We have to travel from Hawaii to get to DL or WDW, so everytime we leave the house, it costs us bucks! So we always go for at least a week, otherwise, it really doesn't make sense to pay to go.
Things I do:
1. I do a "high" and a "low" budget. The high budget is based on no discounts, staying at an expensive hotel, high estimates for food and spending money. The low budget is closer to bare bones. Then as we get closer and make ressies, I adjust the budget.
2. I won't go if I can't save enough to make the low budget figure, but I always strive to save enough to make the high budget.
3. We do not travel on credit because we have done that in the past and it's too painful to pay off.
4. We do at least one garage sale and use it to pay off ground transportation and splurges.
5. We bring water bottles into the park.
6. We try to eat outside of the park.
7. We have not stayed on property at either DL or WDW, well unless you count staying at DLH about 33 years ago. When we go to WDW in 2008/9, we would like to stay at AKL, but only if we can get a good discount. We will stay the majority of the time in a vacation rental home. When we go to DL, we stay at Embassy Suites or Residence Inn because they have a free cook-to-order breakfast and reception (plus 2 rooms for the price of one!). I am willing stay someplace cheap(er) if I have to.
8. We use our FFM as much as possible and look for air fare sales. We do not pay rack rate for anything.
9. We save for vacations AFTER we put away money for retirement, college and emergency funds.
10. I do a lot of what other people here do too - coin jar, save dollar bills, ebay, etc. This discussion board is a great source of information and inspiration.
Mahalo!
