As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
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
Moving on with a spirit born to run
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.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
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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Babies sure do change your life, I always thought living frugally was dreadful and boring. Now I love it!
At our house I'm still hot over the mad passionate love affair with cloth diapering. Sure, there's some wash water involved but no more than if he were flushing the toilet, and I hang them to dry.
We've been making more food from scratch (we just ate our Halloween pumpkin, it was delicious!)
and as soon as the woodstove is offically installed we'll be burning foss kitchen remnants! What better way to bid a fond adieu to such cheap poor taste.
99% of Jimmy's wardrobe is from Freecycle.
Someday I'd love to be able to heat the house with solar panels.
What are some of your favorite ways to stretch out a dollar.
I actually went through a stage where I made my own laundry soap and liquid hand soap...those days were FUN! I used to have a huge lavender garden that I used for soaps and gift-making, but I ripped it out and started fresh, so that hasn't grown up enough yet. I also used to grow my own garlic and braid it up every year. I do still pull out my "cauldron" (special crock pot) and make an herbal salve for 11yo's psoriasis.
We did the cloth diaper thing and I don't want to give TMI on the boards, but if you're interested in how I save $$$ with grown up girl things (there are 2 of us in the house now), PM me if you can handle it, HUGE savings!
Most foods are cooked from scratch and I love, LOVE, LOVE fresh pumpkin! My FIL grows a pumpkin patch for me each year as my anniversary gift (the first one was my wedding gift ) I usually can as much as possible, but this year didn't do a single jar of anything as I was just too busy with work. I've fallen in love with my crockpot (a food one, not the "cauldron") all over again.
We're using a gas tankless water heater that reduced our electric bill by 20% while not increasing our gas bill at all, which is great. I only go out once a week (unless I have shows) on dance days, so all the errands are run while DDs are dancing. When I have shows, I take my electric kettle and cup noodles, along with tea bags and carrots to munch. I also try to arrange travel so the shows are not logistical nightmares which sometimes means we get a forced vacation out of it (guess what's on the way from Fort Lauderdale to Raleigh??? )
I used to be the Frugal Queen and really need to get back into it more, although I'll continue to buy my laundry soap...
I'm so glad you love your cloth diapers! I don't know that I'd have the stomach to face them, but if and when I have kids, I'd love to give 'em a try.
I'm really frugal on most things, which helps me to splurge on a select few things (travel, my fave jeans, etc.). I make sure to always get my gas in the town where I work, not where I live, as it's always at least a dime cheaper (closer to the main fuel line). Also, I try and fill up when I'm at half a tank, not run it to empty - you get much better mileage that way, as when the tank is half full or more, the air pressure from the tank doesn't force the gas out as quickly as it does when it gets empty and the pressure has to kick in -- just the natural weight of the fuel does. I also drive my Bug the most, and my Jeep the least.
I don't usually buy anything unless it's on sale. I shop Bath & Body Works, Yankee Candle and other sales in the summer to stock up on Christmas gifts. I use my credit card for almost all my expenses and pay the entire thing off each week (yep, each week - easier to keep track that way and actually pay off the entire balance) so I can build up points for future trips.
We also grow a lot of our own food, meat included. Veggies, fruit, beef, venison - a lot of that comes from us and we don't have to buy too much of it. We also get some eggs and pork from family and friends that raise those products. I find whoever has my beloved Diet Cokes on sale each week and go there to get 'em - can usually find them for 2/$5.00 somewhere.
In the house I grew up in, we had solar panels (my family is in the plumbing/heating business, so we were always the guinea pigs for new products, which explained the bidet in our bathroom ). Anyway, we don't have them on our house now, as we joke that we have to "pipe in the sunshine" - there's so, so much shade. Since the hosue is so old, we did totally replace all the windows, doors and insulation to help on energy consumption. I also keep all my chargers (cell phone, rechargeable batteries, laptop) on a surge protector that has an on/off switch. When I'm not charging anything, I switch it off - I heard that chargers like that continuously pull energy even if they are plugged into anything, resulting in 10% of your energy consumption!
Oh man, I could go on forever. Got to save money to have money, and I'm a cheapy at heart -- frugality can definitely be fun.
I just can't bring myself to use cloth diapers however I do try to cut down in other areas. I get most of my DD's clothes through resale shops or consignment sales. I had a bad experience with Freesale/Freecycle that I refuse to do them anymore. I have garage sales, trade with friends or church ladies or sell on ebay.
As for food, I cut tons of coupons and go on sale days. My family has a garden, but my DH refuses to spend his free time in the dirt! So I have to go to the Farmers Market or the grocery store.
I commend anyone who can pinch a penny or be frugel with the best of them. I'm trying (in my own way I guess) but I draw the line at making my own toilet paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need my 2-ply.
***My DM once tried to save some money by taking 2-ply toilet paper and turing it into (2) 1-ply rolls. She had it all over the floor in the living room and in the end, I think we only used that twice and now we laugh about it.***
I guess if I had to pick the one area we are the most frugal, it's with clothing for DH and I. We have enough "good" clothing for the 5 days of the work week, and one dress-up outfit, and that's it. We buy classic, good quality pieces that don't go out of style, and they become our weekend clothes when they are too worn to wear to work. We aren't that frugal with the girls clothes, but they don't have a huge closet full of stuff, either . . .
PS: I'm sure you know this, Rachel, but be careful what you burn in the wood stove--1) because you don't know what is on old house pieces, they could make some toxic fumes, and 2) unless little Jimmy has been around wood stoves, you won't know if it will bother him. The first time we used the little wood stove when we bought our house, we found out DD had allergies to it (she was 4 at the time).
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poohmaine
Last edited by poohmaine; 12-21-2007 at 01:51 PM..
Kids consignment clothes! I can sell last season's clothes to pay for most of next season's.
I wish I'd've had the time to start a consignment shop for hot, fat chicks like me. My size clothing at the regular consignment shop is depressing. Unless you like vest aprons and polyester pull-up slacks.
I do spend a little more for really good shoes rather than piddling away cash over and over again on certain styles - like clogs and sandals. (BIRKS! )
I'm a couponomist, too. I ONLY clip coupons for products that we use, then I wait for them to go on sale at stores that double or triple coupons up to $1. I love the no maximum quantities ones. Rare, but they're like a gold mine for the vacation fund.
Christmas can quickly eat up any savings we may have made through other cost cutting in the year. Since my first DS was born I have always shopped in the sales and picked up specials usually starting in the post christmas sales! But my best tip would have to be the gifts that are made for others by us. Simple or complex the gifts we have spent time and effort on rather than purchased from the store seem to be a bigger hit with the recipient. Simple things like a photograph album, a handmade card, a knitted scarf, some cookies or a 'coupon book' of jobs for that hard to buy for person (Coupons for things like mowing the lawn, tidying the garage, a hug on demand). I'd like to say they were made with love.
Our biggest savings in my home came from cleaning supplies. I would try whatever new quick fix item that was marketed. Now I have a stain soaker in the laundry(lots of uses), white vinegar, bi-carb soda, a natural citrus spray(homemade) and that's about it. When I think of all the money I wasted on toilet cleaner, bath/shower sprays, glass cleaner etc etc etc ....
Great money saving site in Australia is simplesavings.com.au (check it out - one of my favourites)
I didn't use cloth diapers with my twins (their 7 now) but I did make my own baby wipes out of Viva paper towel rolls cut in half. I also breast fed them to 9 months and we really felt it when we needed to buy formula.
We eat out 1-2 times a month. Do all of our town errands on one day, raise our own beef (hormone free) have chickens for eggs and can and freeze food from our garden (this was not a great year). My dh packs his lunch and I try to use coupons and shop for what is on sale.
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Janell
Exercise Challenges January 825/625
February 715/750
March 725/800
April goal 800 minutes
We do try to use coupons for the things we NEED. DH took over the grocery shopping a while back and it took me some time to convince him that buying stuff FROM the coupons was more expensive than using coupons to buy what we NEED.
When we go to the Dr., any more I always ask them if they have samples or if there is a cheaper medicine that does the same thing!
Coupons most definitely! I also go to the Children's Orchard a couple times a year with clothes that no longer fit the kids. They pay pretty good money up front (no consignment) especially if the stuff is in good condition. My kids are pretty tame with their clothes so I'm usually in a good position. I've also donated through the Goodwill or Salvation Army or local shelter and then I can take the tax break.
[quote=Chrissi;1867514]
I wish I'd've had the time to start a consignment shop for hot, fat chicks like me. My size clothing at the regular consignment shop is depressing. Unless you like vest aprons and polyester pull-up slacks.
Oh man I almost peed on myself! I have a closet full of clothes I never wear, in hot fat chick sizes! Anybody in the market for a beaded Mardi Grais gown size 20? One of my goals for this year is to DE-CLUTTER and get rid of most everything I haven't used in years. Any volunteers to help? anyone,..anyone...Bueller...Bueller
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What better way to bid a fond adieu to such cheap poor taste. 
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) I usually can as much as possible, but this year didn't do a single jar of anything as I was just too busy with work. 
I've fallen in love with my crockpot (a food one, not the "cauldron") all over again.
). Anyway, we don't have them on our house now, as we joke that we have to "pipe in the sunshine" - there's so, so much shade. Since the hosue is so old, we did totally replace all the windows, doors and insulation to help on energy consumption. I also keep all my chargers (cell phone, rechargeable batteries, laptop) on a surge protector that has an on/off switch. When I'm not charging anything, I switch it off - I heard that chargers like that continuously pull energy even if they are plugged into anything, resulting in 10% of your energy consumption!
Unless you like vest aprons and polyester pull-up slacks. 
Janell
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