Different ways to save money for WDW!!

[susy]

Here are some different ways that we have been saving. Let's try to come up with as many as we can!

1.We have a vacation fund that gets $50 a month
2.We save $20 a week in an envelope marked "disney"- used this last weekend to pay for all tolls and meals at CSR!
3. Income tax return- this is good, but usually eaten up by some maintenance to the cars or some other emergency! ARGH!
4. change jar- have quit a bit here- I have to start rolling it up!

Other ideas i have:
-have a yard sale or a few!
-get the kids involved with babysitting, car wash, yard work, mother's helper
-keep checking mousesavers for discounts !
- a year and half ago (on this very board), we found out about a deal at TDS- get a $50 gc with each AP bought and a free t-shirt with each AP
- move to Florida!!!!! Season passes are cheaper than 4-day hoppers and so many discounts at the resorts! Just got CSR for $109 in peak season! Very light travel expenses,also.

We have a goal to pay off all cc and pay for our next trip (Thanksgiving ) in cash!

WL here we come!

 

[tink2dw]

We are working toward the Moving to So. Florida!! Where is the heat & humitity the least possible in Florida??

 

[NotTooGoofy]

I travel quite a bit for my job. I've joined a couple of frequent flyer and hotel clubs. So I try to stay at a particular brand of hotel (Marriott) and build up enough points for a 4 Day Disney Hopper.

 

[mom2girls29]

We too have coin holders that once they are full, I roll and deposit in vacation account. I joined many online programs to earn either web certs or coupons for Disney or Disney dollars. Last trip we had $100 gc for Rainforest Cafe along with coupons for Planet Hollywood and $80 in web cert which I used as credit card. We put money from recycling cans in to vacation funds. I do several online surveys for cash, the kids do too, and those checks go to vacation fund. Any other checks, like insurance reimbursement, go to the fund as I never plan on them. It is slow going but it adds up.

Mary

 

[Ithastobe]

I do what most of you do. Having the credit card points and getting our Disney Park Hopper tickets using points was the greatest way to get to go (we have Hilton Honors). Just got 2 adult and 2 children 4 day Park Hopper Plus using points.

I also do online reward programs, and use those points for restaurant certificates and Disney Dollars.

We also do garage sales, saving coins etc.

One thing I am going to do in future - everytime I visit the mall, buy a few Disney Dollars throughout the year. Also will ask for Disney Dollars for kids birthday gifts. I think this will help offset meals in the parks and their souveniers.

 

[susy]

tink,

if you are movning to south FL (or north), it is so hot!!!!! we have been back in shorts and t-shirts for weeks!!! The upside is not having two wardrobes (winter and summer), no snow tires or other winter things (I have no idea what they would be). May I suggest the city where I live (Hollywood). It is right between Miami and Ft Lauderdale and near (and on) the beach. My mom lives 5 minutes from the beach and we often go for breakfast-they have sidewalk cafes. Downtown Hollywood also has lots of restaurants with sidewalk seating, galleries, and shops. The city was built like Paris-with a few circles down the main street. Housing in Hollywood varies greatly. Some poor areas , some way up into the millions.

My mom just bought a two bedroom/1bath home in an older neighborhhood. Since is is right by the beach, this place is very desirable. They have a mix of larger homes and smaller ones. She paid $210 for hers, to give you an idea.

 

[SRRN]

mom2girls29,

Can you tell me the sites for doing surveys that pay cash?One of my daughter's does the Kidzeyes,but I've been searching,without luck,for adult ones.Thanks,in advance!

 

[mad4themouse]

I've been saving for a year and a half. Here's my list of sources:

• Change Jar- So far, the coffers hold about $600 in change. I also save all my $1s. There are over $500 in $1s as well. That will go a long way towards paying for accomodations.
• Rewards Programs- I average about $150 per month in rewards. Most of them are Webbies but there are also GCs for restaurants and car rental awards.
• Rewards Credit Cards Points- DH is self-employed and those business credits really add up. They can be used for frequent flier miles, restaurant GCs and hotel stays. I also have personal credit cards that pay in rewards as well.
• eBay- It's amazing how much you can make if you know something about what you're selling. I find that collectibles are especially profitable.
• Children's Turnabout Sales- Every Spring and Fall, I go through my kids' gently worn clothing and take them to a local church for a turnabout sale. Everyone wins at these. I get less-cluttered closets and drawers and a little cash. The church takes its cut. The buyers get nice clothes for a fraction of what they would pay retail. And the leftovers go to a charity.
• Garage Sales- It's nice to get rid of all the outgrown bicycles, toys and household items. It always surprised me what other people will buy!
• Alterations and Sewing- I've found that a lot of people do not have the talent or time to do it themselves. I sew Girl Scout, Boy Scout and karate patches on uniforms. I put hems in pants and shorten sleeves. I charge a nominal fee but it really adds up!
• Coupons- I was never big on couponing but once I set my sights on WDW, I've been almost a fanatic! I usually save between $20-$30 on my weekly food bill with coupons, mostly b/c the local stores offer double coupons all the time. Now, clipping has become a regular part of my shopping routine!
• Rebates- I admit to being the type of person who always forgets to send in the rebate forms. In October, I decided to be a little more dilegent about it. I've collected over $100 in rebates since then.

I also purchase $DD every month and I try to stash another $20 away every week to help things along. If all goes well, I should be able to pay for the whole trip using these savings methods.

 

[KLAIT]

For the last 2 years (and again this year), we go to Disney in the beginning of December. I always open a Christmas Club and stash money all year and then get the check in the beginning of November.

I do my Christmas shopping little by little all year and usually have it almost done when November rolls around (except for the last minute things). I also am a member of Connections and I prepay Toys - R - Us Giftcards during the year for a last minute toy run to pick up the "must have" things that I missed during the year.

 

[Gumball]

If you want Free coupons and some great savings check out this site
Free Disney coupons

I use them often and love it!

 

[beansmom]

I do the rewards and change.

I also save all my coupon money ($37.20 last week) and put it in the Disney fund. I just started this but feel very confident that it will contribute significantly. Some weeks I save $100 with coupons. Really.

The other thing I do is sell snack items that I get free or really cheap at work (I know that not everyone could do this but I can) and the proceeds go into the fund as well. $40 in the last three weeks!

Ebay is great. I sell my used books, anything that I think I can get a dime for. DD doesn't know it but some of her clothing is going up soon.

We're going to start setting aside a certain $$ amt in the summer to pump up the $$. Any $$ over what I budget as income (ie, if I plan to make $1200 on my check and the check is $1214.---the 14 goes in the fund.)

 

[kfeuer]

I also do rewards and survey programs--these really add up after awhile. I've had very good fortune with test drive incentives lately--many have been offering prepaid Visa/Amex/MC which are easily saved or converted to Disney Dollars. Sometimes I can't get something that we can directly use at Disney, so I try to think of other trip-related expenses we can offset (i.e. I have some Target and Walmart gift certs saved for film, film developing, sunscreen, snacks, etc. as well as Old Navy and Gap gift certs for some new clothes before we go).

We're paying for the major expenses with our tax refund, escrow overage, and a small monthly savings amount.

 

[MEM]

If any of you live or work near a School of Dental Medicine or Medicine, you should look into participating in some of their clinical trials. I work for a school of dental medicine and in the past year, I have earned $300 (in 3 separate studies) just to test toothpaste, an electric toothbrush and a tooth whitening product. I had to give the toothbrush back, but kept all other supplies. A bonus of each is a free oral exam and teeth cleaning. Some studies will even restore teeth with a trial material plus pay a modest stipend. These studies are all very strictly regulated -- I have seen both sides of the process and getting approval can be tough. All of my study money goes right into the vacation fund. Most studies are a minimum of 4 weeks, with weekly visits.

I have not had much luck with yard sales, even though I run the neat, clean, organized kind we all dream about. I don't put out any junk. I think its my rather urban location...I get folks from cultures who feel that insulting your merchandise and then offering you one fourth of what you are asking is appropriate behavior. Some of them will also spend a half hour piling up my best stuff and make an obscene offer, when other folks who might have bought some of the items would leave in disgust.

My husband will not let me start with ebay because he has security concerns, both about our computer and our bank accounts.

I, too, have a piggy bank -- a huge Little Tikes one. I don't plan to open it until I cannot fit another coin into it.

 

[kcarp]

I do Mystery Shopping for some extra cash, it's easy work. I been making about $75.00 a month.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I withdraw $50 a week from my checking account and have it put into my saving account. I also have a change jar and cleaned it out last week and found $226 in change. I do the reward programs as well ... but I find those a little slow for me because I don't do too much shopping online. I also have an Air Miles credit card which I make a lot of purchases on, I pay it off in full every month and I use the miles towards airplane tickets.

 

[crazymomof4]

These tips are great! Just a few questons. I hope you are still following this thread:

kcarp~What is Mystery Shopping? I'm interested in making $75/mo. but have never heard this term.


Gumball~Your "Free Disney coupons" link took me to ibidusa. Where do you find the Disney coupons there?

Also, about 3-4 weeks ago I signed up for several online survey sites but have not heard anything from them. Does it usually take that long? Should I contact them or sign up again?

 

[Ithastobe]

crazymomof4 - I signed up for survey sites and usually I got an email back from them thanking me for my time etc.

I've had success with Greenfield online, Gozingm and mysurvey.com. I also do like buzzback, clickiq, surveysavy however these are far and few between.

If you don't hear from them, I would email them......

Good Luck!

P.S. - check the rewards board here for other reward program ideas. They are pretty helpful in getting you on your way!

 

[DiznEeyore]

I posted this on the Rewards board, but it seems appropriate for this thread, too: A new way for me to get extra $$ is taking part in marketing focus groups. I'm going to do my first one this afternoon. It's put on by either Arby's or Subway (the gal wasn't sure which -- I had to have not eaten Arby's in the last month) and I'll get paid $65 for it.

 

[kcarp]

They have companies out their that pay you to shop. There are all kinds of shops: Grocery, Fast Food, Apartments, Banks, depending what company you sign up with. Go to your favorite search engine type in "Mystrey Shopping" and watch all the hits you get. To save you some time, what I did was do a search with your state included in the search, that will weed out all the companies that don't do business in your area. For my Disney trip in June, I have close to $500.00 saved from shopping. The hardest part is finding the companies in your area, once you do that you will do ok. Good Luck

 

[LIFERBABE]

Become your own Benefits Coordinator and get tough on your medical and dental bills.
I saved $700 this past January on my son's dental surgery and this was with insurance. I always thought that the Dr's filing your insurance claim was part of the service, but they do this so they can charge the maximum fees allowed under your health plan.
When our dentist told us my 4 yr. old needed fillings and anesthia and that the bill would be $1200 after insurance I thought we would have to cancel Disney this year or have my DS suck on Mickey Bars the whole trip!
I got educated real quick! I signed up with an excellent open to everyone Medical Discount plan ($7 a month) that my Dentist participates in and paid cash for my son's procedure. I then filed my own claim through the insurance company for the remainder. They (insurance) are only gonna give you so much back anyway so it is best to decrease your out-of-pocket costs up front. I received my claim checks yesterday and was pleased to see that I reduced our cost to $89 from $600. With insurance passing on more and more of the costs on to us this is a very expensive area of our finances that we never question. I'm like my own HMO now. I learned some medical codes and how to properly fill out claims. We make sure our providers are in-network and their affiliates also. I won't delay emergency care, but I do go over our medical costs diligently.
I had braces put on my teeth in January also and the difference in having that $7 discount plan and not having it was $1300!
That's a whole lot of yard sales!!