Financing the Vacation

[wvdisneyfamily]

Move this if it needs to be moved, Mods. I wasn't sure where to put it.

I did a search to see if there were any threads about ways to save for a trip to the World and found nothing. I saw this type of thread on another site and really liked it. Let's share ways we save for the world.

1. The big one for us is not eating out a lot. Eating at home is much cheaper.
2. Coupons
3. Price matching
4. Buying in bulk during good sales
5. Buying large packages of meat and dividing it into portions and freezing

 

[maggiegrace1]

I include Disney as one of our bills when we are planning a trip..

I have a list of every bill that gets paid with each paycheck...it is just something I have always done and keeps me organized..

When we are planning a trip I always add Disney to the bills that need to be paid...and take out so much to put aside for Disney..

That is our..(Drews)..lol spending money to buy his swords and other things he enjoys at EPCOT..

 

[Magical Dreamer]

I've been randomly buying Disney gift cards for the last 8 months at our local market for spending cash.

At last count I have $575. in cards put away for our November trip.

Our 15 & 13 year olds will be venturing out on their own a little bit this year and we can give them $25 cards for some spending $$.

 

[bamillerpa]

You can also use the Disney Gift Cards to pay off your trip as long as you are paying directly through Disney. I paid off over $400 of our trip with gift cards. Our local AAA office went online and made the payment for me. I can normally save $20-$25 each grocery trip by using coupons and store sales for the stuff we buy and instead of keeping the savings I buy $25 Disney Gift Cards with it. It's a great way to save for our trips.

 

[hcswingfield]

Used my Disne Visa to pay for most of the move to Texas last summer, then used it to buy appliances, home repairs and landscaping. I use it for groceries, monthly bills, eating out. I pay it off every month so I don't have interest to pay. Since last summer I've racked up over $800 in Disney Reward dollars. WDW, here I come! :sohappy:

 

[New2WDW]

I know there have been many threads over the years on this but it is probably good to start a fresh one!

WE have always collected and recycled aluminum cans, collected our change and put a little money each month aside to pay for actual parts of the upcoming vacation (i.e. toll road fee, one night room fee, one meal, etc.- it makes it feel like you are getting somewhere with your saving instead of looking at the big number!)

And always looking fo the discounts!

 

[NYwdwfan]

We were talking about this not too long ago - there were some great ideas on this thread:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=569202

Personally I try to bring lunch to work, force my family to eat my cooking instead of going out, and re-examine all of my monthly expenses. We switched our phone to a broadband service), took defensive driving to lower our car insurance (you can do it online - it was really easy and saves 10% on liability & collision for 3 years), sold some old baby gear, etc.). For anyone out there with DirecTV and the Sunday ticket - if you call them and say you want to hold off renewing it they will offer you $25 off EACH of the 6 monthly payments!! That was $150 straight to the Disney fund!

 

[trr1]

having a yard sale

 

[BiggerTigger]

When asked, "What do you want for your birthday, christmas, anniversary, etc?" I simply tell them Disney, they know now to get me gift cards, or just money.
Of course, I use most of the other suggestions that everyone has mentioned. But most importantly, you need to put that money away where you are not going to easily get to it. It's great to have money saved, but to many times its easy to just grab the vacation fund for those "problems" that you don't want to deal with. Like when my car died for the umpteenth time and found out that the repairs would cost in the thousands, I avoided using vacation money, rebudgeted my expenses, and still got the vehicle fixed. Not always easy, but worth the it every time.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Lots of great suggestions! :sohappy: Keep them coming!

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

I presented this statistic to my students the other day. They all go out to eat for lunch or order something. The average cost of eating out is approximately $5 per day. Multiply 5 by 180 (because that is how many days they are in class) and that comes out to $900! That's an insane amount of money. Adults in the working world will spend at least that much if they eat out for lunch each day. It is much more cost effective and healthy (usually) to pack lunch. Need motivation? $900 will pay for almost two regular annual passes.

 

[New2WDW]

I presented this statistic to my students the other day. They all go out to eat for lunch or order something. The average cost of eating out is approximately $5 per day. Multiply 5 by 180 (because that is how many days they are in class) and that comes out to $900! That's an insane amount of money. Adults in the working world will spend at least that much if they eat out for lunch each day. It is much more cost effective and healthy (usually) to pack lunch. Need motivation? $900 will pay for almost two regular annual passes.

You are right! But when all these kids start bringing their own lunch and the cafeteria shuts down due to no one ordering they will come looking for you! :lol:

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

You are right! But when all these kids start bringing their own lunch and the cafeteria shuts down due to no one ordering they will come looking for you! :lol:

I didn't think about the angry mob.

 

[Mikester71]

My wife had a Christmas bank account started through her work that we changed to our WDW Vacation account instead a few years ago and we have $150 U.S. (she is American and works in the States) every pay (every 2 weeks) directly deposited in to it. We NEVER touch this money and use it to pay for our whole WDW trip for the four of us and usually have around $3000 in spending money to go down with for gas, lodging on the way down, food and souvenirs.

 

[FuseFly.com]

We have a local grocery store that sells Disney Gift Cards. We are buying them to pay for the resort stay and wondered if the Gift Cards can be used to pay for other things at Disney specifically Dining - both sit down and counter service.

I assume they can be used for shopping like at DTD but can they be used for shopping in the parks?

Any help is appreciated!

Leaving tomorrow for WL - can't wait

 

[mickeysshoes]

We have a local grocery store that sells Disney Gift Cards. We are buying them to pay for the resort stay and wondered if the Gift Cards can be used to pay for other things at Disney specifically Dining - both sit down and counter service.

I assume they can be used for shopping like at DTD but can they be used for shopping in the parks?

Any help is appreciated!

Leaving tomorrow for WL - can't wait

Yes you can use them for meal at both TS and CS and for shopping!! Any place directly owned by Disney will take them!! You could also apply then to your key to the world so you can charge to your room and not have to worry about carry the gift cards and your room key if that is easier!! THere are plenty of options!! Have a great time!! WL is our HOME AWAY FROM HOME!!! At check in ask if there is an opening for FLAG FAMILY OF THE DAY durning your stay..if you do it!!! I was sad we could not.

 

[FuseFly.com]

Yes you can use them for meal at both TS and CS and for shopping!! Any place directly owned by Disney will take them!! You could also apply then to your key to the world so you can charge to your room and not have to worry about carry the gift cards and your room key if that is easier!! THere are plenty of options!! Have a great time!! WL is our HOME AWAY FROM HOME!!! At check in ask if there is an opening for FLAG FAMILY OF THE DAY durning your stay..if you do it!!! I was sad we could not.

WL is our Home away from Home too! We have been staying there since 1998 and every time is just as magical as the first.

Thank you soo much for the info about the gift cards, especially adding it to the "key to the world" cards.

I will ask about the Flag Family of the Day - sounds like alot of fun!

Hope to see you back "home" real soon!! :wave:

 

[vivianwell]

So much good suggestions! :sohappy: