What strategies do you use to save for your Disney trip?

[discorsner]

I was wondering what people could share as their best savings strategies for their trips?

I have heard where some save all their change, others save a 5 dollar bill anytime them get one, others clip coupons and put the amount they save on their trip....etc.

What fun or unique thing do you do to get to your savings goal quicker?

 

[laurafergie]

We do save all our change and any "found" money is automatic vacation money. Also some of the tax return will go into the fund.

But the main thing we do to be able to afford any vacation, not just Disney - is to pay into the Vacation Savings Account every month like a bill. I pay $175 a month into the account. This allows us (a family of 7) to be able to go on a paid in advance vacation.

 

[jessp1021]

Glad you asked this bc I would like to get some ideas too! We rarely ever use cash but I think I am going to start using it instead of the debit card (so we are more aware of what we are spending!) and all of the change we get will go into a jar for vacation money. Once we get our taxes back after paying credit cards off anything extra will go towards it as well..we aren't going until next November so I am determined to have the trip paid for before we go as well as the rental car and money we will need when we go down there.

 

[Swmr359]

I have a weekend job teaching swim lessons. Now that I have a weekday job; the swim lesson paycheck is going straight to Disney! I'm also thinking getting cash on payday and using that as spending money instead of plastic, whatever change I get back will go into a jar for Disney spending money.

 

[mward73]

I don't have a Disney fund by itself, but I get a certain amount of cash out each week (I charge groceries and gas, but that's it and we pay the cc off each month). Any leftover money at the end of the week goes into a huge water jug in the bedroom. Also, any money that I get from selling things on Craigslist, Ebay, etc goes into the jug.

 

[2Tiggers]

We have a seperate vacation savings account that we throw extra money in. I went back to work 2 days a week and we put that money in the account. We save change, my husband is better at that than me. I always use change when buying things. I try and buy used and save the difference. Those are the main things we do.

 

[erinmomof2]

I do the coupon thing. The way I'm doing it is that I had a set budget each week for groceries, I recently decided to challenge myself to spend significantly less each week using coupons. I'm pocketing the difference for our vacation fund. We save change, and I do online surveys and rewards programs and that money is for our vacation fund too. I take clothes to consignment stores and that adds a little too. It adds up slowly, but all the little things do make a difference.

 

[quentina]

I go to the bank and buy 50 cent pieces and the $1.00 coins. When I go to a convenience store, which is ofter as I work for one, I ask for my change in the 1.00 coins...they always have them.

I put them in a jar and they really add up. It is not unusual for me to have $2000 worth in a year.

I then go to TD bank and put in the coin counting machine.

Quick and easy.

Otherwise, I just make payments!

 

[Rantybaby]

- is to pay into the Vacation Savings Account every month like a bill. I pay $175 a month into the account. This allows us (a family of 7) to be able to go on a paid in advance vacation.

With 3 young adult I'm asking for your help. My godbrother (24) wants to join me in Jan 2011 on a 6 nights/7 days trip. I told him, he must cover his ENTIRE air fare (he's in CA-I'm in TX) , and half of his share ($400) room, tickets & dining before 12/1. He then has until June 2011 to pay ME the balance (remaining $400). Is this a good idea?

 

[boyzrus]

I also put money in an account for vacation. The grocery store that I shop at has Disney gift cards and I have been buying the $25 ones with my weekly shopping. We also do the change thing. Every little bit helps!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Every payday we each have $25 automatically put into a savings acct that we only use for vacations. Plus we save pocket change.

If you have a Disney visa you can charge your vacation and you have 6 months to pay it off interest free!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I use my Disney Visa for everything, and get a lot of reward points with that. I also do a bunch of the paid survey sites, mypoints, etc, and all the money or gift cards I get from that are used for Disney.

I do a ton of couponing and rebating, but I don't save the difference as Disney money.

 

[SDSorority]

we by disney gift cards from kroger and get money off of our gasoline. this also spreads out the cost of a trip over time.

 

[tracylmartins]

Every payday I buy a $25 or $50 Disney giftcard from Walgreens and save it for our next Disney trip. We usually use them to pay for our meals or souvenirs. We are now saving them to use on a DCL cruise in Nov, 2011.

 

[leebee]

We go to Disney every other year so I have time to save up my Disney rewards points on my Disney VISA card. I put everything on the card- gas, food, store/restaurant purchases, monthly medical payment (fixed payment to local hospital), some of my regular bills... everything possible, and we pay it off in full every month. This adds up to over $1000 in free money every 2 years. It's only a great deal if you pay off the credit card bill IN FULL EVERY MONTH so you don't pay interest charges. This is easy, doesn't take any time (like surveys), and less confusing than couponing... and it really is free money!

Gee... imagine the rewards dollars I'd have if I could charge my mortgage!

 

[Shelli_5]

We just had a garage sale & raised $400 for our next Disney trip.

 

[Catira]

I try and add up how much money we will need for our disney vacation. I divide the amount by the weeks until my trip date. For example, if I need $3000 and I have 52 weeks, I put away $58 each week. As someone else mentioned, garage sale profits, and disney reward card points.

 

[laurafergie]

With 3 young adult I'm asking for your help. My godbrother (24) wants to join me in Jan 2011 on a 6 nights/7 days trip. I told him, he must cover his ENTIRE air fare (he's in CA-I'm in TX) , and half of his share ($400) room, tickets & dining before 12/1. He then has until June 2011 to pay ME the balance (remaining $400). Is this a good idea?

Only you can answer that. Is he a responsible person? There may be difficulties in your horizon. Are you prepared to cover if he doesn't pay up? Are you prepared to cancel too?

My situation is a little different, as all my young adults are my children. We tend to pay for the vacation itself, like lodging, food and tickets and ONE form of transportation. (By that I mean, this coming trip we are driving, but the older ones want their own car - they are paying for their own gas) The older ones will pay for their own parking, gas, lunch out, (we bring our own lunch to the parks) dinner out, (we eat in most nights at the condo) spending money and any extra activities.

 

[jessp1021]

With the Disney rewards it seems like my rewards don't really ever add up I really like the idea of buying the Disney giftcards but my question would be can you use those towards paying for the actual trip?? We will do the dining plan when we go and have a $25 souvenir limit next year so we wouldn't need them for food! I think after Christmas I may see if I can set up an account at our bank to save a little from each check. I also like taking the total amount we will need and dividing it by the weeks until we goes..great suggestions..keep them coming!

 

[DVCsince02]

Each time I go to the grocery store, I buy a Disney gift card. I've accumulated over $500 this year.