by Bridget ♥
Member since:
September 18, 2006

How I took my family on vacation for FREE!

August 26, 2009 08:54 PM EDT (Updated: August 28, 2009 01:48 PM EDT)
views: 6140 | comments: 45

This is how we went on summer vacation to the Oregon Coast earlier this month.  We had a wonderful time, spent lots of time on the beach and even met up with fellow Gather member ☆ ƒåitĥ ☆ and her family!  Faith and I met for the first time last summer and we have become great friends!

I am so far behind and need to get vacation photos posted, I've only posted a few so far.  I have things saved in my drafts from June, LOL!

 

  • 8 FREE Motel Nights + FREE Breakfasts at the Motel (Choice Privileges Points)
  • $400 PayPal (Majority from Gather.  A tiny bit from Pinecone Research & YouData)
  • $175 (ChaCha)
  • $100 AMEX Gift Card (Gather)
  • $50 Survey Check
  • $25 Pizza Hut Gift Card (MyPoints)
  • $10 McDonalds Gift Card (Memolink)

I'm already "banking" my PayPal money and gift cards for next year's summer vacation! This goes to show that every little bit helps and can make a big difference!

Have your on-line earnings done something big for you and your family?
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Comments: 45

Rose H. Aug 26, 2009, 8:56pm EDT
I've never heard of Choice Prviledge Points - what is it?

Anyway, that is truly awesome Bridget - gather rocks:)
Bridget ♥ Aug 26, 2009, 8:59pm EDT
Choice Privileges is a program for motel stays. My hubby works out of town alot for work, if he stays at certain hotels, he earns points and those points can be redeemed for gift cards or free motel rooms
Way to go! Our vacation up north to Mackinaw City was almost completely free, too, due to my online activities. I'm saving up to help with Christmas right now, then January through May is all vacation money. I am going to try and get a part time job for the school year during the day. If I can do that, the money will be set aside completely. Then, probably a newer car, but some will go towards a vacation.

Next year, I don't want to do tent camping. I think I'll rent a cabin, which saves on what I have to pack, and means I don't have to worry about rain as much, though it's more per night.
Dana W. Aug 26, 2009, 8:59pm EDT
That is just too awesome!!
Rae M. Aug 26, 2009, 9:04pm EDT
I bought myself a lap top with mine. Part of my earnings go towards vacations every year too, although I have not been able to pay for an entire vacation yet. You did a great job, Kudos to you.
sarah g. Aug 26, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
I really don't spend all that much time doing online sites because I work full time outside the home and our 4 kids keep us running all the time, but I do make a little here and there, which helps with some things, like our trips to Disney. I'm not complaining though---every little bit helps!
Kat W. Aug 26, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
Not yet, I'm still saving my funds from Gather and all the other sites. The plan is to by a DSLR and some lenses to go with it.
JoAnn C. Aug 26, 2009, 9:24pm EDT
That's awesome. I've been target cards with my gather points. I have enough airline miles for two free flights (two different airlines). Just need to figure out where to go. I have some hotel points but not enough for free nights.
Melissa Underhill Aug 26, 2009, 9:29pm EDT
I'm torn about what I'm saving up for. I'd LIKE to have the nice camera, but I might use it to buy something really nice for my fiance.
Crystal R. Aug 26, 2009, 9:30pm EDT
I always mean to save up my paypal and then I find something smaller to use it in. Thsi is great motivation to actually save it up for a couple of months.
Erinn K. Aug 26, 2009, 9:31pm EDT
Thats awesome!!
brittany c. Aug 26, 2009, 9:43pm EDT
that is awesome and a great idea!
j - Frugal Mom - r. Aug 26, 2009, 9:49pm EDT
That is so awesome Bridget, and how cool that you got free motel rooms on top of it.

The last two years my online earnings have paid for our Florida Keys vacation, it pays for all birthday and Christmases and for most of our clothes.
Jenysie Jane Aug 26, 2009, 10:01pm EDT
that is awesome!! Congratulations on the free vacation!! woohoo!!! I bet the coast was beautiful!!
Priscilla (wishing I was in Costa Rica) ~. Aug 26, 2009, 10:02pm EDT
That is wonderful Bridget, you have done so well over the year to do that!
Right now I am not sure what I am saving my gather earnings for. I do have 1 free night stay with Choice as well - we are going to the Duluth area this fall to see the fallcolors.
Larry H. Aug 26, 2009, 10:25pm EDT
just my slow gather gift cards.
Sophie S. Aug 26, 2009, 10:36pm EDT
Mine took us down to Texas for a wedding/vacation. I am also banking everything for a car right now.
Maria D. Aug 26, 2009, 10:40pm EDT
truely awesome
Janet "Jax" B. Aug 26, 2009, 11:14pm EDT
That's great Bridget. I used some of my Gather money for Christmas presents, and I used a couple hundred dollars to help buy my laptop computer.
Janet H. Aug 26, 2009, 11:38pm EDT
That's great! I use my Gather gift cards to buy dog food for my dogs.
Janie E. Aug 27, 2009, 12:29am EDT
Wow!! Congratulations on your free vacation!! My Gather gift cards arrived and I'm giving one to my Mom as a late birthday present. I'm going to keep the other one as birthday treat for myself. I suggested to my Mom that we should go shopping together like we used to when we were younger! She was very excited about the idea!
Alena Chauntee AKA Kitten Aug 27, 2009, 1:57am EDT
I usually save mine for christmas as well.
Rodney R. Aug 27, 2009, 1:59am EDT
That is a very sweet deal.
Alena Chauntee AKA Kitten Aug 27, 2009, 2:06am EDT
The last time I cashed out it was for macys for my foundation:)
Karen R. Aug 27, 2009, 4:56am EDT
That is great. I was saving my Gather money for vacation, but emergency stuff came up so I had to use it. It sure was nice to have that extra money there.
Good for you! I am impressed. I'm slowly working up to making some decent online earnings, but I have a long way to go before I can pay for a vacation! Every little bit helps, though.
Carla B. Aug 27, 2009, 10:21am EDT
We didn't do a vacation this year. My online earnings did pay for us to go to the state fair most of the days that it was going on. Elliott and I went 7 and Carl went 8 out of 9. We also use my online earnings for Christmas, birthdays, etc. My birthday is this weekend, so we actually just bought my birthday present with online earnings. ;)
Dagmara H. Aug 27, 2009, 11:05am EDT
good job
Dusty Hubbard Aug 27, 2009, 12:23pm EDT
That is great!! Congratulations!!
Richard Frisbie Aug 27, 2009, 1:01pm EDT
Well Done! Now, if you'll write an article about your vacation and sell it (the way I do) you can make money on your vacations - Good Luck!
Brittney R. Aug 27, 2009, 4:26pm EDT
WOW!! This is SoOO INSPIRING!! Way way way to go! I can't believe it...im in shock and awe, haha. You make a lot, and I mean a lot, here on Gather. What's your secret, haha?! Thanks for sharing
Madeline L. Aug 27, 2009, 6:05pm EDT
Congratulations on a great way to pay for a vacation. I get points and things from other sites too, but I can't seem to get many points on "Gather". How do yall get so many points, so fast?
Cecilia Lee Aug 28, 2009, 11:56am EDT
Fantastic! Congrats! I, too, can't seem to get as many points on Gather and have not gotten enough Choice Privilege Points for free hotels, but I do get little checks here and there from other things. My husband and I have separate "fun" bank accounts into which we save our xtra bonus $ for fun things or if want to blow it on our hobbies. Thanks for sharing.
Kelly M. Aug 28, 2009, 1:22pm EDT
Great work! We usually just add the money to our budget.
Kim ohhh I wish.... Aug 28, 2009, 8:33pm EDT
AWESOME!!!!! I wish I could do that... There just isn't enough time in my day it seems like sometimes....
Staci D. Aug 29, 2009, 4:57pm EDT
Wow, I had no idea that there were people who were actually making a good chunk of money by participating in sites like Gather! I am excited to get more involved and see what I can earn. It is so cool that there is a possibility of earning money from just making friends and having great conversations with great people!
Happy New Year Nuggets Aug 30, 2009, 12:02am EDT
you did pretty good there Bridget, I have been gone a bit, trying to get my life together *sigh*
Nichole S. Sep 11, 2009, 1:55am EDT
Wow way to go!
I had about $400 in online earnings that paid for two of my camera lens, the car top carrier, and $125 for Austins pirate makeover. $100 in rebates from our cell phones that we used. The best savings was the $2500 in Cheveron gift cards I won, we used it for gas all the way from Ohio to Georgia, back up to North Carolina to Florida then back to NC and finally home to Michigan!
My mom also saves and does online programs for our trips. This year she had $50 in landry's gift cards, $10 in BP from mypoints, $50 or so in paypal from quickrewards, and about $50 from gather.
Cecilia Lyne Oct 5, 2009, 9:50pm EDT
Wow that is great!!!
Marilyn M. Oct 15, 2009, 6:29pm EDT
Good for you! My online earnings helped so much when I was a single mom. Now, I can't do as much, but the money helps buy the "extras" that we wouldn't otherwise have.
Donald M. Oct 17, 2009, 2:07pm EDT
It must be difficult to comment back to all the people who comment to you.
Bridget ♥ Oct 19, 2009, 1:59pm EDT
I do my best and that's all anyone can do! :)
Renee (Pres of Baby James Foundation) ~. Oct 20, 2009, 4:24pm EDT
You did a great job
Cortney R. Nov 17, 2009, 7:45am EST
I usually have to use any earnings we might get as soon as they come in for things like groceries and household needs.
The Red Headed Witch of Gather G. Dec 15, 2009, 11:15am EST
wow great job Bridget!!!

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