A Disney vacation is a dream vacation for many families. If you went to Disney as a child, chances are you want to recreate those memories with your kids. The only problem is that it can be an expensive vacation. If you want to make this dream a reality, it can be done. Let’s look at how to save for a Disney vacation.
Add up the Costs
First things first. You need to sit down and create a budget for your Disney vacation. You need to overestimate. It’s better to have more money than you needed than less.
Think about how much your tickets, hotel, transportation, food, souvenirs, etc. will cost. Create a list and be realistic about what you’ll have to spend. Also, consider getting a Disney package that includes a hotel room, tickets, and a food plan. Compare the costs and see if this will help with your budget.
Choose the Date
No more dreaming. This is about making it happen. Choose a date for your vacation. Keep in mind that there are times of the year when things will be less expensive. The off-season for Disney is usually January 1 – February 11, August 29 – September 29, and October 31 – December 19. Do note that you may also be able to find good deals starting July 5 extending through September 29, depending on where you stay. This is due to it being hurricane season and back to school season. There may be a surge in prices during Labor Day weekend.
Set Goals
How many pay periods do you have between now and the date you’ve chosen? Take the total cost and divide by the number of pay periods. This is how much you’ll need to save to meet your goal. If you can save more than that some weeks, do it. There may be weeks where you can’t meet your goal and you’ll be happy you saved extra.
Save Automatically
Treat the amount you need to save each pay period like any other bill. Set up an automatic savings plan to draw the money from checking into savings. This makes it so much easier to save for a Disney vacation.
Cut Expenses
If you find that the amount of money you need to save to meet your goal is a little more than you can afford, cut expenses. Did you know that cutting the cord on your cable or satellite can save you on average $150 a month? That’s $1800 a year! Cutting that one expense could almost pay for your entire vacation.
Sell Items You No Longer Use
You can also save for a Disney vacation by selling items you no longer use. Believe it or not, the clothing, video games, movies, board games, etc. that your family no longer uses may be worth some serious cash. Check eBay and see what items are selling for. You can sell on Amazon, eBay, Mercari, Poshmark, and even Facebook Marketplace.
It is easier than you might think to save for a Disney vacation. The hardest part is creating a realistic budget and being diligent about saving money each pay period.
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