Quick way to save money for your trip!

[cwhite92]

Anyone have any suggestions for ways to save money for a trip that's in a couple of weeks? I'm bad with saving and now I'm freaking out!!

 

[verleniahall]

tighten your budget - you won't have to purchase gas or groceries while you are gone so you will not have to budget for those

no eating out until you leave

have a garage sale

 

[MouseLover]

Eat cheap at home:
Beans & cornbread
Soup
Scrambled eggs & toast
Meatless spaghetti+sauce
Sandwiches
Veggies
Rotisserie chicken from deli plus your own sides

 

[monica9]

We aren't going to have a birthday party for our daughter but instead hoping to go to Disney instead. It was her idea and will save us about $500.

 

[gmboy95]

use the Disney savings account...I set it up to come out of my account on the day i get paid....i then just subtract what i save from my salary, and assume that what i make each week....then at the end of the year i have enough for our passes and most of my spending money

 

[Marionnette]

Anyone have any suggestions for ways to save money for a trip that's in a couple of weeks? I'm bad with saving and now I'm freaking out!!

• Figure out where you waste money and give it up for the next couple of weeks.
• Dig out your old electronics and video games and sell them to Best Buy in exchange for a BB GC. Use the GC to purchase a Disney GC.
• If you have GCs laying around that you know you won't use, trade them in for cash at a CoinStar, Walmart, Target.
• Pawn a few items.
• Sell your plasma.
• Reduce the number of days you are going. Remove hopping. Take a day off your tickets. Change to a cheaper hotel. Cancel a few ADRs.
• Postpone your trip until you have the money to pay for it.

 

[Marionnette]

use the Disney savings account...I set it up to come out of my account on the day i get paid....i then just subtract what i save from my salary, and assume that what i make each week....then at the end of the year i have enough for our passes and most of my spending money

OP leaves in 2 weeks. I don't think that this will help her this time.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Wow, that's not much time. Obviously I don't know your home situation but I'd suggest you avoid all stores between now and leaving time. You can't really alter your responsibilities (bills) now but you can severely cut back on consumables. Make a pact to not enter a grocery store/WalMart etc.. and feed your family from whatever you have in the freezer/pantry. (If your kids need milk that's different)
Absolutely no entertainment or restaurant expenses between now and then.
Search your home for gift cards you may have forgotten about it.
Cash in your loose change if you collect it.

 

[Anomaly711]

Yeah, just cut out everything extra. Maybe sign up to be an Uber driver for the next couple weeks. What about having a last minute blowout yard sale? Or selling some items on craigslist or ebay? If you put your balance on the Disney Chase Visa you have 6 months to pay with no interest and you get money towards your next vacation. Good luck.

 

[570traveler]

Yeah, just cut out everything extra. Maybe sign up to be an Uber driver for the next couple weeks. What about having a last minute blowout yard sale? Or selling some items on craigslist or ebay? If you put your balance on the Disney Chase Visa you have 6 months to pay with no interest and you get money towards your next vacation. Good luck.

Just signed up and received a Disney Visa. Are you saying that I can put the remainder of my balance for my November trip on the card and get zero percent interest on that for 6 months???

 

[Marionnette]

Just signed up and received a Disney Visa. Are you saying that I can put the remainder of my balance for my November trip on the card and get zero percent interest on that for 6 months???

Yes, if it is a Disney MYW package, ABD package or DCL cruise. If it is room-only or an "agency exclusive" package, then the answer is no.

You still need to make the minimum payment during those 6 months.

 

[570traveler]

Yes, if it is a Disney MYW package, ABD package or DCL cruise. If it is room-only or an "agency exclusive" package, then the answer is no.

You still need to make the minimum payment during those 6 months.

Awesome! Yes we booked a free dining package directly from Disney. We plan on having it paid off by the time we go so this will give us one more month (or more if we need it) to pay it off. Thanks so much for the info

 

[pjlla]

Check around for uncashed checks (yes, I sometimes have those), unused gift cards (you can sell them), or little bits of money in old bank accounts you meant to close out. Does any one owe you money or do you have a reimbursement due from school, work, or church?

Do you have anything available to consign? Our local kids resale shop gives same-day-cash if you bring things in that they want. It isn't always much.... last time I brought in a bag they only took about 20% of what I brought.... but I went home with $39 in my hand.

I also recently cashed out my Upromise account.... not much, but $20 in my hand! And I'm going to check my Paypal account tonight. I go through spurts of selling online intensely and then not for a while and I tend to forget about my Paypal money.

Eat from the cupboard/pantry, fridge, freezer, and garden. Every penny you don't spend at the market over the next two weeks can go into the vacation fund! Skip the meat and eat rice and beans all week.... find a creative way to use up that stuff in the pantry that is getting dusty. If you usually eat lunch out on work days, brown-bag it for the week.

Do some metal recycling, babysitting, tailoring.... whatever talent you have and time you have available to make some extra money.

I leave for DL in less than 30 days and while I've been planning this for months, I'm still scrambling to earn/save every penny possible!.......P

 

[agavegirl1]

Check around for uncashed checks (yes, I sometimes have those), unused gift cards (you can sell them), or little bits of money in old bank accounts you meant to close out. Does any one owe you money or do you have a reimbursement due from school, work, or church?

Do you have anything available to consign? Our local kids resale shop gives same-day-cash if you bring things in that they want. It isn't always much.... last time I brought in a bag they only took about 20% of what I brought.... but I went home with $39 in my hand.

I also recently cashed out my Upromise account.... not much, but $20 in my hand! And I'm going to check my Paypal account tonight. I go through spurts of selling online intensely and then not for a while and I tend to forget about my Paypal money.

Eat from the cupboard/pantry, fridge, freezer, and garden. Every penny you don't spend at the market over the next two weeks can go into the vacation fund! Skip the meat and eat rice and beans all week.... find a creative way to use up that stuff in the pantry that is getting dusty. If you usually eat lunch out on work days, brown-bag it for the week.

Do some metal recycling, babysitting, tailoring.... whatever talent you have and time you have available to make some extra money.

I leave for DL in less than 30 days and while I've been planning this for months, I'm still scrambling to earn/save every penny possible!.......P

This post is sensible for your situation. Definately avoid all stores! Check you inventory of stuff at home. I used to make a Target run before every trip and ended up with duplicate stuff like sample size shampoo or laundry supplies that were already prepackaged for travel hiding in a drawer. You need to eat up the perishables anyway so make a menu plan that fits the pantry and freezer. You may need a few things like milk or bread but you don't need much. Enjoy the trip!

 

[teller80]

We aren't going to have a birthday party for our daughter but instead hoping to go to Disney instead. It was her idea and will save us about $500.

While I'm the first to admit I'm cheap, this seems a bit extreme to me (both skipping having a birthday party for my child and it costing $500) in order to go on vacation. How old is your daughter? Couldn't you just dial her birthday party down a bit instead?

 

[monica9]

While I'm the first to admit I'm cheap, this seems a bit extreme to me (both skipping having a birthday party for my child and it costing $500) in order to go on vacation. How old is your daughter? Couldn't you just dial her birthday party down a bit instead?

Yea of course I could. She's our only disinter so $500 isn't really that much for once a year. She has a small grade so there are about 20 girlfriends she gets along with and doesn't want to leave anyone out. We also have about 10 nieces and nephews. To rent a place in the state we live to have a party is usually no less than $250-300 and that's for maybe only 10-15kids. I live in an expensive state, plus food, decorations and party favors. I'm not complaining on the price so not sure what you're getting at. My daughter was also the one who suggested saving for a trip instead of a party so it's not like we are depriving her by not giving her a party. Just a suggestion on ways to save money. She's 8 years old

 

[pjlla]

Just had another thought that might be helpful. How about taking some of your available cash and buying discounted Disney gift cards at Sam's? It wouldn't save a lot, but if you already head to Sam's for anything, it might help (just don't buy more than you will use...no sense in having your cash tied up indefinitely). I believe that the least you can buy is $150/worth for about $145... not a big savings, but if you are staying at a Disney resort and could use it to pay for your room (or at least part of it), it may be helpful. And of course, they can be used in the parks for food and souvenirs.

I'm going to grab just a few for my trip to Disneyland. We only need "Disney"money to pay for food and souvenirs (staying off-site and park tickets are already purchased), but even $5 extra would be nice! Plus I bought a new iPhone at Sam's yesterday and it came with a gift card so I can use that to pay for it!..............P

 

[Aliceacc]

The only way to have more money in your wallet is to spend less elsewhere.

What money do you typically spend that you could opt to save instead? Try putting only $5 emergency money in your wallet-- no credit card, no debit card. See how many days you can make it last.

But honestly, if you're at the point where money is a real issue, maybe you want to reconsider the trip?

 

[HarleenQ]

Yea of course I could. She's our only disinter so $500 isn't really that much for once a year. She has a small grade so there are about 20 girlfriends she gets along with and doesn't want to leave anyone out. We also have about 10 nieces and nephews. To rent a place in the state we live to have a party is usually no less than $250-300 and that's for maybe only 10-15kids. I live in an expensive state, plus food, decorations and party favors. I'm not complaining on the price so not sure what you're getting at. My daughter was also the one who suggested saving for a trip instead of a party so it's not like we are depriving her by not giving her a party. Just a suggestion on ways to save money. She's 8 years old

Totally backing you on this. My kids would have suggested the same.

They both actually said if we'd take them to Universal they'd be cool if we counted it as 2 gifts each for Christmas (we have a 5 gift rule) and they're about the same age. Some kids just get we can't so,everything and prioritize.

 

[Nancyg56]

We use up everything in our pantry. I do not like to toss food, so I use what we have, and the weeks prior to vacation I "shop" out of the cabinets and freezer, and make sure we use our leftovers. This is where I can increase my spending money. Less on one thing gives me more in Disney.

If you want to cushion your budget, then you could do as was suggested earlier. Use this opportunity to sell things you do not need or use. My DS was injured in a car accident and has been out of work. He said that he has been sorting his shelves out and has sold things he did not even remember that they owned. My OCD son now has his shelves in order and some extra cash for their extras.