Best Way to.....

[disney212]

I'm all about fiscal responsibility, but I put every purchase on cc's and pay it off every month in full. I would be wary of using cash only due to the fact that you're not building good credit history. So when it comes time to buy a house or a car you will have had good credit history = lower interest & better terms. Having no credit history is the same (to the lending companies) as having bad credit history.

I work in finance and have stressed this to my kids over and over again. You need to prove you can handle credit. I have zero consumer debt, fund our retirement to the max and have 15+ platinum or gold cards and an awesome credit score.

 

[aclov]

Change jar but my DH started raiding that, argh!
I do Mypoints and also use reward credit cards but pay them off. I have the Target Debit Red Card so every payday buy a Disney gc.

 

[AshtonsMom99]

I work in finance and have stressed this to my kids over and over again. You need to prove you can handle credit. I have zero consumer debt, fund our retirement to the max and have 15+ platinum or gold cards and an awesome credit score.

that's awesome....I can only wish that someday we will be there. When I married my husband we were both in dismal financial shape and we are now finally starting to have better financial situations. I need a financial advisor in the worst way. Should we be going to Disney at all? Probably not, but as a chronically ill woman that suffers depression because of it...Ill be darned if I have to go without to much.....Selfish and maybe irresponsible? Probably, but.....

 

[freckles04]

I've only had the same Capital One credit card I opened in my early twenties. A few months ago, they offered to upgrade me to the Venture card for free. I was really skeptical. Apparently you can use your rewards to exchange for travel miles with any airline, hotel stays, or gift cards. I was shocked a couple of weeks ago when I realized I had enough points for a $100 gift card. I didn't buy anything out of the ordinary to rack up points. I just started using it to make purchases at stores, gas, etc. instead of my debit card (then pay off the balance immediately). I chose a Wal-Mart gift card and got groceries with it. I was so skeptical that I was afraid the gift card wouldn't work when I got to the register. But it did. I then put $100 in the vacation fund!

As to the original question... to save extra money for Disney, I grab a $50 gift card every time I go to Kroger for groceries. That way, I'm setting money aside for Disney, and I get fuel points on top of that. I get $0.50-$1.00 off per gallon every time I fill up at Kroger, depending on how many gift cards I buy. It's a win-win

 

[aliceindisneyland]

I am a SAHM because of my cardiac condition, but I sell Scentsy and Disney travel stuff, and I am in no way advertising that...just making people aware, but it always seems that any money I do bring in...which isnt alot seems to find its way into my hubby's coffee addiction. FAIL! So I am thinking that a good move to make would be to get my own separate account to ensure that we have money for spending and booking trips. The bills are never in danger of not being paid....thankfully.....

Thanks for the suggestions everyone....Any idea on the best type of savings account to get?

You can get free checking and multiple free savings accounts with Capital 1 360. They will start their sale tomorrow and you can get bonuses for signing up. Ask your facebook friends for a referral and you'll help a friend too! I have 5 savings accts right now and I need to open a sixth today. All free, no minimum balance required.

YNAB might work well for you as it seems you take care of the finances, because your DH would have to present receipts (or notes if he used change) for every single blessed thing he bought, or the program would be useless. I keep track of every dime in my cash "account" on YNAB and write myself receipts when DH or I take cash out of any amount (e.g. $5 for beach parking) so I remember to enter it later. He will probably feel silly handing you notes like, "$2.25 Pepsi and Snickers". Find out what he buys at the vending machine and buy those items in bulk and have him keep them at work. You'll save 2-4 times what he spends on the vending machine. Even buying him a minifridge for his office or ice chest if he doesn't have an office would pay for itself pretty quickly if he brought snacks from home.

If you put his spending in as categories (coffee, vending machine, etc.) he can clearly see how his little purchases add up. I have a category for "Vice" and it is shocking how much we spend for alcohol! Just seeing that number the first month naturally curtailed our spending and we spent half as much the next month.

We have been a cash only family since we have been married. We just recently started using a credit card, and only one that gives cash back. We rarely use it, and when we do...we pay it off right away. It's nice to see the cash back accrue but I am always afraid to use "free" money because I am afraid of the catch. Am I the only paranoid one?

There is lots of bonus money to be made by credit card churning but you have to be very strict with yourself (or well off enough to not have to think twice about paying off large balances). I am strict.
For now, maybe hunting for savings/checking account bonuses would work well for you - just pay attention to whether you need to keep a minimum balance, or add direct deposit, and pass on the offers that don't work for you.