Like many of you, I am IN LOVE with my Instant Pot (generic version, not sure what but it works).
I’m been trying out tons of recipes I used to make in my crockpot and I get a huge thrill when what used to take half a day is ready in like 20 minutes.
The recipes that have turned out best so far have been soups and chilis. I guess it’s because they have plenty of liquid to help the pressure cooker get up to pressure without any issues. Read more...
As you may have guessed from the title of this blog, I am a cheapskate. I prefer to get as much as possible for free and HATE paying more than I think I should.
I started this blog as a hobby over three years ago on a super low budget. I’ve managed to keep my blogging expenses low and I now earn a full-time income from the blog.
In this post, I’ll share my strategy for blogging on a shoestring budget, and if you are a cheapskate like me, don’t worry! Read more...
Free Dining dates for 2018 have been released and you can book them now – get a free quote here!
Disney World’s “Free Dining” offer is by far it’s most popular promotion. It is pretty clear why… FREE FOOD at Disney? Ummm, yes please!
In this post, I’ll answer the most common questions I get asked (e.g. Is it always the best deal? How much can I save?) and share everything you need to know about Free Dining in this post. Read more...
I’m so excited to welcome my readers to the new home for my Disney content… The Budget Mouse!
The Frugal South started out as a place to share my money-saving strategies for everything from groceries to entertainment to travel.
Over the past few years it’s become clear that my posts about saving money on Walt Disney World travel are by FAR my most popular posts. So I wrote more Disney posts and The Frugal South grew into a place of about half Disney stuff and half other money-saving stuff… which made it a kinda confusing place! Read more...
I’m excited to share something I’ve been working on for a while… my first t-shirt design!
I’m a huge Walt Disney fan (I’m sure I’m not alone) and this quote by him is my all-time favorite:
This pretty much sums up how I want to live my life. Read more...
I love visiting South Florida in the winter to get a dose of sunshine and warmth. In this post, I’ll show you how to take an affordable family vacation to Miami, the Everglades, and Key Largo that your kids will love!
There are some pretty pricey things to do around South Florida, from harbor cruises to airboat tours. The key to keeping your trip under budget is to find some affordable activities everyone in the family will love. Read more...
My favorite credit card for free travel is offering a huge sign-up bonus through April 4th, 2018! Don’t miss out on over $900 worth of free flights – read on to learn all about the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa!
I fly from North Carolina to Orlando three to four times each year to visit Walt Disney World, and I almost never pay for airfare.
How do I pull this off? Read more...
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort sometimes gets a bad rap for being the oldest Moderate resort or for being huge/spread out.
While this is true, I think Caribbean Beach has a lot of strengths, including an incredible pool complex and recently refurbished rooms.
In this post, I’ll share my experience staying at Caribbean Beach as well as the pros and cons of the resort!
It took me MANY visits to Walt Disney World until I stayed at Caribbean Beach, and here’s why: up until 2016, it was the only Moderate resort that still sported double beds as opposed to queen beds. Read more...
I go through phases of being totally obsessed with chips and salsa. I’m not the only one… right??
I’ve been on a salsa kick recently and dragged this fresh recipe out of the archives. It’s super fresh and tastes like summer in a jar – just what I need when winter seems to drag on FOREVER.
The best part is that this homemade fresh salsa takes five minutes or less to make. Read more...
Disney recently announced that they will begin charging a parking fee of up to $24 per night at all of their Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
But don’t fear! There are several ways around paying the new Disney World resort parking fee so it might not ever affect you. Read on to learn all of my suggested ways to avoid the new fee!
Parking fees have long been standard practice at many Orlando resorts, including the Swan and Dolphin and Universal resorts. Read more...
I’ve had a Target debit card for years and I absolutely love it. The perks of the card got even BETTER this week when Target added free 2-day shipping on most items for REDcard holders!
Read on to learn about the excellent perks of this card and how you can use it to save on your Disney vacation.
If you do any shopping in Target stores or Target.com it makes sense to get this card. Read more...
For a limited time, my preferred discount ticket Walt Disney World ticket provider is offering an additional $5 off three-day+ tickets when you opt for electronic delivery!
You can already save up to $68 per person when you get your tickets from Undercover Tourist, so saving even more just sweetens the deal!
I suggest opting for e-delivery of your tickets anyway so you get them as soon as possible. Read more...
One way to enjoy the incredible food at Walt Disney World is to use a Disney Dining Plan. The plan changes slightly from year-to-year, but 2018 brought a big change – alcoholic drinks are included in all dining plans!
People frequently ask me if they should get the dining plan for their vacation and my short answer is – it depends! This decision has gotten even more complicated with the addition of alcohol to the plans. Read more...
This post is sponsored by Harris Teeter, but all opinions are my own.
Homemade veggie fried rice is one of my all-time favorite things to eat. I swear I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and sometimes I do!)
Today I’ve partnered with Harris Teeter Organics to show you how to make a super-easy organic veggie fried rice at home.
This veggie fried rice is WAY healthier than take-out and uses frozen veggies to cut down prep time. Read more...
Our family’s favorite place to stay at Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom Lodge, hands-down.
There is SO much we love about it, which I will share in detail below. But what first-time visitors usually don’t know is that Animal Kingdom Lodge is actually made up of two distinct properties – Jambo House and Kidani Village.
In this post, I’ll share my review of the resort, the pros and cons of each property, and likely overload you with tons of pictures! Read more...
I’ve saved $42.27 on gas just by entering my phone number at the pump! Shell Fuel Rewards is an easy and free program that rewards you for fueling up at Shell.
I’ve used Shell Fuel Rewards for a while now to save on gas. You can sign up for a free account here (this is my referral link) and you’ll save a minimum of $0.05 per gallon just by entering your phone number at the pump before you get gas. Read more...
Here I am, enjoying my free Starbucks latte at Epcot this week. Yes, you read that right… free Starbucks at Walt Disney World!
I earned an easy $10 Starbucks gift card with Swagbucks, which you can use at any Starbucks location at Walt Disney World. There are Starbucks in all of the parks (including the Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom) and at Disney Springs.
I was even able to add the gift card to my Starbucks app, so all I needed was my phone to get my free drinks! Read more...
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, especially at Walt Disney World! In this post, I’ll show you how to take an affordable Disney World Christmas trip that captures all of the holiday magic.
I’ll even tell you how much you’ll save using each of my tips and give an overall cost for the ultimate budget-friendly holiday trip.
The first question people usually ask about visiting Walt Disney World around the holidays is “When do they put the decorations up? Read more...