How do YOU save for Disney?

[kristenrice]

Using my rewards alone, I'm taking thefamily to Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort for Spring Break. We took a spring break trip last April (drove to WDW over Easter) and paid less than $1000 out of pocket. Since then, here are the "earnings" I've accumulated...

*MyPoints: I've redeemed for (2) $75 Marriott gift cards (covers 2 nights in Gatlinburg, TN on our way to HHI); $25 TGI Friday's gift card and a $10 Wal-Mart gift card (for groceries) TOTAL: $185

*AMEX Blue Sky Card: $600 in "travel rewards"...I can be "reimbursed" for anything I charge to the room at the resort and it will also cover our hotel stay on the drive home.

*Sunshine Rewards: So far, I've earned $680 in cash and a $25 TGI Friday's Gift Card

*Disney Visa Rewards: $188 for mugs and souvenirs

...and I also have some other, smaller "earnings"...a $40 Visa gift card rebate from a Norton purchase, $22 from EBates, and some leftover freebies from our last trip.

As of today, I have accumulated $1725 in rewards/rebates that are going towards our trip. I also have a vacation savings account that receives $50 every 2 weeks from my paycheck. For this vacation, I should not have to touch that account at all.

It helps that we are DVC members. That way, our lodging is covered and we can eat a lot of meals in the room. We were able to use some inheritance money to buy the contract and I send $20/paycheck to an account to cover our annual dues.

 

[Minnesota!]

I have $115 taken out of each pay check to go to vacation account. That is just about $3000/year right there. Then we put 1/2 of our bonuses - I usually get about $1000 and DH gets about $1500 - in there. And our tax returns. And any "found money" that comes during the year - dividends on stocks, birthday money (my mom gives me $100 and him $100 each year), Christmas money (same as birthday money), and I also do mypoints. I have enough points right now for $200 in Gift Cards to Marriot....which we will use this summer on our road trip (not to Disney...).

 

[Leshaface]

Such great ideas!!!

Just curious, how do you make your own laundry detergent? I think I have the Duggar's detergent recipe somewhere but there's an item or two i've never heard of so i've never bothered to make it! Is it pretty easy? How much money do you think you save by making it?

 

[Disney_1derland]

$60 per week in an ING account.

Every week.

For 50 weeks.

BINGO! $3000 !

Now cue the people who will tell you to join this or that online rewards program. And you may save a few dollars every week that way.

And then someone will tell you to use a rewards credit card. Which could net you a few more dollars per week based on 1% back on your purchases.

Saving change. Cut back on impulse spending. Eliminate luxuries from your budget. Use coupons when you grocery shop. It all adds up.

But if you don't put the money in savings somewhere....

...it won't make a bit of a difference towards getting you to Disney!

I started using coupons about 6 months ago. It has changed our lives and cut our grocery budget from $175/week down to about $75. The extra goes into my vacation account and in the past 6 months I've saved enough to cover our trip and am now saving for spending money. Especially if you live in an area where they double coupons, you can really put a dent in.

I also only keep enough in my checking account to match my budget for that two week period. Then, the night before pay day anything 'extra' left in that account gets transferred to my vacation savings account. It's sometimes only $5, but sometimes it $15 or $40, you just never know.

 

[crisi]

We have several methods of saving. But we don't earmark savings specifically for vacations. We do have short term savings (a savings account) and then various long term savings (like retirement or 529s). The savings account covers vacations, cars, and cash flow shortages.

1. We put money into savings every paycheck.
2. We participate in our companies respective ESPP, that money arrives in a lump sum every six months and gets put towards savings.
3. My husband gets bonus checks and stock grants as part of his compensation package, those go to savings.
4. Other lump sum checks go into savings - tax returns (if I get them), dividend payments from stock investments.
5. Like a lot of DISBoarders, we keep a change jar around the house. Every so often that change gets counted. Sometimes it goes into savings (often it ends up going to charity - usually something school related. I suspect the school secretary is getting used to my kids showing up with a ziploc bag of change).

 

[EclecticWAHM]

$60 per week in an ING account.

Every week.

For 50 weeks.

BINGO! $3000 !

Now cue the people who will tell you to join this or that online rewards program. And you may save a few dollars every week that way.

And then someone will tell you to use a rewards credit card. Which could net you a few more dollars per week based on 1% back on your purchases.

Saving change. Cut back on impulse spending. Eliminate luxuries from your budget. Use coupons when you grocery shop. It all adds up.

But if you don't put the money in savings somewhere....

...it won't make a bit of a difference towards getting you to Disney!

You are so right about this. "Saving" money on things doesn't help unless the money really gets saved. I started taking my coupon savings and transferring that to our savings account. I've been couponing for years, but it never seemed like we were saving much 'till I started doing that. Amazing how it adds up!

 

[lisaross]

i would take 1 year at a time..things change u might want to try someplace else or 1 year go for a longer time etc.

Anyway, we've been 2x - in 2006 and 2009 - i like taking a break and saving so when we do go we can do it up! Then 2nd time we also went to Universal for a few days to change it up a bit..

I always open a separate savings acct. and transfer in a certain amount each month..i also save all loose change and when we get any extra money for over time or yard sales whatever go into this acct. as well..also use a certain amount from our tax return - 25% - 50% - depending...

I just priced a trip, with driving, we're looking about spending $3,000 for 2 adults and one child.

We really want to go yearly but I'm not sure if we can do it...unless we use our yearly tax refund.

 

[nrpofp]

Vacations are a priority. I put $500 or more per paycheck into a vacation/luxury savings acount. Its usually between 1000 and 1500 a month. This year this it is being used all on vacations. Next year we will have to spend some money on home improvements and less on vacations. Every year is different.

 

[Ioansgirl]

Here's one I do that I haven't heard mentioned yet

I participate in research projects. There are a lot of colleges in my area that research child development. Today I got paid $120 for allowing someone to watch me play with my DD and to fill out questionaires. I am very selective about the ones I choose (no medical ones, just social ones). Usually you can look at your local university websites and they will tell you about open studies. Sometimes you only get $10 but hey it's something and the kids enjoy the one on one play time.

 

[Kirby]

Here's another grocery savings idea. If you shop at a grocery store that has a plus/savings card, say like Kroger, you can also put your card savings away for a trip. My card savings in addition to my coupons was $28.30.

 

[Macgyver91]

We start saving for the next year as soon as we get home from the current vacation. When we use cash, we save all of the loose change and even the single dollar bills. We pay for at least half of the vacation out of this alone and then pay the rest with income tax...if needed. I have started doing coupons as well and have thought about doing the coupon train thing too. Hopefully that will help out even more. We also have a Disney Rewards Visa. Wherever we go on vacation we stay in the value resorts so that we can play more.

We have some friends that are DVC members but it just isn't for us. I am usually a pretty good bargain hunter so I couldn't see paying all the fees for the DVC if I could just search and find good prices. On our next vacation we are renting points and staying at the Boardwalk for what it would cost to stay at one of the Value Resorts. We could have stayed at different Villas for less, but I really wanted to stay on the Boardwalk

 

[momof3girls6712]

We take at least 1 trip a year to Orlando. We save with the same ways everyone else has mentioned. But we also work at ChaCha and the money goes towards vacations. I found out about it here a few years ago and I really like having an extra way to make money at home. The website is http://becomeaguide.chacha.com/

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

We watch dogs at our house, and all the money we make goes directly into our Disney fund. Whenever we have a dog here that isn't totally enjoyable, we try to picture him/her wearing Mickey ears to help us survive its visit! We usually make enough to head to Disney every 2-3 years (family of 6).