Money Saving Tips BEFORE heading to WDW

[Rylin]

My boyfriend and I have been keeping a change jar and it really is incredible how quickly it adds up- we keep our pennies in a separate jar, and with those alone we had $21 in a few months- obviously the jar of quarters adds up a lot faster

I've also been using mint.com to generally track my spending- it makes it much easier to see what I sometimes waste money on and forces me to make a budget. I can also set goals each month of how much to set aside for Disney. I love it!

 

[Figgy1]

My boyfriend and I have been keeping a change jar and it really is incredible how quickly it adds up- we keep our pennies in a separate jar, and with those alone we had $21 in a few months- obviously the jar of quarters adds up a lot faster

I've also been using mint.com to generally track my spending- it makes it much easier to see what I sometimes waste money on and forces me to make a budget. I can also set goals each month of how much to set aside for Disney. I love it!

A very magical welcome to you!!!!!

 

[Rylin]

Thank you! These forums are amazing- I've only been here for a day and I've learned a lot already

 

[Figgy1]

Thank you! These forums are amazing- I've only been here for a day and I've learned a lot already

You'll love it here, we all share what we know and everybody is so nice

 

[Princess_AmyK]

I work for tips since im a hairstylist, and I put away 5 dollars a day of my tips in a disney fund. It adds up quick and thats how I afford my trips!

 

[Joshrzmeup]

Here are some things we've done/do...

~ Consider downgrading or canceling your cable or satellite TV plan, and/or switch to Netflix instead. We downgraded our cable package, losing a handful of channels we never watched anyway, for a savings of $50/month.

~ Forego coffee runs and lunches out. DH and I work full-time and by bringing our own coffee and lunches to work, we're collectively saving over $100 per week.

- Simplify your telephone service. We save $75 per month by eliminating a landline and using our cell phones exclusively. I save even more by having an old-fashioned "I just make phone calls" phone instead of a smartphone -- I borrow DH's when I need to.

- Clean out the closets and storage areas, and make a charitable donation. We saved over $1,000 on our taxes this year through donations of gently-used clothes and household goods to the Salvation Army. That refund went straight in to the "Disney fund."

- Make your everyday spending count. Pay for EVERYTHING with a credit card that gives you Disney rewards, airline points, a percentage back, or some other benefit that you can use toward a vacation. Pay it all off in full every month, so you're not incurring any interest charges. In one year, I've racked up enough points on my JetBlue Amex and Southwest Visa to fly two of our four family members to Orlando and back for free on either airline.

We have done pretty much all of this, we also cut the newspaper to just weekends, so that this way, we can still get the coupons. We found that we hardly read the paper, anyway. I also go home and eating inbetween on my double shift days at work instead of hanging around and going to McDonalds like I used to or getting food at work, since I live 10 minutes from work.
I also go on coupons.com and Mejier mperks to help save money on groceries besides the usual paper-insert coupons.
I have considered getting a Disney Rewards Visa as well before my September trip to help. I don't buy much myself, granted, but it might help.

 

[HollyAD]

My new coupon strategy for my up coming trip is going on Publix website before I go and load coupons to my account. Instead of having a rewards card you just put your phone number in when you check out and your coupons you save online will apply to your total. Publix stores can be expensive but we have a villa in July and I am looking to save a little cash by fixing a few meals here and there. This is also great because I do not have to keep track of coupons in my purse. Also this past trip to Florida I signed up for coupons from Steak and Shake. This is our fav. stop on the way down or back for some fast food. They often send coupons for free shakes or sandwiches which I was able to take advantage of. Also signed up for Earl of Sandwich online and hope to receive coupons. Every little bit helps when you are at Disney so I try to do what I can with coupons. I also realized that my Mom has an AARP card and can get a discount at Rainforest Cafe. It's worth looking on AARP or AAA website to see who takes the card because its not always advertised.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

We save our aluminum cans and take them to our local recycling yard. They pay $.60 a lb.

 

[Karenb64]

So this suggestion may not be for everyone, but if you can handle needles you might want to consider "donating" plasma. You can donate twice a week and where I live (Chicago suburbs)I get $25 for the first donation and $35 for the second, so $60 for the week. If I go when it's not too busy, it takes about 1 1/2 hours each visit which means I'm making $20 an hour. When my husbands business was struggling last year, I had to get creative about making and saving money for our December trip. Someone suggested this and granted, the usual clientle is a little rough, but I've never had anything but a good experience.

 

[Brandon Bowman]

We do the weekly disney fund (week 1:$1, Week 2:$2) also when we grocery shop typically it tells you your savings on that trip (Atleast at Ingles) and we put that in our fund as well!

 

[jedieaston]

Here are some things we've done/do...

~ Consider downgrading or canceling your cable or satellite TV plan, and/or switch to Netflix instead. We downgraded our cable package, losing a handful of channels we never watched anyway, for a savings of $50/month.

~ Forego coffee runs and lunches out. DH and I work full-time and by bringing our own coffee and lunches to work, we're collectively saving over $100 per week.

- Simplify your telephone service. We save $75 per month by eliminating a landline and using our cell phones exclusively. I save even more by having an old-fashioned "I just make phone calls" phone instead of a smartphone -- I borrow DH's when I need to.

- Clean out the closets and storage areas, and make a charitable donation. We saved over $1,000 on our taxes this year through donations of gently-used clothes and household goods to the Salvation Army. That refund went straight in to the "Disney fund."

- Make your everyday spending count. Pay for EVERYTHING with a credit card that gives you Disney rewards, airline points, a percentage back, or some other benefit that you can use toward a vacation. Pay it all off in full every month, so you're not incurring any interest charges. In one year, I've racked up enough points on my JetBlue Amex and Southwest Visa to fly two of our four family members to Orlando and back for free on either airline.

Isn't that a bit extreme for a disney trip?

 

[Brandon Bowman]

Isn't that a bit extreme for a disney trip?

It's all the small savings that add up. Im not sure I would use just a disney credit card for points as alot of other CC services give you better % cash back then the points pan out to be for the Disney Visa Card. I also have a crappy phone and save alot on my phone bill. I got rid of cable a long time ago as well.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Isn't that a bit extreme for a disney trip?

Um, no. Restaurant lunches and coffee, clothes we don't wear and cable TV add-ons that we don't watch aren't things we mind sacrificing. Living frugally allows us to afford luxuries (like nice vacations) that would otherwise be out of reach. YMMV.

 

[bow0303]

We recently found an app on our cell phones called Viggle. You earn points for watching TV. We have only done it for 4 months now and we have already earned enough points for $60 chili's gift card and b1g1 discount for LEGOLAND.

 

[Disney_Dad88]

Isn't that a bit extreme for a disney trip?

I like the fact of not having a landline. You already pay enough for cell phones and that's really all you need. I think you should have Internet but I also agree about not having a massive cable bill. I think you shouldn't cancel but how often do you flip through the channels on the weekend and realize nothing is on. Even if you aren't saving for a disney trip this is just common sense stuff. You can save nearly $100 per month by lowering a cable package and not having a landline.

 

[JohnD]

I like the fact of not having a landline. You already pay enough for cell phones and that's really all you need. I think you should have Internet but I also agree about not having a massive cable bill. I think you shouldn't cancel but how often do you flip through the channels on the weekend and realize nothing is on. Even if you aren't saving for a disney trip this is just common sense stuff. You can save nearly $100 per month by lowering a cable package and not having a landline.

Good point. By downgrading cable, I would probably set up an auto transfer to my savings account for the difference. I'm already auto transferring $150/mo for my trip in October. I'll have $1,000 to put toward it. This would generate additional savings to add to the trip. Already have cell phone only, BTW.

 

[G8rchamps]

I picked up one of those goofy coin banks about 11 months prior to our trip. Everytime I had loose change I dropped it in there. By the time we left I had enough money to cover our baggage fees. Granted, there are few things less embarrassing than being that guy at the bank with the bucket full of coins.

I put Mouse ears on my sons head and he pulled our coins into the bank in is little red wagon when he was 6. All the tellers thaught he was so cute - and in 17 months we had saved $350 in coins!

 

[tare]

Chk the disney store out when there is free shipping. You can get some of the same stuff ahead of time at a discount and not worry about bringing it back in a suitcase.

 

[Amyleigh]

We just returned from WDW and I must go again!! My saving strategy for our next trip is to pay myself the difference when we get some of our bills reduced. For example, my husband got our cable bill reduced $30 each month so I will take the $30 and put it in a special account. My cell bill will be going down about $20 so I plan on paying myself the difference. An extra $50/month will add up quickly! I also like the idea of buying Disney cards at each payday. What can you do with Disney cards? Is is for merchandise only or can you actually pay for trips with them?

 

[Doodlyday]

Aside from the now $1280 Disney dollars I already have on my Disney Visa card for NEXT Christmas, living in Connecticut, and driving down to WDW, we are a state that you get 5 cents back on recycling your soda, beer cans, etc. I have about $38 saved already for toll booths along the way. I am assuming in the next 13 months, I can get a lot more $$$ saved in my little "toll booth pouch".

Toll booth money is a great thing to have on hand.