There is no way around it, a Disney trip is expensive. At this moment, I am not certain when my next Disney trip will be, but that is not holding me back from earning few pennies through what I like to call my “Disney Penny” apps that I use to earn my Disney money while I am shopping, and yes even sleeping.  

Here is what you need to know about Disney Penny Apps

I call them penny apps, because basically you are earning pennies but over the course of time pennies add up to dollars.  In reality, you are really “points” which you turn into gift cards to popular stores. I earn Walmart/Sam’s Cards which I then turn around and use to purchase Disney Gift Cards at a discounted rate at Sam’s, saving even more money for Disney.  Making Disney Pennies does take time and effort, but can be seamlessly worked into your daily schedule or shopping routine without much disruption.  Like anything in life, you only get out what you put into things.  I refuse to spend money to make money, so unless it’s product that I am going to use, then I do not buy it just for the sake of earning “points”.  Dealing with cancelling memberships and paying attention to rules is too much work for me, so you will not see me purchasing monthly membership trials either. Identity theft is real and very rarely will I ever link a credit card to my app accounts.  

Those are my ground rules for Disney Penny apps, so which ones do I use…

While I use quite a few different app/websites the ones that make the most for me are

• ShopKick
• SwagBucks
• Ibotta
• Walmart Savings Catcher

These apps/websites, in addition to my Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Card and picking up a few side jobs I have been able to pay almost the entire cost of my Disney trips without ever having to dip into my household budget, since the majority of my trips are selfish ones where I am going with my runDisney girlfriends.  

Let me show you an example with my 2016 Wine & Dine Trip:

The total cost of the trip was $2765 and I paid $0 out of my household budget, in fact I came home with almost $400 to roll over to my next Disney trip.

Beach Club DVC Rental $616

• Actual Cost Out of Pocket $0

I had already saved this from a side tutoring job that I had done in the fall of 2015 so that I could book the Beach Club at the 11 month mark.

Southwest Plane Ticket $397

• Actual Cost Out of Pocket $0

Purchased with my SW Rapid Rewards Visa card, thanks to putting my DD college tution each month and then paying it off from savings.

Wine & Dine 2016 2-Course Challenge Registration, plus 5K $352

• Actual Cost Out of Pocket $0

Purchased by writing a couple extra professional development sessions for my school district during the spring of 2016 and then presenting them in the summer.

But here is where my Disney Penny Apps came into play…

Expenses   $1400

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party $91
• 6 Day Park Ticket $378
• Food & Spending for 7 Days ($125 a day) $900
• Actual Cost Out of Pocket $0

Earned through Disney Penny Apps

• Swagbucks $700
• Walmart Savings Catcher $82
• ShopKicks $100
• PerkTV $175
• Ibotta $275
• Check Out51 $15
• PACT $70

I was totally stunned that I was able to make over $1400 simply by putting my insomnia (thanks to a condition called Restless Leg Syndrome) to work and learning a to use a few apps while doing what I am already doing, shopping in the span of 11 months.

Over the next several weeks/months I am going to show you how you too can earn a few Disney pennies by putting your computer and smartphone to work for you.