[B]Need Help[/B]

[Rodski]

Was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to save money for a vacation.
As previously posted my boyfriend had some financial problems so we had to cancel our first trip. I'm hoping we may be able to go next year. Any tips would be great!

Thanks

 

[The Sweetness]

Im planning my first WDW vaca since 99. It will be next year. This year, we are putting down $1000 from our income tax refund (also paying for this lovely computer). Next year, we will use almost our whole refund to pay the rest. It will be me, DH, and dds 15 and 2.

Also, I am saving my change from every time I break a bill (just the coins) But I am absolutely militant about this. Last month I saved $13, and this month I saved $18. May sound insignificant, but I have 3 mousekeeping envelopes filled so far. After those, Ill tackle the $8 laundry quarters, $ for tolls and gas etc... I know it sounds silly, but these little things add up when Youre on vaca

 

[**pixiedust**]

This sounds silly, but we have a loose change bucket. We throw all our loose change in - even dd3 and ds5 do it if they find a nickle on the street. Last year we had (and I'm not kidding) over $300 to bring to Disney after a year of doing the bucket.

We use some tax money, some bonus money, and we put $20 a week into an envelope all year long.

For the past two years, we have booked early flights out. When the airline asks if anyone would be willing to be voluntarily bumped from the flight because they have overbooked, we volunteer. This gets us flight vouchers which have paid for the flights on subsequent trips, saving us hundreds of dollars.

I realize we are still very lucky that we are able to go to WDW.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

If you post your question on the Budget Board , you'll get a lot of replies and innovative ideas on how to save for your trip.

Basically you can do one or more of these three things:

1. Cut back on your sepnding now and put the money in a Disney account.
2. Increase your income and put the money in a Disney account.
3. Cut back on spending at WDW so that the trip doesn't cost you as much money

Most people do a combination of all three.

You can reduce cell phone charges (no more ringtones, wallpapers, tons of text messsaging, etc.). You can get rid of extras on your cable bill. Say goodbye to Starbucks, brownbag your lunch. Cut your heat back to 65°. Rent a movie and pop microwave popcorn instead of going to the local AMC.

To increase income, take on a part-time job. Or eBay away your old stuff. Get a rewards credit card, particularly one that gives cashback. Use it for everything and pay it off in full every month. Try doing rewards programs like MyPoints or CreationsRewards.

To save at WDW, go during Value Season. Stay offsite. Drive there instead of flying. Share meals. Bring your own water and snacks into the parks. Get Base tickets, no hopping, no Magic Plus. Buy your passes from a discount broker or do a timeshare presentation for free tickets. Use every code and coupon you can find for your room, rental car and food. Reduce the number of days that you stay.

These are just a few suggestions. You'll get more-specific answers from the Budget Board regulars.

 

[Rodski]

Sorry did not even realize there was a budget board.

Thanks for some of the innovative tips!!!

 

[Sherri]

I hit starbucks a lot less when I know I have a vacation planned. Dumb little things that don't seem to add up at home add up when you put the money aside. We are also using our Disney credit card hoping to accumulate disney reward credits. We use it instead of paying cash for the small stuff that adds up, then we use the money we would have used to pay the bill.
Our cat was real sick right around Christmas and that set our budget back over $700.00 (but we looked on the bright side, he is all better now which matters the most and we racked up some Disney rewards by putting so much on the credit card at once). I like what someone else said about throughing loose change into a jar.
Good Luck you will get there.