$$$ Money Saving Tips $$$

[*MickeyTink*]

Does anyone have any tips on ways I can save my money for a Disney Cruise? I have a large crayon piggy pank that I am putting change into, but how much should I put into it each week? I get about $10 a week, I'm a teenager so that's my allowance. I think if I can save at least $500 dollars my mom might consider going on a cruise in July 2003 so if anyone can help me save money and stuff and help me figure out a budget it would be appreciated!!!! Thanx

 

[Trena]

There are no "get rich quick" answers. Slow and steady saving is the way to go.

Babysit (kids are going to be out of school for the holidays), recycle soda cans, have a garage sale...do what ever you can do..and do it often. You might offer to be a "personal santa" for someone. You could do shopping and wrapping for busy parents. Let family and friends know you are willing to do any odd jobs or errands.

Let family and friends know you are saving and they might contribute to your fund instead of getting gifts for Christmas and birthdays.

Good luck!

Trena

 

[*MickeyTink*]

Thanks for the ideas Trena! I am still open to all ideas so please let me know of anything you think of!!! Thanks again.

 

[Malley74]

When I was a teenager I had a paper route, then at 15 I worked at McDs

 

[sln88]

If you school allows it....
My daughter sells candy. I pick it up on sale for 25 or 30 cents and she sells it for 50 or 60 cents. The prices are reasonable. The kids buy alot. She sells 10-20 dollars a day, so that is 5 to 10 in profit.
She is using it to pay for some expensive dance lessons she wants to take.
maybe next she can save for a cruise!

 

[AprilsZoo]

A few things I did to save to go on my Senior Trip when I was in HS:

• Clean Houses
• Babysitting
• Cut way down on going out to eat off campus at lunch and had the regular cafeteria stuff
• My sister and I ran a New Year's Eve "Child Care" at our house and had the kids there all night (slumber party style). Charged a flat fee per kid ($20? I think, would be more now). Included a cereal b-fast in the am. Made a couple hundred dollars from that alone!
  You could do the same on Valentine's day if it's a weekend.

Make up a few flyers (1/4 sheet are good) and give them out to everyone you know -- neighbors, church, even teachers at school. Maybe your parents might take them to work for you.

I babysat for several of my HS teachers. Most lived fairly close to the school -- but one used to drive well over 15 miles one-way, to come and pick me up to tend her kids.

As far as setting prices for babysitting, I found that I usually made a lot more if I told them to pay me what they thought was fair, and then made sure that I did a GREAT job that made them want to pay me well. Like cleaning up the toys, games, etc. that were played with, generally tidying up the house after the kids were in bed, and often even doing any dishes that were in the sink. Stuff like that does get noticed and will increase what you are paid.

Other possibilities:

• snow shoveling OR raking leaves
• "house sitting" -- bring in mail and check on pets or plants while people are out-of-town

Good luck. Hope you do well!

 

[E.Jane]

Dog walking! Especially if you have any elderly neighbours who have a dog, but aren't able to get out and about themselves so easily anymore.

 

[MELSMICE]

I think you're best bet is to find elderly people in your neighborhood or DINKS (double income no kids) people that need help w/ things:

--Shovelling
--cleaning house
--dog walking
--grass cutting & yard work in the summer
--really gross but, cleaning up the yard after a dog

For people w/ young kids, babysitting.

Good luck.

 

[Mlissa88]

I don't have additional ideas for earning but I think a good idea would be to take whatever money you do make and buy disney dollars with it. That way, if you have a weak moment and feel like spending the money on something else, you can't!

I'm not very good at saving so I forced myself to buy disney dollars every week. Now I have almost 700.00 for my trip.

Having it all in disney dollars kept me from blowing it on something else.

Good luck!

 

[TarraLee]

Way to go! Glad you're thinking of saving money and earning it too!

When you have $25 or $50 saved, see about opening a savings account. Your mom can help you do this. Credit unions generally have good rates, or ING direct online pays well too. When you put your money in a savings account, it earns money for you ( a little bit, not alot, but more than when it is in Piggy's tummy).....and you don't have to do anything but leave it in there! And when you're saving for a Disney Cruise, every penny counts

Another vote too, for the dog walking idea. We have two puppies, and I refuse to pay an adult to walk them. I would much rather pay a kid who's willing to work! Can't find a kid like that who leaves near us right now, but friends pay $35 a week (M-F) for a neighbor kid to walk their beagle after school.

Good luck to you! Let us know how you're doing, hope you make your goal

 

[Eric Julie and Hailey]

It's so awesome to see a teenager thinking of ways to earn something -- as opposed to looking for the lazy way to get it for nothing.

We hope you get your cruise MickeyTink! You deserve it!

 

[Disney Pixie]

Hey everyone, it's me, *MickeyTink* this is my other s/n so if you see me post with this one remember who it is! I want to thank everyone for supporting me and my money saving. I did a little Disney shopping at the mall yesterday and spent about $47 on Disney items. My one friend's gift is a subscription to Seventeen magazine which she loves and I got it free for her because I have a subscription to it and they gave me a free subscription for a friend if I subscribed for another year. I am getting my other friend a jacket from aeropostale that is on sale for $16 origionally $34 so when I get that I will be done Christmas shopping and I can save my money towards my cruise, I will still have over $160 so far and I am saving all my change, and putting all my money towards a cruise. I am still open to suggestions so if you wanna give me some more tips I would be grateful! Thanks again everyone for your support and ideas!

 

[SeaWitch]

mickey tink/disney pixie

Lots of good ideas out there! The babysitting thing works really well with Xmas coming up... parents with small children would probably love an opportunity for undistracted shopping!

Also, don't know how old you are - but if you drive... way back when I was a teenager around the holidays, my friend & I offered to drive friends/aquaintances of our families & neighbors to the mall so they could shop without the parking nightmare. We would drop them off, then come back & pick them up (with an empty trunk ) at a designated time/place. We did a word-of-mouth advertising... and only people we knew or our parents knew, (for safety) etc. I think we charged about $20 - and it worked out great!

Whatever you do - Good Luck!

 

[mad4themouse]

How about offering to do gift wrapping for people? I know that getting the kids' gifts wrapped without them seeing was always a challenge for me when they were younger. It still can be a challenge but at least they're in school part of the day now.

You could charge 50¢ per package for small packages and 75¢ for larger ones. Buy bow, ribbons and paper on sale or at the dollar store and put the word out.

Other ideas: offer yourself as a "helper" for kids' birthday parties. When my kids were younger, it really helped to have an extra pair of hands to organize the games, cut the cake and clean the mess up. I usually paid $20 for the 2 1/2 hrs. of help and it was worth every penny!