What are your BEST TIPS for SAVINGS towards WDW??

[Marionnette]

and what is churning?

Using GCs from one merchant to purchase GCs from another merchant at a discount and then repeating the process. Read the Disney Gift Card Deals thread if you want to learn more.

 

[stayhomemom77]

We are in exactly the same boat...saving up for a down payment so we have to get creative when it comes to carving out some money for a vacation.

Here's what we do:

Any and all Found Money (money actually FOUND on the ground, in the car, in the washing machine etc) goes right into our vacation jar. Everyone in the family knows this policy and everyone contributes!

QuickRewards is a good website if you have the time to sit and take surveys. It takes a little time to get used to the whole thing but that rewards add up quickly and you can cash in for Disney gift cards.

I do that and another survey website that cashed out either to a paypal account or as a prepaid visa card. I get the prepaid visas and use those to buy gift cards for birthday gifts and whatnot and put the cash I would have used on them in the vacation account.

I also use my credit card rewards (free stuff at the grocery store) to get my food for free every once in so long and then toss the equivalent amount into the savings account. When I get $100 worth of groceries with points, that $100 from the food budget goes right to savings. It's amazing how fast that accumulates.

We also siphon off all "leftover" budget money to the savings account. I budget $50 a week for gasoline, $150 a week for groceries, $100 a month in MISC expenses and I take out $20 a week in cash for pocket money stuff (dollar store purchases, spur of the moment ice cream cones, etc). When we have anything left in those areas at the end of the week/month that hasn't been spent, it all goes into the vacation account.

Birthday money, Mother's Day money etc...whenever my parents or in laws give me cash, I put it in the vacation account.

Basically, we just divert all "excess" funds to our vacation account and watch the savings/earnings grow.

Good luck!

 

[pjlla]

When we wanted to take a "bonus" trip to DL 10 years ago (we were already heading out West for a wedding, but I desperately wanted to add a side trip to DL that was NOT in the budget), I knew I had to find a way to save money that was NOT designated for anything else. I had two small kids and was a SAHM with just a small at-home job that didn't offer much in the way of more hours.

The first thing I did was sign up as a Subsitute Teacher in my kids' school. It took a few weeks to get interviewed, finger printed, and background checked, but I started working immediately after all of that and worked pretty much as much as I wanted.

Then I made a poster/visual for the family that showed all of the "small" ways that we could save money around the house. I had examples like .....

skipping fast-food snacks for a month = $20 saved = 4 Mickey bars
using just ONE paper towel to dry hands x 4 people x 30 days = $2 saved = 8 pressed pennies

That's just an example, but we really buckled down, tightened up everywhere it was reasonable..... we live a fairly frugal lifestyle already, but I tried to look for ways that the whole family could contribute. And every time we "skipped" spending money somewhere I made sure I took the cash and put in an envelope for the trip.

These days I do things like grabbing side hustles whenever possible (recently made $80 helping someone empty their basement after a flood), taking extra work days when available (I work per diem), selling online (FB yard sales and occasionally Ebay), and BUYING very little and buying USED whenever I do need something. I also pack lunch for DS and myself EVERY SINGLE DAY without fail. I NEVER waste food either.... after our mortage, our food bill is our second biggest expense every month.... so if I can save money there, it is a big thing!

Anyhow, it can be done... good luck with the new house AND with your Disney savings!..................P

 

[kathy884]

If you value vacation and can swing it, I think the best thing to do is to make vacation a regular budget item that you contribute certain dollars to each paycheck. This lets you come up with something that is sensible and reasonable for you that fits with other expenses and savings goals.

 

[Lvsdisney]

I also save the "GCs with purchase" from target. For example, you get a $5 GC for buying $15 worth of specific groceries in this week's ad. I will put aside the $5 GC to purchase a Disney GC with later.

*Don't buy things you wouldn't normally bu, because that obviously negates the savings!!

 

[MickeynMinnie]

I use shop Kick and Ibotta .... Turn the kicks into target gift cards in return buy Disney gift cards. When i go to the mall i'll also buy a 25.00 gift card when i go into the Disney store. Its definitely easier to spend 25.00 at a time then pay off the room when i book!! lol Going in october!!