Ok, I'm going to get it all out right now...I'm horrible at saving money. I would love to surprise my fiance (then wife) with a trip for the summer of 2015, but I am not sure of the best tips on saving money. I already know the change jar, which I have. I have also thought of setting aside X amount in a savings account. What are some of your ways that you like to save money for Disney?
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Some good tips for saving money?
- Thread starter mavlax20
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KCheatle
Well-Known Member
Here's a couple things I do:
(1) I create a budget every month. I have a spreadsheet in excel that does the math for me. So, every week I put at the top of the column what the total income will be for that week, and then I go down the column and insert what the expenses will be for the week. If my income exceeds my expenses, then I put the excess in a separate column and call it the "vacation" column. At the end of each week I go back through my expenses to see if I controlled my spending. If I did, then I put that vacation money into my savings account. It's good to have it in the checking account in case I need it for something. But, it's also great incentive not to spend it knowing that if I don't spend it, I get to put it towards Disney.
(2) I have a program on my checking account that every time either my husband or I use our debit card, $1 gets put into the same savings account I put my vacation money in at the end of the week. Usually it ends up being around $100 a month.
If you even leave as little as $50 at the end of each week for vacation and you do that debit program with your checking account, you could end up with roughly $300 each month. By the end of the year, you're looking at $3,600.
(1) I create a budget every month. I have a spreadsheet in excel that does the math for me. So, every week I put at the top of the column what the total income will be for that week, and then I go down the column and insert what the expenses will be for the week. If my income exceeds my expenses, then I put the excess in a separate column and call it the "vacation" column. At the end of each week I go back through my expenses to see if I controlled my spending. If I did, then I put that vacation money into my savings account. It's good to have it in the checking account in case I need it for something. But, it's also great incentive not to spend it knowing that if I don't spend it, I get to put it towards Disney.
(2) I have a program on my checking account that every time either my husband or I use our debit card, $1 gets put into the same savings account I put my vacation money in at the end of the week. Usually it ends up being around $100 a month.
If you even leave as little as $50 at the end of each week for vacation and you do that debit program with your checking account, you could end up with roughly $300 each month. By the end of the year, you're looking at $3,600.
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Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
As far as saving, we put a little away each month (shifting it from checking to savings), and don't book a WDW trip until we have enough to pay it off in full almost immediately. (It's a matter of personal preference: we just like to pay up-front.) In the meantime, we shrug off the desire to make non-essential purchases with the reminder that "we're saving for Disney... do you want that sweater now, or wouldn't you rather have an extra table service meal on vacation?"
For my family of four, our Disney trips are made up of 4 almost-equal cost components, each ranging around $1,000-$1,500: tickets, room, food and airfare. We can literally cut those costs in half by going during a "free dining" promotion (admittedly, we haven't timed it right yet to take advantage of that, but we'll keep trying!), and by flying for free. (We also save money on our room by traveling during lower pricing seasons).
The way we fly for [almost] free is simple: I have a JetBlue Amex card (you can get one for virtually any airline, but compare them first) which I use for practically everything I buy, all month-long. Then I pay it off in full every month, so there are never any interest charges. Every 2 years or so, I earn enough points for the four of us to fly for free. So for the $80 I'll have paid in $40 annual fees on the card, I'm getting $1,200 worth of airfare for trips to WDW every 2 years.
For my family of four, our Disney trips are made up of 4 almost-equal cost components, each ranging around $1,000-$1,500: tickets, room, food and airfare. We can literally cut those costs in half by going during a "free dining" promotion (admittedly, we haven't timed it right yet to take advantage of that, but we'll keep trying!), and by flying for free. (We also save money on our room by traveling during lower pricing seasons).
The way we fly for [almost] free is simple: I have a JetBlue Amex card (you can get one for virtually any airline, but compare them first) which I use for practically everything I buy, all month-long. Then I pay it off in full every month, so there are never any interest charges. Every 2 years or so, I earn enough points for the four of us to fly for free. So for the $80 I'll have paid in $40 annual fees on the card, I'm getting $1,200 worth of airfare for trips to WDW every 2 years.
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got2lovedisney
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Back in the day, whenever we had extra money, we'd go and buy Disney Dollars as that way we were assured of not being able to tap into it. Now you can get Disney giftcards with the same thought. If you have the Target redcard and use that to purchase DGC at Target, you get the 5% discount applied.
I also have a premier Disney Visa and charge everything I can (paying off immediately) to accumulate reward dollars.
From my paycheck, I have x amount direct deposited into my ING account so it's out of sight, out of mind. If it's in my checking and I have to rely on manually doing a transfer...chances are that money will get used for something else.
I also have a premier Disney Visa and charge everything I can (paying off immediately) to accumulate reward dollars.
From my paycheck, I have x amount direct deposited into my ING account so it's out of sight, out of mind. If it's in my checking and I have to rely on manually doing a transfer...chances are that money will get used for something else.
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My method is to have a portion of my paycheck (direct deposit) shunted to an investment accunt each pay period. The amount is a combination of homeowners insurance, property taxes, auto insurance and general savings.
The advice I've heard from a number of financial advisors is to "pay yourself first".
The advice I've heard from a number of financial advisors is to "pay yourself first".
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DisneyPrincess5
Well-Known Member
So maybe if you're not good at saving money, maybe you're good at spending money? If so, I recommend that you get a Chase Disney Visa card. Every $100 you spend, you earn 1 point and every point equals a dollar. That's many dollars towards your next disney trip. Free money!
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CrazyDisneyLady
Well-Known Member
I use Quickrewards to earn free Disney gift cards by doing surveys and other one clicks. Here is a link if you would like to join. http://quickrewards.net/?r=slwittm
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BigTxEars
Well-Known Member
Sell bodily fluids, and excess internal organs 
If that is to extreme the Disney Chase Card is a great ideal. The 1% back can add up if you use the card right. I use it for everything, gas, food, entertainment, online, paying for Disney package itself, airline tickets etc. Then I pay it off twice a week to ensure no to minimum interest. If you carry a balance the interest will out pace the 1% back. Plus it's fun to earn those dollars, make every purchase a little magical...I mean it's nerdy but a $13 lunch is like "Woohoo .13 cents for WDW!" and yes I am being serious
If that is to extreme the Disney Chase Card is a great ideal. The 1% back can add up if you use the card right. I use it for everything, gas, food, entertainment, online, paying for Disney package itself, airline tickets etc. Then I pay it off twice a week to ensure no to minimum interest. If you carry a balance the interest will out pace the 1% back. Plus it's fun to earn those dollars, make every purchase a little magical...I mean it's nerdy but a $13 lunch is like "Woohoo .13 cents for WDW!" and yes I am being serious
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DizneyPryncess
Well-Known Member
Ditto on the Disney Credit Card. It's nice to get the rewards card right before a trip.
I make Disney Envelopes, and anytime we have extra cash we put it in an envelope. We have them for "Food", "Souvenirs", "Mousekeeping", "Recreation", etc. You can make them however you want. It helps to add a little here & there, and to not have such a big bill at the end.
Another thing is that we drive to Disney from PA. Because of that, we're able to pack a cooler & food. That makes it easy to make sandwiches, or have quick breakfasts from things that we brought rather than eat every meal in the parks or resorts. We also bring Brita water bottles with a filter. When it's hot, we go through so much water, so this saves us from buying water bottles. Every little thing helps!
I make Disney Envelopes, and anytime we have extra cash we put it in an envelope. We have them for "Food", "Souvenirs", "Mousekeeping", "Recreation", etc. You can make them however you want. It helps to add a little here & there, and to not have such a big bill at the end.
Another thing is that we drive to Disney from PA. Because of that, we're able to pack a cooler & food. That makes it easy to make sandwiches, or have quick breakfasts from things that we brought rather than eat every meal in the parks or resorts. We also bring Brita water bottles with a filter. When it's hot, we go through so much water, so this saves us from buying water bottles. Every little thing helps!
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Chernabog75
Active Member
I use both a Chase Disney Visa and a Spirit Airlines MasterCard. If you live near an airport that Spirit flies out of they have one of the better cards for airfare. You get 15,000 miles after your first purchase and 2 miles for each dollar you spend. If you travel during "off-peak" times you can get a roundtrip ticket for 5,000 miles + a small amount in cash for fees. I have used miles the past four years and spent very little to fly. I will be going to WDW on 5/2 and I bought 5 roundtrip tickets for 25,000 miles and $100.
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Chernabog75
Active Member
I will put all my spending each month on the card and I can usually get enough miles for 1 roundtrip ticket. So once I have enough for the next trip will start using the Disney Visa for spending money for the trip.That is a sweet deal
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BigTxEars
Well-Known Member
Good ideal, we joined DVC this year so I am making longterm yearly plans more than ever now. Our youngest is 11 so in a matter of 7-9 years it might just be two of us going sans kids. That will change the expense structure a lot I think. But then come the grandkids (NOT YET! You hear that older kids, NOT YET!) and that will change everything again!
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DManRightHere
Well-Known Member
Automatic bank transfers to savings account. Don't touch your savings. Easiest way.
I also do the change jar and try to put a dollar a day in it for random vacations and such.
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HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
While not huge amounts of $, I started using ebates a couple of months ago - it's nice getting cash back on things you are already planning on buying. It even works on a number of travel sites. My bank has even started doing cash back offers for our cards.
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disneypearl
Well-Known Member
Oh, that's something I never thought about. May have to look into it.
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HRHPrincessAriel
Well-Known Member
I make grocery shopping a game. I give myself a budget. If I'm "under" what I wanted to spend I either transfer the $ to a savings account or buy a WDW gift card with the "balance".
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HRHPrincessAriel
Well-Known Member
If you do a lot of online shopping you can get some $ using ebates. I can give you a referal link if you'd like. PM me.
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