This is a guest post written by one of my fantasic readers, Edith.

Growing up in Georgia, it is almost a rite of passage to make the trip south into the deeps of the Florida peninsula to Orlando and visit the famous Mouse.  In fact, my earliest memory takes place outside Cinderella’s castle.  Perhaps that is why our family migrates to the mouse at least once a year.

One of the most popular things to do now at Disney World is Character autographs.  From Cinderella to Winnie the Pooh and the Mouse himself, everyone is ready and waiting to pose for a picture with you and your family and sign autographs that your children will treasure for years to come. 

My son loves his autograph books, he treasures them all.  We have used many different styles and types.  There are plenty of options out there. 

•    Disney official autograph book.  These are readily available at the park and throughout the Orlando area.  You can also pre-buy them at places like Amazon.com or eBay.
•    Unofficial books.  Our personal favorites come from Guide to the Magic. We have used their autograph book and their Kid’s “Guide to the Magic” book and LOVED them both.
•    Disney (or generic) notebooks, they often have these at the Dollar store or Micheal’s.
•    Scrapbook paper. I know many people who buy scrapbook paper, have the character sign it and later include it as a scrapbook page with their photos, etc.
•    Create your own (for little or no cost).

First, if you haven’t yet, visit The Dis boards (if you have never been there, you will be amazed, you will find a ton of resources for all things Disney).  Once there check our the Creative DISigns forum.  There are graphic artists who are willing to create and share artworks for free, including many of the pieces you can use to create an autograph book. One of my favorite DISigners has a photobucket album with pages for every character imaginable.  You can find the ones you are hoping to see (especially if you have a character meal), or just download some generic ones.

Once you have selected your cards you can print them at home on card stock and bind then together, use them in a scrap book, or you can upload them to your artscow (or other photo center) account and create a one of a kind autograph book.

I use a site called artscow. They have a free promotion running with the code EIGHTBKS for six 20-paged 8″ x 8″ hardcover photo book credits and an extra two 39-paged editions.  You will only have to pay for shipping!

Here are some examples of finished products               

http://www.artscow.com/share/disney-autograph-book-h84slqjp9opm?Ref=842234
http://www.artscow.com/share/Autograph-album2-k18zd50lm0dc

I hope this helps you all make a wonderful, on-of-a-kind keepsake for your future trips to visit the Disney resort.

Thank you so much Edith for your posting! 

Bumping this post up for some of our new readers since I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately regarding earning money from home.

Something that my family has always battled with has been trying to afford Christmas presents. It always seems that the holiday season arrives in the midst of chaos, leaving us scrounging around the sofa cushions trying to find money to buy presents for the kids. This year, I have determined that we will not spend one cent buying Christmas presents, but that we will still have an awesome Christmas.

Already, I have over $100 in our Christmas fund from just Opinion Outpost. Opinion Outpost pays CASH for surveys that you complete. You can also refer your friends and get $2 for every friend that you refer! The money adds up quickly and painlessly!

I also am able to earn giftcards and cash from these other survey sites. My recommendation is to join all of them because when you are a member of all, you’re Christmas fund will grow a whole lot faster! Some of them, you’ll even be invited to do product studies. We’ve given our feedback and made money reviewing toothpaste, dog treats, baby wipes, fruit snacks, and more!

SayNation

My Surveys

Mindfield

Survey Savvy

Surveyhead

I am also huge on Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a fantastic program. You earn swagbucks from searches that you do using Swagbucks as a search engine. I’ve earned countless Amazon giftcards, Disney Store giftcards, Starbucks Giftcards, and more, with little effort! Then, I wait until Disney Store or Amazon have something fantastic on sale. You can earn more swagbucks, too, by referring your friends. When you refer someone, each swagbuck that they earn, you also earn, so your points will accumulate very fast!

When you save all year on your survey sites, buy giftcards with your swagbucks, and wait for great sales, you’ll find yourself being able to afford a lot more than you thought was possible. There’s still several months, so start today and see if you can afford a great Christmas without paying anything! I can’t wait for this Christmas! I think it will be the best one yet!

Something that my family has always battled with has been trying to afford Christmas presents.  It always seems that the holiday season arrives in the midst of chaos, leaving us scrounging around the sofa cushions trying to find money to buy presents for the kids.  This year, I have determined that we will not spend one cent buying Christmas presents, but that we will still have an awesome Christmas. 

Already, I have over $100 in our Christmas fund from just Opinion Outpost.  Opinion Outpost pays CASH for surveys that you complete.  You can also refer your friends and get $2 for every friend that you refer!  The money adds up quickly and painlessly! 

I also am able to earn giftcards and cash from these other survey sites.  My recommendation is to join all of them because when you are a member of all, you’re Christmas fund will grow a whole lot faster!  Some of them, you’ll even be invited to do product studies.  We’ve given our feedback and made money reviewing toothpaste, dog treats, baby wipes, fruit snacks, and more! 

SayNation

Mindfield

Survey Savvy

Surveyhead

I am also huge on Swagbucks.  Swagbucks is a fantastic program.  You earn swagbucks from searches that you do using Swagbucks as a search engine.  I’ve earned countless Amazon giftcards, Disney Store giftcards, Starbucks Giftcards, and more, with little effort!  Then, I wait until Disney Store or Amazon have something fantastic on sale.  For example, today Disney Store announced it’s FREE shipping promotion.  That makes for a great deal when I use one of my Disney giftcards that I earned with Swagbucks!  I got a few things to tuck away for Christmas this morning and didn’t pay a penny!  You can earn more swagbucks, too, by referring your friends.  When you refer someone, each swagbuck that they earn, you also earn, so your points will accumulate very fast! 

When you save all year on your survey sites, buy giftcards with your swagbucks, and wait for great sales, you’ll find yourself being able to afford a lot more than you thought was possible.  There’s still several months, so start today and see if you can afford a great Christmas without paying anything! I can’t wait for this Christmas!  I think it will be the best one yet!

Today, while hanging out with some incredible ladies from our homeschool playgroup, I had several questions about my couponing.  In this post I will do my best to answer them.

WHERE DO I START???  Start with the little things.  Gather up coupons, ask the neighbors for their Sunday ads, etc.  It will take about 6 months to get a stockpile build up.  The best way to save money is to stockpile.  Need extra coupons?  Try Ebay.com, a Coupon Clipping Service, or even ask me!  I’ve got a good stockpile, so sometimes I do not use all the coupons.  Even if you do not have coupons, you will still do GREAT shopping just the buy one get ones at Publix. 

WHERE TO SHOP:  I personally shop at Publix, Target, and the drug stores.  I do not get to each every week – it would be chaos to try to hit all the deals, and you will easily get burnt out. 

The best way to find the deals, it to come by here of course!  I bring you my favorite deals every day, and try to add some in that are specific to the Athens, GA area.  Then check out sites that are store specific for coupon matchups.  For Publix, I recommend I Heart Publix.  For Target, there is Totally Target.  There is also I Heart Wags, I Heart CVS, and I Heart Rite-Aid.  Someone else is doing the work for you, all you have to do is decide which deals are right for your family.

BRAND SPECIFIC: Another question I got was “What if I only want this brand…”.  I personally think, don’t knock it until you have tried it.  Since couponing, I have found and fell in love with many brands I would have never considered or bought before.  It’s always great to try new things! 

Any other questions?

Yes, that is written right.  $50 a week takes care of my family.  This includes all groceries, diapers for the baby, wipes, paper towels, toilet paper, personal care items, etc.  Couponing and deal finding takes a while to get the hang of, but do not give up.  It is worth it!  I have gotten a lot of questions on where to get started.  This post will explain how I do it the SMART way.

Stockpiling: Stockpiling is the best way to make your money stretch.  When you find a great deal, you buy enough for your family that will last until the next good sale.  Yes, this means buying more than 1 can of sauce during a sale.  Whatever is on sale that you will use, you buy.  Even if you do not need it that week, you may need it the next.  For example, if spighetti sauce is on sale for buy one get one free, and I have a coupon to go with it making it $.50 down from $4, I buy at least $4 worth, or 8 jars.  It would be equal to buying 1 jar and getting the other 7 free!  If you waited until you NEEDED sauce and paid the $4, you would have paid out $32 compared to the $4.  That’s a savings of $28!!!!  Stock up enough that you do not have to pay full price for anything.  Watch the sales every week to see how to plan.  Ask neighbors, friends, and relatives for their unwanted coupons so you can get your stockpile growing. 

Make Good Decisions: When you coupon, you need to make good decisions.  Remember that you do still have to pay tax on things, even items that are free after coupons, so make sure you’re not wasting all of your money on tax for things you don’t need.  It’s not a good idea to buy 20 boxes of poptarts on sale and not have any money leftover for fruits and veggies.  You also have to take a fair amount of time planning.  I typically take 1-2 hours before I head out to do my shopping.  Yes, that’s a lot of time, BUT, if I save $100 on my shopping bill, it’s like getting paid $50 an hour to coupon and plan! 

Always Give Back:  After you have been couponing for a while, you will find that you have so much stuff that you cannot possibly eat it all or use it all before it will go bad.  This is the time to box up the extras and visit your local food pantry or homeless shelter.  Don’t be a hoarder or a shelf clearer just to have it all sit and clutter up your house. 

Responsibility: As a couponer, you can help or hurt the coupon world.  Do not abuse the couponing system.  When in doubt about a coupon, ask management before using.  Make sure that your coupon is for the product that you have.  You cannot use 2 manufacturer coupons on one item.  At Target, Publix, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS, they allow you one STORE coupon and one MANUFACTURE coupon.  The coupon will say on it what it is.  Please, please PLEASE do not abuse couponing.  No making copies of coupons, that is illegal and many stores have stopped taking printables due to coupon abuse.  Do not abuse “free item” coupons.  Just use common sense and not greed to guide you.

Teach Others: Friends don’t let friends pay too much!  Be sure to share the shopping skills with others so they can learn to save too.  Everyone works hard for their money so they should be able to keep it!  Don’t pay more than you need.

There is a new Athens chapter of ICAN starting up next Tuesday!  ICAN is Internation Cesarean Awareness Network.  This is a organization that is near and dear to me as I’ve had 2 of my children by c-section.  If you are interested in joining the Athens ICAN group, you can do so HERE.  You can also be kept up to date through their facebook group HERE or their website HERE.

If you have had a c-section, wish to educate yourself to prevent an unnecessary c-section, please consider coming to the first meeting.  It will be held at Full Bloom Pregnancy & Early Parenting Center on April 13th from 6:30-8:30.  With the Athens area have a shockingly high c-section rate at 39.18%, I’m sure some of you would be interested in this.  I am looking forward to the first meeting, and a dear friend of mine is leading the group.

Not in the Athens area?  Just GO HERE to find an ICAN group close to you.

For information about the ICAN of Athens meeting, please contact icanofathens@gmail.com

Here is my take on a few frequently asked questions.

Q:How much should I buy during sales?
A:Really, it’s up to you. I tend to buy more than enough for my family to last us until the next sale, especially if it’s under $.50. The sales come in cycles. After couponing for a while, you’ll notice the patterns. This weeks deals at Publix are pasta, sauce, and garlic bread. Get enough of these items to last you until the next pasta sale which will be probably about 4-8 weeks later. Why pay full price when you can buy it now and it be still good for later?

Q:I feel weird having 10 boxes of the same thing in my cart! Do you?
A:I used to. Now, I accept the fact that I am going to get weird looks. Like today, I probably looked like a crazy cat lady with all the bags of cat food I bought. However, at $.25 each after coupons, I could care less!

Q:Where do you get your coupons?
A:Mostly from my mom. She has several neighbors that get papers and never use the coupons. Ask around and I’m sure you’ll find people that throw away coupons every single week! Their loss is your gain! Another great place is just walking through a store. You can find tearpads, peelies, and more on products. At last resort, I turn to ebay or a coupon clipping service such as The Coupon Clippers. I also am a big fan of Coupons.com. They have awesome coupons to print from your home!

Q:Why do you not post much on the weekends?
A:Weekends are for family time. I usually do not post much unless I happen to have some free time and see a great deal.

Q:Where do you find the time for coupon clipping?
A:I make time. It’s not my favorite thing in the world, however it helps me continue being a stay at home mom in this economy. I’d much rather have extra money in my pocket. I’ve also got 2 good helpers that love to look for the coupons.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!