Easy tip for saving $$$$$

[Yunchman]

I know everyone has lots of change hiding around in their houses. A fun way to save money for the cruise (for shore excursions, tips, etc.) is to put your change in a piggy bank. Then before the cruise cash in your change. You'll be surprised how much all those little coins add up to!
It has been 6 months since our last cruise and all of our change has added up to over $250 for shore excursions and disney cruise line fun!

 

[invaderzim]

It is a great idea -- we do it every year. We have one of those giant crayon banks in the hallway. Every day or so, everyone empties out all their change in to. We average between $180 to $250 by the time we cash it in. And you really don't miss the change at all!

 

[CarolJean]

any money left in pockets becomes the sole possession of the washing wench (ME)!!! Over the last year I've collected 150 bucks.
not too bad considering I really hate laundry and avoid it as much as possible.

 

[bobsuzla]

My DD9 and I decorated a 5 gallon water jug with disney pics and stuff that we cut out of all of the brochures I have picked up on the trips to Disney, I even cut up the AAA cruise brochure. We just pasted these allver the bottle, and boy does it look wonderful! Every time I do the laundry and clean out our pockets I get an extra big smile as we drop the change into our cruise bottle.

 

[april riddle]

I don't know if you would consider this saving - but it helps me alot - once every two weeks when I get paid - I go and get a set amount of Disney Dollars. By the time our cruise finally gets here I will have over $500 dollars and it will go directly in our room account so that our credit card does not take the big hit my DH thinks it will. I know he will be very surprised when I pull out all this Disney Dough!

 

[huckster]

we save change and do the disney dollars also really ads up

 

[AnnaS]

I have started a "piggy bank" myself. I am not planning on using it for our WDW vacation this year (pretty much covered). Will defninitely need it if we keep our reservation for the CA cruise next summer and we also plan on redeeming our Disney Visa reward $. Hoping to have at least $600 between the two.

 

[Barbmouse63]

We also use the money jar concept at our house. Our dks (7 & 10) decorate the jar with handrawn pictures ..Disney style of course..of roller coasters and other favorites. We then put our change in it. We have a trip coming up in July and will cash it in a few days before we travel. We give the dks their spending money from the collection. This gives them a sense of helping to save for the trip. I LOVE the Disney Dollar idea and will use it when we plan our DCL vacation. Always getting lots of good ideas here!!! We'll start our change jar as soon as we return from this trip. That change really adds up. What a good lesson for the kids!

 

[cotomom]

here's another one, but a little different...

I use a not for profit website called cutouthunger.org that shows you what Sunday coupons you can pair with your local grocery store weekly sale ad to save the most $. Her philosophy is that if you can get something for free and if your family doesn't use/need it, why not still buy it for free or cheap and donate it to a needy family/worthy cause? (Or to some similar theory - hence the name "cut out hunger").

I'm finding I'm able to save about 80% off my grocery bill due to using grocery coupons and her site, which is free!

 

[MariettaC]

My husband and I have been doing this for years. We save all our change in a large sized coffee can. We let it add up and use it for "pocket money" when we go on trips. Last October when we cruised we had saved up over $600.00 (we used more than one coffee can). Since my husband is not going on this week's cruise the can stays put. Imagine how much we will have next August.

 

[WDWLVR]

I use a slightly higher tech approach. We use Microsoft Money and I just set up ghost account called vacation fund in our checking account. Every couple of pay periods I "transfer" money to this account. It really never leaves my checking account but it does go away from my balance so I don't spend it as easily. When it is vacation time we use our charge cards or ATM cards but I know it is covered by the fund. When the bill comes in it gets paid off from this fund and the saving starts again!

 

[MayMom]

I like to do this too! I use a bank from Dollar Tree that looks like a crayon, but the good thing is you can't open it easily. You have to literally cut it open with scissors to get the change out. This way my hubby can't raid the change fund to wash his car or get an ice cream cone!

 

[Mjasp]

Originally posted by cotomom
here's another one, but a little different...

I use a not for profit website called cutouthunger.org that shows you what Sunday coupons you can pair with your local grocery store weekly sale ad to save the most $. Her philosophy is that if you can get something for free and if your family doesn't use/need it, why not still buy it for free or cheap and donate it to a needy family/worthy cause? (Or to some similar theory - hence the name "cut out hunger").

I'm finding I'm able to save about 80% off my grocery bill due to using grocery coupons and her site, which is free!

80% off of your grocery bill? I will definitely be checking that one out, since just today I spent $220 on groceries.

I have a savings account just for vacationing. I put all my change in it, I roll the coins as needed and deposit them (to see progress) and I allot myself a certain amount every paycheck to be put in, I also deposit all small checks that come my way, rebate checks, etc.

 

[CACruiser]

I save pocket change for our souvenier money! On our last Dis trip, we bought a bank that looks like Sleeping Beauty Castle. All our pocket change went in there. When full, I would pour it in the electric coin sorter and deposit it during my next trip to the bank.

In three years, this added up to $375 + dollars!!! That goes towards souveniers and tips!

LisaCA

 

[Cruisingmama]

My dh saves all his change, 2 dollar bills, state quarters, and bottle refund money.We play poker with our friends(for nickles,dimes,quarters) if we win that goes in the bank also. We have almost 1300.00 so far. we feel great about that.

 

[dznyacct]

I too save all my change in my Goofy bank. Once it's full, I turn the change in for bills which go into the vacation fund. I have been doing this for the past three years and usually save about $350/year very painlessly. I also have a medical flex spending plan at work that I participate in. All reimbursements (~$1,500/year) go into the vacation fund. I also have a vacation savings account at my credit union and $100 every payday (every two weeks) goes in it. Also, any "found" money (rebates, birthday $$, clothing resale shop $$, etc) goes into the vacation fund. I always come home from our WDW trips with at least a few hundred dollars to use as seed money for the next trip. I'm an Accountant, so I get a little obsessive about trying to save $$, but I LOVE saving for a Disney trip!! Four weeks from today will be our first night on the DCL western, WOOHOO!!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I just cashed in my $300 in change yesterday for our upcoming trip! Even if I don't drink, buy pictures or go anywhere, I know my tips are covered!
Robin M.

 

[prymsu]

one thing that I do that is a little different is that i take things we no longer use and then take them to the local consignment shop. I don't touch that money that builds up in that account and that is always a nice little chunk to collect before we go.

 

[bobsuzla]

Besides our Disney decorated water bottle for chhange and found money- I have a yard sale, I am getting rid of things that are taking up space in the attic, closets etc. Stuff I really don't need. I sell it for very low prices, books five for a dollar, dishes 10 cents each etc. Why not? I hate going to yard sales and seeing people trying to sell stuff for big bucks! I have even been known to give away extras when someone makes a purchase. I want rid of these things, I don't want to pack them back up again!

 

[invaderzim]

We had a yard sale in April thinking we'd put that money toward our upcoming cruise in August. But then in May the Repo cruises were announced and I called and made our ressie for August 2005 and the yard sale money went toward that deposit instead! Now we're having another one in August to get rid of the rest of the stuff and putting that money toward spa treatments!