Money spent on souvinirs

[luvthemouse71]

I end up spending at least $1000. That's usually for the more expensive souvenirs, like jewelry and collectibles. I also buy stuff for my little niece and gifts for people when I go during the holiday season.

 

[ceecee]

The last few years DH and I have gotten a Thomas Kinkade canvas, which really raised the budget! I think $160 is a low amount without knowing how many people are in your family.

 

[Sandi]

My DD was always good about not asking for everything under the sun, but I kind of spoiled her with stuff on our first couple of trips to WDW. By the time she was about 9, I would give her a set amount of money to spend on vacation ($50 - $100, depending on the length of stay). I told her she could spend up to that amount and if she didn't spend it all, she could keep the remainder. Typically, she brings money home and I'm fine with that. She is managing her money the right way. She is now 18 and understands the value of money.

 

[usd2bmd]

I think $160 is not much at all. We take one (big) vacation a year. We plan and save for it all year; including spending money. We always take more than we will spend, but it is not unusual for us to spend $700 or more on souvenirs. We make a list of the things we want while we are there and I don't feel guilty about it while I am there.

Part of vacation is souvenirs...

 

[brooke789]

If we get out with only $160 in purchases I'll be super surprised! However, we know we want to do the build your own potato (so that is $20 or $50) and I wanted to do teh pick a pearl for my Mother's Day Gift, so could really be any amt. We'll see!

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Hi all! How much do you budget for souvenirs? And then how much do you actually spend?

My family & I just came back from our trip and I totaled it on merchandise type stuff and we spent $160. To me that seemed a bit much..... part of it was my fault. I wanted to visit Art of Animation resort and instead of going thru the entrance of the hotel, I accidentally wandered into the gift shop, where mommy wanted a couple of things and the kids did too.. Good designing on WDW's part. So $50 later we found the AoA grounds, and front desk area...

I am getting the urge to go back again this year, and this time will limit the souvenirs for everyone to one or two each, tops.

$160 is not much at all. We budget 100.00 a day So last trip it was 600.00. We pre-purchased Photopass plus so we have lots of photo souvenirs

We spent all of the budgeted money. We don't buy stuff animals or dust collectors but we did buy a new ornament (we do this wherever we travel), design a tee tshirts, new nightshirt, coffee mugs (2), transformers (children think Japan pavilion is the best place to buy them, pick a pearl and setting for DD, Cinderella/ Belle flip doll and a few other things for the family.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[ceemys]

The first time I went with my daughter, she was 7, we saved and saved. We had $2,300 to do whatever we wanted. LOL It was a splurge trip and whatever we wanted we bought. We left spending about $800. We bought clothes, cups, ornaments, towels, toys, etc. But since then I think our max was about $150 each trip.

 

[Superchikk]

We'll be taking our 6 and 2 year-olds for the first time in the fall. Our son (6) is saving his allowance, birthday money, etc. to spend on whatever he wants at the parks. He'll probably have $50 or so by then. We'll set aside probably an equal amount for things for our daughter (2). Of course, we're buying their first set of Mouse Ears!

I will be lucky if we get out of the parks for $160 (besides what the kids spend). The kids aren't my spenders in the family.

 

[swebb0310]

Do elaborate. 20% off coupons are right up my alley. Where can you use them at?

On your receipt from quick service restaurants in a coupon for 20%. It can only be used certain places I think, but 20% is a great discount!! I think I have accidentally thrown at least one away per trip! This past trip I threw 2 away only to Remember later and be sad!

 

[jm0925]

Hi all! How much do you budget for souvenirs? And then how much do you actually spend?

My family & I just came back from our trip and I totaled it on merchandise type stuff and we spent $160. To me that seemed a bit much..... part of it was my fault. I wanted to visit Art of Animation resort and instead of going thru the entrance of the hotel, I accidentally wandered into the gift shop, where mommy wanted a couple of things and the kids did too.. Good designing on WDW's part. So $50 later we found the AoA grounds, and front desk area...

I am getting the urge to go back again this year, and this time will limit the souvenirs for everyone to one or two each, tops.

Coming from someone that loves shopping in Disney gift stores , $160 really doesn't sound like much at all considering an item such as a shirt can cost at least $25.00 and a coffee mug can be $10. Even a few items add up quickly especially those trading pins. For me, if I visit the different parks in one trip and Downtown Disney, I like to pick up items from each one so my souvenir total can add up. Epcot is the budget buster unfortunately. But that's all part of the vacation fun for me.

 

[Emteach]

We budgeted $450 for our trip to Disney - this included souvenirs, a few OOP drinks and a trip to BBB (Knight and Courtyard package, that was just over $100 combined I believe). We actually ended up only spending about $350 - had bought a whole bunch of shirts beforehand on sale at Wal Mart and the Disney store (so technically spent some but WAY cheaper). We also limited to one stuffed animal each. My sister decided on one on day 2, my brother waited until the day before we left to be sure.

We gave them a daily "budget" on what they could spend. If they didn't see something they liked they could save and add to the next day.

 

[KGNOLA]

Last year we budgeted $100 per person. That worked out fine, but I think it was difficult for my DD (6 at the time), to budget well. She also went through her snack credits pretty quickly and I really didn't want to spend my vacation trying to remember who used what credits. To simplify for this year, I made her a coupon book. She has a coupon for each of her snack credits, as well as things like trips to the pool, preplanned souvenirs I will buy her (princess dress for her birthday, christmas ornament, etc.), and a coupon for each $5 of her own money that she has saved up for the trip. The rules are simple: no asking, just hand me the coupon and when they run out that is it. We will be test driving this at the end of this month, so we will see if it cuts down on her asing for things and me having to think

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I usually budget $1000 for spending money. I don't spend anywhere near that amount, but I like knowing that I *could* splurge if I wanted to. I guess I spend about $200 a trip on myself because I buy t-shirts from each park and a Christmas ornament, and also a pin for the year I'm there. Then I spend about another hundred buying souvenirs for family.

I went solo in 2006 and overspent wildly, probably because I didn't have my sister, who usually goes with me, to say "What the heck ('cept she uses a much stronger word than 'heck') do you need *that* for?" This is how I wound up with stuffed Mickeys from each attraction in my bedroom closet.

 

[kkmcan]

Now that my kids are older they don't buy much or even ask for much anymore. DS has a hard time finding anything he even wants. I don't think there's a lot to choose from if you are a teenage boy

So they can choose one item they really want or if there isn't anything I will give them the money they would have spent for something at home.

They do like the tshirts so more often than not it's a tshirt. For dd its usually a hat or a stuffed animal.