Money-saver that works for me!

[Tarheel Tink]

This has probably been mentioned before repeatedly, but I have saved up over $150.00 in the past 5 weeks since returning from WDW so thought I would throw it out again!

Whenever I shop, the savings I get from coupons, sales, etc. is listed on the bottom of my receipt. I round it up to the nearest dollar and put that amount in our savings jar (that holds our saved spare change). On our past trip, our savings from 4 months of this paid for all of our meals at WDW! We go again in 6 months so this may pay for part of our room also.

Sometimes I just put the receipt in my wallet until I get a chance to "feed the jar" but it always gets there eventually.

 

[Big V]

Great idea! Thanks for the tip!
By the way Tarheel Tink - I liked your trip reports!

 

[dizneenut]

Great tip! I'm going to do that!!

 

[tink2dw]

How do you keep from RAIDING the jar?? We always have at least 4 emergancies a year. And the only extra money available is the WDW Jar!! So,it never stays full??

So, how do you stay out of it??

 

[Humpbacks1962]

It's always something, isn't it? Just when you think you're all set! Has happened to me, too.

I'd say what works keeping you from "raiding the jar" would be, open a vacation club or Christmas club account and get it in there! That way they'll mail it to you and you can't touch it. Some of those clubs allow deposits as little as $2.00.

Buy Disney money, it also keeps you from spending it until you get to the parks.

Then, hope for the best

Wanda

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I agree with the above poster about banking the proceeds once you get going- it can be very tempting to use that money for a sudden emergency!

 

[pixiedust2]

The best way I've found to keep from raiding the money jar is when we reach $150 I cash it in for travelers checks. As far as I know they don't expire and its a lot less tempting to go to the trouble to use those than to grab a few bucks here and there! Also I don't like to leave more money than that on the kitchen counter anyway. Not that I don't trust my kids friends, etc., but better not to leave too much temptation out in the open!!!

 

[mar3990]

One thing I do to save money for our trips is to get a roll of quarters every time I grocery shop. I write my check over and let my five year-old drop the whole thing in a big Coke bottle bank that we have. Some how having the quarters wrapped we are less tempted to crack them open and spend the money. Another good tip which many people do is buy gift certificates when at McDonald's, Wendy's ect. Every little bit adds up and then you don't have to come up with whole amount at once.

 

[disneyorbust]

I read this tip here and it's worked for me...buy Disney Dollars. I can't spend them here and I can use them for almost anything on Disney property even hotels.

 

[Biyanna]

I put my change in my credit union savings account for which I don't have an atm card. There's only 2 branches and the closest branch is 15 to 20 minutes away. Once a week after grocery shopping I make my way there. I don't even think about returning until the next week after grocery shopping. When an emergency comes up it's so out of the way and has the weirdest hours, I don't even consider it as a real options. If I put my trip money into my savings account at my regular bank it would be dipped into often. One of my friends runs to the mall weekly to buy Disney Dollars. Which is excellent for her because she has a hard time saving money. And no matter what kind of sale is going on there she hates to break her Disney Dollars. And she has yet to do so. Last year was her first year buying Disney Dollars and she even had some left over to apply to the next trip. Everyone (friends & family) were very proud of her because she really has a hard time saving money.

 

[mar3990]

Just a reminder about Disney Dollars. On our last trip I had saved up quite a bit and wanted to cash some in at the Sun Bank in town Hall. The cast member who helped me was very rude and said they do not cash large amounts anymore due to tour operators scamming all the Disney Dollars meant for incentives to guests. He finally cashed them in for me but I would only plan for what you need just in case . I also do the credit union thing with no easy access to the money because then I just go there right before our trip and get traveler's checks.

 

[phins_jazy]

I work in the mall....right across the hall from the disney store!!!!!! Talk about temptation!!!!!! What I normally do is on payday, I walk over to the Disney store and buy $50 worth of Disney Dollars. It works for me and they're adding up quickly. I've still got 9 months before we go on our trip so I figure I can get at least $900 more. That's not counting birthdays, xmas, anniversaries, thing like that. With only Disney Dollars being in our disney fund jar it's a lot less tempting to take them out and spend them.

 

[ginga]

This may be silly, but it works for me. I also keep a jar. I periodically take an extra $5 or $10 out of my wallet. No set amount, no set time, but i don't miss the money and it adds up. To keep me from raiding it, I tape it shut with duct tape and slide the money in a hole in the top. It's never been worth peeling it off to raid the jar! My daughter has fun counting the money before we go on vacation.