by M. Sparga

Created on: August 26, 2009   Last Updated: January 04, 2011

Trading Disney pins isn't the most economical hobby out there, but with a little patience and creativity, you can find ways of accumulating the occasional free Disney pin.  Sometimes a pin can be yours as a gift just for spending money that you already were planning to spend, and sometimes you can bolster your pin collection through bartering or winning a contest.  Here are a few ways to build up your collection without shelling out extra cash. 

Themed Gift Cards

Some gift cards sold at the Disney theme parks come in a certain theme, such as for birthdays or graduation, and these sometimes come with a free pin attached to the card. The pin reflects the theme of the gift card, with a Disney twist of course. The beauty of this setup is that you can spend the gift card on food, souvenirs, or essentially anything in the park (even lodging!) that you were going to buy anyways. This way you can pay ahead for your purchases and walk away with a free pin to keep or trade.

Rewards Program

The Disney Movie Rewards program doesn't cost anything to sign up, and if you already love to buy Disney DVDs, you can rack up points for your purchases that can go toward earning you various prizes. Once in a while a Disney pin or two will pop up as a possible reward. If you have enough points, you can redeem them for the pin, and you don't even have to pay for shipping!

Gift with Purchase

Sometimes Disney will offer a free pin as a gift for making a purchase of a certain amount. A few online resellers of Disney pins offer similar deals. These gifts with purchase are a great way to increase your bang for your buck.

Trade Other Items for Pins

The barter system is alive and well on the internet. Through online forums, you can offer to trade items - Disney or otherwise - in exchange for pins. If you're looking to offload some of your stuff, first see if you have any takers who are looking to offload some of their pins. Granted, you'll probably have to pay for shipping, but at least it removes the steps of having to sell your stuff first and then buy pins.

Online Contests and Games

Some online communities, such as DisneyPinForum, hold occasional contests, games, requests for help, and other challenges where the winner receives a free Disney pin. It can be a fun way to contribute to the online pin trading community while building up your collection as well. Who knows, someone might even "zap" you by sending you a free pin for no reason other than generosity. Just make sure you keep the good karma going by paying it forward.

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