES experiences. So far, it seems like an ideal way to get a family to WDW more often!

[benjiboo25]

And 6 days until we go up to my friend's cabin....

I started to think about packing as we need to pack for the cabin next week...