Some of my money saving tips and advice that's worked for me About This Page:

[Lynne O.]

Let's face it...travelling to WDW can be very expensive. Even if you decide to stay at a value resort, the $$$$ adds up (ka ching ka ching $$). I NEVER dreamed that I would be going to WDW this November...let alone be able stay at a deluxe resort. I was laid off almost 2 years ago due to the sluggish economy and haven't really been able to find decent work since (I've been working part-time as a temp and work has not been steady at all). More than anything, I really needed my Disney fix! My last trip was Dec of 1999..much to long to be away from my beloved Disney friends! So, I needed to come up with a good plan..a plan that would enable me to save a little faster than normal. Here's how I did it:

1. Had the kids save up their own allowances, along with their birthday gift money, Christmas gift money, and any other money they were given (grandparents are always giving them money to put into piggy banks for getting good report cards, etc.). I had a talk with my kids and said "you really do not need any more toys that end up at the bottom of the toybox..so why not save your money for something great..like a Disney trip!" And they were all for it. In a little less than one year, they saved enough money for their own plane tickets and some sit-down character meals!!

2. Get a "change jar/bottle". Each day or week, we would all place left over pennies, dimes and nickels (sometimes dollar bills) in a large container or bottle. Every month I would empty it and roll the coins. You would be surprised how fast these turn into dollars! So far those saved coins has enabled me to put aside tip money for mousekeeping and bellman services and to pay for my refillable mugs and e-ride tickets!

3. Clean out your closets, drawers, basement and garage and have a yard sale. Again, you'll be surprised at this money making adventure. And if you don't sell everything the first time, then have another yard sale (my neighbor has one about every month and always gets customers!) Again, that money will add up!

4. Yard Sale not your style? Then try to sell those items on EBAY. That's what I do. I'm an avid EBAY seller, and this is how I've saved ALOT of my money to go on my trip. I sell all kinds of things..mostly items my kids have outgrown such as books, games, CD's, clothing, toys and much much more. You would be surprised what people would buy and pay (I picked up a set of model kits at a flea market for about $3.00..and turned around and sold them on EBAY for $45!!). So, with this EBAY money I made, I was able to put a nice little "chunk" towards my vacation package.

5. Did you get a tax refund? Consider using it towards your trip. I know...this is a personal issue. Many people who do receive a tax refund want to pay off bills, do some home improvements, buy a new car, etc. But, I look at it this way: family quality time and togetherness is the most important thing to me. So I decided to put aside those home improvement projects for another time and take a great vacation instead!

6. Bottle Deposit Return: In my state (Massachusetts), we have a 5 cents bottle deposit on returns. About each month, I would take all my soda cans/bottles, etc. and turn them in. I get a few bucks here and there...and again, this does add up. These extra dollars can be put to good use...for snacks and drinks, etc.

Here's some other methods you could try as well:

1. Here's one I've done in the past...Open a vacation savings account and put as much or little into it each week. Credit unions also offer specific vacation accounts as well. I chose to put in $20 per week (and had it deducted from my paycheck).

2. If you have working teens in your household who are travelling with you, see if they can contribute out of their paycheck each week a little bit of money towards the trip as well. Even if it's only a few dollars...it helps.

I'm sure many of you can also come up with more of your own ideas too.

Good luck and happy vacation!!!

Lynne

[Joanne929]

Lynne, I'm impressed with your determination and ability to save! The fact that your kids were able to save up enough $$ to pay for their own airfare and character meals??!! WOW!
You're right - the "little" things add up. I feel like a dope that I say I'm going to (save $$) but never seem to do it. I think I'll print this one out and tape it to my bureau so I can read it every day and get some inspiration!

Thanks for the ideas! I hope your trip is awesome!

[LorinMO]

I love your tips Lynn!

We are avid change savers in the family. We never use our change, we only spend paper money. I take out $40 a week for those little things that come up and at the end of the week whatever is left goes into the change jar too. Each year we manage to save a significant amount of money.

Every penny adds up!!!

Lori

[Colexis Mom]

Great tips Lynne Thanks for sharing

[Jennifer2003]

Lynne, I can't PM you. I would like to talk Ebay with you, as it's something I'm thinking of doing. Please PM me with your email or email me at my address listed on the site.
Thanks!
Jennifer

[J603]

My boyfriend and I have a policy of once the change enters the house it is not allowed to leave unless it's going to the bank. We also bowl during the winter, and we usually spend 25$ a piece each week. So this summer we are putting that 50$ each week straight into savings. Also anyovertime I work goes into savings. Clipping coupons is another way.

[GATechGal]

I'm already trying the $20 a week along with the Disney Visa that I'm using every time I need to buy with credit. The only thing I'd add is start as soon as possible. I'm working now and we're not even going til Oct. 2005. By then I figure I'll have at least the tickets or the hotel paid for.

[AmyJune]

those are great plans. I too in very impressed that you can get your children to save their money for vacation. It's a great tribute to the magic of Disney!

We do the change jar too. When we went to Ireland about 5 years ago we paid for our airfare with our change. Growing up, if you did the laundry and someone had left money in their pockets, you got to keep the money. For all the Mom's out there maybe you can institute the "if I find money in your laundry it goes in the Disney fund rule"!

When I go to the bank to get our spending money for the week I've started getting an extra $20 that I put in an envelope in the house. When I get a couple of hundred in there I take it to back to the bank and exchange it for $100's because there not easy to pull out and spend!

I occasionaly work part time for a friend and I put that money in the envelope too.

[scottjs]

What a useful topic!! I am certainly not rich but when you are saveing for something you love(Such as Disney) it is easier!!

I am saveing $150.00 per pay check(Roughtly 20%)

I have three weeks vacation pay comeing in February!

I stopped going to check cashing places and started a regular checking account. I have been so bad about saveing that I just went and cashed my pay check and paid whatever needed to be paid. Now I put it in the bank and take it out!! That saves about $20.00 a check.

I stopped buying Newspapers! (Ok if theres a major interesting story I buy one--other wise I just scrounge them!)

I buy powdered Gatoraid instead of bottles!! (Saves about $190.00 a year)

Etc etc etc!!!

These are just a few things I am doing. My wife and I are haveing fun with some of this stuff!!!

[poohmaine]

Lynne, thanks so much for sharing your tips.

It seems a lot of people on this board can afford to go to Disney once or even twice a year! It's nice to know I am not alone. It has taken us 5 years to save up enough to go this December. Our last trip was November 1999. We had such a wonderful time we were determined to go again before our oldest went to college.

When our tax refund came in this year, we finally had enough! Hurrah! Now any more we save will be for extras.

You're so right, family time is so important and we really wanted to do this for our daughters. The girls will not remember that our windows really need to be replaced, or that the carpet is pretty worn . . . but they will remember WDW for Christmas.

[JoanW]

I went yesterday and opend a vacation account! I put the first $20 in, and on June 1 I plan on putting a larger amount in. We can't afford to go every year or more than once a year. Plus, DH wants to see other places around the country, so it's hard to please him and the kids and I with different vacations. But we are planning for a big trip next year, so that will have to do for now!

[rescuesk]

These are great ideas! Thanks for sharing them!

We do have a vacation account, and I don't have a MAC card or check boook or anything so that I can't access it easily. One other way I save money for our trips is a keep a running tally of how much I save in coupons, store discounts, etc. At the end of each month, I write myself a check and that money goes into the account. I also put any refund or rebate checks into the account. It all adds up!

[tmarie]

All of these ideas are great. I can use all the help I can get. One thing I do while I'm saving is convert my money into Disney dollars. I put the Disney dollars away with the tickets and this way it doesn't find it's way back into the bills or clothes or food or.......

[SHEANA1226]

I have an online savings account that earns 2.35% interest and for every referral I send I get a referral fee of $10.00 and the person I refer gets a bonus of $10.00 too. I have had the account for over a year and had no problems. I also round up and charge my self $1.00 for every check I write, for example if I write a check for $8.86 I roud it up to $9.00 and add $1.00 for writing a check and enter $10.00.

[jude411]

I am going to hit E-bay. I have been meaning to sell my daughters flower girl dress that she wore to my brothers wedding and will never wear again, way too fancy. Some great tips here.