Do you pay for your WDW trip before or after?

[luvmygirls]

Don't mean for this to get to personal, but since it's the budget board, I'm curious, when you want to go to Disney (or any other vacation destination) do you save enough to go to Disney or plan the trip, and if you don't have enough put it on Credit Cards & pay it off later?

Unfortunatly, the latter was my attitude on a lot of "little" purchases, and before I knew it my DH & I have what I consider a substantial debt on credit cards/HEL, (please don't flame, it's my fault & I take full responsiblitiy for my financial stupidity.) Thanks to this GREAT board, I subscribed to Cheapskate Monthly and am now taking the steps to be debt free in 3 years.

We are going to Disney this fall, which I know now we should put off until all debts were paid, but I'm saving & using our income tax return to pay for the rest, so that we don't create any extra debt just because we went on vacation.
Remember to share the love, I don't want to start any heated discussions here

Shelly

 

[speedyf]

We took our first trip to Disney World in 10 years in May 2004. My wife and I went there on our honeymoon back in 1994 and had never returned since.

In 1999....we had a baby boy. My mom started saving that year for Disney. She saved enough to take our family and my sister and her boyfriend to Disney last year (my son was 4). She paid all the expenses...but, thanks to The DIS and Mousesavers.....I saved her all kind of money by doing the planning for her.

After we returned, I immediately started saving for 2005. I now have $2300 saved for 8 nights at Disney in June 05.

When we went with my mom in 2004, I brought some of our income tax return money with us for spending. This year, the income tax return money all goes to bills because I have my Disney money sitting in my ING account collecting interest as we speak....

So...I guess I'm a saver.....but, I do like to spend.....lol

speed

 

[CheapMom]

I like to pay for everything before I go. I do this little by little...
I buy our park tickets first (always the biggest chunk for us), we pay down our resort ressie little by little, I just watch airfare constantly until I see a good price and then I jump on that. (I always wait for $98 RT from Baltimore)
The kids save change/birthday money... for their spend money.
As far as food and souveniers we just wing it when we get down there and it's easy to do that because we know we aren't going to get hit with a big CC bill for park hoppers or hotel....

IT IS SO MUCH MORE FUN WHEN YOU KNOW IT IS ALL PAID FOR!!!!

 

[Cujo]

Interesting question. . . . I had often thought of this, but never asked.
We are able to pay for most of our trip before we go, but a lot of the meals we will probably put on our credit card.
My philosophy in life is to take the opportunity when you can. Our daughters are in grade 7 & 9; the time we have left to enjoy family vacations are quickly slipping away.
Each to their own, but I have seen all too often that you don't know what tomorrow brings, seize (and enjoy) the opportunity!

Have a Great Trip. . . . ours begins in 11 days, Yeah!

Sandra

 

[CinderellasMama]

This year my DH got a great bonus so we put half of it in savings. We also put $25 from each of our paychecks each pay day. DH and I also do extra jobs and all that extra money goes into our savings. I sew and make crafts for people. DH is a plumber but also knows construction and some mechanics so he does odd jobs for people. This past week he made $200 and I made $50 all going into the savings account.

I don't understand people relying on your "tax return". We try make it where we barely get any back or pay a very minimal amount so we have the money each pay check. I would rather have it each pay check than let the government "hold" it for me. I see people talking about not having any money but getting a huge tax return each year....wouldn't you want that money each pay check? Oh well, to each his own.

Anyways, we are planning to have enough money to pay for everything and have so money to play with on our vacation in April!

Brenda

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

If I don't have the cash to pay for something, I do without it. I know that this may sound a little on the harsh side, but after seeing more than one of my siblings crushed under the weight of their debts, it's just something that I prefer to do. I might use my credit card to pay for thing while I'm in WDW just because it's convenient but the money is saved up and ferreted away before the trip begins.

 

[Savin4Disney]

when we go all will be paid for in full. Nothing is going on CC. I will enjoy it more with everything being paid.

I have the depoit down and will pay off some each paycheck, use bonus money for air and tax return will go towards trip.

Spending will be saved in Disney Dollars and some cash.

 

[kboles]

As already mentioned above, I did the same thing for my upcoming trip (1st trip) I put half down on my room, and will make payments on the balance, already paid for airfare, got a good rate so jumped on it, have bought food vouchers for half of our meals, still need to get our admission tickets. Our trip is at the end of March, so if all goes as planned, everything should be paid for by then. My kids are 17, 15, and 3 and my vacations with the older ones will soon become non exsistent, so if I had to and would put it all on a credit card and pay it down. If I were to wait until I saved up money for everything, I might be a grandma next time I looked

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

I like to have everything paid for ahead of time, as much as, possible. It just takes a little time. We go to florida every year and occassionally twice a year. But everything we do is paid for in a form of our own personal funds. Some is from our income tax refund and the rest comes from our savings. I have gotten my self in trouble with credit cards before and do not intend to repeat it.

my advice is to plan for your vacation and make a budget that you can work with to give you the vacation of your dreams. Pre-pay for as much as you can. Keep your eye out for deals. Know if booking a package is the best deal or simply a convience. Even after you book things keep an eye on the costs of things to see if you can save any more money.

I have a motto in my life. Never pay full price for anything. This is particularly true in my vacation planning. I never sacrifice my choosen comforts because of costs. I just figure out how I can do it more cheaply.


If you want to know the particulars on my vacation budget planning you can send me an email. Other wise just listen to the great advice that everyone has on these boards.

have a great trip!

Kimberly

 

[DisneyKeith]

We pay as we go and plan at least a year in advance. Our resort accomodations are already paid for and we'll buy our tickets before we go. I've been buying Gift Cards to off-site restaurants and Disney vouchers for a few special Disney meals. The kids have been getting Disney bucks for Christmas and birthdays. We've been putting a little each month in savings for the rest. When we are at Dinsey everything else will go on our Disney Visa so we can get the reward dollars for a future trip. We pay off our credit card bill each month so we won't be paying interest. IMHO It would be depressing for us to be paying off a vacation that we had already taken.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

It would be depressing for us to be paying off a vacation that we had already taken.

Too true - and I'd resent the idea that it might prevent me from taking another one!

Many years ago when I was young and stupid, I let myself get sucked into paying for everything with credit cards, even using American Express to cover honeymoon expenses. Dealing with creditors in the aftermath was a multi-year hell, and set me back financially even longer. I just bought a house and am proud to be much more fiscally responsible than I used to be.

For our last 3 trips, every part except food was paid in full at least a month before we left home - and I'm considering going with MYW Dining next time and prepaying that as well (it fits our eating habits, so why not save the money and have that prepaid peace of mind?). AFAIC, if I can't afford to pay cash, then I don't need to go yet.

 

[brandip22]

We've just started saving for our trip in September. Our rooms are paid for since we own DVC, so that leaves tickets, food, souvies and travel- we are driving so gas. I plan on purchasing $25-$50 in Disney Dollars each month and just today bought $25 worth! We also are saving about $200 a month to go towards the trip. My plan is to buy our tickets as soon as I have enough for those and then maybe buy some traveler's checks when I get more. I also use mypoints and will have a large GC for Rainforest Cafe by the time we go.already have $50 worth!) Hopefully, but the time we go, I will only have to pay for gas, but that should be saved, too. I've already bought some souvenieres(sp?) from TDS on sale/clearance that I will hide until the trip for DS. Lastly, I'll be using ebay money to put towards the gas as well. We also had CC debt at one time and now only owe on our cars and home. We each have small CCs, but do not plan on using them. Of course, we can if we decide something is that great, but we don't let our limits get high so we know we'll be able to pay the cards right back off.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Since we usually piece things together instead of buying a package, we tend to pay for the trip before, during, and after. The airline tickets are normally pre-trip, the hotel/park tickets are during, and the misc. charges while we are there are paid after when we get the credit card statement.

 

[Befferk]

I am new here but....... I am "one of those people" that will be using our tax return to pay for our trip. And to answer someone's question, I would rather NOT have that money throughout the year. I *know* that I am a terrible saver . If we had the money throughout the year, it would get eaten up somewhere. I would rather have the government "hold" it for me, then I know it will be there when we want to go, and I CAN'T touch it. So, as you said, to each his own, but this is the way I prefer it and my reasons why..... Just wanted to share the other side...

Beth - the "non-saver "

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Oh, I definitely let the government hold my money for me, as well. I'd rather get that happy bonus all at once than risk frittering it away weekly.

 

[calie_j]

Vacations are top priority for my family, which is why we have garage sale furniture that doesn't match, lol. I learned a little trick a long time ago from Charles Givens that says pay yourself first, put it in a seperate account and you'll never miss it. I work PT and put 100/week into a savings account just for vacations. Now that we're more financially fit I've got a seperate account for remodeling that I put some residual checks from an old job into. When we get "extra money" (xmas, tax returns, etc) I've started putting 5% into each account. I'll have enough money in our vacation account for Disney and am also using my disney rewards from the cc to pay the extra to spend 4 nights at a deluxe instead of a mod.

Calie

 

[mom23boys]

We do both, our airline and tickets to the park will be prepaid. We have DVC, but the few days before at All Stars will be put on CC. I do save for spending money and some I put on the CC. I also use our tax return for this.

Unfortunately and fortunately (sp) my husband makes commissions which is taxed at a much higher rate, no getting around that. Even if I raise our dependents we still get back a ton every year.

So I use the tax return as a savings for our trips.

 

[westjones]

My philosophy in life is to take the opportunity when you can. Our daughters are in grade 7 & 9; the time we have left to enjoy family vacations are quickly slipping away.

This is why we have taken so many Disney trips lately. I know time passes quickly. My twin DDs are 11 now and we plan to go on our next Disney Cruise before they turn 13. I made them promise that even if they think it is 'silly' I want to see them on stage for that Final Farewell with Mickey one last time before they become teenagers.

I do save for each trip before it happens. I wouldn't want to pay for a trip that has already occurred---I want to start saving for the next one! In fact, after our December cruise I have a couple of hundred dollars left and I went and put it in our club account (a seperate account that I pay into each month at our bank to save for trips).

I have also set up envelopes for 'special' extras we want to do and I put in the amount that it will cost (like a character meal, boat rental, HoopDeeDo Review, etc.). If I don't have the money for all of the 'extras', we pick the ones that we want the most that we do have the money for at the time we leave.

DJ

 

[DD2Disney]

We have never even considered 'charging' a vacation. I agree that it would be hard to enjoy it, knowing it wasn't paid for, and how hard you would have to work to pay that off. We enjoy setting aside our 'disney' money each month, and planning what we will do with it.

Tricia

 

[sunny04]

We actually have a little disney tin that we save money in. If DH works overtime etc. we put the extra money in the tin. When we go on a trip, we put most of our purchases on the credit card. We figure out how much we spent when the bill comes. Then, we take the cash out of our Disney tin and deposit it as we send in the check to the Credit Card company.