How to do money

[MichaelH]

We use cash for snacks, drinks, and meals that are not over $100. If we eat at a nice place in EPCOT or at one of the resorts we use the credit card.

 

[Dismom55]

One other thing I do with my travelers checks, I make a note of the numbers and what day envelope they were put in. Keep that list in my Disney Planning notebook. Then if something gets lost or stolen, I have a better idea of what to claim without making notes as I spend. I do make sure I have small amount of actual cash on hand too, but since I make tip envelopes for each day, I usually don't really need much cash. I also purchase Disney gift cards when I do my grocery shopping throughout the year for some of my spending money.

I just like the envelope system, keeps me from overspending and I am much more careful about what extras I really want or need. I have my credit card that I only use for car rental handy, just in case of a real NEED, but that has never happened.

We each have our different ways depending on our needs, budget and habits. When my kids were teens, I got them the Visa gift card, that way they could spend as they wished and if they had money left over, well it was theirs to spend at the mall. The one thing I did not like was the fee attached to the visa gift card, don't like the idea of paying for that.

Also I purchase or earn gas gift cards, use them for travel instead of cash, also don't have to go into the station if I do not want to as you simply swipe the card the same as you would for a credit card purchase.

You guessed it, they are kept in my travel/gas envelopes.

I am a worrier, I worry about being robbed, so I hide those envelopes, all the Disney tips, mousekeeping tips, daily allowance, etc only keeping the one needed for travel expenses in my purse. Love when I can lock them in the safe once in our room.

 

[klacey1]

We bring mostly cash-- generally in life, we use debit cards/cash and try not to have any CC debit, so when we're on vacation, we do the same. I think our last trip (5 nights), we had about $400 in cash on us and spent maybe half of it. We're not huge souvenir buyers, though.

 

[KingRat]

If you use cash you can limit yourself and make sure you don't make hip-check purchases that overtax your budget. If you use CC it is more convenient. If you're staying on-site you can link the CC to your room key, which is easy and helpful, but cash still is the best way no to overspend.

 

[Riverhill]

We are bringing cash too! But, I read on another thread that we could put cash on the room. I planned on giving the CM $500 upon check-in and use that money for room charges, we will leave the rest in the room safe.

 

[tialmo]

@Riverhill....looks like we will be in Disney the same time! We fly in on the 23rd of August and come home on the 29th....looking forward to it!

 

[wdwpirates]

We used to use Travelers Checks but found them to be too much of a hassle. DH and I are both cash and debit card people. We don't have any credit cards. So the money we are going to use for our dining plan, rental car and gas (plus a little extra) stays in our checking account which is linked to the debit card. Then we take each days allotment of cash (for souvies & adult beverages of course!!) and place that in separate envelopes. When one day is over we carry any leftovers into the next days envelope.

There is also a separate envelope that we use for singles and fives...those are used for miscellaneous tips and tolls.

This method has really helped us to stay on budget and not overspend. At the end of the trip we usually end up with a nice little "goose egg" that we can use to maybe splurge on some really cool Disney souvenir (like a new watch for me!! LOL!.

 

[Gigi22]

We use cash and traveller's checks, and we charge most expenses at WDW to our room. We will be on the DxDP this year, so it will be interesting to see the impact the dining plan has on our room charges.
Our TA suggested we use a Visa gift card--but I feel that would be less convenient for us than the way we use our traveller's checks. We don't use traveller's checks for purchases, we cash traveller's checks at the main desk of our hotel so that we have more cash to spend. We aren't from the U.S., and don't want to spend valuable vacation time chasing down a low transaction fee ATM compatible with our bank card.

 

[KandD]

We use pretty much all cash. Last year we cashed in a ton of change we had been saving and had about $600 from that and then I think we brought another $400 (maybe...it may have been even less). We were on the DDP so besides tips, a few souvenirs, alcoholic drinks, and one meal that we paid OOP for, we didn't spend very much money.

I also always have a rewards card with some money on it because I have a Disney Visa. Last year I think I had about $80 on it and this year I will have about $110.

I don't like using credit cards on vacation because I want to limit myself, I would buy everything I saw if I could! LOL! So knowing how much cash we have alloted for the vacation helps me pick out just one or two things that I really want.

 

[parkers218]

last year we linked our debit card to our KTTW card and that was cool except we also used the card for other places... like T-Rex which wasn't on the dining plan and at downtown disney cause we werent aware that you could use your KTTW at these places...then we still had to make sure that Bank of thieves...I mean of America didn't double or overcharge us and that was a pain when balancing our checkbook at the end...Now that we know we CAN use our KTTW at these places (Yaay going back to T-Rex this year too we will use it probably exclusively...I have seen in a few threads that you can just give the desk cash and they will link that to your card so that seems like the perfect answer for us. That way We don't have to walk around with cash and risk losing it or having it stolen and you can still limit yourself by only putting how much you want to spend on there. If you don't use it you get it back..if you do use it you just add more if you want to...

 

[stargazer2892]

Normally I spend in cash, it gives me a better limit. Since I get paid nightly in cash (I'm a waitress) I keep some and give the rest to DH for bills and whatnot. Last year and this coming trip (leave in 5 days!) we have saved our change and the last month small bills (mostly $1) and have 363$ to spend. Once we are there I'll put 200$ on a gift card for me and rest on one for DH and that's it. We go to the parks with our kttw, license, and gift card. In past trips I've overdrafted my account way to many times with "little things" that add up. This way once its gone its gone.

 

[pooch]

don't find them to be a pain at all. As a PP said, I cash them as needed at the resort front desk on the way out in the morning instead of using them at the parks. We typically budget $100 per day (on DDP) for adult drinks, souvies and any OOP food expenses. Usually have $300-350 in Disney Visa Reward points, take $50 in small bills for tips and the rest in TCs. I take $50 per day in cash to the parks. If I use it all, I cash a TC for the next day, if not I add it to the next day's cash. We usually go home with $150 left. Works for us!!

 

[cheyandrew7]

We got one of those cards from walmart the visa ones and we are going to put 1,500 on my Dh and the rest of the money on mine then have some cash for tips and other little things like that

 

[Naisy68]

We made the mistake last year of putting all of our cash into money orders last year (money grams from Walmart) - DON'T do this!! Disney does NOT accept them. We had a very hard time getting to our money once we get down there. We are just going to leave the money on our Credit/Debit cards this year and then add so much to our KTTW cards and use them for spending in the parks and as DTD.
I am afraid of cash - as I am so afraid I will lose it plus I know I would spend too much time counting how much I have left and handling all that cash is just yucky!! So plastic is best for me.

 

[lblume91]

I read on another thread that we could put cash on the room. I planned on giving the CM $500 upon check-in and use that money for room charges, we will leave the rest in the room safe.

Okay, just to clarify, I can give the CM cash at check-in to apply to my KTTW card? We are not credit card people & don't like to use our debit cards when we travel. We are strictly cash people on vacation but carrying it around makes me nervous!

I see several people talking about using the in-room safe. Are they truly safe?? I always worry that someone may be able to get into it so we've never used them before. Anybody ever have any problems with that??

 

[Naisy68]

Okay, just to clarify, I can give the CM cash at check-in to apply to my KTTW card? We are not credit card people & don't like to use our debit cards when we travel. We are strictly cash people on vacation but carrying it around makes me nervous!

I see several people talking about using the in-room safe. Are they truly safe?? I always worry that someone may be able to get into it so we've never used them before. Anybody ever have any problems with that??

Yes, you can put cash on your KTTW cards at check-in. This is what we always do. The safes are safe though in my experience. We too usually like to use cash vs. debit cards as well - I just don't like to carry it down with me as we fly and I just worry about losing it. Which is why we tried to use money grams last trip (oops!) So this year I am not sure what we will do for sure to get the $ down there.
I prefer to use the cash method because we budget so much towards vacation spending and IF we leave the money on our debit card we might spend more than we have budgeted and that is never a comfortable feeling.

 

[delaneyc52]

I bring maybe 150-200 cash for tip money, kiosk money (I don't normally use dining plans), margarita money ... but all else I charge to the room via resort key card.

By the way, if you have older children, they can have a charge privilege on the resort card also and you can stop at the desk occasionally to get a print out to make sure they are spending appropriately!!

When I get home, I go to the private vacation "stash" and pay off the card!
That way, I avoid the interest charge and get airline miles!

 

[BeccaJ]

We charge most everything to a credit card. This gives you extra backup in case of a dispute about a purchase. We give the kids Disney Dollars to spend. They love them and it keeps them on a budget. You use to be able to buy Disney Dollars at a Disney Store as well as at the theme parks. The only way to buy them in advance now is through the mail or by phone. You can still buy them at the theme parks when you arrive. I ordered some Disney Dollars about a month ago. The most current information I found was in a traveler's article at "Trip Advisor". It was about using Disney Dollars to keep your kids on a budget and had all the info needed to order them in advance.

Have a wonderful trip! We're counting down the days until our trip in October to Disney World.

 

[ratlenhum]

Since no one metioned this I just want to note that Travelers Cheques are like a gian pain in the butt so I wouldn't consider those.

Totally agree. I hate them.

We bring about $500 in cash. DH and I each carry $100 and leave the rest in the safe. I put the rest of our money in the checking account with the debit card and attach the debit card to our KTTW card. This way we are still using "cash" and not adding to credit card debt.

 

[bethann1970]

I carry mainly cash for souvenirs and tips for TS meals (have FD). This keeps my within budget. I bring my credit card in case of emergency, but luckily haven't needed it.