Here’s how C&H adds to her fund…
My family is going to Walt Disney World at the end of September 2012 for our second family trip! We’re very excited and are having lots of fun planning our trip. I’ve come up with a few ways to help save for our adventure, beyond setting aside money from our budget, couponing, and saving “found” money.
First, I’ve found a way to “stretch” my Found Money. I keep our Disney Fund in a separate vacation account at our credit union that I can’t directly access. To make a deposit this account, the money has to go into checking first and then be transferred over. Whenever I have found money to add to the fund (rebates, money from extra change, etc) I round-up the amount I transfer to the nearest $5 or $10 ($8 becomes $10, $14 becomes $15, etc). We don’t miss the few extra dollars here and there but every little bit helps.
A second way involves my kids’ allowance. They earn an allowance but generally don’t carry the cash with them to the store. If they decide to buy something, I’ll pay for it but they owe me the cash right when we get home. Little do they know, but I usually put that cash in the spare change jar for the Disney Fund. If they make a big purchase, I might not put the whole amount in the jar.
And this final way helps the Fund a little bit, but more importantly helps my kids (12, 10, and 7) remember their manners. If they have an “attitude” about something they’ve been told, they owe me money from their allowance jar. They hate to part with their money that way, so it’s a really effective way to remind them they aren’t behaving. J And that money goes in the Spare Change jar when they aren’t looking. I’m happy to say this doesn’t happen very often.
There you have three simple ways we’re adding to our Disney Fund. September can’t get here fast enough!
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.
I often put money the kids “owe me” in the jar too :) Great tips!
Another thing we do is have a separate jar for the kids. When they get their allowance or any earned money, they are required to budget the money. 10% tithing, 20% to long term savings (piggy banks) and 20% to short term savings (vacation jar). The remaining 50% is theirs to spend. When its time for vacation, they get their jar money as spending cash, however they want to spend it. Not only does it save my pocketbook some of the cash for souvenniers, but it teaches them a lesson in saving!