I have had so many people tell me that they want to go to Disney one day, but just don’t have the funds to do it. Well once I left my corporate job to be a SAHM and build my MickeyTravels business, I have learned how to save even on a budget! I am not an accountant, so I will not go into all the math involved (YUCK!) but I can tell you some great ways to save for your next vacation!
1) Saving on your grocery bills… This is an area that I have really decreased our spending on over the past 2 years. There is no extreme coupon-ing involved, just some basic principles. Make sure to shop the sales that week and use coupons on items that are already on sale. Make sure to look at the unit cost on different sizes, especially when there is a sale. Try to buy a store/value brand when possible. Buy less meat and boxed foods and more produce (not only great for your wallet but your heart, health and waistline!)
2) Use Cash… I can’t even tell you how much money I have saved used cash for most of my everyday spending. As much as I love getting credit card rewards, I have found that spending less is far more valuable than the rewards. I use credit for gas, large purchases (to get my Disney Visa points), and online purchases. Other than that, cash it is. Try it for a month and see how much you save!
3) Stop buying bottled water… We have a water filter on our sink so we just fill up our Tervis cups instead of wasting money on bottled water. Even if you don’t have a filter, Brita and other brands make bottles with a filter. This is an easy way to save cash.
4) Stock up on baby supplies during sales… I always buy my diapers and wipes in bulk during a sale. This saves a ton of money!
5) Get a Disney Visa…I know I said use cash, but you can’t pay cash for everything. When you do use your card you will be earning money towards Disney! I love that I just transfer my rewards balance to a gift card to use for tips and souvenirs.
6) Save your coins… Since I use cash, my purse tends to get weighed down with a lot of change. Each week (or so) I empty out my purses into a Disney popcorn bucket for our next vacation. This is not a huge amount, but it is FUN! I went to the bank and had $67 since our last trip. I also put the change I find doing my families laundry in here 🙂
7) Disney Gift Cards— Get in the habit of asking for Disney gift cards for holidays. I always get these and they can be applied towards your Disney trip or be used while you are down there. I have many clients that buy them at Target to get the 5%. I always do Kroger so I can get the fuel points. If you are thinking about Disney, just buy some when there is a deal and put them in a safe place.
8) Eat a home…This is huge, especially for a family! Make pizza night fun by making your own pie. You will get exactly what you want and save money! This also goes for skipping the drive thru. We go out on weekends and special occasions but other than that, we eat at home. It saves money and is much healthier too.
9) Skip the gym membership…Really, how often are you really using it? You can get a great workout at home using a video or even just looking up routines online. So many people are fooled into thinking they need fancy equipment to get in shape. I can tell you, I am in great shape just running outside, carrying around my toddler, being active, and doing random workouts with my husband. You can also go on groupon for deals on fitness. For one month I did a $200 bootcamp and only paid $39, it was worth it before my beach vacation
10) Prioritize your money… Look back at your credit card reciepts and bank statments and really think about where all your money is going. Chances are you are spending it on impulse buys at Target, hitting up Starbucks a little more than you should and eating out more than you thought. If you gasp when you see the totals, time to make some changes. Figure out what you can cut from your budget to make room for that dream vacation.
11) Sell old stuff…Look around your house and I am sure you have some things you can sell. I have sold books, designer purses, and even some of my Disney pin collection on ebay and on yard sale sites on Facebook. I have gotten the most for my gently used designer clothes and purses. You could even have a garage sale. I love using ebay because the money goes into my paypal account and then I can use it from online purchases or transfer to my bank account. It was fun to buy my son and I some olaf shirts off Etsy with cash I made selling old stuff!
I hope this has inspired you to save money and I would love if you put that money towards at Disney vacation!
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Make it a magical day!
Julie Hauck *o*
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-513-313-9531 (cell)
julie@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
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Tags: baby, coupons, Disney World, mom, saving money, travel
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