Tips for saving $$, for your Walt Disney VaCa!!

[shann0521]

I started an @ home business and all of my profit from that goes into our vacay fund! I can work it around my full time job and my kids schedules and the % I get is amazing. Has already paid for my AP's room and dining in 6 months! Now I have til May 18th to come up with spending money!

 

[pjlla]

Several years ago we got 7 months notice of a family wedding in NM. We wanted to attend and extend the trip to include a few days at the Grand Canyon and Disneyland.... but there was no money for it unless we started saving.

I made up a poster for the kitchen for everyone to see. I calculated (estimates) how much we could save by doing and not doing certain things.... and each of these amounts I put in terms of what it would buy at Disney.... for example....

Skip Mcdonalds three times/month = $30 = One adult meal at Goofy's Kitchen

Drink water instead of Diet Coke with dinner twice a week each month = $5 = Two Mickey ice cream treats

Use just one paper towel to dry hands after school x 1 month = $2= 1/2 gallon of gas for rental car to see Grand Canyon

ANYHOW... you get the idea. Wish I could find the poster at the moment, but I can't. I made sure that there were "big" ideas and "small" ideas and things that EVERYONE in the family could participate in.

This really helped make things real for the kids and they could see that NOT begging Mom for ___________ that day might equal a park ticket or a meal or a treat or even just a token for the highway!

HTH................P

 

[lizabu]

I'm not sure how it works in other countries but in Canada we have so called "smart meters" for measuring how much electricity you use. You are charged more during peak hours or something like that so confusing. Anyways, a friend of mine started doing laundry ony on weekends or after 9 pm and she saved $100 on her hydro bill in one month.

My method of saving may not work for everyone but my DH is in the construction industry and he spends a couple month each winter with no work. We get by on my income during those months. He went back to work March 1st and we decided we have been managing on my income so far. What if we just put his paychecks away? We now have an additional $3000 socked away and barely felt it. This idea could also work if a family member who didn't previously work took a new job or if you picked up a part time job and just pretend that money doesn't exist and sock it away.

I do the thing too where I ask myself would I rather have this or Disney? I always pack a lunch too and we rarely eat out. We'd rather BBQ than eat out most of the time anyways. I don't go anywhere either. If I went to the mall I'd probably en up spending money. I go to the grocery store with a list and I price match. I leave the kids home because I spend twice as much when they go shopping with me.

 

[mslory1]

Which "get paid to take surveys" is the best out there?,I've try some and they are a complete waste of time/scams.Any info will be greatly appreciate.

 

[yourMaire83]

I get Disney gc at the grocery store using all the money I save by couponing. Whatever is left from the grocery budget goes right onto a Disney gc immediately after my grocery purchase. Since the $ was already budgeted I don't even miss it and it goes right towards our trip

Love this idea! I don't think any of the grocery stores here in Utah have Disney gift cards, but I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. I like this idea so much, that if I can't find them at the grocery, maybe I could come home and do it online after I do the shopping??

I do have a Disney gift card, from my last trip, with like $12 on it... could they put money on it at the store?? Even if they don't carry those gift cards in the store? Maybe someone here has done it or they work at a store and have seen it done..?

I signed up with a site where I earn points and can trade them in for various things like amazon gift cards. So far I have earned $150 since Jan and will be able to cash in for another $25 on April 1st. It was free to sign up and most of the points I earn I just get from doing dearches like I would on google anyway .

Can someone PM me with the site they use to earn $ on the web...

 

[jgates]

I sent you guys some info - hopefully you will find it useful. The thought of attempting multiple surveys in a day can be a bit overwhelming but if you have some type & do it, it can really pay off.

We did cancel our home phone. We have to pay a premium to CenturyLink/Embarq for just internet (about $50/mo) but it is stlll cheaper than the phone/internet combo we had.

Being in a smaller more rural area we are sunk - only one phone/satellite provider, no coupon doubling, etc. Because of our small area we also only get about 4 coupons in a Sunday flyer - most all of it is ads. I have periodically bought lots of coupons I KNOW I will use from eBay. It still saves money, plus saves time LOL - I'm only bidding & I have my 'saved' auction search excluding all the stuff I don't want such as diapers, formula, dog food, etc.

One thing I can suggest is that if you aren't 100% on the Great Value (or equivalent store brand) of an item - try mixing it. I'm 'ok' with their 'manwich' sauce but would much rather have the name brand. So I make a double batch & buy one of each one. Other things such as toaster pastries taste fine.

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

Love this idea! I don't think any of the grocery stores here in Utah have Disney gift cards, but I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. I like this idea so much, that if I can't find them at the grocery, maybe I could come home and do it online after I do the shopping??

I do have a Disney gift card, from my last trip, with like $12 on it... could they put money on it at the store?? Even if they don't carry those gift cards in the store? Maybe someone here has done it or they work at a store and have seen it done..?



Can someone PM me with the site they use to earn $ on the web...

I sent you a PM

 

[pkjne]

I would love some information on the rewards programs that you are doing for points also. I don't mind doing them if they are worth it but if it takes forever to get enough points to get to $5 card it is not worth it
We leave for our vacation in October. My sister gave me the idea of this she is using this idea they leave for a cruise next month she said as soon as she booked the cruise she started saving her coins which I have read on here. Instead of digging for the change needed. Example like if it cost $1. 39 she will not dig for that .39 cents she will pay with $2 and then put the change in a VACATION BANK. Which we do that now and have the last couple trips we call it our DISNEY bank we usually end up with about $120 to $140 in there by the time we go which has been every two years now.
Anyway another thing she told me was this she said that she allows herself an allowence every payday. She said when it is close to the next paid day the following week if she has two dollars or three dollars she puts them in an envolope to save for vacation. I have started doing this the last month I have saved up $13 dollars so far..........so not to bad. So hopefully by October I will have a little nest for me to use for spending cash SMILE
Just a thought

Happy Saving

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

I would love some information on the rewards programs that you are doing for points also. I don't mind doing them if they are worth it but if it takes forever to get enough points to get to $5 card it is not worth it

I sent you a PM

 

[Saffire]

I'm doing the ebay and craigslist selling too and buying Gift cards with the money we make.

Also 'killing two birds..' by Disney vacation Easter baskets for the kids. It will include many things I was going to bring already and easter is only 2 weeks before our trip.

 

[karice2]

I am going in May and again in December. For the December trip, I am doing a lot more saving because it will be an extended trip with family.

So far here is what I have done.

1. Did my own painting in the bathroom and kitchen
2. Bring my own coffee. Even took an extra coffee pot to DBF house since he doesn't have one.
3. Use what is in my freezer and fridge.
4. Make my own compost for my yard.
5. Catagorize all my tools and supplies for home projects. This has been a huge saver for me. Dad and I would just go out and get the new screwdriver if we couldn't find the one we needed.
6. Find things around the house that I have already purchased for renovation and install instead of buying something all over again.
7. Sell stuff from closed business that would be useful to someone else.
8. Get an extra wear out of some dry cleaned articles.
9. Make my own desserts and snacks.
10. Send in my receipts for my gym memberships to my company.

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

I forgot to add DH and I try to use cash as much as possible and we never spend coins. It all goes straight in a jar. DH also had someone tell him something we are going to start doing is don't spend ones. He did it as a truck driver, any ones he got back as change he put in a toiletries bag on the dash so he would always have toll money. So I think this is going to be a new challenge DH and I are going to start doing, expect putting it into a jar instead of a toiletries bag on the dash lol

I do the same thing. I never spend my change or $1 bills. They all go in a big bank in my room that is HARD to get into so there is no temptation to sneak ones out of it. Last year I started doing this just a couple months before the trip and was SHOCKED by how much I had saved up. I started doing this as soon as we got home from the last trip, so I will have a years worth of $1s and changed saved up for our next trip in October!

 

[mslory1]

I sent you guys some info - hopefully you will find it useful. The thought of attempting multiple surveys in a day can be a bit overwhelming but if you have some type & do it, it can really pay off.

We did cancel our home phone. We have to pay a premium to CenturyLink/Embarq for just internet (about $50/mo) but it is stlll cheaper than the phone/internet combo we had.

Being in a smaller more rural area we are sunk - only one phone/satellite provider, no coupon doubling, etc. Because of our small area we also only get about 4 coupons in a Sunday flyer - most all of it is ads. I have periodically bought lots of coupons I KNOW I will use from eBay. It still saves money, plus saves time LOL - I'm only bidding & I have my 'saved' auction search excluding all the stuff I don't want such as diapers, formula, dog food, etc.

One thing I can suggest is that if you aren't 100% on the Great Value (or equivalent store brand) of an item - try mixing it. I'm 'ok' with their 'manwich' sauce but would much rather have the name brand. So I make a double batch & buy one of each one. Other things such as toaster pastries taste fine.

Im signing up both sites,thanks for sharing the info

 

[DisneyDreamer04]

Can someone please pm me the websites for surveys and such?? I would love to start doing that even if it took me two years to pay for a trip.. A trip is a trip

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

message sent

 

[Whistle]

Please PM me the sites (survey) as well as well as any other pertintant information. Thank you!!!

 

[princesslvr]

Here's my little tip, my DD (6) has a serious case of the gimme-gimme's sometimes, well when she asks for something I'll say do you want x item or do you want to go back to Disney? Sometimes she has to think about it for a minute but she always says no, I want to go to Disney. She is very spoiled, but she's starting to show it at this age, so now I'm trying to give her choices and she is starting to understand a little about impulse control I ask myself the same question, do you really want or need this? or do you want to go to Disney, really makes me think about my spending habits.

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

The bulk of our upcoming June WDW vacation is paid for by DH's bonus he got in March. We are also DVC members, so villa was already paid for. We got YES tickets with DH's bonus.

This is what we have been doing for gas (we are driving), hotel on the way there and back (it's about an 18-hour drive and I won't let DH do it straight through), and food/souvenir money:

Got a letter from Capital One with an offer of $200 for a new account with direct deposit. DH got a part-time job at Car Max and we have this money direct deposited into the CO account. That is also our vacation account.

USAA - our main bank - we get reward points when we use our debit card as credit. We have accumulated over $125 so far (since about July or so) and should have $200 by the time the trip rolls around.

Change jar - NEVER use change. We have been doing this probably for about 4 months, just went to Capital One to count it on Saturday (they have a free change counter for account holders) and there was $150 in there. We also put any "FOUND" money in there. (DH did a focus/research group study and got $100, we sold our old iPhones and got $220, etc.) We just deposited about $530 from this jar on Saturday. Will keep doing it until the trip, but we were anxious to see how much was in there so far.

My Points - I do all the click-thru e-mails and surveys, etc. and earn at least a $10 GC per month on average. I have gift cards for Cracker Barrel (will use on the drive there and/or back), Chilis/On The Border/etc - also will use on the drive there and/or back), Subway GC, etc. Also got a $25 Disney GC from Sunshine Rewards.

Swagbucks - Just started doing this last month, and earned $15 Amazon GC in my first month. Not sure if I can use that credit to buy other GC or not. If not, I will use it for something else we need and then turn around and take that amount that would have come from our general budget and put it into the WDW fund.

DH's part-time job at Car Max - right now, all of that is going into the WDW fund. After the trip, it will help pay for our trip to Vegas for our girls' dance competition - nationals.

Costco - we are "executive" members and earn 2% back on all of our purchase. We should get a check for about $100 or so probably about a month before our trip. Since we have the DVC villa with kitchen, we will hit up Costco when we get there and get some of their "ready to bake" type meals to save on dining costs. (For 7 of us, it costs A LOT to eat out at Disney!)

Oh, some of my My Points GC are for Panera Bread, which we will use to get bagels and cream cheese for breakfasts in the villa.

We would have a garage sale if we could, but our HOA doesn't allow garage sales.

 

[newmrsmurphy]

Could someone PM me the sites for the surveys as well?

 

[Natalie's Mommy]

i get cash back on all my discover card purchases so i put EVERYTHING possible on that card to get paid back to buy the stuff i need to anyways like gas, cell phone bill, groceries, cable bill....you name it i put it on the card! if i could pay my mortage with that card i would!!!