Disney savers: How do you save up for Disney?

[Yellosno]

I like some of these ideas. Good to know when I have to start paying for myself (Im currently 17).

 

[GraceMonica]

Every paycheck, I get $100 disney gift card. I just started this month, so I don't have much saved yet. I have 13 more paychecks left this year, so I will (hopefully) have $1500 saved up for my trip. (Im going for about a month. im taking advantage of my grandparents as they rent a house down there for a few months in Kissimmee. Last year I didn't save well enough so I couldn't stay more than two weeks, but this time I bought my AP so im not freaking out about ticket prices a few months before!) Six months exactly until I leave!

I also have a change jar, I've focused more on using cash and putting my change and small bills in the jar. Every $50 I buy myself a giftcard. Last visit to the world I used my debit card about three times (at the end when I ran out if money on my giftcards) This time im determined not to use my debit card at all. Cash offsite and gift cards onsite.

Reading this thread I am determined to kick my dining out habit (actually, I really just get frozen yogurt. I've become addicted to the stuff!)

I just bought all new clothes (as im going on a non disney vacation to Louisiana in two months and needed something to wear) so those clothes ill be able to wear in the world!

I also need to stop buying nail polish. I have a few dozen bottles and I don't need to buy any more.

I still live with my parents (im only 20 so im going to ride this wave as long as possible) and I dont go to school, so that makes it easier to save for my disney vacations! I work 40 hours a week, which I love and im thankful for.

My parents have a small garden (peppers, tomatoes, and basil) so that will save us some money!

I wish I could get into couponing.


Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

 

[Boncho]

(Im going for about a month. im taking advantage of my grandparents as they rent a house down there for a few months in Kissimmee. Last year I didn't save well enough so I couldn't stay more than two weeks, but this time I bought my AP so im not freaking out about ticket prices a few months before!) Six months exactly until I leave!
Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

You're going for a month!!!!! I am super jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a WONDERFUL time!!!!!!!!!

 

[GraceMonica]

You're going for a month!!!!! I am super jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a WONDERFUL time!!!!!!!!!

Thanks! Last trip I told myself I wont go back until I'm 21. Well, I figured I was just really grumpy because when I do go, it'll be two months shy of my 21st birthday. (I think I was upset because we always happened to run into the BTG and they always decided to invade my personal space when we did see them! A month gives me a lot of time to avoid the big groups and just relax!)

I get laid off every year in the winter, so I figured why not just spend it down there! I wont be missing any work and I'll have a place to stay. Plus if I didn't go down, I'd be sitting at home doing nothing!

 

[heidilee2003]

bump

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

I have taken a bit of a Dis break. I really needed it. I am glad you all are keeping this thread going. Maybe I will be back soon to post some new ideas.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

When we turn our milk bottles back in we get our $1.50 deposit back. That goes into a jar in the kitchen. $106 saved so far!

 

[spartankid34]

For those of you that have started small businesses at flea markets...what kind of product are you selling? Is it household items you don't use anymore, like at yard sales, or are you making things and selling them? This seems like a super easy way to make a few extra dollars, wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts about this!

As for me, I've been ebaying lots of items lately and 1/2 that money goes to buying new clothes (after my weight loss I need them ), and the other half goes into my Disney acct.

 

[Claudine877]

This will sound 'old lady like', but my 3 sisters and I go out to a local church bingo Wednesday nights for a girls night out. Any cash I win goes into the Disney fund as we didn't purchase a dining plan for our Oct trip and we fell into the blackout time. Last Wednesday made 148.00!! Not bad for an 11.00 investment and 3 hours with the girls!

 

[prekteacher]

I also take one dollar out of my purse everyday so that is a extra $365.00 for one year.

 

[Dopey420]

I'm a bit of a "hustler." I am always looking for a way to make a buck, besides my full time job. So I use my "extra" money I make for vacations. For example, I buy used computers at auction, fix them up and sell them and that money goes for Disney. I set up concession stands at festivals and sell drinks and food, all that goes for Disney vacations. Etcetera.

 

[happy2012]

I start to save a year 1/2 in advance. I use GE gift cards as well.

 

[shebjo]

I opened an ingdirect savings account. I have $50 per taken from my account every Friday (DH and I get paid on alternate weeks so every Friday one of us are receiving a paycheck). That's $200 a month. I also buy Disney gift cards often. I get bonuses on my job twice a year (my husband 3 times a year) so when we come into extra money I'll buy $100+ gift cards. That helps enormously. I also start one year in advance booking stuff. As of late, we have been staying offsite so I’ll book 1 year in advance and make payments periodically.

I opened up an ING direct account too - about 2 or 3 years ago. I got that idea from this budget forum. Every pay period, I have $50 transferred from my paycheck (bank account) to ING account - then a week before the trip, I have the money saved up in the ING account transferred to my account. I also use the ING to help save for other expenses like for XMAS gifts or unexpected expense. Another idea - I have flex spending through my job and so the money from this - part of it, I use for the Disney trip.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

I want to apologize to everyone and thank you for keeping the thread going in my absence. I had a VERY bad Dis experience a couple months ago, and have just not wanted to be part of the Dis for a while. My trip is coming up though, so I think it is time to make sure I am "in the know", so I will be back, but not at the level I used to be. I do think this thread can benefit so many people, so I would like to keep it going if possible. Thank you for your patience.

When we turn our milk bottles back in we get our $1.50 deposit back. That goes into a jar in the kitchen. $106 saved so far!

Good job! We like to turn our metal in. My husband gets what he can from job sites such as wiring, and we strip the outside off so we get more from the copper. He is replacing our windows in the house (our neighbor gave us all his windows for free because he upgraded, but the windows he gave us were only 3 years old! Who does that? Oh well, it benefited me! Woot woot!), and he actually breaks the glass out of the old windows and takes the metal in. I have it in my head that if I see metal in people's garbage I will take it out, but haven't gone there yet. It makes a tidy little profit for us to do just a little extra.

For those of you that have started small businesses at flea markets...what kind of product are you selling? Is it household items you don't use anymore, like at yard sales, or are you making things and selling them? This seems like a super easy way to make a few extra dollars, wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts about this!

As for me, I've been ebaying lots of items lately and 1/2 that money goes to buying new clothes (after my weight loss I need them ), and the other half goes into my Disney acct.

I sell new items that I coupon. No point in storing 40 years of deodorant. We went today, and even though it was sort of misting rain, we made $146.00 in less than two hours. Not my best day, but decent considering the weather. We have recently started taking used items to the flea market as well, such as books and movies, or random stuff we don't want. We do ok with that, but some people make their livings off of pure junk. I have seen what I think is pure garbage, and people buy it!

I started selling on ebay about 5-6 weeks ago, and it paid off my trip. I made so much money so fast. You do get the occassional irritating person who bids and doesn't pay, but overall, as long as you communicate with customers, describe items very well, and ship fast, you can be successful.

Congrats on your weight loss! I have recently lost 23 pounds, and have been ordering shorts for our trip that are two sizes smaller!! Yay! High five!

This will sound 'old lady like', but my 3 sisters and I go out to a local church bingo Wednesday nights for a girls night out. Any cash I win goes into the Disney fund as we didn't purchase a dining plan for our Oct trip and we fell into the blackout time. Last Wednesday made 148.00!! Not bad for an 11.00 investment and 3 hours with the girls!

Dude. I love bingo. Wish I knew of some places to make some monies playing Bingo!

I also take one dollar out of my purse everyday so that is a extra $365.00 for one year.

Good one! If I used cash more often, I would so do this!

I'm a bit of a "hustler." I am always looking for a way to make a buck, besides my full time job. So I use my "extra" money I make for vacations. For example, I buy used computers at auction, fix them up and sell them and that money goes for Disney. I set up concession stands at festivals and sell drinks and food, all that goes for Disney vacations. Etcetera.

I wouldn't call you a hustler! In my opinion, hustlers are more dishonest in the way they make their money. You seem to do it honestly, and so...I would call you an entrepreneur! You do the same things I do. We can only sell concessions at certain flea markets around here or they charge an arm and a leg, but it helps. My daughter took cupcakes around to all the vendors at a flea market once. She asked every single person if they wanted to buy a cupcake. She was awesome. I love her confidence. We did go with her, but let her handle the sales pitches! My little one asked me if she should come to the flea market with me because she is so cute that people will buy more from us. I told her absolutely! Gotta start them young! I want my girls to be able to make their own livings. So, good job!

I start to save a year 1/2 in advance. I use GE gift cards as well.

I did the 1/2 year savings plan as well, and it was a little close for comfort for me. We did it, but it made me nervous! I think I will start a little earlier next trip!

I opened up an ING direct account too - about 2 or 3 years ago. I got that idea from this budget forum. Every pay period, I have $50 transferred from my paycheck (bank account) to ING account - then a week before the trip, I have the money saved up in the ING account transferred to my account. I also use the ING to help save for other expenses like for XMAS gifts or unexpected expense. Another idea - I have flex spending through my job and so the money from this - part of it, I use for the Disney trip.

All good ideas!

 

[leebee]

Everything goes on my Disney VISA card- including car insurance, tuition payments, cable bill, medical bills, etc.- and pay it off every single month. We are very responsible with our credit card, and only use it for "real" things that we'd be purchasing anyhow, like groceries and gasoline, not a big screen TV that we cannot afford but might want. I have had a Disney VISA since "Day One" and not once have we paid interest on it. Needless to say, it builds up a tidy sum ($800-$1000) every two years and pays off a bunch of our vacation. Payments not covered by the Disney points are charged to our Disney VISA so we are earning points on the money we pay for the trip.

DH and I both opened Southwest VISA cards this spring when they were giving the 50,000 frequent flyer points. Those cards have been paid for (the $69 annual fee and first purchase of $5 to activate the card) and the accounts were closed once the 50000 miles posted in each frequent flyer account. Free airfare just doesn't stink!!

LEt's see... we have cut our electricity bill by being anal about turning off lights and at least partially drying the clothes on a line or rack, and using the no-dry option on the dishwasher (which uses less water than if we hand washed the dishes every day... we run the dishwasher once or twice a week). I use cold water to wash the laundry to save on the oil necessary to heat the water. We also have a deposit on cans and bottles, so anything we return and get money for goes into the Disney jar. Relatives give us Disney cards, so that helps, and if we get a "vanilla" gift card, that goes in the jar also. We are lucky that neither of us OR DD are particularly interested in Disney souvenirs, so the majority of what we save can go right straight into paying off the vacation itself. We always go to WDW when we can get free dining, and use DME and the busses even though I HATE Disney busses. It's all part of being frugal so we can go to Disney for 10 days! Usually we spend <$150 when we are at Disney... and the majority of what we DO spend is on Mickey Bars and Dole Whips!

 

[phillymummer]

I save all of our change. Hubby and I have been doing this since we got married. We have two jars going right now: One for Germany and one for WDW.

 

[livsmom04]

We save all of our extra change and I am looking into doing Mystery Shopping. I also have a blog and have been saving the money I make from that in my paypal account. Every little bit helps!

Another thing I do is I have been selling the things I don't need and using the money for that.

 

[jnfr2424]

I did an online search for a secret shoppers found a site that I go to local supermarkets buy items and rate the markets the $$ gets deposited into paypal

 

[Susiesark]

I did an online search for a secret shoppers found a site that I go to local supermarkets buy items and rate the markets the $$ gets deposited into paypal

I do secret shopping in a store where I can buy Disney gift cards. The purchase price is then refunded to me so it's free money for upcoming vacations, or in my case, Disney cruises.

 

[livsmom04]

I do secret shopping in a store where I can buy Disney gift cards. The purchase price is then refunded to me so it's free money for upcoming vacations, or in my case, Disney cruises.

How do you get into secret shopping? I want to get into doing it.