Stashing the cash...

[rchristiansen]

We have a safe here at home and we keep an envelope of cash in it for our spending money for our trips. We feed it every so often throughout the year. When our trip approaches we have a bunch of cash ready to go! The cash comes from these types of activities:

Little refunds from bills that we overpaid and didn't realize it -- Like insurance co-pays, car insurance, etc. Like this weekend we got a check back from the the health insurance for $35 after our annual physicals because preventative visits were covered. We didn't realize that and paid the co-pay.

Stuff we sell on ebay or craigslist. We don't sell a lot on it, but we're those type of people that don't keep a lot of junk around house. So when we're done with it and realize we don't need it anymore, we'll sell it. One year that amounted to $400!

There is a market research firm in our area and we sometimes qualify for focus groups. I got $85 last time.

My husband also does a few website update jobs that make a little extra cash. We cash those checks and put them in the safe.

What do you do?

 

[sk!mom]

Call me paranoid but your user name sounds like a real name and you have a picture that I assume is you and list a location, given all of that I wouldn't post that I keep large amounts of cash in the house even in a safe.

That said, we keep savings, safe, in a bank and earning interest.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Since July 1, 2010, I've saved $2278 for my "fun fund" (AKA this year's trip to Disneyland). I earned it from recycling cans and bottles, doing online surveys, collecting and cashing in coins, selling an exercise bike we weren't using, knitting and selling scarves and saving Christmas and birthday money from my parents. I'm hoping to make it an even $3000 by the time we take our trip in July or August. However, I don't keep it lying around in cash. That would be too scary! I keep it in our savings account, but I carefully keep track of how much belongs to the fun fund.

 

[rchristiansen]

Call me paranoid but your user name sounds like a real name and you have a picture that I assume is you and list a location, given all of that I wouldn't post that I keep large amounts of cash in the house even in a safe.

That said, we keep savings, safe, in a bank and earning interest.

Good point - I've had this username since the invention of the internet and never changed it. But point well taken

I'm talking about the petty cash - not the whole trip budget. I keep that safe in an online ING account. But our fun money for tips/snacks/souvenirs, etc that's what I keep at home in an envelope - in a little safe, in case of water damage, etc.

I agree, I would never keep large sums of cash. I'm one of those people that gets nervous driving to the bank with an already-endorsed paycheck.

 

[Carlyzmom]

I'm a "Dave Ramsey" budget kinda girl! I have planned this year to REALLY try to cut my grocery budget - with sales, coupons, planning, etc. I am going to try to cut my spending, then what's left for that week, I'm going to stash in my vacation "envelope". It will give me incentive to spend less! I hope I can pile up some cash this way. It's kind of like a game to me - to see how much I can save up!

 

[rchristiansen]

I have planned this year to REALLY try to cut my grocery budget - with sales, coupons, planning, etc.

One way we plan is by using Peapod grocery delivery service. It's not available everywhere, but it REALLY saves you money. People may argue that with a delivery fee and tip is actually costs more. However you can see the total in your cart as you shop. I make a list of meals for 7 days and then take an hour and "shop" at Peapod. You can't really impulse buy that way.

If you don't have that sort of service, planning meals is a great way to go. I've also planned out TONS of extra fruits and veggies, rather than starches - which helps with the waistline too.

One month I didn't do peapod and I didn't plan - I spent probably $200 more and gained 2 pounds.

 

[ah1126]

One thing I do is when I get cash back on payday, I get an extra $20 for our vacation fund. It isn't a lot, but it adds up!

 

[Brer Shay]

I do many of the same things as OP. One of the other additions is putting in rebate check money. Bought a case of paper, got a $27 rebate; bought a new refrigerator, got a $50 rebate; etc.. It adds up well enough to cover food and sometimes part of tickets for the trips. Yeah!!!

 

[disneychic2]

DH and I are Dave Ramsey disciples also. We have a budget that includes vacation. But, as most pp stated, I stash away "found" money to take each trip as extra. It's fun to watch it grow. Last year we had a garage sale. This year, I'm just stashing a little of our "entertainment" money in my Disney envelope as well as any left over food money. It's nice to take a vacation that is already paid for in full.

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

We have a 5 gal. water jug that we put all our silver into. And another smaller one that pennies go into.We don't spend any change. Believe it or not it adds up fast. The first time we did this we saved a little over $900 in no time at all. For every day I don't buy my breakfast out I put another $5.00 in the vaca fund.
DH and I both do focus groups and all of that money goes into an envelope. We have an annual tag sale at a family members house and that goes into vaca fund. My DD also sells drinks and baked goods at the tag sale. She posts a sign that says "Help me go to Disney World". That money goes in her vacation stash.
I also make and sell holiday candies. Most of the time that goes in.
Now that we are getting back more of our SS in payroll I have desided to put that extra away each week.
We are a cash only family. I refuse to pay for any vaction with a cc. Our trips are always paid for with "stashed money". Nothing comes out of earnings.

 

[DaniB]

We have a 5 gal. water jug that we put all our silver into. And another smaller one that pennies go into.We don't spend any change. Believe it or not it adds up fast. The first time we did this we saved a little over $900 in no time at all.

I agree. It certainly adds up! I read this tip previously so I started a "Disney Jug" Jan 1st.

For January we ended up with just over $100! All our change, and literally found money. Cleaning out my "junk" cupboard, I found US bills and a Disney gift card from our last trip. That sure gave our Disney Jug a kick start!

At the end of each month I'm going to put the money into our US account. Otherwise I'm afraid we'll justify *why* we need to *borrow* some money from the Disney Jug.

 

[Mom2Ben02]

I have an ING online account that is designated for WDW. However, it is currently holding $0.01 - because we leave one month from tomorrow!!

We currently have a cash jar going through one last fill-up, for spending money (air, hotel, tickets, free dining all paid for and ready to go!). We have a big bunch of change (prob $100 worth), my bunco winnings ($30!), some other cash from some of my CL items I have sold, etc. Between that, Disney gift cards, Discover cash back that should hit my account tomorrow (I am figuring we will have $75ish), etc - should end up with $500 for me, DH & DS7months to buy souvenirs, tips, misc airport meals, etc...and $70 each for DS8 and DD6. I am thrilled by that amount, since none of it came out of our account

 

[rchristiansen]

my bunco winnings ($30!)

LOL! I will try harder at Bunco now - good idea!

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

I agree. It certainly adds up! I read this tip previously so I started a "Disney Jug" Jan 1st.

For January we ended up with just over $100! All our change, and literally found money. Cleaning out my "junk" cupboard, I found US bills and a Disney gift card from our last trip. That sure gave our Disney Jug a kick start!

At the end of each month I'm going to put the money into our US account. Otherwise I'm afraid we'll justify *why* we need to *borrow* some money from the Disney Jug.

LOL. See I'm more apt. to "borrow" from it if it's in an acct. We just let the change build up.

 

[DaniB]

LOL. See I'm more apt. to "borrow" from it if it's in an acct. We just let the change build up.

Heh. Yes, I can totally see us blowing the money if it was attached to our debit card. Luckily our US account account isn't. I'm not even sure if we could attach it if we wanted to.

The number of times that hubby tells me he borrowed money out of the kids' money jars on the fridge though... (sigh)

 

[JKMJ441724]

Everytime I take my lunch to work, I put $8 in a piggy bank. I figure that's what I would have spent on lunch.

 

[disneymarie]

When I was at home our home was burglarized. They got the coin collections in the night stands, piggy banks, some jewlery, but the silver coins and larger coins were in the peanut brittle and coffee cans in the pantry untouched.

I do that too. I have a safe in the home. one lock box that could walk off, and the other attached to the floor. But having a hidden can with just the odd amount on hand has never had a problem as long as no one uses the tea can and I am not telling where it is....gosh I could be gone and they toss out old tea and get rid of nominal cash....better tell them in my will.
Right now it is now to coins, but hope it can grow again soon.

 

[Leshaface]

When I was at home our home was burglarized. They got the coin collections in the night stands, piggy banks, some jewlery, but the silver coins and larger coins were in the peanut brittle and coffee cans in the pantry untouched.

I do that too. I have a safe in the home. one lock box that could walk off, and the other attached to the floor. But having a hidden can with just the odd amount on hand has never had a problem as long as no one uses the tea can and I am not telling where it is....gosh I could be gone and they toss out old tea and get rid of nominal cash....better tell them in my will.
Right now it is now to coins, but hope it can grow again soon.

Omgosh you were AT home when you were robbed?!? How scary!!!

Let's see...I just recently started up an ING account and deposited $547.00 (change and bills for 6 months )...Every month $100 will go into the ING account and any cash I make from cleaning an office ($50 X twice a month= $100 a month!) plus any cash/coin that is leftover from our grocery envelope!! So far looking good!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I tutor ($40/month)
I buy old textbooks and sell them on amazon
I also save all the change from laundry (I do it all for my whole family)

I tend to store most of it in a fun monkey bank because I swear it smiles when I put money in. I also keep some of it in my moms safe because then I cant spend it, without justifying why I want it.