Need to save $3500 in 18 months, HOW

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by fam4jc

Okay, so today I put another 18$ in my Dis Bank. The 21st was my bday so I got a little cash from mil and my dh's granny (a great lady) and I put some of it into the wdw fund. I'm up to $59! only $4000 more to go.

Anyone know how to put the counter on my signature?
Thanks

Hey Shellie!

Great job on that extra money in your Dis Bank. You keep that up and you'll be there before you know it! Let me know if I can help in any other way.

For the countdown...visit THIS LINK with very detailed instructions on how to put one in your signature. Let me know if it works.

Blessings,

Denise

 

[sarahsmom73]

I write myself a check every week!!! It has been $50 per week..... The other thing I have done religiously since last July is use coupons at the grocery store.. I take those savings along with any in store loyalty savings and put them in the envelope... I know my ususaly grocery bill is around $120.. If it is lower I put the residual in the WDW 2005 envelope!....


edited to add...

another good way to earn some extra $$ is to do online surveys... I have $40. in various surveys on the way!

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

another good way to earn some extra $$ is to do online surveys... I have $40. in various surveys on the way!

any links you could share on how to get hooked up with the surveys? Thanks!!

$40.00 here and there adds up...........

 

[MrsPete]

Gail -- I like your $40 per week or $6 per day concept. $3500 seems like a whopping big number, but I can easily figure out a way to trim $40 each week. A little at the grocery store, a video not rented, water instead of sodas.

By the inch, it's a cinch; by the yard, it's hard.

Hen Duck -- I also like your concept of a "high" and "low" budget. The original poster knows what she wants -- the days at the deluxe hotel. But she could easily make a back-up plan for lower-priced hotel rooms IF she doesn't meet the 3500 goal. The "low" plan might also include dropping a character meal or two.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by MrsPete
Gail -- I like your $40 per week or $6 per day concept. $3500 seems like a whopping big number, but I can easily figure out a way to trim $40 each week. A little at the grocery store, a video not rented, water instead of sodas.

By the inch, it's a cinch; by the yard, it's hard.

Hen Duck -- I also like your concept of a "high" and "low" budget. The original poster knows what she wants -- the days at the deluxe hotel. But she could easily make a back-up plan for lower-priced hotel rooms IF she doesn't meet the 3500 goal. The "low" plan might also include dropping a character meal or two.

My original calculations were for 3000.00 over 18 months.
The calculations for 3500.00 over 18 months are : 194.00 per month, 48.61 per week or 6.94 per day.
My vacation fund is a "bill" which I pay religiously every payday.
I put aside 500.00 per month in the vacation fund and 350.00 in my personal savings. It adds up very fast.

 

[LuvTigger]

What works really well for me is a Christmas Savings Account. the way mine works is if I make a withdrawal, I'd have to withdraw ALL of it. Some banks will even make you forfeit the interest.

I have an automatic deduction each paycheck that goes into the Christmas account, and I also put any additional money I might receive into the account, then on October 1st (some banks are November 1st), they cut me a check for the entire amount, which I'll stash in my savings until I'm ready to use it.

 

[fam4jc]

Denise you'll notice I still don't have the counter, I tried, but it didn't work. I'll try it again.

Gail, I LOVE your pic of the castle! Very nice. Yes, I had done the calculations and its a big goal, but I'm motivated. I just looked at some pics of the CR and AKL. Loooooks pretttyy gooooood to me

I am worried that I am getting obsessive about WDW. My dd7 told me today I had Mickey on the brain maybe so. I guess we have so much stress in our fam right now that it is so fun to escape to plans and dreams of our next trip.

I've got a couple items on ebay (9) and they all have bids on them. I thought that was pretty good. So all that profit will go in my dis bank (maybe 25 - 30 $$).

Do any of you buy disney dollars as a way to save? I'd have to order them by mail. That would only work AFTER we've saved enough for hotel and tix, right?

Everyone, has a wonderful blessed evening

shellie

 

[fam4jc]

Okay, I'm not so stupid after all! a hint, I just right clicked on the script and copied and pasted it into my sig line. Lots less complicated than the directions.

 

[LoveThoseLabbies]

Okay, two obvious thoughts here.

If you are struggling to save for the trip, find a cheaper hotel. All you do is sleep there, maybe use the pool, and some transportation conveniences. Not worth $400/nite. That would probably cut the budget in half. While I am not rich, we can afford a decent vacation every year. There is no way I would ever pay $400 for a room/nite. I've stayed in some very nice hotels. None are worth $400/nite, particularly those at Disney. Period.

And number 2......how about a job, or a second job for a while? Jobs pay cash, and as Yogi Berra would say "That's just as good as money."

Good luck.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by fam4jc
Okay, I'm not so stupid after all! a hint, I just right clicked on the script and copied and pasted it into my sig line. Lots less complicated than the directions.

I recalculated and it is 6.717 per day to save---YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Glad you like the picture, it was a lucky shot.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by fam4jc
Okay, I'm not so stupid after all! a hint, I just right clicked on the script and copied and pasted it into my sig line. Lots less complicated than the directions.

You better believe you're NOT stupid!! Your countdown looks great!!!

The only time you need to be "worried" about Disney on the brain is when you start to pull money from necessary areas to fund your trip. I think about Disney all the time and talk about my trip 2 or 3 times a week even though it's still two years away. However, I have my priorities and they will ALWAYS come first. Example, my air conditioner is out in my car and it's becoming unbearable at times so I've finally decided to have it fixed. I found someone other than VW to do it who I trust and who WON'T cost me an arm and a leg. That money I can pull from my float fund in my checking account so I don't have to touch the Disney fund.

Keep your focus, work on saving, and everything will come out just dandy!

Keep in touch!

Denise

 

[autumnblue]

Can you get at least a AAA rate on any of those resorts to knock a little off? Or may be they aren't out yet for your dates.

Also open a ING Account or a Virtual Bank account and start sending out those referrals. You can make up to $600 on the Virtual Bank if you know enough people and they are great places to stash your weekly deposits because they have great interest rates.

I know it looks like you are saving down your debt but you could make some substantial disney dollars for your trip by using the Disney Visa. With you hotel costs alone you'd get $35 and when you through in passes and such you can get more. I'm not sure if they are still offering the $50 for signing up or not. Of course be sure to pay it off each month

 

[madelyn]

fam4jc

Just noticed from your signature line that you recently returned from a trip Poly Concierge/Dolphin. Those accomodations don't cost pocket change so you must have done well saving for that trip. Or did you have more than 18 months to save for it?

 

[beansmom]

i agree with possibly changing the accommodations...for the most part all we do in the room is shower and collapse.

Do you do something on the side that you can make money with? Some type of special skill (like work at H &R Block during tax season, customer service in a catalog call center, craft projects?)? I make original wreaths and christmas ornaments and decorations and sell them at work. I made over $300 last year doing just that. I also scrapbook on commission. All that goes into the Disney fund.

 

[Catella]

Another way to save money it to cut out unnecessary monthly bills. Cable/satellite service can be dropped if you don't use it much, that's $40+ a month savings. You could also try a cheaper internet service provider if you are using an expensive one. I used Juno for several years at only $10 a month, and the service was just as good as any other dial-up I had used.

 

[MariaE]

I'm not sure this is available around your area but you might want to check it out - there are several banks/credit unions that offer a vacation/christmas club account. You put money in but are not allowed to take money out. They will then send you a check automatically at a certain time. You can of course close the account at any time, but will face penalites.

 

[fam4jc]

Before I respond to these great ideas, I have to share something with you all.... Some of you might know that my FIL is very sick with renal cell cancer and having a horrid time with the radiation therapy. I was over there by myself tonight bringing him an anti nausea machine and we got to talking about WDW. He hasn't been there since they opened MK! Anyway, he wants to come with us on this trip!!! I am sooooo excited. PG

MariaE - yes I've thought of that, my DH can join the state credit union and they have a vacation club. It' a great way to save for a specific purpose.

Madelyn - Yep done this before! DH and I both got second jobs (he made much more than I did) and had direct deposit into WDW savings account and smallish tax refund and cutting costs, etc.

With that trip I booked in Nov for June at Pop, then kept upgrading as I would hit milestones in savings. In the end two weeks before our trip I received a surprise bonus and poof put us over the top and into the Poly concierge (discounted of course!)

Denise - You are so sweet. You probably have the gift of encouragement! I need to save up a 'float' fund also. I used to have one. It sure would have helped today! bought a 110 dollar devise for my fil - I just couldn't stand to see him like that another day (the meds weren't working)

Everyone - your opinions/advice/ideas are greatly appreciated!
allways help.

Shellie

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Shellie,

I sent you a PM

 

[canwegosoon]

Shellie, First of all good for you planning this far out and getting your budget in order. There have been several great suggestions. I love Gail's suggestion ( always do...she has great advice), loved the vacation club/Christmas Club idea, and of course the change is always a great stand by. What I was going to suggest was 1) Check over your budget, is there anything you are paying off soon (eg. car/student loans), that you could keep writing that check, but put it toward your Disney account. 2) Eliminate the little stuff (some have already made the suggestions). I eliminated my Long Distance carrier (using phone cards for LD) and cut my phone bill in half. Go to the most basic cable, borrow movies from the Library, try to shave some money from the food budget . 3) then put the money in a high(er) intrest vehicle at your bank like a CD/MMA just make sure your maturity date is a month before your trip, so you have time to cash out the accounts. Good luck you can do $50 a week no problem. Just wondering is food and Airfare included in your budget?

 

[fam4jc]

canwegosoon. what a great name Oh, I've looked into most of those things you mentioned, and thank you for saying its doable. I panicked at first at the cost. Last time it grew with time. This time I started out HUGE

That figure does not include transportation there. I am hoping that we will fly on frequent flyer miles, but we are close enough to drive (11 hour drive).

I've booked the rooms on a regular package but i've already figured when I change to room only with AAA discount I'll save about a grand below the current quote. I think I mentioned that the cm I had was superb. She had to have been CRO not WDTC. She told me exactly how to do what I wanted this far in advance. I am also hoping for good ap rates for that time (with availability at CR) since we will be returning for camping at FW. If I can get the ap rates that might cut my costs down by as much as 400 and I can get the 2nd room for my DH's parents.

It's exciting to plan and makes me double check before I spend ANY money. That in and of itself is bound to save money in the long run.

I've made a little bit today on ebay. Not much but I'm happy with any extra. It's a little more work than I was expecting. I think I'd rather get a real job 2nd one that is

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts.
shellie