One Year To Save 2017

[stayhomemom77]

Let's try this again...for the fourth year in a row!

I love to vacation...but we want to buy a house, which means all available savings has to go to the down payment for that and I need to fund my vacation account with my personal spending, my meager earnings (survey sites and cash back apps), and lots and LOTS of found money!

I've done it before and I WILL do it again!

Background on this year is that we are planning on travelling in the summer (likely the third week of August) but so far...that's the only thing that has been nailed down.

I have a $200 (USD) deposit down on six nights at AKL with 2 days base passes and a bonus water park option. The outstanding balance on that trip is $1958.26. To that we would need to add money for food and transportation costs...about $800, for a trip total of about $2800.00. Of course, that's in American funds...in Canadian we're looking at significantly more money....like $3800.00 or so.

We may or may not take this trip. At present, the family is undecided as to what they want to do about our 2017 vacation...mostly because we just got back from Disney on January 7th. At the moment, they are leaning towards JUST STAYING HOME...but I know that will change in a couple of months.

Other ideas in the works are to do a bunch of day trips closer to home...

...or to take an East coast trip, hitting up Quebec, PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia where our Canadian dollar will go a little farther (in theory, anyway!)...

...or, we've also talked about a cruise...but I think those are priced too high to consider just based on my initial research.

So that's where we stand at the moment. I'll be back with an accounting of our current savings/earnings in a little bit.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added all of this to my Disney fund because I...

earned $41.41 from quickrewards...
added $18.00 in Isay rewards...
earned $45.71 in credit card rewards...
earned $3.00 cash back through Zweet...
earned $7.75 cash back through Caddle...
earned $2.50 cash back through my Checkout 51...
added $42.62 in the vacation jar...
added $270.00 to the vacation account...

So the new totals are:

$41.41 in quickrewards...
$18.00 in Isay rewards...
$45.71 in credit card rewards...
$3.00 in my Zweet account...
$7.75 in my Caddle account...
$2.50 in my Checkout 51 account...
$42.62 in the vacation jar...
$270.00 in the vacation account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $430.99!!

Esso Extra Points: 4447
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 553

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1441
8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

US cash on hand $28.29

**This accounting is what we have pulled together so far this year. We came home under budget on our Christmas/New Year's Trip so that money rolled over to the next trip, which is why we are starting with so much in there. Generally, we start with a zero balance in the vacation account. The above lists all my earnings from all my current sources. I have to get to $20 before I can cash out on Zweet, Caddle and Checkout 51...the others are more flexible.

I'll tally up what I pull together today and come back later on to report!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $18.92 of this to my Disney fund because I...

earned $0.65 from quickrewards...
added $0.95 in Isay rewards...
earned $1.22 in credit card rewards...
earned $0.25 cash back through Zweet...
earned $0.10 cash back through Caddle...
earned $0 cash back through my Checkout 51...
added $0.75 in the vacation jar...
added $15.00 to the vacation account...

So the new totals are:

$42.06 in quickrewards...
$18.95 in Isay rewards...
$46.93 in credit card rewards...
$3.25 in my Zweet account...
$7.85 in my Caddle account...
$2.50 in my Checkout 51 account...
$43.37 in the vacation jar...
$285.00 in the vacation account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $449.91!!

Esso Extra Points: 4447
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 553

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1441
8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

US cash on hand $28.29

 

[kniquy]

You are working so hard on saving every cent for this trip. If your goal is to save for a home, which is a huge goal to achieve i would say forego the disney trip in August, focus on the house savings and maybe push off the trip until next year. If you hadn't just gotten back i might say go. I am guessing that you could just keep things simple this summer and do a few day trips to save money for the house/next disney trip. No need to stress about trying to save for a vacation. Maybe save the trip for after you buy your new home --it could be a little celebration trip!

 

[DnA2010]

Yay for 2017!

We are up in the air with vacations too- we are still tossing around a WDW trip at the end of March...did some review on Zika and there is really no concern and so now DH really really really wants to go- we can actually get some pretty good flights on aeroplan with short transfers and then would of course get the discounted tickets and book a condo (we've never stayed onsite- maybe someday but especially with a baby, I think a condo 5 minutes away is what we would need and we can get 9 nights for like $1400Cad) but I'm still leary of travelling that far and also spending money while I'm on leave...we have a good amount saved, but we want to finish our basement which will be pricey, so shouldn't really dip into the $$..we didn't vacation last year (did 2 the year before) and who knows when we will go to Florida as we will probably try for another baby at the end of this year...and DD has only been to MK (after our Fantasy cruise)...sigh
We are also tossing around an Alaskan cruise with my sister, her DH and their baby, and my mom..so that may happen too...

You could always book a fairly last minute GT cruise and drive to Florida or NY or one of the other US cruise ports?

 

[stayhomemom77]

You are working so hard on saving every cent for this trip. If your goal is to save for a home, which is a huge goal to achieve i would say forego the disney trip in August, focus on the house savings and maybe push off the trip until next year. If you hadn't just gotten back i might say go. I am guessing that you could just keep things simple this summer and do a few day trips to save money for the house/next disney trip. No need to stress about trying to save for a vacation. Maybe save the trip for after you buy your new home --it could be a little celebration trip!

That makes a lot of sense. Although I don't find vacation saving stressful...I find it fun!!

For now I'm just going to focus on saving up in general and we'll make some firm plans (and decisions for that matter) in the late spring.

Thanks for the input!

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

I hear you on the us exchange rate! Last summer we went to Hawaii (just absolutely breathtaking) for our 20th wedding anniversary and the exchange on just the hotel cost was around $1500 cdn. Of course we were aware of this extra cost before we booked but still a hard pill to swallow. I don't know how many kids you have but would you be open to going to a value instead of AKL? That alone would probably cover your food/transport costs. We have been 4 times to POP and once to Music and we love them and overlook some of the negatives because we are saving so much money staying there.

Quebec City is very beautiful and historic with wonderful restaurants and cafes and PEI is very serene and relaxing but the water is freezing cold if you plan to swim at the beach.

 

[a742246]

Can you get the southwest airline credit card in Canada? Can you drive to Buffalo NY for flights? If so you can apply for the southwest credit card and they are offering 50,000 points for signing up. That should get you 2 to 3 round trip tickets to Orlando for under $50.00.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Yay for 2017!

We are up in the air with vacations too- we are still tossing around a WDW trip at the end of March...did some review on Zika and there is really no concern and so now DH really really really wants to go- we can actually get some pretty good flights on aeroplan with short transfers and then would of course get the discounted tickets and book a condo (we've never stayed onsite- maybe someday but especially with a baby, I think a condo 5 minutes away is what we would need and we can get 9 nights for like $1400Cad) but I'm still leary of travelling that far and also spending money while I'm on leave...we have a good amount saved, but we want to finish our basement which will be pricey, so shouldn't really dip into the $$..we didn't vacation last year (did 2 the year before) and who knows when we will go to Florida as we will probably try for another baby at the end of this year...and DD has only been to MK (after our Fantasy cruise)...sigh
We are also tossing around an Alaskan cruise with my sister, her DH and their baby, and my mom..so that may happen too...

You could always book a fairly last minute GT cruise and drive to Florida or NY or one of the other US cruise ports?

I hear ya! It's a tough, tough decision.

Hmmm...I hadn't thought of that actually. Last minute booking on a cruise is a definite possibility. Thanks!

 

[kniquy]

Are you doing a DVC rental or a direct reservation through disney? The only reason I am asking is that a dvc (disney timeshare) rental generally costs quite a bit less than direct through disney. Check out davids dvc if you haven't already.

 

[stayhomemom77]

I hear you on the us exchange rate! Last summer we went to Hawaii (just absolutely breathtaking) for our 20th wedding anniversary and the exchange on just the hotel cost was around $1500 cdn. Of course we were aware of this extra cost before we booked but still a hard pill to swallow. I don't know how many kids you have but would you be open to going to a value instead of AKL? That alone would probably cover your food/transport costs. We have been 4 times to POP and once to Music and we love them and overlook some of the negatives because we are saving so much money staying there.

Quebec City is very beautiful and historic with wonderful restaurants and cafes and PEI is very serene and relaxing but the water is freezing cold if you plan to swim at the beach.

It's a bummer, isn't it? I'm hoping our dollar gets a bit stronger between now and trip time but there's just no guarantee.

We got a really great deal with a company other than Disney on our booking so IF we go, that is the package we will take. We could do a value resort for a little cheaper of course, but we don't enjoy them as much. We've done POP and it's fine but if we can't swing the current package...we just won't opt for Disney.

We thought maybe we would do three or four days in Quebec City if the funds are tight and leave it at that...but I figure if we are going to drive that far...we may as well tack on a few days more and keep heading east! I definitely want to check out Halifax and PEI.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Can you get the southwest airline credit card in Canada? Can you drive to Buffalo NY for flights? If so you can apply for the southwest credit card and they are offering 50,000 points for signing up. That should get you 2 to 3 round trip tickets to Orlando for under $50.00.

Sadly, it does not look as though we can get that card here in Canada. Thank you for the tip though.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Are you doing a DVC rental or a direct reservation through disney? The only reason I am asking is that a dvc (disney timeshare) rental generally costs quite a bit less than direct through disney. Check out davids dvc if you haven't already.

Neither actually. It's a really great deal through a third party vacation company. It's a little more money than through David's (which I am quite familiar with) but we don't have to pay for it all up front. We've booked though these guys several times and it's pretty much the same experience as doing it directly through Disney but it costs less.

I'll confess that part of the reason I want a vacation this summer so badly is because I am doing really, really well on a weight loss journey and I want this to be my celebration vacation. I won't be at goal by August but I should be lower than I have been in the last 15 years...which is a really great reason to treat myself to a fun and fabulous SOMETHING for a week!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $2.16 of this to my Disney fund because I...

earned $1.31 from quickrewards...
added $0.45 in Isay rewards...
earned $0.40 in credit card rewards...
earned $0 cash back through Zweet...
earned $0 cash back through Caddle...
earned $0 cash back through my Checkout 51...
added $0 in the vacation jar...
added $0 to the vacation account...

So the new totals are:

$43.37 in quickrewards...
$19.40 in Isay rewards...
$47.33 in credit card rewards...
$3.25 in my Zweet account...
$7.85 in my Caddle account...
$2.50 in my Checkout 51 account...
$43.37 in the vacation jar...
$285.00 in the vacation account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $452.07!!

Esso Extra Points: 4447
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 553

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1441
8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

US cash on hand $28.29

 

[DnA2010]

I hear ya! It's a tough, tough decision.

Hmmm...I hadn't thought of that actually. Last minute booking on a cruise is a definite possibility. Thanks!

DH and I did a last minute booking on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas a couple of years ago when our flights to Hawaii were cancelled due to hurricanes, and it was like $600pp! CAD! we have also done Oasis of the Seas with DD and honestly she loved it as much as the Fantasy and it was half the cost of our GT Fantasy cruise

 

[stayhomemom77]

DH and I did a last minute booking on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas a couple of years ago when our flights to Hawaii were cancelled due to hurricanes, and it was like $600pp! CAD! we have also done Oasis of the Seas with DD and honestly she loved it as much as the Fantasy and it was half the cost of our GT Fantasy cruise

Yeah, we've sailed Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival...never Disney--too expensive!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $24.30 of this to my Disney fund because I...

earned $0 from quickrewards...
added $0.05 in Isay rewards...
earned $0.75 in credit card rewards...
earned $0 cash back through Zweet...
earned $0 cash back through Caddle...
earned $0 cash back through my Checkout 51...
added $8.50 in the vacation jar...
added $15.00 to the vacation account...

So the new totals are:

$43.37 in quickrewards...
$19.45 in Isay rewards...
$48.08 in credit card rewards...
$3.25 in my Zweet account...
$7.85 in my Caddle account...
$2.50 in my Checkout 51 account...
$51.87 in the vacation jar...
$300.00 in the vacation account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $476.37!!

Esso Extra Points: 4477
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 523

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1691
8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

US cash on hand $28.29

**No luck with my survey sites today but maybe I'll have more luck next week! Payday today which covers the bills for the month of February. There was a bit of leftover January cash available to put into the change jar as well as a bit of unused gasoline money that I was able to put into the vacation account. February has no out of town travelling and is short...so I'm hoping to be under budget in several categories to help pad the vacation account. Every little bit helps!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Since my last update I have added $5.74 of this to my Disney fund because I...

earned $0.75 from quickrewards...
added $0.90 in Isay rewards...
earned $1.14 in credit card rewards...
earned $0 cash back through Zweet...
earned $0 cash back through Caddle...
earned $1.00 cash back through my Checkout 51...
added $1.85 in the vacation jar...
added $0 to the vacation account...

So the new totals are:

$44.12 in quickrewards...
$20.35 in Isay rewards...
$49.32 in credit card rewards...
$3.25 in my Zweet account...
$7.85 in my Caddle account...
$3.50 in my Checkout 51 account...
$53.72 in the vacation jar...
$300.00 in the vacation account...

...for a GRAND TOTAL of $482.11!!

Esso Extra Points: 4477
Points needed for $30 in free gasoline: 523

Shoppers Optimum Points: 1691
8000 points is $10
22000 points is $30
38000 points is $60
50000 points is $85
95000 points is $170

US cash on hand $28.29

 

[Deffenm]

Love to see your total creep up each post! I am doing something similar as well this year. I am trying to fund a vacation or 2 with "found" money. We have a beach house booked for end of Jun, which I have paid the deposit on already with leftover money from xmas budget. Now I just need to save up rest of payment before May 24th, around 1700. I also need to save money for gas and spending money. One of the ways I am saving money is an eating out ban. Whatever money we would normally spend on eating out if we don't spend it, it goes in the vacation fund. Also any money leftover from grocery/gas budget goes into vacation savings. I am also saving change and trying to earn gift cards from reward sites. The kids know the only way we will be able to go on vacation is if we save up for with this "extra" found money. So far in January we did not eat out one time so as of tomorrow it looks like I will have around $600 which I will add to the savings account. My family said they did not miss eating out and we are really trying to hard to save up enough for a Disney Cruise in Oct. in addition to the beach house. I look forward to watching your progress and if you have any tips to share!

 

[Pkltm]

I am loving this thread!! We too are Canadian so I feel your dollar pains! While we already have a house, we are saving up to do a few big renovations, kitchen and bathroom. I got a part time job at ikea, part of me loves it and part of me loves the discount lol.

We have a big trip planned for our 20th anniversary- 3 night DCL (1400 with transfers), 9 nights at AKL (1300 on rented points), buying 2 6 day passes on the Canadian ticket deal, then I need flights, my goal is $450 cdn each or lower. Our kids are going to fly down for the last 5 nights, they will be 19 and 22 at the time, they are paying for their own flights and passes. We have the hotel paid, 500 of the cruise done and one pass. We can afford everything in our budget, but I really want to over budget for food and souvenirs, want a stress free vacation!

We usually go with free dining, but I am going to live out a dream by staying at AKL, with our renting pints make this much more achievable.

I am going to check our the sites that you use and see if I can sock some extra away. DBFF is having a baby and the shower is costing me a fortune (75 people lol).

Thanks so much for the inspiration!!!