What will it be for trip #3? (August 5-14, 2012) - Page 29 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
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Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Glad you found the luggage scale! Great plans for AK and DHS! Glad you were able to get a hair appointment for Ben. Great Mousekeeping envelopes!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark
Love your mousekeeping envelopes! Very cute!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sc507
Cute tip cards! I didn't realize that there were US $1 coins - thought it was just us who had the chance to carry around a pocketful of change
I see the $1 coins as a novelty. The kids get them occasionally from grandparents (and $2 bills). DH has a customer that he delivers to that will give him a $1 coin as a tip (He delivers groceries and the company explicitly says tips are not expected but some people like to give a little token of appreciation).
This weekend we needed to buy a new dishwasher....boooo.....
We *almost* bought one last month at ApplianceSmart...but our home repair plan was able to fix our old dishwasher. Unfortunately, although the dishwasher worked...it did not clean well. DH heard an advertisement for a sale on the very Maytag dishwasher we almost bought last month--only now it was even less. It think we got a good deal on our $400 dishwasher...but that is $400 less for Disney.
The heater on our above ground pool also died this year. (We live in MN so the heater is necessary to get as much use out of the pool as possible). We looked into getting it fixed and it is not cost effective. We have decided to tough it out for the rest of this season and save money for a new heater for next year. I am thankful that it died during a warm summer!
Love the tip envelopes, the Metrocard machines give those $1 coins as change so we have collected quite a few of them as well. It was pretty funny as Angel asked me the other day to count the money in the Disney Jar again one more time (the bank where we use the coin machine gives a bonus if you are within I think it is $2 of your estimation so they like to make sure they know what they are putting into the machine. Anyway so comes over to tell me how much they saved and said, mom do you think we can use the gold quarters in the quarter machine? I asked her what gold quarters, then she showed me and I explained that those aren't quarters...so while she cannot use them in the pressed quarter machines she sure was excited to know that they had more money than she thought they had as she was counting them as quarters not dollars
With only 18 days before our trip, I do not expect to be able to cash out for any more surveys sites before we go (besides...much of my computer time is now spent obsessing about our trip!)
I thought I would take a moment to share with you my totals since January 2012. The date is the date I received the award.
I should also give you a general idea of how much time I spend on this....On an average week, I probably spend about 4-5 hours a week taking surveys. There are weeks that number is much higher--depends on the opportunities I get and how much time I have. I usually do them on my laptop while watching TV before bed...
I am breaking it into a few different categories and will explain each as I go.
Survey Sites-These are the sites you can sign up for and take surveys. You usually earn points for surveys that can then be turned into other rewards. Sparky introduced me to these last summer and has given more great information about all of these sites in her PTR.
Market research qualified for through online survey sites-These are bigger opportunities that I got through the surveys on the sites listed above. The $275 one required me to be a part of a "message board" for about 6 weeks. There were questions to answer and specific homework to complete (like videotaping me shopping for coffee in my local grocery store).
2/5/2012 C&R Research Check $275.00
1/5/2012 C&R Research check $30.00
3/6/2012 C&R-online forum check $30.00
3/3/2012 online panel on canned veg check $20.00
Market research PANEL qualified for through online survey sites-This is a discussion board-type panel that posts a question or two every week. Minimal participation provides $10 in Amazon cash monthly. There are other contests and opportunities, but I have not "won" those chances. I am just minimally active, responding to the posted questions but not going above and beyond or commenting on everyone else's posts. Again, I got to this through one of the survey sites.
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Communispace (Conagra panel) Amazon gift certicates $10.00
Local Market Research Companies-Apparently I am fortunate to live in the Minneapolis area where there are a number of Market Research firms. They all have a rule that you can only participate in one project every 2 or 3 months but I was fortunate to get one through a food research that was ongoing for 6 meetings.
5/31/2012 Ascendency Research (lottery) cash $60.00
6/6/2012 Delve-hygiene study Visa Giftcard $195.00
1/5/2012 FPI (Food testers) check $35.00
4/31/12 FPI (Food testers)--Ross check $30.00
6/11/2012 FPI (Food testers)--Ross check $35.00
5/16/2012 FPI --Discussion Group check $50.00
6/2/2012 FPI --Discussion Group check $50.00
6/12/2012 FPI --Discussion Group check $50.00
6/19/2012 FPI --Discussion Group check $50.00
6/28/2012 FPI --Discussion Group bonus check $50.00
5/22/2012 FPI--Discussion Group check $45.00
Other-The DVC marketing phone call that gave a $40 WDW giftcard
GRAND TOTAL FOR 2012:
$1,898.25
Wow.
Unfortunately, not all of it went to Disney.
Anything noting "Amazon giftcard" as the reward was not spent on Disney stuff, but it has helped us buy a new pool cover, Amazon Prime and some new parts for our broken grill
Sometimes, we were just running a bit short for our family monthly budget and the checks went straight to our checking account.
Looking back, it was time well spent. The Market Research is essentially paying for our resort costs.
If you remember our garage sale...that paid for our park tickets.
I was hoping to not add anything to our credit cards during this trip, but it looks like there will be a small-ish amount charged.
I am glad that we did not do the package this year (with resort/tix and DDP through WDW). I was sad about not being able to take advantage of the 6 months no interest financing on the Disney Visa. However, the reality has been that we never had the trip fully paid for at the end of the 6 months and we had not done a good job of saving to pay for actual trip items (other than spending money) before our trip. It feels good to actually have some of our trip costs PIF before our trip.
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.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
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
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!!
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Pixie Dust
"Sparky"(My first trip.)
Sorry about the dishwasher! 
Love the Mousekeeping envelopes! 
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
. Makes you feel good when you sit back and look at it all doesn't it?? GREAT JOB!!!!
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