How do you keep track of your spending while on vacation?

[Marionnette]

Inspired by the "How do you pay" thread.

What method do you use to keep track of your spending while you are vacationing?

• Do you just put all of your receipts away and then sort it all out after you get home?
• Put a set amount of cash aside for each day and then budget your daily spending that way?
• Charge everything on your KTTW card but carefully log each purchase on an budgeting ap on your phone?
• Spend with no regard to the dollar amount and then just deal with it later? (Because you're on vacation, darn it!)

I'll admit that I don't monitor every penny and I usually have more money in the vacation account than I will probably spend. So I spend pretty freely while we're vacationing and then deal with the cost later. It's pretty much the only time when I do not scrutinize every purchase carefully.

 

[niccikatie]

Inspired by the "How do you pay" thread.

What method do you use to keep track of your spending while you are vacationing?

• Do you just put all of your receipts away and then sort it all out after you get home?
• Put a set amount of cash aside for each day and then budget your daily spending that way?
• Charge everything on your KTTW card but carefully log each purchase on an budgeting ap on your phone?
• Spend with no regard to the dollar amount and then just deal with it later? (Because you're on vacation, darn it!)

I'll admit that I don't monitor every penny and I usually have more money in the vacation account than I will probably spend. So I spend pretty freely while we're vacationing and then deal with the cost later. It's pretty much the only time when I do not scrutinize every purchase carefully.

It's kind of a combination. I know very close to the penny how much any character meals/on site meals are going to cost. Then, I give us a certain amount of money in cash for travel and tip money. We also had groceries delivered to our room for breakfasts, snacks and some lunches/dinners. We buy mugs, and I know that cost upfront as well. That leaves very little to chance. So, I usually budget about $100 per day for incidentals/souvenirs and just charge that on the KTTW. That way, we can spend pretty freely and stay in budget. It's worked very well for us.

 

[Fjobe]

I am a budget nerd. I budget for fun and find it somewhat relaxing. Checking my budget vs. online checking account is the last thing I do before bed and the first thing I do every morning.

While at Disney, we use our debit card from our vacation checking. DH and I just keep our receipts throughout the day, and that night when we're back at the hotel, I balance the account. I am able to check my register against my online acct. through my phone.

I realize most people would hate doing this, but it's kind of my thing, so that's how we do it.

 

[disny_luvr]

I am a budget nerd. I budget for fun and find it somewhat relaxing. Checking my budget vs. online checking account is the last thing I do before bed and the first thing I do every morning.

While at Disney, we use our debit card from our vacation checking. DH and I just keep our receipts throughout the day, and that night when we're back at the hotel, I balance the account. I am able to check my register against my online acct. through my phone.

I realize most people would hate doing this, but it's kind of my thing, so that's how we do it.

I'm right there with you; I do the exact same thing. I have my checkbook balanced to the penny every night before bed. While on vacation, we debit almost everything (except for purchase that are a few dollars - those we pay cash for) and then each night back in the hotel I balance the account using my phone or laptop. I guess we can be nerds together.

 

[cglaura]

I go with a specific budget, usually traveler's check or gift card that I put on my KTTWC.

I use this to hold my card and receipts, then over lunch or at end of the day, I log it. Just like you would your debits from a checking account.

http://www.walmartchecks.com/product.aspx?lineid=37&productid=1149

This also keeps my splurges down because I can see the balance remaining and I know...ok, we have 8 days left, keep in under control girl!

 

[jsmla]

I am a budget nerd. I budget for fun and find it somewhat relaxing. Checking my budget vs. online checking account is the last thing I do before bed and the first thing I do every morning.

While at Disney, we use our debit card from our vacation checking. DH and I just keep our receipts throughout the day, and that night when we're back at the hotel, I balance the account. I am able to check my register against my online acct. through my phone.

I realize most people would hate doing this, but it's kind of my thing, so that's how we do it.

I tend to budget obsessively before we leave but it always seems to go out of the window once we're there! My kind-of, sort-of system is to buy Disney Gift Cards pretty much weekly and use those to keep us within reason. It works, well, kind of.

 

[starry_solo]

Haven't been to WDW yet, but this is how I budget for international travelling. I bring a set amount for gratuities for the tour director/guide and bus driver (all in local currency), as well as spending money for the time I am there (usually two weeks).

I have already researched the average price for food and other edibles at my destination and bring a set amount for that, as well as any souvenirs I may wish to buy. Once that is spent, I am done (although I do check every day to see how much I have left)

 

[Fjobe]

I'm right there with you; I do the exact same thing. I have my checkbook balanced to the penny every night before bed. While on vacation, we debit almost everything (except for purchase that are a few dollars - those we pay cash for) and then each night back in the hotel I balance the account using my phone or laptop. I guess we can be nerds together.

Good to know I am not alone in my madness!

 

[MSSANDRA]

We budget ahead and then we spend very little while we are there. We do a package deal including DDP that is paid off before we go. Once there, we really spend very little maybe a 100.00 for gifts for family and friends and maybe an item or two that we can not put on our DDP but it really is not much at all. WE don't deny ourselves, just not impulse spenders.

 

[Celidh]

I had a whole bunch of different envelopes labelled for what the money was for. Each child had one with their name on it with the spending $ they saved on their own and I gave them each so much per day for their fanny pack. I also had a different envelope for each of them because I told them I would buy them a tshirt, hoodie, ears and a toy or something like it (my oldest is 14, so he wasn't really getting a toy) so I had a set amount of $ set aside for that for each child. I also had all my mousekeeping envelopes done ahead of time with the $ in them so I just had to put them out every day. My own spending $ included some cash and some travellers cheques (I didn't want to use my bank card or Visa unless I had to) We only had one oop dinner, that was chef mickey's and I had the $ set aside for that too.

At the end of each day, I checked what was left in the envelopes so I knew what was spent and how much was left and put the respective receipts in each envelope. The receipts were important for me because we had to declare it all at customs. I just kept most of it in the safe in the room and only had so much with me per day and kept the key on me at all times.

Not high tech but it worked for me.

 

[rnorwo1]

I don't know if I'm a budgeting nerd, but I'm definitely obsessed with tracking spending! I use YNAB and every cent spent on anything is categorized, and I look at it daily. On vacations (all, not just WDW) I keep every receipt or I have a little notebook where I write everything down, and then each night in the hotel or condo I'll add everything and keep a running tally. We don't limit ourselves on vacation per se, but doing this keeps us in check. I actually look forward to rides/flights home because this is when I typically add everything and know exactly what each trip cost!

Then, when we get home I enter the amounts spent in YNAB to add it to our yearly expenses. I also keep a separate spreadsheet with just vacations and I categorize the different expenses. So, for example, I can tell you how much we spent on snacks at gas stations and airports during each of our different trips... or any other bit of info that my DH thinks is totally useless!

 

[AnjieNet]

We aren't big souvenir people so our spending tends to be food based and tips. I prepared Mousekeeping envelopes (thanks to the wonderful DISign folks) for each night of our stay and put the tip in them ahead of time. Had cash allotted for the ME drivers as well. When on the DDP and had ADRs, made envelopes and estimated what I thought the tip should be and added several more dollars to be on the safe side ahead of time. Anything we spend other than a snack or drink here or there went on the KTTW card. Receipts were kept and I kept an informal balance of our spending in our head. KTTW was paid of with the Disney Visa which was reconciled and paid at home. DD has her own GC to spend for her souvenirs and when it is gone, she is done.

 

[tinker&belle]

I have a list of approximate costs for meals and experiences and a general budget for merchandise. At the end of each day I do a quick approximate tally to keep track of where we are with spending. This makes me feel much less apprehensive about spending on overpriced stuff if I know it is planned for and paid for and I generally enjoy everything more if there is no stress over money.

 

[canopynut66]

Inspired by the "How do you pay" thread.

What method do you use to keep track of your spending while you are vacationing?

• Do you just put all of your receipts away and then sort it all out after you get home?
• Put a set amount of cash aside for each day and then budget your daily spending that way?
• Charge everything on your KTTW card but carefully log each purchase on an budgeting ap on your phone?
• Spend with no regard to the dollar amount and then just deal with it later? (Because you're on vacation, darn it!)

I'll admit that I don't monitor every penny and I usually have more money in the vacation account than I will probably spend. So I spend pretty freely while we're vacationing and then deal with the cost later. It's pretty much the only time when I do not scrutinize every purchase carefully.

Well trip and food is paid for before we get there and then I try and limit myself to $100 a day for shopping and some days it may go over but generally equals that per day. I do charge it and then pay when get home as I do not want open charge on my KTTW card in case I lost it. this being my 59th trip I have got so I buy a nice art piece and stopped tee shirting myself to death years ago. as I have to admit I could buy one of each now I do like to Pearl dive and have been "trying" to wean myself off that as well do like Jiminy Cricket and if they have a new piece will buy it if within reasonable price now my sister has a Mickey Mouse room from top to bottom side to side and she has very old antique Mickeys and she buys anything and everything
but we have fun and that is the point

 

[DawnM]

What is a KTTY card? Obviously I don't do that one!

We have a set amount for vacation and that is what we spend.

Dawn

 

[janabananas]

I used a gift card to keep track. I don't use ddp so I go online and check menus. I estimate how much we will need for each meal plus the extra spending money we have allotted, and then buy a cards in those amounts. It was pretty easy for us to keep track that way. We are not big souvenir buyers and do not impulse buy. (crazy, right?) My only impulse buys were pins at each park, but I knew I was going to buy them ahead of time, so I guess not really impulse, huh?

 

[cglaura]

What is a KTTY card? Obviously I don't do that one!

We have a set amount for vacation and that is what we spend.

Dawn

KTTW - Key to the World Card, your room key/card.

 

[QVCshopper]

If we are on the meal plan, we hardly spend any extra. Maybe $100 the entire trip, plus my kids each get a $25 gift card. With $100, we keep track in our heads.

When not on the meal plan, we usually bring a gift card with maybe $500 and use that to buy QS food; we charge bigger meals. We keep receipts and/or write down what's been spent. My husband takes over at that point; he's really good at it. Works out well for us.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Inspired by the "How do you pay" thread.

What method do you use to keep track of your spending while you are vacationing?

• Do you just put all of your receipts away and then sort it all out after you get home?
• Put a set amount of cash aside for each day and then budget your daily spending that way?
• Charge everything on your KTTW card but carefully log each purchase on an budgeting ap on your phone?
• Spend with no regard to the dollar amount and then just deal with it later? (Because you're on vacation, darn it!)

I'll admit that I don't monitor every penny and I usually have more money in the vacation account than I will probably spend. So I spend pretty freely while we're vacationing and then deal with the cost later. It's pretty much the only time when I do not scrutinize every purchase carefully.

This is completely me. I'm at Disney with one more day to go and a Chase points card worth XXX. I just went to the lobby to see what I've spent and found out we will have to shop tomorrow in a serious manner if we want to finish off those points!

I just don't track, but I know approximately how much we generally spend over time, so I can guesstimate before we go. While I'm here, I just don't even think about it. I buy what I want, so long as I've asked myself "will I wear/use/keep this or will it be in a big box going to Goodwill in 6 months or less?"

 

[Evi]

I always set a budget and stick to it. I have different amounts set for different things. I don't set a limit on souvanirs I set a spending limit per person for stuff. We hit the outlets so it makes sence to have just a set spending limit and let each person figure it out for themseleves. We always do dinning plan so we don't spend much on food, mostly coffee and beverages. We also try to plan ahead any extra activities that will cost out of pocket like shows or minature golf etc. So we can incorporate those costs into are budget. I pre plan tipping for mousekeeping and dinning. So its already included in my cost. To be honest since doing it this way we have always stayed within out budget. Plan as much as you can ahead.