What Do You Give Up For Disney?

[WaltD4Me]

I thought of another thing!

I try really hard to stay off ebay! My big weakness there is Disney pins!
Less pins from ebay = more pins I can buy at Disney!

I also try to cut and USE coupons now. I can't tell you how many coupons I carry around but never use!

 

[cdrn1]

I give up a secure retirement! Not really, but kind of...I used to put all of my raises in my TDA but several years back when I acquired a granddaughter I decided to open a WDW account at my credit union. I started with a base amount and now all my raises go there instead of my retirement fund!!! Hey, I might get hit by a bus tomorrow! Seriously, I do make sure that I put plenty in my retirement but I also make sure I have plenty in the Disney fund.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

We cut back on dining out, now its only once a week, usually Friday evening.
No movie theater, or movie pop corn, with all that butter, even healthier,
have a auto deposit each payday for our Disney vacation acct, leaving less money to waist during the weekends.
only purchasing clothes when needed, bypass the wants, difficult but we try to stick to it,
try purchasing sale items and looking for sales items on larger purchases,
buy in bulk

 

[SmileMom]

DH and I do not exchange gifts with each other for birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. Our trip to Disney each year is a big enough gift for each of us.

 

[I Love Pluto]

DH and I do not exchange gifts with each other for birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. Our trip to Disney each year is a big enough gift for each of us.

That's what I was going to say, SmileMom. It works for us, too.

 

[SmileMom]

That's what I was going to say, SmileMom. It works for us, too.

 

[Evil Genius]

I've given up going out to eat for lunch. DH has given up his weekly allowance. Anything extra we get we split. Half to the checking account, half to the Disney fund.

 

[edk35]

I love your way of thinking. We have friends that have elaborate homes.....and can never go anywhere because of their high mortgages. I too get that feeling of "oh this house is just too small for us" but then I realize that we go to WDW often and I want to keep going as often as possible. SO then I am fine again. LOL

 

[Kim1964]

DH and I do not exchange gifts with each other for birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. Our trip to Disney each year is a big enough gift for each of us.

We're like this, too. Yesterday was our wedding anniversary, and we didn't even do cards. We're "giving" the kids the summer 2007 trip for Christmas, so I am scaling back on buying their gifts. Once they see "the big gift" they won't care that they aren't swimming in new stuff.

I also gave up my free time and took a part time job to help pay for the trip. My whole paycheck gets banked to the Disney fund.

 

[Boncho]

Instead of buying books I now get them from our local library and I have stopped buying clothes and shoes that I don't need. When my husband asks me what I want for my birthday or Christmas, I tell him - money towards our trip to Disney (my son and I go, Dad stays home as he's not a Disney nut like us). Since there is nothing I need or want, it works out well for both of us - I get money towards our trip and he doesn't have to spend hours in the stores, just long enough to help my son pick out a gift. Last year my husband bought me a book and put the bills in between the pages.

 

[BamaTigger]

1. Put everyday's loose change and one dollar bills in the DISNEY JUG. (to make that last payment dec 27th online for my ressies!!!)
2. STAY OUT OF WAL-MART as much as possible! .....get what i need and LEAVE.
3. No "RETAIL THERAPY"-meaning no out of the whim clothes shopping. I LOVE LEVI'S , (I have 40 pairs) and I am not buying any right now! No boot(I have a cowboy boot fetish too!) or shoe shopping!
4. Asking for CASH for Christmas!!!
5. Eating out less for lunches and lazy nights when I dont wanna cook
6. Doing without going out on Saturday nights!

BUT IT IS ALL WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[susan1]

my life as i used to know it

 

[MaryPA]

I work day shift and DH works night shift. We only see each other on weekends so we decided two years ago that vacations are a must. Of course vacation to us means Disney. Most of our friends say how can you afford to go to Disney so often? And all of them make more money than us.

We very rarely go to the movies - they go all of the time.
I cook and we bag lunch or eat in - they consistantly go out to dinner.
Most women I know get their nails done - a bottle of hard as nails works for me.
We have a vacation account - every week money goes in.
Our cars are paid off - granted they are getting older and someday they will have to get replaced.
Keep change/coins turn them in.
We joined DVC last year - which basically forces us to plan another vacation.

I am not trashing my friends - I was just trying to point out differences in saving money when you want something.

 

[lustergirl]

this thread obviously proves how much everyone appreciates their disney vacations. I guess you could say I give up some things:

I try not to be a "shopaholic" Boy do I love new shoes, lol.
We save every cent of change to our "disney jug"
I don't eat out as much- great for my diet anyways.

I work alot of overtime, I usually put in 58 to 60 hours a week so I don't really give up too much.

 

[jarrdisney]

I try (try is the key word) to not eat out as much.

I've been putting in more hrs at work and just got a raise!

DGF has curtailed her shopping.

I bought a used car.

I don't spend money on materialistic things.

 

[figmentfan1]

I give up bday and anniversary and little holiday gifts (like V-day) rather be at WDW.

I play the grocery game and run our household (toiletries, cleaners, groceries) on about $50 a week!!

www.grocerygame.com

(if you decide to join, pm me and I will give you a referral!)

JE

 

[CathrynRose]

We put off buying a new car and banked the money we saved on car payments (having just paid off our van) for Disney.

<~~~ Us too.

I have a 1995 Hyundai - which drives honestly great! It's a really good car *knock on wood* I'd only be GETTING a new car, to have a "new car"

So I figure, I drive my Hyundai - yet I get yearly + Disney Trips. Thats fine.

 

[RN01]

We give up a bigger house. Our house is just big enough to fit us, but we like it and our neighbors. We have looked at getting a bigger house a few times, sometimes very seriously. Then, I think the extra money for the house payment pays for my Disney trips.
I pick a small house and lots of Disney trips.
We have friends who have these great houses but travel very little, so everyone has their "thing" that makes them happy. Disney does it for us....

Oh, and we know a bigger house would be an investment, but we think of Disney trips as an investment in our happiness, family time, and a lifetime of memories.

I did the same thing a year ago. We had built a nice big house and I loved it. We lived there for 2 years then decided it wasn't worth it( well my husband did, I'm still trying to figure it out!! ). Now we are getting ready to take a 8 day DW vacation, everything is paid for, and I'm getting ready to quit work at the end of the year.
Anyways probably the easiest way I can think of to save for Disney is give up eating out. I kept track of it one month and we had spent $450 eating out. That is just not right!!

 

[Kim1964]

I thought of another thing I give up.....my annual trip to Las Vegas. I used to go every year with my sister, and we had a blast. I can't afford Disney and Las Vegas, and since Disney is for the whole family and Las Vegas was just for me, we go with the family vacation. It helps that my sister moved to Florida (about 40 minutes from WDW), so I still get to see her, too.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I have what I call my "singles and silver" bag. It is a canvass tote that I put not only my change into, but also any singles I have left at the end of the day.

My husband and I gave up ATMS many years ago, and have saved a bundle by not having the mindset of getting cash when we need it. We direct deposit my husband's check, and most of my check. I get a small check every other week and put about $175 into a vacation savings account and the rest is split between my husband and I for spending money. My latest money saving idea is that I get my "allowance" in 10 dollar bills. Then, I leave all of the 10's home except one in my wallet. I save alot of money this way! Usually by the time pay day comes again I still have $10-30 left! Of course this get rolled into a secret savings envelope that will be used on our trip.