How do you save for Disney? How do you save up for the extras?

[naomiatx86]

- secret shopping!!! (made over $3K since January)

Another mystery shopper here. Shopping has allowed me to take on a "second job" around my weird work schedule and go on trips. If I want to add another shop , I pick up extra shops. Been at it since Sept and so far, so good... Paid for the AP, two weekend trips and next week's full week. !

I need to become a mystery shopper.

Any tips? Advice?

Thanks!

 

[bbak3030]

I'm am RN, so I get plenty of opportunities for overtime. Wien I worked Good Friday, I got time and a half for working as well as 8 hours of holiday pay. So anything over my base check is going to our trip fund. It's adding up fast!

 

[ironpig70]

Using credit cards.

With my Disney Visa I get 1% back on everything. So I put everything I can on it and then pay it off immediately with the money I'd be using if I dint have a credit card.

I also use Discover if I need anything online that is a prefered provider(5-20%) and also the 5% quarterly.


I make enough in pay to live on 40 a week. My work can have lots of overtime and I am taking all overtime and sticking it away.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I have a separate saving account and put money each month. Extra goes here too.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[UncannySquirrel]

ebay: some things sold and others didn't. The money went into PayPal and it was a pain to transfer it to my bank so I never even bothered. I did use it for other things, though.

I recommend the PayPal Debit card to bypass the hassle of the bank transfer. Although it use to be better when they had the deal with Chase and the only ATM fee you got hit with was $1 from paypal. but aside from that, it's works just like a normal debit card with no fees on using it to directly purchase at stores.


I mostly use the coins & $1s trick, but I always get hit with some set back with an emergency expense.

 

[funkymom]

I just got serious about saving for our next Disney trip that I had hoped would be this December but now we are planning for next year. We are on the West Coast so usually go to DLR, but since we are waiting an extra year, we might be able to hit WDW!

So after a lot of back and forth,we finally opened a vacation account two months ago. Money we deposit comes from my small income(school yard duty), commission from a home based sales, and money earned from opinion panels I get called for occassionally. We also have a nominal auto funds transfer each month. My goal is an average of $200 a month.

I try to save change but my kids seem to sniff that out and the quarters disappear rather quickly LOL.

 

[beansmom]

we do the 52 week money challenge--I always put in extra every week...we currently have $1950+ change for our trip to maui next January.

we also use rewards credit cards for our daily expenses--we put groceries, gas, our cable/cellphone and even our insurance payments on the cards. I put whatever I can on our AA citicard--in the past 5 years we've gone to London, Italy, Hawaii and we have enough miles now to go to Maui AND Europe again. We pay the cards each month.

we use Mypoints to buy whatever we can...we especially LOVE buying gift cards for places we shop anyway-CVS, Staples, etc--getting big points for them and then using them to get FREE gift cards for places like Steak & Shake, T-Rex, Rainforest, Cracker Barrel...even Safeway which we use on Maui to help with the exorbitant cost of groceries in Hawaii.

 

[Texas Crude]

We took a look at our recurring bills and got rid of almost all of them! Replaced cable with $8 a month Netflix, replaced $100 data plans with $30 "dumb phone" plans, etc.

 

[ktrask]

We do a change jar and automatic withdrawal from checking to an ING savings account.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Swagbucks.com. I do surveys, polls, Internet searches etc on it to earn points, then I use my points to get Amazon gift cards. I get on average one $5 gift card per week (most points earned thru surveys). I just put them on my Amazon account. We've use it to pay for Christmas and birthday gifts along with countless kindle books. Right now I'm about $20 away from getting a point and shoot camera for our trip for FREE due to the gift card credits I have on my account. I'll also be buying any odds and ends for the trip thru Amazon after the camera. That way all of the things like sunblock etc that really add up will also be free. With Supersaver shipping it won't cost us a thing!

If anyone wants a referral PM me your email.

 

[rainynight]

We have a budget spreadsheet and so much set aside every month for things like bills, gas, groceries, fun money, and miscellaneous expenses. The rest goes into savings. In our savings we have categories as well such as life insurance premiums, HOA fees, repairs, vacations, and emergency fund. We set back in each bucket every month even if we don't need to...for instance we have enough set back to pay our life insurance and HOA fees for the next 6-7 years. Vacation money is never pulled from another bucket, we make do with what we have which funds us a few week long trips a year and the occasional weekend getaway. We pay all the bills we can with credit card (and always pay the balance off every month of course) which gives us cash back that's usually used as spending money on vacation.