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I'm going to college this September, which means I'm to old to go to WDW with my parents, or atleast I think so. So this means that I will be off on my own if I want to go there again soon.
Can anyone give me some tips on how to fund a trip, seeing as how I'll be off on my own.
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Disney trips: 1985-2000 *Our Condo*, 2001 *CBR* (We sold the condo)... Wow have I been a lot!
I've given up eating out to fund our trip in December. I hate to cook, so we spend a LOT of money eating out (family of 5). I should be able to pay for everything that way.
Also I read this tip on another board. I'm paying for everything with paper money, and the change is going into a can to save. I think that the woman who's post I read suggesting this said she had save upwards of $1,500 that way.
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Our Anniversary Trip December 2001 - Contemporary
I give myself about $100.00 a month spending money for whatever I might need cash for, and when I'm saving for Disney I take a portion of that cash and put it away.
Also, about going with your parents, I'm 38 years old and have two girls age 7 and my husband doesn't care anything about Disney, so this year the girls and I went with my parents. I figured up how much half of the trip would be and gave my Dad that. He still helped with some meals and I know he paid more than I did but I felt that I did my share. My parents are retired and have a lot more money than I do, but I still felt I did what I could and I hope I can do for my girls what my parents have done for me. I guess what I'm saying is do what you can but don't be embarassed to let them help.
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Are you a male? Then don't have a girlfriend in college. That'll save you a LOT of money...and your grades will probably be better, too. http://www.intercot.com/boards/smile.gif
If you're a female, then get a boyfriend in college. That'll save you a LOT of money...but your grades will probably be worse. http://www.intercot.com/boards/smile.gif
Either way, don't eat out with you buddies. The temptation will be there at your age, so at least try to just do it on the weekends. I lived on macaroni and cheese (sometimes with tuna) and Ramen noodles while getting my degrees. It was tough, but we're sure not doing it NOW; now we can afford to go on vacation and eat normally!
--BarBelle
Married in college; good grades but starved a lot.
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We save change (always break a dollar, even if it's $1.01, give them $2 to get the change) And also I went to a Travel Agent about 9 mo before the trip and found out the total amount, divided it by the # of weeks it would be till we went, then put back that amount each week. I'd go make a pmt. to the travel agent once a month.
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SMG
First Trip to WDW!
CBR June 2001
Well lets just say my student loans are also funding my Disney education http://www.intercot.com/boards/wink2.gif Not that I am encouraging anything but I figure I have to pay it all back anyway.
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Disney Visits:
8/94 - Port Orleans
10/96 - Port Orleans
12/97 - Port Orleans
12/00 - All Star Movies
6/01 - All Star Music
12/01 - ????
LOL thanks BarBelle, I'll keep that in mind.
And about eating, I think I'm the only person that would choose Burger King if I could eat anywhere. I don't want to say I live on it, but me odering BK is like clockwork.
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Disney trips: 1985-2000 *Our Condo*, 2001 *CBR* (We sold the condo)... Wow have I been a lot!
[This message has been edited by IHD983 (edited July 07, 2001).]
I am 19 and will go with my parents if it means I get to stay in a great place. I now live away from home for most of the year while at University so I can enjoy spending time with family at holiday times. I get on well with my parents as we share similar interests.
I don't smoke, I don't spend on designer labels, Most of my entertainment at uni is free because I belong to theatre and sports groups. Girls don't expect flashy spending because they know I am a student.
When I am not studying I work in a bar where I get minimum wages but good tips. With this I make a contribution to the holiday.This job also means that I get paid for Sat and Sun nights out.
Going together as a family still works for us. It will be quite some time before I can hire a car in the States so going with my folks gives me more freedom not less. My father and I are both sports fanatics, my mother and I are both WDW freaks.
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Never too old to go with the parents. I went last year at 22 with them, (without my husband who doesn't like Disney stuff.) We had a trip planned for Fall (I would be 24) but they turned it down cause they are going on a 2 week Austriala cruise.
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Janet, aka janetmojo
[email protected]
Intercot Staff Member
No Bad Dancing!!
Hi my name is Janet, and all my friends are on the internet.
I'm going to move this over to Vacation Planning for you... I fund mine by doing substitute school teaching...
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Ali's Mom
Intercot Staff Member
[email protected]
Up Next: Shades of Green : December 2šoš1 - Nothing better than WDW at Christmas Time!
I gotta get my WDW on
Any bonuses or gain sharing checks that we get from our jobs helps us fund our vacation. Then we just set aside a certain amount from each paycheck. It's easy to 'forget' the money is there if you put it in a special account or write it out of your checkbook.
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Momma don't whup little Buford, Momma don't pound on his head,
Momma don't whup little Buford, I think you should shoot him instead.
Country Bear Jamboree
Well keep inmind my parents are sick of Disney, yes you heard me. Look at my signature below, look at how many times I've gone. They would rather go to the islands than back to the mouse.
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Disney trips: 1985-2000 *Our Condo*, 2001 *CBR* (We sold the condo)... Wow have I been a lot!
How do I fund my trip?
- I use some of my income tax return.
- I use some of my annual bonus.
- I use automatic payroll deposits. Where I work, I am allowed to route my check into 1 or 2 accounts. After all my deductions are taken out for my 401k, children's college funds etc., I choose to send 10% into a "vacation/fun" account and the other 90% goes into the checking account (although it doesn't stay there long!)
- I also use a change jar. In fact, I couldn't sleep this morning so I started rolling and so far have $206.50 so it adds up quickly.
- I also use the technique where I book a room, and make "voluntary payments" towards my ressie. I have found there is nothing worse then going to Disney and coming home to a massive bill. I like everything paid in full before hand and then I only have to pay for the meals/souveniers.
- Every now and then I will look around the house and ebay some of my "valuables."
- Keep an eye of these boards! Thanks to all the tips, our family will be staying at a deluxe resort for the first time this year.
Also, you are young, seem to enjoy Disney. Have you ever thought about working there and/or moving closer?
Have fun saving and planning - it's part of the Disney excitement.
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I am in a similar situation, but I am managing to pay for a trip to WDW in Sept...I'm surprised that I could do it, but I am. Here are a few things that I've done:
1) Cut down on eating out. I cook dinner meals at home and then have leftovers for lunch the next day.
2) Cut down on buying clothes, CDs, going out to movies, etc.
3) Pay cash for everything that I am buying, which at this point, are only necessities.
4) Use coupons whenever possible.
5) This is the best thing--book your trip months in advance with a travel agent (after researching prices online and through agents) that will allow you to make payments on your trip. I've been paying for it little by little over the past few months, and I'm going to be done even before the money is due!
Just stay disciplined and you'll be there in no time. I think this way, you'll also savor every minute of your trip since you've "worked" so hard for it. I know that I will!
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Next trip...September 2001!!
Someone already mentioned it, but my husband's student loans sure do free up alot of money that would otherwise go towards rent. So, see, we're not techinally borrowing for Disney...
Since you'll be on a college campus, there's usually plenty of ways to make money. You can be a psychology test subject for something like $20 an hour. My husband and I deliver a monthly magazine to his law school building and make $50 for half an hour of work. You could also have a garage sale, sell stuff on amazon, do babysitting at a church or for support group meetings (cash right away, tax-free). Admittedly, it's hard for those little things to add up to a Disney vacation. If I were in school right now and not working full time, there'd be no way we could afford it. The best advice is just save money from your summer job.
And if you have a scholarhip, a student loan for the same amount might be easy to justify. The interest rates are pretty low on those things right now...
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off-site--1985
Disneyland (one day)--1999
All-Stars Movies--Dec. 2000
Port Orleans--Jan. 2001 (Honeymoon!)
Port Orleans (FQ)--Dec. 2001
Since our DW trip was planned only six weeks ago, and we're leaving in two weeks, we needed to come up with money pretty quickly so our family of four could go. We are the type of people who like a lot of extra spending money (who doesn't?), so my husband and I decided to supplement our income by sharing a paper route. (Don't laugh!) We also made a weekly budget of every week until vacation time. We have a travel folder that we keep all of our vacation planning in, and we also keep a "Vacation Fund" envelope in there. Every week, we look at our budget and "pay" our fund envelope the amount budgeted. We use cash for everything, so I keep the grocery, gas, etc. envelopes in my purse with the budgeted amount for those categories. We budget every dollar. When our fund envelope had enough for each vacation expense (plane tickets, hotel, town car, etc.), we bought what we needed and left the rest in the envelope until the next item was afforded. This has worked very well, and we've just been amazed at how easy and quick our fund added up! http://www.intercot.com/boards/supergrin.gif
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Deb & Dave (Deb does all of the posting)
Disneyland - 1/00, 2/00, 4/00, & 10/00
Disney World - Planned Trip 7/24 - 8/1/2001
"Rock-n-Roller Coaster, here I come!" --Deb (The lover of all that is Aerosmith)
I try to do as many Industrial Films as I can in the short amount of time before my trip. http://www.intercot.com/boards/eek.gif
For the normal people however, I would suggest getting as many discounts as you can. The DC is saving me hundreds of dollars on my next trip.
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"...I say believe in the future. The world is getting better."
-Walt Disney
In the works:
X Worlds of Adventure 2001 (done!)
-Islands of Adventure 2001
-Walt Disney World 2001
-DisneyLand 2002
Click here to vote for Intercot as the #1 Disney Site!
Don't forget Uncle Sam's $300 present coming to you in the next couple of months.
I took a part-time waitress/bartending job 2 nights a week. With tips and wages I make $200 per week. I put that right into savings.
Really watch where you are spending your money. I put my checking on Microsoft money and started paying for everything with a check so I could see where my money was going. It will amaze you! I figured out I spent $700 last year on pizza alone!(Tired, working mom of 4...what can I say...it is quick and easy!)
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<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>so my husband and I decided to supplement our income by sharing a paper route. (Don't laugh!)
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I must admit, I would have never thought of this....you guys are too cute! http://www.intercot.com/boards/smile.gif
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A friend told me that he paid all of his son's tuition & room & board with an airline credit card that earned him frequent flyer miles. He paid the bill before any interest accrued. He said he'd taken 4 airline trips in the last year with the card.
As the mom of an 18 year old soon to be college freshman, I must add if you try this it is VERY important that you pay the bill each month, you don't want to get in over your head with debt or waste your money on interest (sorry for the lecture - it's a mom thing.)
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When my friend went to WDW they saved all there money from the bottle depot, and they tried to collect a few extra bottles too (like trying not to accidentally throw away). Plus, Since your a college student it should be pretty easy for you to find bottles http://www.intercot.com/boards/wink.gif .
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We also save our change. It is amazing how much you can save. I also put away a certain amount every week just like it is a bill. As far as going with your parents, you are never too old for that. We are going in Feb. and my son will be almost 19 also a freshman in college. He is going because he gets to go for free. He knows we will pay for everything. My daughter and granddaughter are also going with us without her husband and she is 26. She said she doesn't care how old anyone is, she will go with them! Age is only a state of mind and Disney people never get old!
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WDW Trips
12/1996: All Star Sports
5/1998: Wilderness Lodge
5/1999: Dixie Landings
2/2000: Dixie Landings
9/2000: Dixie Landings
Next trip: Feb. 2002
DL: Too many times to count!