1000 dollars or less...that is the challenge...A pre trip report

[hpfan100]

BF and I chatted and we will be having a garage sale in a month to help raise some money for our trip.

Time to start clearing out all my old junk to get ready to sell. I am also going to sort through my teaching items that I no longer use and list them online. *fingers crossed* that someone else will want them.

update on Netflix and XM...I cancelled my Netflix for the time being and I called to cancel my XM and got a great deal instead. 5 months for 25 dollars. Much better than 177 for a year!

 

[librarygeek]

BF and I chatted and we will be having a garage sale in a month to help raise some money for our trip.

Time to start clearing out all my old junk to get ready to sell. I am also going to sort through my teaching items that I no longer use and list them online. *fingers crossed* that someone else will want them.

update on Netflix and XM...I cancelled my Netflix for the time being and I called to cancel my XM and got a great deal instead. 5 months for 25 dollars. Much better than 177 for a year!

That's a great deal on XM!! That happens to my dad all the time. They really don't want to lose you as a customer, so they'll offer super low rates to keep you. He always calls to cancel and always ends up continuing service because they give such a good offer!

 

[WDmommyof4]

I forgot how much cheaper things can be done without children.

I just booked a 7 night stay at POR for me and four kids with the quick service dining and including a $300 GC for F&W festival + souvies on the trip. With gas included, our total comes to $2469. I thought that was pretty good for 5 people, three of which are Disney adults. We have AP's already though and drive down.

Can't wait to see how it goes for you!

 

[hpfan100]

Tomorrow is the garage sale day 1. BF has been cleaning out his attic and getting ready for a few days. I don't really have anything together yet as it's been so busy at work. I'm hoping to sort through my garage and goodwill donation pile tonight and take things over for Saturday morning. I'm not sure if I'll have much so I hoping to make about 100 bucks

Also, this weekend I'm planning on sorting through books, CDs and movies and listing them on half.com to get them sold.


On the Disney planning front...no deals posted for May and no flight schedule yet. March flight prices have gone as low as 123 one way which is a great price so I'm hoping to get that in May. That would cut our flight budget in half Also we have been talking about things we would like to do at Disney and the list is getting pretty large. Aqua Seas tour for me, Richard Petty for him, dining at Jiko, Wave and Brown Derby, maybe a dinner show, La Nouba (he wants this not me), 4 park days with no hopping, 2 days at Universal with hopping, staying onsite (him), staying offsite (me), parasailing (me), jet skis (him)


Oh boy...the joys of planning

 

[librarygeek]

Good luck with the garage sale! Anything will help!

We saw La Nouba last time - it was something my husband really wanted to do, and I was just "eh" about it, but I ended up loving it! It's a very cool show.

 

[hpfan100]

So I decided to not participate in the garage sale. BF went ahead with and made 175 bucks yesterday which he used to buy a new light machine for his Christmas display. Thought that money was for Disney but there's always today too

I checked on SW today and flights are released through the end of May. I found one way to MCO flights for 112 bucks WOW...haven't seen a flight that low in over 2 years. I booked em. I used points for mine and part of Jeff's flight credit for the other one. Yeah Now we just need a return flight sometime in early June. *fingers crossed for another 112 bucks*

 

[hpfan100]

flights for me----use SW points (free)
flights for Jeff----112 to MCO, no prices up for return flights yet(estimate 200)
6 nights hotel on or off site----400 (using 2n AKL voucher, paying for other 4)
transportation---150 (car rental or shuttles to US)
WDW tickets for Jeff---275 (4 day non hopper)
food---150 (might need to up this if we do fancy dining)
US tickets---250 (2 day hoppers)
MISC---100

TOTAL---1637...UGGGG still over budget


one option I am considering is getting the premier annual (at least that's what I think it's called)...the pass that gets you into DLR and WDW. It would cost about 380 dollars but then I would get free parking at DLR, 20% discount at DLR instead of 10%, discount on WDW hotels and admission to all the parks. Might be a better value overall for us.

Also, I have a mypoints account that is about 2000 points away from a 50 landry card which will buy us at least one meal at Yak/Yeti so one less thing to pay for. SCORE!!!

 

[hpfan100]

got some birthday money So 100 bucks into the Disney pot. Flights are listed for June now but they are still 250 or so each person. YIPES!!! way over budget.

I cashed in some coke points today and got 2 25 dollar walmart gift cards. I am hoping to use them at Sam's club to buy Disney giftcards. Not sure if they will let me but that's the plan. On the 9th SW airline giftcards will be available with coke points. I'm planning to get as many as I can. Hoping that coke points can get me Universal tickets too but I haven't seen them in a long time.

 

[hpfan100]

So here's an update on some more savings....

My Coke Rewards had the 12 days of Christmas event and I scored a bunch of freebies.
I had enough points to get: 2 25 gift cards to Walmart, 2 50 gift cards to Southwest airlines, 1 5 McDonald's gift card, 2 AMC movie passes and free drink coupons (might be good for an evening at DTD or Citywalk)

Plus I got an email saying I won the sweepstakes for a pair of 1 day Universal tickets...

Sweet!!!!!

Also I got a free code to restaurant.com and scored a 25 certificate to Bice at the Portofino hotel for free!

YIPPEE...looks like this budget trip might work out after all!

 

[librarygeek]

Wow, you must've had a lot of Coke points!! I had enough to get one of the $50 southwest gift cards, so I am pretty excited about that. I love savings!

 

[hpfan100]

Wow, you must've had a lot of Coke points!! I had enough to get one of the $50 southwest gift cards, so I am pretty excited about that. I love savings!

I do have a ton of coke points. I opened a second account this year to help use them up. I have easily a stash of 300 coke caps. My mom used to buy them at the vending machine at work and I was a big purchaser of coke bottles at the store for awhile. I'm still hoping for the 1000 point Universal Orlando tickets to come out then I can get another day over there.


Good job on the SW gift card. That will come in handy.

 

[hpfan100]

well it looks like with the new discounts, we will be staying onsite at either all star sports or music. The theme of music doesn't appeal to me but I am worried that the teens will be swarming the sports area that week. So music it may be. Hope I don't get the country music area


we will not rent a car and plan to take the shuttle from mears to IOA for one day only to see the wonderful Mr. Potter and ride some awesome rides.

Our budget is now 1100 dollars before food and take home goodies...pretty good stuff.

 

[librarygeek]

Good work on the budget! I think All Star music looks fun, but then again I would love to stay in the country section because I'm a country music gal I think the broadway section looks cool too, with the big Beauty and the Beast marquee. I know you can't guarantee any particular section, but I've had good luck when I make requests, they are almost always granted!

 

[hpfan100]

well here's the latest update...my May trip is now a solo trip and the BF and I are planning to go together in October. My decision for the solo trip is whether I should head to Universal for a day or just concentrate on DW. I haven't gotten my US tickets from Mycokerewards yet so now I'm worried I'll have to buy tickets. UGGG

Got a great deal at all star music through Orbitz...only 258 for 3 nights