How Should I Save Each Week for WDW ?

[fairytinkerbell]

17 weeks to go, want to save about $1000.00
Any tips on saving?? I have an envelope, but when i need cash at hand, I dip in there and it screws it all up! HELP!!!:worried

Plus:
How much do u think we'll need for (2) 5 day hopper passes?
We're going to trade in our 1 day (each) that's left on our old
hopper passes from 1999 and add it to get the (2) 5 day hopper passes.
We're also going to Typhoon Lagoon that week (if warm) and also
to Disney Quest. Is there a better ticket plan for us???

How much Money do u think we will need to budget for FOOD?
LTT - going 2-3 x
Ohana - 2-3 X
Sci Fi Diner - 1x (lunch)
Dinner @ LeCellier - 1x
Breafast @ Chef Mickey's - 1x
Lunch @ FTB, Pecos Bill, Tilly's,
B&C

Any idea?

 

[briannesmom]

Seal your envelope!!
It is much harder to take money from a sealed envelope decorated with Mickey stickers than it is from a plain white open envelope.
I have also made seperate envelopes for things we want to do. Such as, I know it will be about $50 for dinner at 'Ohana. I put that 50 in anenvelope and write "ohana on it. Much harder to spend it if you know what you are saving it for.


Amy

 

[zippehsmom]

I know how easy it can be to dip into those money envelopes. First I started saving the DIsney Dollars. After I accumulated a couple hundred in those, I start getting my Travelers checques. Every week when I go to the bank I just get a few more. This makes it really seem like vacation money. I know that something really drastic has to happen for me to dip into those.

I also make sure I make a copy of the receipt, and start making my vacation packets (copy of flight Intinerary, hotel reservation, rental car confirmation, copy of back of PHP's & copy of traveler checque receipts). I leave this packet with my mother and mother-in-law. Of course I keep the original, but just in case something happens I have two back ups.

Good Luck on the saving

zippehsmom

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

I do the Traveler's check thing too!

I know many people on here suggest having a garage sale to bring in some extra cash as well.

 

[littlestix]

Yard sales are a great way to get cash for your trip. They can be alot of hard work but, I had 1 today and it brought in just over $300.00, I had 1 big ticket item. I put stuff out there that I never thought would sell, you just don't know the junk that people will buy. Good luck with your saving.

 

[fairytinkerbell]

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions!!!

I really appreciate it! Those are all good ideas, i especially like the Mickey stickers (where can i get some?) and sealing each envelope!!!
I'm gonna do that!!

What else can u think of?

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by fairytinkerbell
Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions!!!

What else can u think of?

The one thing that really helped me when visiting Disney in 2001 with DH was visiting DEB'S SITE and scoping out all the menus to get an idea on what we would be spending on our 9 days 8 nights trip.
I also had the "problem" you mentioned of dipping into the money, but when I did, I replaced it double....I tended to not touch it after awhile coz it was getting expensive! I would take out $10 and have to put $20 back plus the $25 I was already supposed to be saving every week!! Eventually, I took a friend's advice a and sealed up the money in an envelope. I decorated the envelope with a bunch of Tigger stickers and wrote Disney things all over it...I NEVER opened that envelope until I was taking it to the bank to turn that cash into Traveller's Cheques.

briannesmom has a GREAT idea about saving for things one at a time! Work on small things first, if it helps...for me that would be the one night's deposit to book my room for 2006. Next, I would work on my 4 day Play 4 passes, then the room for the rest of the week and then eating money. I know exactly what I will need as I've sat down and done the math, so now I just need to save. When I save up about $200 at a time which isn't hard to do as I put $20 of my tip money into my savings jar every week, I will put that money into an decorated envelope and label it for what it's for. I also throw loose change and odd dollars into it and it adds up quite quickly. Right now I've got about $110 in my jar and I've only been saving since the 29th of April. I plan on using about $400 of our income tax refund the year we go so that will help out a lot. We usually get back over $1000, but I don't want to use a lot of it on Disney. DH and I make plans for our income tax refund about one month before it comes in and it's usually has something to do with his motorcycle, my car, computers, or music equipment for our business.

I just did a little math for you and to save the $1000 you'll need in 17 weeks, you'll need to put aside about $59 EVERY week and not touch one drop of it! Give yourself a little leeway and put aside $65 if you can afford to. That way, you know you'll have more than what you need when the time comes. If you want this trip bad enough, you'll stop digging into the money, because if you don't, you won't go. Right now since my trip is still 2 years away, I can afford to touch my money if I have to, but luckily I don't. I work two jobs and there's no reason for me to touch my Disney money. I have allowed myself one reason and one reason only to dig into that money and that is if an emergency comes up and the money is needed. So far so good, knock on wood and pray to the Father, that WILL NOT happen.

I do hope that I've helped and best to you on saving for your trip. Let me know how looking at the menu and prices works out for you.

Blessings always,

Denise

 

[tar heel]

Since ticket prices have gone up in the past five years, you might be better off to use the one day you have left and buy 4 day PHPs. You can order them in advance for $227 (there may be better prices -- look at mousesavers.com) according to the info. on the DIS.

 

[SRRN]

This has probably been posted before,but it's been a great help to me in my saving for our Christmas 2004 Disney trip.Save $20.00 each week in single $1.00 bills. Once they start to accumulate,you won't be tempted to go into you Disney fund and take out $100 in singles, to go buy something.I've saved $950 since October,just by saving my ones and I don't feel tempted. Good Luck!!!!

 

[laurabelle]

Here's a couple of things that worked for me...1st, go to Mousesavers and sign up for Mary's newsletter. Every 15th of the month you'll get extra money savers sent to your email, including a special link to Ticketmania with prices just for mousesavers. I agree, just buy the 4 day PHP instead of trading in your extra day to get a 5 day hopper. If you get the plus passes, the water parks are included, plus Ticketmania sells discounted Disney Quest tickets.

I don't spend any change, if I break a dollar bill, it goes into the Disney Pig. I used to just cash out and put it in an envelope, but I learned about INGDIRECT orange savings accounts on the Dis boards and now I put it in there. If you get referred by an account holder (lots of Dis members are account holders, just PM someone you know) you get $25 to start your account, plus you get your own referrals to send out that earn you $10 each. You earn interest on it, and you can set up automatic deposits too. You can read more about it on The Rewards Board .

Good luck with your savings!

 

[fam4jc]

laurabelle - my sis is a breast cancer survivor also! Way to Go!

fairytinkerbell - all of the advise for your savings has been good, solid savings advice (I'm an accountant). The key to successful savings is discipline. It can be horrid and really awefull - but your specific goals will help you maintain your savings and maybe, make it grow even beyond what you need for the trip.

I have a couple of additional suggestions that helped us save over 2000 in 8 months.
1. Every dime over what you are expecting to recieve in income(OT $$, insurance reimbursements, birthday $, etc) goes into the savings account (or envelope??)
2. When you do well with coupons, sales, etc on groceries, write yourself a check for the amount of the savings - put the check into your envelope or deposit in savings accoount.
3. Have one week out of the month that NO ONE in the house spends any money. Be sure your car is gassed up and you have milk in the house, then deal with what you have in the house during the "NO spend Zone" week.
4. Keep track of what you spend. Have a budget of expected expenditues. If you come in under budget, write yourself a check for the difference.
5. If you can get a free savings account at your bank, put your disney money in the bank.

I could go on and on.

You can do it, WDW is worth it

 

[pjlla]

I agree with the last poster who said...."put it in the bank". Put your vacation/WDW money in a regular savings account that does not have an ATM card. Much harder to get to that way! I could not have all that money in the house.... I would end up using it! THe scrapbooking store would be calling my name!.....P

 

[xraydave]

We are terrible savers but we were determined to make it down this year! My way is to pre-pay for anything I can. With Christmas money and a little savings we booked our room and our airline tickets and paid in full. This was a little hard for me. I was anxious to book because I knew how bad we are at saving! I was researching airline prices when I stumbled on a really great deal. The catch was the airline only offered the prices certain days of the week. And the tickets didn't go on sale until a certain date. We had to wait to see if we could get the airline tickets before booking the resort. It worked out for us.

Then we bought our park hopper tickets in January. The CM at the Disney store asked when we were going. When we told her June, she laughed a little and said, "Wow planning ahead" (As a side note, I'm glad we did this. Ticket prices just recently went up!)

Next, we started saving Disney dollars. I know this was mentioned before but it really helps. Everytime we go near a Disney store we stop and buy Disney dollars. (even if it's only $10 or $20) That way we can't dip into it. We also give and receive DDs for birthdays, anniversary, etc.

The last thing I did was buy Q+C meal vouchers. If you research this idea you can get good deals. I don't know if we will save a lot of money by using them but my reasoning is this: if we don't have a lot of spending money at least I know we'll be able to eat!!!!

Sorry to be so long but I know exactly how you feel. It's nice to know you're not alone with your saving problem. Good luck and have fun!

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I'm with many of the others.

-if you can... put it in the bank into a savings account.... let your money make a little more money for you.

-we do the change jar thing.... we get lots of extra spending money that way and it's lots of fun to see how well we did with saving the nickels and dimes

-If you can go to the Disney store and put it into Disney Dollars or go to the bank and put it into travelers checks then do that... that way you will not spend it.

-Have a garage sale!!! OR see if there is something that you can put in the paper to sell.

-we have a credit card that gives us frequent flyer miles. Also some Debit cards will give you points to cash in with every dollar you spend so you can use it at Walmart etc.... so you can get a little discount on some of those necessities.

- I have not tried this but I hear on here about people getting paid to do survey's etc....

-I love the idea of not spending any money for a week... Ill have to try that one

-See what you can cut down on each day or week. Make a game of it.... do you buy coffee on your way to work, try to not do those things... do you buy your lunch..... see what you can create in your kitchen with the food you already have... ( I don't think I would get TOO creative though... might get scary LOL)

- Keep looking on these boards... I have learned a lot!!!!!
There are great ideas here!!!

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Oh yea.... don't waste your money cashing in the one day you have left.... use it and buy a 4 day pass.... that is what we are doing and it will save us money!!!!!

 

[Poohbear123]

One in June and one in Nov. so I have 2 envelopes going. I have been cashing in my pennies everday at the Coin Machine at my store, so far I have 40.00 saved.

 

[dolphincrazy]

I have to agree with Laurabelle about the ING savings account I love the idea of the envelopes and sealing them but, if it's there and I know know it and need it, that will not stop me from tearing it open with my ING savings it's harder to get at than a regular savings account so, that works out great for me
I have over $1,000 in my account and $250 of it was from the referral program, you can make out great with that
Maryann

 

[ohpoohmetoo]

I just wanted to add that I am the world's worst saver. I haven't been to Disney in almost four years because of it. So I started an account with my company's credit union and have $75 put into it automatically every two weeks and I just pretend like I don't have it. I also started asking for Disney Dollars for birthdays, Christmas etc. So we are going in October and staying at BWV. I must say it feels really good to reach your goals.

Bottom line for me is that I have to make saving for Disney a part of my normal budget or we would never get to go. It will take me two years to save for every trip because we like to stay on site, eat at the restaurants we choose and not feel stressed while we're there due to money.

Good luck on saving and I hope you have a magical trip.

Liz

 

[deltachi8]

Definitely use the ING Account, it is more difficult to get the money out of it than grabbing cash from an envelope. Plus, although we have only used one refrral so far, the referrals will add up, and even if you don't $25 to start is not too shabby (a bunch of muckey bars at the least.)

Pre-pay as much as you can (Airfare, park tickets, hotel) - kinda makes your plans more "real." And of course, follow these boards for tips and Mousesvaers.

 

[valdan2]

We empty our change everyday into a big water jug. I buy coffee twice a day and use dollars bills. Or if I buy anything else I never give them change(ex. $2.10) this way by the end of day I could have up to 2 dollars in change. We saved $1200.00 in 15 months for our trip last year.