Saving for a Disney vacation?

[stevehousse]

Just wondering what others do to save for a Disney vacation? I have my own way of doing it, but its not always practical to me! Please let me know what you guys do? Tax return money? Paying a little each month, doing work from home type stuff online? Garage sales? Any info would be insightful!

 

[englanddg]

I have a high yield mutual fund that I have a monthly automatic bank transfer set up (actually, I have 4 of them and some rolling CDs, but one is specifically for Disney trips). Sometimes it grows, sometimes it stays flat, every now and then it shrinks. But, my returns have been pretty good from it though (12 - 15% average the last 4 years), so it works for me. I just try to pretend it's not there.

When I book, I pay the minimum down payment. Since Disney doesn't charge interest, I wait until as close to the due date as I can to actually pay off Disney, allowing the money in the account to continue to accrue interest for me, rather than sitting in Disney's account.

When time comes for the trip, I start moving the money out of the fund to pay off the credit card I use to pay the trip. I generally do this a few days or weeks after I pay it off, but before my CC charges interest on the transaction (< 30 days). I also leave my "shopping kitty" in that account, and use the credit card for all shopping (normally through the KTTW card)...at the end of the trip, I clear out the credit card.

On top of this I have an "emergency credit card" that I keep with me in case something unforseen happens (like last year, when I missed a flight and had to book at the last minute to get to Orlando)... That also gets cleared out before the next billing date (at least so far, hopefully nothing happens to where I can't do that!).

So, that's how I do it.

 

[real mad hatter]

Well this week we decided that Oct 2015 will be our next trip ( most likely our last ).So mission Mickey has started..We always save the UK £2.00 coin into our Disney savings bank,it's surprising how they add up..I also have a monthly target I try to keep too.This morning ( Friday ) I'am off to a value selling auction this morning at a local hotel..I have 8 Lord of the Rings figurines in Royal Doulton I'am hoping to sell..There value is around $1000 and also hoping to sell a Tag Heur watch that I hardly ever wear,it's value is also around $1000.. I also do the garage kinda thing over here,but it's thro a local site on the web..

 

[zurgandfriend]

I work retail during the holidays and and save all of that for Disney. Also I save all change, 1 and 5 dollar bills that adds up fast. Plus I get an annual bonus at my primary job all of this goes for my vacation.

 

[DisSplash]

Tax return!

 

[bethram]

Tax return for us, too!

 

[Mot]

My wife has started a new way of saving for our Disney trip. It used to be all the quarters we got back as change, then all the coin we received. Now it's every 5 dollar bill in our wallets goes to the fund. Good thing she went for the 5's cause if she went for the $100's we'd never go back.

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

I save change - quite rabid about it actually, everyone teases me about it! I also have a vacation club account at my credit union and money gets transferred into it every pay. Any "found" money goes into the Disney jar. I get points on my Disney Visa card. And, about 3 months ago, I added up what I was spending on my Diet Coke addiction every week, decided to go cold turkey and have been buying Disney gift cards at my grocery store instead. Those add up pretty quick.

I actually have enough money saved in change and gift cards that my upcoming cruise and park time afterwards was completely paid for, with enough left over for a deposit on another cruise in February. Am going to start buying Southwest gift cards from now until then.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I work for a great company that has a profit-sharing program, that splits the company profits out among the employees at the beginning of the year. So that pays for about all to 3/4 of our trip and then taxes or we pay a little each week.

 

[kasey1988]

We used my tax return this year, save all our change in a jar, return recyclables for refunds.

 

[coachwnh]

Every pay check, we put a set amount aside. We increase it each year. Plus, anything extra that we come up with goes to that fund as well. I actually look forward to pay day so I can watch that acct. grow!!

 

[foreverbelle]

We put a little money aside each paycheck for our vacation/fun money. It doesn't cover everything but it helps. We also have a jar of change and put coins and dollars that we have at the end of the day believe it or not it adds up, usually this all goes for spending money. Any little thing helps in the long run I suppose.

 

[Mr Toad]

Tax return pays for all of it...gotta love having 3 kids on the tax return!

 

[Disvillain63]

Pay the deposit and then pay a little bit monthly until the trip is paid off, then I start buy Disney Gift Cards each month when I get paid...for spending money...when I feel I have enough Disney money...I purchase some restaurant gift cards for the trip down and back (McDonalds, Cracker Barrel, etc...) Since I purchase them at Kroger I get double points (sometimes quadruple points at Christmas and Back-to-school) for gas purchases.

 

[ShookieJones]

Well this week we decided that Oct 2015 will be our next trip ( most likely our last ).

What!!?? Are you wrapping your WDW game up there hatter!???

 

[JohnD]

With my trip ending in early October, in May I transferred $100 to savings. Then, on the 30th of each month through October 30, including May, I am autotransferring $150 to savings (6 months x $150/mo = $900). I'll have $1,000 set aside to put toward paying off the Visa after the trip. The rest will come from my mutual funds.

I know Dave Ramsey frowns upon credit cards. But on the trip itself, it's Visa all the way which I'll pay off almost instantly after the trip. Otherwise I'll have no money left in my checking account!

 

[Susan Savia]

We visit the casino and whatever we win, goes into our WDW fund. In June we added $500 when we went! Oh and we save all change, and have an occasional yard sale.

 

[real mad hatter]

What!!?? Are you wrapping your WDW game up there hatter!???

Quote..Frank Sinatra.." And now,the end is near.I'll say goodbye,to my pal Mickey.I'll fight that final tear,I know I know,it will be tricky.We've been to every park,and sailed the boats,across the big bay.Much more,much more than this.I did it my way...Yes they were times,I'am sure I knew,when I bit off,more than I could chew.But through it all,when there was doubt.I tried that leg,but spit it out.I done it all,I had a ball. I did it my way."

 

[JIMINYCR]

I save assorted pocket change. I take a percentage of my paycheck and make it disappear into the Disney fund before I spend it. We use the Disney Visa to save reward points. Every holiday, b-day etc. we get Disney gift cards from relatives who know what we wish for. We save and redeem returnable cans and bottles. Other than that....
I'm too proud to do this...

or this....

But I think if I can put these guys to work.... Maybe I'll have more success in getting to Disney more often.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Quote..Frank Sinatra.." And now,the end is near.I'll say goodbye,to my pal Mickey.I'll fight that final tear,I know I know,it will be tricky.We've been to every park,and sailed the boats,across the big bay.Much more,much more than this.I did it my way...Yes they were times,I'am sure I knew,when I bit off,more than I could chew.But through it all,when there was doubt.I tried that leg,but spit it out.I done it all,I had a ball. I did it my way."

I don't know.... I might bet the farm that you'll get that old Disney bug again and there will be a trip across the ocean in the future. You can't fool me....