Help....I want to go back to WDW - need saving advice

[DISNEYFANRI]

Our last trip as Jan 2003 - of course upon return my first thoughts were "when can we go back?"....The harsh reality is that my DH seems to think that I need to do most of the savings for a vaca ....I do work full time but with 2 teenagers my paycheck is budgeted pretty thin so I am asking for your advice on ideas on how I could save for another trip.

Thanks,

 

[Jon99]

Ebay, Ebay, Ebay.....

 

[always quiet]

We were there in Dec 2002...can't get back (for many reasons unfortunately til 12/04). I also seem to be the one who has to find ways to save for the trip! Let's see...since we are a family of 5, the first thing I cut is trips to McD's!! It costs about $20 for lunch!! Next, coupons!! I try to use a coupon for everything...if not, I have no problems using a store brand. Here's a hint on getting coupons. Call up the manufacturer (the phone #'s are on the products usually). If you make a comment to them about thier product, either positive or negative, they will send you coupons! I called the makers of the Dove shampoo telling them how much I liked it and they send me 2 free coupons, any size bottle. I took them to BJ's and got the real big one! I know some people have had luck with yard sales, I am not one of them! I try and sell what I can on ebay (I just sold my DD's fisher price doll house for $39!) If possible, get some of next year's wardrobe on clearance this year. If you have time, try collecting points on rewards sites and cash them in close to your trip for something that you would use on vacation. Last year, I had enough points for $30 in prepaid gas cards. I'm up to $10 for this trip already!

I'm sure others here will also have some great ideas!

 

[mad4themouse]

...you can either spend less or make more money. I tend to do both.

Start by taking a hard look at your current budget and see if there is any "fat" that can be trimmed. Things like call waiting and caller id, premium cable channels, eating lunch out instead of brown-bagging it. Just that daily cup of coffee that you purchase at the coffee shop at work can add up over time.

I do a lot of couponing, which can be embarassing to the kids but it helps the budget. I also buy my own clothes "off season" and would die before paying full retail for them.

I do rewards programs (like MyPoints, eBates and ClicktotheMagic) and sell on eBay. Not only am I making a few bucks but I'm also cleaning out closets and storage space! I recently discovered Half.com for books and video tapes and I'm making a few dollars every month from there too.

If you don't have some sort of rewards credit card, get one and use it for all your everyday purchases. Pay it off in full and on time every month. As little as 1% cashback can get you $10 - $20 per month to add to your savings.

All change in my wallet goes into a change jar at the end of the day. It can add up over time and I usually don't miss it at all. In a year, I had over $600! That can go a long way towards paying for meals.

When it comes time to book you trip, purchase each part separately rather than booking a package. You'll save $$ and will find more flexibility. Watch for room codes and deals on park passes. Consider staying off-site or for fewer days if the budget is too tight.

DH doesn't know it, but I've already saved enough to pay for the room and 5-day PHPs with 4pluses. We have enough ff miles for all 4 of us to fly for free. I'm now working on the food $$, rental car and souvenirs. I still have a year before our surprise trip in 2004! Keep the faith! With a little creativity, it can be done!

 

[disneysteve]

Here are some of our money-saving tips:

Do most cooking from scratch at home. Limit eating out. Avoid convenience foods, heat-and-serve, etc. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Brown bag your lunch to work and school.

Eliminate frills like premium and pay-per-view cable channels. If you live in an area with broadcast TV, get rid of cable totally.

Trim your home phone bill to just the basics. Get rid of call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding, voice messaging, etc. Same goes for your cell phone - in fact, do you even need a cell phone?

Switch your long distance to a discount carrier like kissld.com ($.03/minute).

Mow your own lawn instead of paying a landscaper.

If you haven't already, refinance your mortgage. Rates are the lowest they have been in decades.

Don't carry a balance on your credit cards. The interest charges are obscene.

Buy stuff used. Shop yard sales, thrift shops and flea markets. I'm always amazed at the values to be had. Lots of people sell practically new (or even brand new) items just because they don't want them anymore, and they charge a fraction of the original cost.

Visit your local library. A new hardback novel costs about $25. The same book is FREE at the library. You're only going to read it once anyway so why pay for it.

When its time for a new car, buy instead of leasing. And shop for a good quality used car instead of new. Buy it and keep it until it wears out. Many people spend a tremendous amount of money to get a new car, just to trade it in 2-3 years later and do it all over again. What a waste.

One book worth buying - The Tightwad Gazette. I think there are 2 volumes. They are packed with money-saving tips, recipes, craft ideas, etc. They are well worth the price.

Cut out all the unnecessary spending and you'll be strolling down Main Street before you know it.

Steve

 

[nicknamy1996]

Yet another vote for "trimming the fat"

Cancel anything you don't need.

This question gets asked all the time and a lot of us "rich" people who go to WDW are actually just thrifty. Some family members comment about our spending money at WDW and wonder how we afford it. My siter complains about not having money... Her cell phone $48/mo. ours $18. Her phone $36 mine $21. Her Cable $54 mine $39. Right there $720/year. Or just enough for a 5 day four night stay at the All Stars (assuming discount) and 2 adult 4 day park hoppers.

Ok you are going to need more than that especially if you have to fly. But that's a start.

Another thing we have been doing lately is cooking more at home. I have always hated this because it such a hassle and does not save a lot of money in the long run because there were just 2 of us eating, but now the boys are getting older and starting to eat better so even a trip to McDonalds has gotton expensive. However, I recently started cooking enough for 2 meals each time and it has became much more time and cost effective. Sometimes I bring the leftovers for lunch other times we eat it in the next night or two.

 

[Cinders]

Same goes for your cell phone - in fact, do you even need a cell phone?

Instead of going with a cell phone package where you pay X amount per month consider a prepaid cell phone. DH wanted me to have a cell for emergency use when I was going to be making some long drives but I refused to pay $30 a month. So we compromised and bought a Sprint cell phone at WalMart. It comes with a card that can be swiped and add money (not minutes) to at the checkouts in WalMart. It stores 99 contacts, has caller ID, has call history, missed calls, voicemail, 2 games, different ring tones, calendar alerts. We even dropped out 2nd phone line so if I'm on the internet he can call my cell and I either answer it or ignore it and then he'll call the house phone when I disconnect. Every 3 months I add $20 to keep it active.

My parents bought a Trac Phone to use when they are on vacation for family emergencies. With that phone you purchase minutes every so often to keep it active but again no monthly charges since it is just for emergency use.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by nicknamy1996
This question gets asked all the time and a lot of us "rich" people who go to WDW are actually just thrifty. Some family members comment about our spending money at WDW and wonder how we afford it

Thanks. Its nice to know we're not the only ones. We go to WDW once or twice a year and people think that means we're rich. Then we explain that we stay at the Days Suites for $39.95, drive to Florida from New Jersey, eat breakfast in our room, drink only tap water - no Coke or bottled water, bring snacks into the park with us, etc. Our trips are no less magical to us than the folks paying more for one nite than we pay for a week. I'd much rather be thrifty and be able to travel frequently than overspend and be stuck at home.

Steve

 

[disneydarlin]

I hated the Tightwad Gazette. That chick is just tooooo cheap for me and I AM CHEAP. I have found a better investment was to pay the $7 or so dollars and join www.frugal-families.com the same info but also a message forum for questions and ever changing info on the art of frugality.

We save our change.

We buy Disney Dollars with the odd buck or two.

I personally (because I have a captive audience) sell snack foods at work for a profit and have made over $300 since february...not enough to finanace a trip, I know, but I have a nice little pile of dd now.

Less eating out...less movie going...never pay retail.

Only have two low balance credit cards.

Couponing and only buying what we actually need on sale with a coupon.

I don't buy clothes just because the seasons change nor do I have a closet full. I have 15 or so outfits and a couple pair of shoes. Do we really need more?

I, too, am right now trying to scrounge up the bucks for a trip in November...I really want this. It's gonna be a struggle...but I think I'll make it unless some disaster befalls us and maybe even then.

 

[geffric]

I addition to the things that everyone else has mentioned, ... I participant in Market research surveys and test products. For sitting in a hot room a one hour for 4 nights a week, I get $150 cash. I can only do it once every 6 weeks or so but the $$ add up.

I work full time but my paycheck is devoted to bill paying. So vacation money comes from saving and earn extra monies. We drive to WDW, eat many meals in , take snacks and water with us. We don't have cable, get reward points to help finance the trip, etc. I also, strongly encourage my children to help pay for the xtras on vacation. When they earn money or get birthday money, they put some of it aside for the vacation fund too.

Not always easy but it can be done...

 

[tarabl]

I do the change jar thing and it usually covers our hotel stay.

I squirrel away the money when twice a year the pay periods end up being three times a month instead of two. Nice chunk of money there.

I read the boards constantly for money saving tips.

I buy generic brands on items that aren't "must have" items. Sometimes the generic work better than the brand names.

Just recently I got the disney visa and have earned 20.00 toward this trip in August. Will continue to use for a future trip where I can maybe apply it to a hotel we would never be able to afford without it.

 

[DISNEYFANRI]

Thanks so much for all the tips - you have made me realize that not only can I go back to WDw ...but...I will go back to WDW!!!! Started saving change already...small steps.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Since we got a Discover Card a year ago and enjoy the "cash back" rewards, I now use it for many purchases like groceries and gas, paying it off in full each month to avoid those obscene interest charges as earlier posters mentioned. What I like about the Discover is that if you select rewards from their "partners", you get double value. Partners such as Borders, Staples, Red Lobster and others reward with gift cards for double value. So we got $80 worth of Red Lobster gift cards for our $40 in accumulated cash back, and it sure went a long way. Those of you with kids could do well with this at Staples for back to school.

Also, for those of you who buy lottery tickets, consider reducing your expediture and put your reduction in your Disney fund. Instead of $5 worth of tickets, I now just buy $1 and put the other $4 in the change jar. I still can "just imagine", but that $4 adds up really quickly! And when I occasionally do win a few bucks, that goes in the Disney fund, too.

 

[vhoffman]

To Nicknamy 1966--

Where did you get cell phone service for $18? I thought I was doing good for $29 per month!

 

[nicknamy1996]

Actually we pay 11.95/mo.

Then we pay 7c/min. off peak, and 25c/min. peak.

Our lowest bill was a little under $15 our highest was around $38, we used it a lot (for us) that month. We have had the plan for a long time though (at least 4 to 5 years.)

 

[jaye614]

I save change but most of my trip money comes from requesting more money come out of my pay check towards federal and state income tax. Last year I believe I got back over $4000. Right now, I have an extra $100 going towards federal tax every two weeks. If I don't get my hands on it, I won't miss it or spend it!

 

[MrsPete]

There are two ways to save: Make more money or spend less money. I think making money is easier, but spending less is more effective in the long run. You can use BOTH to get yourself to Disney faster.

Make more money: Hold a yard sale, sell things on ebay, look for quick seasonal type work (here loads of people work at the race track -- it's just a Saturday here or a Friday night there, and the money is good).

Spend less money: Think twice before you zip through the drive-through at McDonald's, look through your closet before you buy yet another sweater, stay out of the mall so you'll avoid impulse purchases, cut back on Christmas presents.

Someone else recommended The Tightwad Gazette -- it is a great book! You certainly won't use every idea in the book, but you'll pick up more than a few things that'll help you. There are THREE TG books in all, but the best deal is The Complete Tightwad Gazette, which combines all three in one big edition. ,

 

[diznee25]

cut back on Christmas presents.

EDIT: If the poster of this comment was talking about Christmas presents for friends, extended family, etc, then yes I agree, cut out those gifts!

(I suggest this idea because it's hard for some families to come up with extra money for vacations):

Another idea along this line: Instead of cutting back on Christmas gifts, use your trip to Disney as Christmas gifts. (That way you are putting money towards your trip, plus everyone still gets gifts.) For instance, put Disney Dollars in your childrens stockings, park passes, etc.

When I was 19 yrs old., my parents told me and my sibilings, (there are 6 of us), that they wanted to take us to DisneyWorld as our Christmas gift. My parents gave us the choice of a few really nice gifts, or stocking stuffers & DisneyWorld. Of course we chose DisneyWorld and stocking stuffer gifts!


I read a thread sometime last year about this married couple who purchase Annual Passes for each other as Christmas gifts, that's how they are able to make annual trips.



Hope this Helps,
Michelle

 

[disneysteve]

We also have cheap cell phone service. We are on a family plan with 4 phones. My wife and I have 2 of them. The total bill is $45/month + tax, so our share for 2 phones is 1/2 of that. Of course, they no longer offer that plan. It costs a lot more now.

Steve

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by jaye614
I save change but most of my trip money comes from requesting more money come out of my pay check towards federal and state income tax. Last year I believe I got back over $4000. Right now, I have an extra $100 going towards federal tax every two weeks. If I don't get my hands on it, I won't miss it or spend it!

I realize that this is effective but there are far better ways to accomplish this than to make an interest-free loan to the government. You can set up an investment account such as a money-market account and have them automatically draw a certain amount from your checking account each month. At least that way, you earn some interest on the money and can access it whenever you need it in case of emergency.

Steve