Saving And Budgeting For A Family Vacation To Disneyland

1. Set A Goal And A Budget
Know what you have, what you want to save, and what you want to spend during your trip. In other words, have a PLAN! And for a successful plan to pan out, a reasonable goal in place with a reasonable budget is key.

2. Stay Home!
If possible, stay home! This is very hard for me to do since I have three kids and consider myself very active. However, an unnecessary trip to the mall in order to kill time will cost you on gas, meals (lunch, coffee, & snacks), trinkets you really don't need, and energy to make dinner; so now you have to eat out for dinner too! On an average day, this will spend me anywhere from $15-$30 of unnecessary spending.

3. Piggy Bank All Your Coins
I am an avid coin user. I will literally pay $5 worth of a Wendy's meal ALL in coins! But now what I've decided to do is to put them all in my child's piggy bank. That way, you can't get it back until you really need it and you know you're adding to your savings stash. In just a week's worth of my husband's pocket change-he only uses bills-I counted up $13 worth of change! $$$Cha-ching$$$

3. Garage Sales, Ebay, Craig's List, Squidoo, Etc,...
We all know the saying: Someone else's junk is someone else's treasure. Sell your baby items, glassware, furniture that you can replace...I still have the $70 I made from the stroller I sold on Craig's List safely tucked away for our trip.

4. Go On Extracurricular Activities Hiatus.
Before I started to seriously buckle down and budget for our trip coming up in May '09, I was involved in a wonderful group called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). My 5 year-old daughter was also enrolled in gymnastics, ballet/tap, and Korean Culture School. As a homeschooling family, these activities are vital to us but we had to sacrifice two of the three activities (including my own, MOPS)if we were to be serious about our Disney trip. My daughter is also very cooperative and understands that her sacrifice will go to a bigger and more rewarding purpose. Besides, the cutback is only temporary and once again, we're saving around hundreds of $$$ on enrollment fees, related costs, gas, and meals.

5. Utilize Your Assets
A few years ago, we bought two timeshares with the
vision of being hotel-free when we traveled. Hotels are wonderful without kids; but with three kids all under the ages of six, our stay would be much more pricier (hotel costs per night plus meals) and stressful (cramped, thin walls, etc.). With our timeshare, we are able to stay in a two-bedroom condo unit that is fully loaded with a functional kitchen, laundromat, and other convenient services that make you feel like you're at home...at only around $169 for the WHOLE WEEK!

6. Just Ask!
Room and board will eat up most of your costs while vacationing. If you don't have a timeshare like we do or a friend who owns one, but you do have a relative or friend you know in the area, don't be afraid to ask if you could stay over! And if they say no due to space or other valid reasons, they will be sure to offer help in finding a reasonable deal in the town they are familiar with. My parents live in Sacramento and drive a 8-passenger Lincoln Navigator. We asked them to come along with us since we'd be flying in an hour away from them. And that way, we will not only make lasting memories with them, but also be able to save on transportation!

8. Mac Flights / Space A Flights
For military members only!!! If you are in the military or are a dependent, you can actually fly for free! Of course it won't be as comfortable as a commercial flight and you will need to be somewhat flexible on flight availability, but nonetheless, it's FREE!!! And since my husband is in the US Army and we have five people in our family to account airfare for, nothing beats this deal! For more information, check out my Wikipedia segment on Space A below.

9. Military Deals & Discounts
Again, this is for military members but if you know someone in the military, you can ask them to purchase theme park tickets for you for a significant discount and just pay them back. If you are a military member or dependent, go to your USO and other military-catered services and travel agencies. Also, ask around; there will most likely be someone who has gone before you with great advice and tips.

10. Research!!!
Whoever you are, do your research before you finalize your plans and purchase. Check online for deals and especially for reviews from customers who will help you make your stay a better one. For hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars in savings, I highly recommend you check Disney World Vacation And Savings Travel Guide. You will get insider secrets and tips from an ex-Disney employee. The YouTube clip is also provided below.