Do you save up before you book or book and then save?

[scojos]

i too book, pay the deposit (generally a couple of hundred) and then save, i find it easier to justify beans on toast and not take away or dinner out when i know that money will directly pay for lunch with mickey
the kids also understand that cash isnt handed out willy nilly when the know the holiday is booked, esp my eldest who has helped me choose the ddp TS choices, he worked out that CM costs about £200.... hrm he says, thats alot for dinner!! he knows we get the free ddp and its not "real money" iyswim, but he also is starting to get the implications, as opposed to the 2 smaller ones who think money grows on trees!!!

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Last time we had the £700 deposit already saved, paid the balance of the holiday on our Virgin Amex(getting more airmiles) then transferred the balance onto a 18 month interest free CC.I pay the minimum amount off each month, putting the remainder of the money into an ISA,then on the 18 month i will pay off the balance with whats in the ISA.Ive done this a few times now,gaining some nice interest which would offset the CC charge,but not as attractive now I'm afraid.I still do it though for the big lump of air miles though.
By the time all is paid off, it gives me just enough time to save for the next deposit,then i start the whole process again

 

[DisFanJen]

We always save for the big 3 first (Flights, car hire, car parking) then save up the rest after we're booked.

But it's a bit easier for us as we've got DVC and APs.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

well thanks for all your replies people !

I have worked out what to do, as I can't save all of it before hand as that would drive me insane, but as its only me and the wife next time, I am going to save for the flights once I have that in the bank then book the airline.

Once done the deposit for the resort and save like mad.

At least getting the flight money is easier and quicker and then at least you know you are going, and then its all save, save save for the next bit.

Contemporary here we come I hope!!!!!!!!!

 

[stoneyloon]

I pay the deposit (direct with Disney is pretty low) and then pay off the balance when it's due. I don't see the point in paying any earlier than necessary.....

 

[ben1993]

Deposit then put a set amount each payday into my savings account, then pay for why needs paying as and when.

 

[madmumof2]

Book then pay as and when,

I don't have a credit card and no way would I wait to save the whole lot, then book, then wait even longer before leaving!

I always make sure we have over a year before we leave. It's not hard to work out a budget based on what you can afford every month/week,then you go with that cost, find a holiday in your budget and book.

I paid whatever I had left over every week/month, sometimes it was £50, sometimes it was £500. I've always paid up months before we leave, and in that time I save for spending money.

As long as you have travel insurance I don't see the point in saving first before booking and not having a date to look forward to, especially if you have to give up certain things for a while to save up.

 

[paulh]

i give all my money to the DW, and then we book flights on 12 month Interest free CC(were in DVC so room ok),work hard and pay off. luckily no mortgage to worry about so that money for hols/car ext
Paul

 

[Princess on the Run]

I put together a package, panic about the cost, tell my DH we can't do it because it's too expensive. Then he talks me off a ledge and I pay the $200 to book. Then what we do is each month we figure out how much money we have after paying all the bills and stuff and make payments toward it with the aim of being paid off well in advance of the trip so we can then start saving for spending money while we're there. All through the process, I panic a few more times about how we should't be spending so much and DH talks me off the ledge again.

 

[CupcakeLisa]

Normally book then save but next year we are hoping to do a last min deal so will save for 9 months then book a hopefully travel within a few weeks

 

[VailaTigger]

I do a prediction of how much we'll have saved up by the time the holiday needs to be paid for, as we put aside a set amount every month into our savings account.

Then make sure we'll have enough there to pay on the due date, and book.

Then we have home emergencies, cars break down, the kids want to go on school trips, and numerous other unexpected drains on our finances, and I end up putting it on the credit card and paying it off with the money which should be going into our savings!!

Not the best way to do it, and I'd much rather have it all saved, but the past twice it's ended up being this way, and it's been OK.

I will be trying after this up-coming trip to put aside a wee bit extra every month into my ISA... which will help for the next trip when those emergencies have happened again.