Can't afford a disney trip, what to do to get to Disneyworld, please help?

[bavaria]

Does your family like Raman noodles? If you switch to an all raman all the time diet, the grocery savings could be fantastic. It doesn't seem like they are really into sacrifice though, so maybe it would just be you.

May I refer you to OP's thread on buying ramen noodles in bulk?

 

[Vacation Lover]

We need you back on team nelson, this thread started out on how to save a few extra dollars to get my butt to disney and Some have picked it apart and made up their own story.

we need to huddle up here and come up with some money saving tips or it will be a Las Vegas thread, I have enough for Vegas

Yes, there's been some humorous hijacking at your expense, however there have also been some good suggestions for you:

do you have any old jewelry sitting around in a jewelry box that you never where? I took mine to a local jeweler to get a comparison price, then I contacted U.S.Gold Buyers. It's simple to send in, they call you the next day with the monetary offer. You can say yes or no and they will return your items to you if you are not happy with the offer. I sent my things earlier this year and local jeweler offered $190 and USGB offered $425!!!

You can also sell anything laying around the house on Craigslist or Ebay. If the weather is okay you can have a great big yard sale. Advertise, advertise, advertise!!! Maybe pick up a part time job with the pay going directly to disney trip?

$3000 by December of 2009 ?!!!

• Check the Legitimate Work from Home Companies? Thread
• Check the Disney Rewards Forum for online GPT programs.
• Sell what you can on either eBay and/or Craigslist
• Get a part-time job (or two).

Can you cut some corners at home make some calls to see if you can lower your insurance or your cable bill. Is it possible to cancel the trip and take it at a later time when you can work on saving up for it. Linda

Cutting household costs.
I could reduce the number of channels on my satelite tv may save $20/month.
Could cancell my sirius satelite radio.

Would your wife be able to pick up some work? If she's not working maybe she can pick up some work in a store during the busy shopping season.

Do you have any credit card miles that you could use towards your flight? Have you looked into flying in or out of a different airport to possibly get a better fare? Linda

Cut back 50% on Christmas and let the kids know that the trip is part of this year's Christmas gift.

Clip at least $20.00 worth of coupons for groceries, health and beauty products per week.

Do an eat out of the freezer and pantry for a month and bank the grocery money toward the trip.

if you have stellar credit, you can call and ask the credit card companies to lower your percentages. That always helps and they are happy to do it if it means you'll stay with them. you could also get a Disney rewards visa card ..charge things to it (only what you can afford to pay off totally when the bill comes) and use disney dollars. You could also ask anyone who asks for good presents for holidays adn birthdays to give you Disney dollars.

Ebay worked well for us...we had some things laying around and made about 300 we used it to buy the kids Halloween Costumes and a few other things we needed for our trip

Check into UPS/FedEx etc to see if they are seasonally hiring. Amazon's warehouse is hiring at $12 an hour with very flexible hours here.

If you participate in the Give a day, Get a Disney Day promotion you will each be able to receive a free day ticket which can be upgraded. That will save your family about $350. (5 people times about $70 per ticket-I don't know how many adult or child tickets you need).

1) Get a second job.
2) No eating out.
3) Have a "pioneer Christmas." (Put in some practice on developing less expensive and different priorities then, maybe.)
4) Sell your toys, you have no right to sell off your family's possessions if they aren't volunteering them in eagerness to attend this trip of yours already.
5) Pack a brown bag lunch and brew your own coffee.
6) Follow the family around turning off unused lights.
7) Offer to cook inexpensive family meals if your wife is usually the one that does the cooking (it might earn some good will, too).
8) Volunteer for handy man and similar jobs, like leaf raking, around your neighborhood.

Or you could cut back on your plans for the trip, or you could delay or cancel this trip until it isn't such a burden to go. Either way, I would look into the deal you're getting very, very carefully before you get there. These things always have a bunch of hidden costs. Your $3k estimate may well be way off.

If your condo has a kitchen, you might find it more economical to cook at home, and pack a lunch for the park. We are a family of 6 and did that on an off site trip we took. I took my weekly food budget money with us, and went to the grocery store and bought our groceries with the money I would have used at home. It was much less than $700 for us for the week. We did rope drop for all the parks so were ready to come back for dinnertime anyway, and if there was something we wanted to do at the park in the evening we still could go back.

We have friends whose husband I think sold his plasma (blood bank of some sort?) and 15 or so years ago they gave him $50 each time.

I sell things on Craigslist and sometimes Ebay and on-line Mom trading forums. My kids also don't like to give up their stuff but they don't care much about their outgrown clothing and shoes.

Have you priced discounted park tickets? I am assming you need to purchase 2 adults and 2 children tickets? Subscribe to the Mousesavers newsletter and purchase through the discount link to Undercovertourist.com. 7 day non-hopper/expiring tickets (2 adult/2 child) prices out at $857.80 right now.

Not sure if you have a phone land line still but I was able to cut $30 off our monthly bill (AT & T) by cutting out services like in-line plus and call waiting that we never used. I also changed our line to a basic line that limits the outgoing calls to 20/month and then charges something like .20 for each call after that. Incoming calls don't count. We mainly use our cell phones. Some people eliminate their land lines altogether.

I haven't checked it out but a friend recommended changing home and auto insurance over to AAA. She said she saved about $1K (for the year) that way.

Find a credit card with a good rewards program.

7 day Disney tickets $921.48
Cheaper by going thru a ticket reseller rather than buying from Disney. It could save you $70-$80.

Gas to drive to the nearest airport Spokane WA $120
You mentioned in a previous post that you get your gas from your employer at no cost to you. Couldn't you just fill your tank at work?

Hotel at local airport $126.65(includes free parking for 12 days)
Try skipping the hotel and just flying out the same day as you drive to the airport.

food & snacks in Spokane WA $100
Pack sandwiches and beverages to bring in the car instead.

7 days Food and snacks for 5 people $700
Eat most of your meals in the condo. The grocery bill for 7 days should be about half that amount even with convenience foods.

car rental for 12 days??????o.
Why do you need a car for 12 days when you will be cruising for 4 of them? You would also need to pay for parking at the port. Turn the car in when you get to the port and then rent for a single day when you return so that you can drive to the airport.

7 day car parking at disney $70
It's actually $14/day to park at the WDW parks.

4 day cruise already paid for. but some port fees about $200-$300.
Make sure that you know exactly how much those port fees will be. It could be a deal breaker. Some these cheap cuiselines will rock you mightily on the port fees. And since they are per-person and not per-cabin, you could be in for a real sticker shock.

Gas for rental car $150.
How many miles do you plan to put on the car? At 20 mpg and $3/gal (high estimate), that comes to 1000 miles in 12 days when 4 of those days are going to be spent sitting in a parking lot!

Meals and souveniors in Bahamas $250
Food can be very expensive in the Bahamas, especially in the port area. I recommend eating on the ship before you visit the islands and then save your appetite for when you get back on. For souvenirs, check the area that used to be the Straw Market. Most vendors there will haggle with you on price.

So far $2738.13, and without the car rental, I would say just over $3000.
You might not need that much if you really bargain shop and cut back on some of the expenses. However, I still feel that saving $3K by the end of February is an unrealistic goal. You're talking about trying to find an extra $600+ per month in the budget and that just doesn't happen too easily.

Christmas is coming:
- give park tix as gifts to kids
- or let g'parents give them tix or maybe Santa (b/c that's always free according to my kids)

Might not be what they want but it's kinda killing 2 birds w/ 1 stone since I'm sure you're still planning on doing Christmas.

Eating at the airport hotel - pack food & drinks, if kids complain - let them swim in the pool

Food at the airport - eat continental b'fast at hotel before going to airport.

If your family is too embarassed to do a yard sale - send things to a consignment shop, Craigslist, ebay, etc.

Cut back on eating out if you haven't done so. I let our kids each pick one meal for the week and I make that for them, that takes up 3 nights so no one is asking to go out to eat. Also, breakfast foods make a great cheap supper that our kids love.

Plan groceries & meals around sales, save coupons, and look for double & triple coupon grocery deals.

Also, find the grocery store you plan on shopping @in Orlando and see what kind of sales that have & shop accordingly.

This might not get you $3,000 but might help.

Good luck

I'm with the others who think you should trim your trip budget.
I'll give this a try, using some suggestions from previous posters.

4 day Disney tickets $834
2 adults, 2 kids (your 3rd child is free, I think)

Gas to drive to the nearest airport Spokane WA $60
Your new estimate

Hotel at local airport $126.65
Includes free parking for 12 days so no airport parking fees

food & snacks in Spokane WA $50
Eat fast food and bring your own snacks

7 days Food and snacks for 5 people $400
Stop at the grocery store on the way to the condo
Breakfasts: cereal, frozen waffles in condo. $20 should take care of the week
Lunch: pack lunch in parks or return to the condo for lunch: Sandwich fixings, Lunchables & Uncrustables for the kids, etc. $70
Dinner: 2 dinners made in condo (spaghetti, etc.) $30; 2 fast food/pizza carryout on the way back to the condo $50; 1 TS dinner: $100; 2 CS dinners $80; (To keep TS and CS costs down--drink free water & bring single flavor Kool-aid packs if the kids don't want water. Share meals, especially with the kids--you might not need to buy them a meal at all if they're light eaters and will eat what you eat.)
Snacks: bring them into the park $25; A couple of snacks in the parks $25

car rental for 12 days $180
I googled Orlando car rental and it advertises rentals on Hotwire.com for $15/day

4 day car parking at disney $56

4 day cruise already paid for. but some port fees about $300.

Gas for rental car $60.
Airport to condo, Condo to parks, restaurants & grocery store, to Port Canaveral and back. Should take no more than 2 tanks of gas.

Meals and souveniors in Bahamas $50
Eat on the ship and limit souvenirs

TOTAL 2,116.65

Have you subscribed to the newsletter from www.mousesavers.com? If so, there is a link in the newsletter for tickets through Undercovertourist.com. As far as I know, this link provides the best prices around for WDW tickets.

Question though...you mention leaving your stuff in the minivan so you don't have to bring it on the boat. What/how much are we talking about here? Maybe the answer is to pack simpler so that you have less stuff? You have a condo, so I'm assuming laundry could be done there before you leave for the cruise.

$3000 in 5 months, is $600 / month or about $150 extra a week.... for 5 months.

The only absolute way you could make this in such a short time, would be to get another job.

Get a serving job a few nights a week. A good weekend night could bring in your $150.

 

[hipchickie]

May I refer you to OP's thread on buying ramen noodles in bulk?

Great minds think alike!

Go team nelson!!

 

[hipchickie]

Oooh, I thought of another one, but you are going to have to check the legality of killing squirrels in your area

 

[HappieMommie]

Your only chance at redemption is Go Oilers Go. Any of this Flames nonsense and I will join the masses when they laugh at you.

 

[nelson84]

I have seen people making money by selling their cut off hair on ebay...it appears you can make even more if you are a pretty young thing and videotape it being cut off - not sure what THAT is all about, but anyway, maybe you can talk your wife into growing her hair and auctioning it off?

Maybe you could rent one of your garages to a tenant?

Does your family like Raman noodles? If you switch to an all raman all the time diet, the grocery savings could be fantastic. It doesn't seem like they are really into sacrifice though, so maybe it would just be you.

I would suggest taking your SUV keys and freezing them in a big block of ice in your freezer. If you can't bike or walk to where you want to go, you shouldn't be going there.

Good Luck, and let us know how it goes - I have a feeling you all are in for the vacation of a lifetime

No in my neighborhood it is not zoned to rent out a section of your house. My fuel is free so I don't need to worry about walking to work.

 

[princessmom29]

Oooh, I thought of another one, but you are going to have to check the legality of killing squirrels in your area

you would get more bang for your buck with rabbits, racoons, or possums. More meat for the cost per bullet.

 

[ceecee]

you would get more bang for your buck with rabbits, racoons, or possums. More meat for the cost per bullet.

Save the bullets, strangle them!

 

[nelson84]

Your only chance at redemption is Go Oilers Go. Any of this Flames nonsense and I will join the masses when they laugh at you.

You have a good goalie with habi, and alot of speed but I see your old coach has some old canucks on your team strudwick, Sopel. He it goes Go oilers Go

Team Nelson

 

[Running_Bell]

good grief...... if you're asking for financial advice on a message board from people you don't know.... my guess is you are really in trouble...


this has to be a joke.... common sense should tell people if they can't afford something... don't do it, but if it's not... geez, geez go on the cruise and enjoy yourself.. IT is paid for.. what are you whining about.

I have enjoyed many of the tips... thanks!!

 

[luvsJack]

absurd? This is a disney budget forum and ways to save money to get to Disney, I am trying to round up a little cash and not dip into savings and anything else. This is about being frugal not wether or not someone has a job or not. I am here picking peoples brains and to help other people with the same situation. I have recieve some good info especially the cheaper ticket site posted. And looking at different ways to travel to save money. If you call that absurd, then you do have your opinion, and you are a negative poster, not cool in my book. I try to help other people with question not point out things you would call absurd.

Oh, for blessed sakes; I was not even talking to you. I was comparing the situation of the family in the post I quoted to you trying to come up with $3000 in a few months to go on vacation. I found that family's story to be extremely sad and, so sorry, have a bit more sympathy for them. Can't come up with $3000, here's an idea: STAY HOME.

You sit there in a a supposedly mulit-million dollar neighborhood spouting off about stocks you own and asking how to come up with the money for a vacation you cannot afford. Yes, my dear, that IS absurd.

I have found many helpful tips on these boards to help make a trip a bit more budget friendly. There are ways to get that food budget under $$$, there are some great ideas on places to stay that can help cut costs. But, none of that is going to make a trip affordable to someone who simply cannot afford it. If this many months out you are scrambling to come up with the money, guess what? You can't afford it.

 

[HappieMommie]

You have a good goalie with habi, and alot of speed but I see your old coach has some old canucks on your team strudwick, Sopel. He it goes Go oilers Go

Team Nelson

 

[nelson84]

Oh, for blessed sakes; I was not even talking to you. I was comparing the situation of the family in the post I quoted to you trying to come up with $3000 in a few months to go on vacation. I found that family's story to be extremely sad and, so sorry, have a bit more sympathy for them. Can't come up with $3000, here's an idea: STAY HOME.

You sit there in a a supposedly mulit-million dollar neighborhood spouting off about stocks you own and asking how to come up with the money for a vacation you cannot afford. Yes, my dear, that IS absurd.

I have found many helpful tips on these boards to help make a trip a bit more budget friendly. There are ways to get that food budget under $$$, there are some great ideas on places to stay that can help cut costs. But, none of that is going to make a trip affordable to someone who simply cannot afford it. If this many months out you are scrambling to come up with the money, guess what? You can't afford it.

I am going to take my family on a vacation and we are going to rock that vacation hard.

Team Nelson

 

[Running_Bell]

I am going to take my family on a vacation and we are going to rock that vacation hard.

are you 12?

 

[mrsklamc]

I am going to take my family on a vacation and we are going to rock that vacation hard.

Team Nelson

I notice you use this phrase a lot, so just so you know....it makes no sense.

 

[hipchickie]

No in my neighborhood it is not zoned to rent out a section of your house. My fuel is free so I don't need to worry about walking to work.

Oh, that's right, I forgot about the free gas - you should siphon out a tanks worth to get you all back from the airport
$60 bucks saved right there thankyouverymuch

 

[hipchickie]

I probably don't need to point this out, but if the squirrel thing works out, it can really be killing 2 birds with one stone - or killing 2 SQUIRRELS with one stone, if ya know what I mean - nudge, nudge, wink, wink

I am thinking food, and clothing, and hey - maybe if you save the bones we can start another thread about coming up with games you can play with them - are you thinking what I am thinking - CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!
Kids presents? DONE!

 

[crashbb]

we need to huddle up here and come up with some money saving tips or it will be a Las Vegas thread, I have enough for Vegas

Actually, WE don't need to do anything. WE are perfectly fine if YOUdon't find your $3000.

Other than your "stock tip", have you provided any usable suggestions for anyone else?

 

[nelson84]

Actually, WE don't need to do anything. WE are perfectly fine if YOUdon't find your $3000.

Other than your "stock tip", have you provided any usable suggestions for anyone else?

I'm not very good at saving money thats why I'm here.

 

[ceecee]

are you 12?

My 9 year old neighbor says that a lot. Someone asked about ESL? Maybe "Nelson" is really a kid playing along for laughs!