For people on a budget... how do you still make Disney work?
- Thread starter jude&jonah
- Start date
crazymomof4
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2003
- Messages
- 5,369
saving for a good portion of our wdw trip using the following:
~Free airfare using promotional bonus points from signing up for the Southwest credit card. This can be combined with the promo sign up bonus from Chase Sapphire Preferred, as they are partners with SW.
~swagbucks and perk daily and ALL day (if I keep the pace I've set, I should have about $1500 by the time our trip rolls around next year)
~credit card rewards- we have a citi double cash card. Pays 1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay it off. Since we pay balance each month, for us it's 2% on EVERYTHING we buy. I pay for as much as I can using that-- kid's tuition, car insurance, utility bills, cell phone bill... everything! It adds up!
~loose change jar
~I signed up for market research studies. If you live near a metropolitan area (we live near Philly) there are probably some near you. They pay $75-$200 for you to come sit on a panel and discuss things like the ideas for a new label on Ragu spag sauce jars or taste-test cookies.
~Free airfare using promotional bonus points from signing up for the Southwest credit card. This can be combined with the promo sign up bonus from Chase Sapphire Preferred, as they are partners with SW.
~swagbucks and perk daily and ALL day (if I keep the pace I've set, I should have about $1500 by the time our trip rolls around next year)
~credit card rewards- we have a citi double cash card. Pays 1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay it off. Since we pay balance each month, for us it's 2% on EVERYTHING we buy. I pay for as much as I can using that-- kid's tuition, car insurance, utility bills, cell phone bill... everything! It adds up!
~loose change jar
~I signed up for market research studies. If you live near a metropolitan area (we live near Philly) there are probably some near you. They pay $75-$200 for you to come sit on a panel and discuss things like the ideas for a new label on Ragu spag sauce jars or taste-test cookies.
IndianaMouse
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2009
- Messages
- 238
Since 2006 our goal has to been to do 2 weeks at Disney every 2 years without touching DH regular paycheck. It's actually been easier than we expected.
Over a 2 year period DH & I ( mostly me) can easily earn $2,500+ online . This pays for the pool house and groceries, dining out....
Disney visa rewards- enough for park dining, souvenirs and parking
craigslist and online yardsales - usually enough to pay for our Disney tickets plus a little left over
Transportation and other incidentals are covered by
any money I make from helping people organize their homes ( very part time)
and some of the money that DH makes doing small engine repair in his spare time.
The closest we come to using money from DH paycheck is saving our change .
Over a 2 year period DH & I ( mostly me) can easily earn $2,500+ online . This pays for the pool house and groceries, dining out....
Disney visa rewards- enough for park dining, souvenirs and parking
craigslist and online yardsales - usually enough to pay for our Disney tickets plus a little left over
Transportation and other incidentals are covered by
any money I make from helping people organize their homes ( very part time)
and some of the money that DH makes doing small engine repair in his spare time.
The closest we come to using money from DH paycheck is saving our change .
jeepnjudy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 720
We establish a budget that includes vacation funds and as someone said earlier, it's a lifestyle change! For us we even save money while at WDW by eating breakfast in our room, packing in a nutritious lunch, and treating ourselves to dinner at the park. Not only does that save money, it also saves CALORIES!!!!
MataHari22
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2013
- Messages
- 3,954
Well, I don't really buy anything for myself, or go to the movies (maybe 4x a year??), or eat out, and every time I see something I think I want to treat myself to, I ask if I want it more than a trip to WDW. Usually 9/10 times, the answer is no. I don't drink or smoke, so no money spent there.
Other things I do to save money:
Pay yourself first. Put money directly into a savings account before you do anything else. I have always done this from the time I got my first job. I had a do not touch -only in case of dire emergency savings, and one "fun" savings account.
Keep a budget and stick to it.
Track your expenses. It's an eye opener if you've never done it. It became obvious the places that I could cut back.
Garden in the summer. I'm mostly a vegetarian, very little meat (cannot swallow it :-/ ) All those garden veggies, save a ton on my grocery bill. Garden isn't even that big, but believe me, it feeds 5 of us (I share it with 4 other people. It's small though, 10x20 or 15x30 tops), and I often trade produce with my friend that also has a huge garden, and she gives us things I don't grow. Or, just make friends with someone like me, or my friend, we are always looking to give away tomatoes, zucchini, and string beans. Lol. I love beans and lentils, eggs and yogurt, which are definitely cheaper than majority of meat proteins. I eat good home cooked foods I love, and prefer that over any premade foods or eating out. Plus, it's way less expensive. My groceries per week, averages between $35-$40 per week, and that isn't just food, that is cleaning and laundry supplies, etc.
When I do buy meat, even though I only cook for myself, I buy the big pack to get the cheaper price, and then properly wrap each piece and then freeze.
When I food shop, I look for the things on sale that I regularly use and buy them then. Shop using the flyer. Just by paying attention, I routinely save $15-25 a trip, and that money goes in my WDW stash. (Recently, I saved $34) I don't really use any prepared foods or drinks. I also usually stick to the perimeter of the store. I go with a list and stick to it. Also, my store loyalty card, gives me points off my gas. I pay anywhere from 10¢- 50¢ a gallon less for my fuel. I buy my staples in bulk, even though it's just me. It's usually cheaper and less trips to the store saves on fuel. For me, that is oatmeal, rice, pasta, beans, cheese, yogurt, bananas, laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and shampoo & conditioner.
Go through things you don't need and have a yard sale. Ended up with $500 that way.
Sold old gold jewelry. Actually, I didn't use that for WDW, but I did buy an iPad.
Eat a good healthy breakfast everyday. Breakfast fills you up, keeps you from eating expensive junk.
Brown bag your lunch if working. Saves tons.
My friend swears by using her clothes line and not a dryer for her laundry. I hate line dried clothing, but she got her electric bill down to $80 for a huge 9 room house.
Unplug electrical devices that you are not using. Turn off lights.
Get rid of cable or satellite channels you do not watch or do not need.
Have friends over for pot luck dinners and a movie. It's fun and doesn't cost a lot. Instead of going out or buying a DVDs. Likely they have movies that you do not and vice versa. I think it's more fun than going out to a movie.
Check your community calendar for fun free things to do. Things I've done in the summer that cost no or very little money: Dog walk, pet fair, craft fair, sidewalk astronomy party, local church's ice cream social, and a day at a local pool - $4 to get in, and I packed a lunch.
I do use a charge card for the cash back, but I NEVER keep a credit card balance. I am waiting for them to send me a $100 check, which I will be using towards something for myself this upcoming trip. If you use cash, just use bills and put all your change in a jar. When I was 20 yrs old, I paid for a trip to the Bahamas that way.
Other things I do to save money:
Pay yourself first. Put money directly into a savings account before you do anything else. I have always done this from the time I got my first job. I had a do not touch -only in case of dire emergency savings, and one "fun" savings account.
Keep a budget and stick to it.
Track your expenses. It's an eye opener if you've never done it. It became obvious the places that I could cut back.
Garden in the summer. I'm mostly a vegetarian, very little meat (cannot swallow it :-/ ) All those garden veggies, save a ton on my grocery bill. Garden isn't even that big, but believe me, it feeds 5 of us (I share it with 4 other people. It's small though, 10x20 or 15x30 tops), and I often trade produce with my friend that also has a huge garden, and she gives us things I don't grow. Or, just make friends with someone like me, or my friend, we are always looking to give away tomatoes, zucchini, and string beans. Lol. I love beans and lentils, eggs and yogurt, which are definitely cheaper than majority of meat proteins. I eat good home cooked foods I love, and prefer that over any premade foods or eating out. Plus, it's way less expensive. My groceries per week, averages between $35-$40 per week, and that isn't just food, that is cleaning and laundry supplies, etc.
When I do buy meat, even though I only cook for myself, I buy the big pack to get the cheaper price, and then properly wrap each piece and then freeze.
When I food shop, I look for the things on sale that I regularly use and buy them then. Shop using the flyer. Just by paying attention, I routinely save $15-25 a trip, and that money goes in my WDW stash. (Recently, I saved $34) I don't really use any prepared foods or drinks. I also usually stick to the perimeter of the store. I go with a list and stick to it. Also, my store loyalty card, gives me points off my gas. I pay anywhere from 10¢- 50¢ a gallon less for my fuel. I buy my staples in bulk, even though it's just me. It's usually cheaper and less trips to the store saves on fuel. For me, that is oatmeal, rice, pasta, beans, cheese, yogurt, bananas, laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and shampoo & conditioner.
Go through things you don't need and have a yard sale. Ended up with $500 that way.
Sold old gold jewelry. Actually, I didn't use that for WDW, but I did buy an iPad.
Eat a good healthy breakfast everyday. Breakfast fills you up, keeps you from eating expensive junk.
Brown bag your lunch if working. Saves tons.
My friend swears by using her clothes line and not a dryer for her laundry. I hate line dried clothing, but she got her electric bill down to $80 for a huge 9 room house.
Unplug electrical devices that you are not using. Turn off lights.
Get rid of cable or satellite channels you do not watch or do not need.
Have friends over for pot luck dinners and a movie. It's fun and doesn't cost a lot. Instead of going out or buying a DVDs. Likely they have movies that you do not and vice versa. I think it's more fun than going out to a movie.
Check your community calendar for fun free things to do. Things I've done in the summer that cost no or very little money: Dog walk, pet fair, craft fair, sidewalk astronomy party, local church's ice cream social, and a day at a local pool - $4 to get in, and I packed a lunch.
I do use a charge card for the cash back, but I NEVER keep a credit card balance. I am waiting for them to send me a $100 check, which I will be using towards something for myself this upcoming trip. If you use cash, just use bills and put all your change in a jar. When I was 20 yrs old, I paid for a trip to the Bahamas that way.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2010
- Messages
- 10,427
Honestly? We vacation knowing that it is money we could put towards something else, just as with every other line item on the budget. The when, how long, and what our budget will be for each vacation is taken into account and when we decide spending X on it is OK given that Y will be put off for Z time, we do it. 
Yea, I'm not sure how saving for WDW is any different than saving for anything. The bigger issue is how you SPEND it. Figure out how much you want to spend, and plan accordingly. Many moons ago with a young family we drove down (no airfare, rental car) stayed off -site at a chain hotel and bought almost nothing inside the parks. We still had a lot of fun!
Bottom line, park tickets are a fixed cost- after that you can control how much you spend. For some, that means fewer days, for others it means spending less on hotel and/or food. We're all different, so it's all about what's most important to you.
Bottom line, park tickets are a fixed cost- after that you can control how much you spend. For some, that means fewer days, for others it means spending less on hotel and/or food. We're all different, so it's all about what's most important to you.
I have a vacation budget that I stay within annually. Our main vacation for the year is going to be a summer vacation to Colorado. It will be wonderful and I'm very excited about it, but it leaves me only a very small budget for a spring break trip. Also, like some other posters said, I've already set a budget that reflects my values and priorities and don't have other things in my budget that I want to give up for vacation.
But here's how I'm still doing Orlando: Fun credit card freebies to fly down for free over spring break // A super short trip -- just three nights/two days. If I scaled back on where I am staying or what I am doing I could stay longer too, but I value the options that I picked -- Downtown Disney Holiday Inn balcony room with breakfast // MK and Keys to the Kingdom tour // SeaWorld
Some people would never do this. They would want a much longer trip and feel like they were wasting airline miles for a short one. They'd wait till they had a bigger budget and they'd get multi day tickets that seemed like a better deal -- like $30 a day for park admission instead of $100 for the MK. // Everyone is different, though. Orlando is perfect for me for a short trip, mostly as I've been so much and only want to do it if I can do something new and I'm perfectly content (happier actually) with just a quick trip. This one works as I get to do something new -- Keys to the Kingdom.
But here's how I'm still doing Orlando: Fun credit card freebies to fly down for free over spring break // A super short trip -- just three nights/two days. If I scaled back on where I am staying or what I am doing I could stay longer too, but I value the options that I picked -- Downtown Disney Holiday Inn balcony room with breakfast // MK and Keys to the Kingdom tour // SeaWorld
Some people would never do this. They would want a much longer trip and feel like they were wasting airline miles for a short one. They'd wait till they had a bigger budget and they'd get multi day tickets that seemed like a better deal -- like $30 a day for park admission instead of $100 for the MK. // Everyone is different, though. Orlando is perfect for me for a short trip, mostly as I've been so much and only want to do it if I can do something new and I'm perfectly content (happier actually) with just a quick trip. This one works as I get to do something new -- Keys to the Kingdom.
Last edited:
AirGoofy
DIS Dad#341
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2009
- Messages
- 18,071
So, here is a wild idea - buy DVC. We went to WDW each year (13 hour drive) and stayed a week on property. Then, we learned about DVC (and all the rules and process) and purchased a small resale contract. We didn't finance, but that is a possibility I wouldn't recommend. The small contract had enough points for us to stay a week on property in a standard room. The downside is an initial purchase cost, annual dues, and rules to the system. But, we know we have an annual trip to stay on property for the next 27 years. Then, with yearly budget, we can adjust the vacation cost based on # of days of tickets, food, travel, etc.
Disney_1derland
<font color=teal>Enjoys helping to make DISney Mag
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 3,279
Early on in our marriage we scrimped on lots of things to afford vacations and for me to stay home with our young children. It was then that we set our priorities, and Disney was among them. We started then paying Mickey like he's a monthly bill. I figure out what our trip for next year will cost at rack rate as soon as rates are released. I divide by the number of payperiods we will have before we travel. Every pay period, I have a set amount that goes into an account that I do not carry an ATM card on. It's straight savings at a different bank and I have to go into the branch to withdraw from it.
After the first two or three payperiods I didn't even miss that money.
This year I started using the gift card methods from the infamous thread here on the budget board. We saved a ton. It was well worth the effort.
It's really about prioritizing and waiting for the deals. We only go when we can save at least 30%.
After the first two or three payperiods I didn't even miss that money.
This year I started using the gift card methods from the infamous thread here on the budget board. We saved a ton. It was well worth the effort.
It's really about prioritizing and waiting for the deals. We only go when we can save at least 30%.
Disneymagic2015
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2015
- Messages
- 19
Hope you have a great time
agwood123DLFerguson
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2015
- Messages
- 88
Stay off property, buy disney merchandise for the kiddos and take it with you (cheaper then at the parks), bring a small cooler and eat pre-made sandwiches in the park eat in your room. Buy breakfast items and eat in your room before hitting the parks. Go in off-season and if close enough drive to avoid airline tickets.
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