Here’s how Allison adds to her fund…
Family vacations are very important to us. We have been extremely fortunate to take a Disney trip every year for the last 5 years. It’s a trip we look forward and count down to all year. To “Grow our Fund” we plan meals, eat out less, coupon, and bargain hunt. Although, the best way I have found to grow our fund is to decrease the amount we need to save.
Disney is very expensive. There is no doubt about that. However, if there is a will, there is a way. Making a few key decisions on your trip can save you a ton. Deciding what month to travel, where to stay, how long to stay, and what to do while you are there makes a huge difference on how much you need to have in your fund.
Disney has lots of great discounts through the year. Our personal favorite is free dining. Our children are not in school yet, so we take advantage of going in September when the resorts usually offer free dining. We stay at an All-Star or the Pop Century hotel. The free quick-service dining gives us 2 free meals and a snack each day. We bring a box of oatmeal and some fruit for breakfast and we eat for free for our entire stay! Airline flights are also usually cheaper late in the summer rather than mid summer! Also, be sure to sign up for Disney e-mails as they often send out free dining offers to a select few. We have received a free dining offer before for June! So once you break down that your food is free, your flights generally come out to the same price no matter how long you stay, and the park tickets don’t jump drastically after a four day pass, you are down to hotel costs. This has really allowed us to stay longer. We look at it as approximately $150 more for every night we want to stay.
Every year we find better ways to save on our trip and every year we get to enjoy the magic a little longer.
Want to find out how to find even more money in your budget? Be sure to check out all the articles in the your fund series.