So I asked myself, how can I put money aside? We've already cut cable, have a 24% discount on cell phones, get a rebate for internet (we homeschool so internet is a requirement), make coffee at home. There isn't much wiggle room.
Couponing!
I love couponing! Have been known as an extreme couponer but have gotten out of it over time. So what better time to get back into it right?
We decided to book for early January. CRAZY right?! But I think I can do it.
Heres our trip plans:
Hotel - All star music - Disney is offering their normal fall deals for the New Year. Up to 25% off. So we're going for 9 days at $1016.
Tickets - We're a family of 4. Two adults, two children under 10. Cost for tickets for 7 days: 1533.
Flights: We got a great deal on Southwest, $92 each way. $735 round trip! Book as soon as the day OPENS up to public.
Food we're planning on bringing a suitcase full of snacks and breakfasts including an insulated bag full of deli meat and other fruits and veggies as well as bringing some on the plane. We plan on only doing 2 character meals, one for my sons birthday as we'll be down for both my son and my husbands birthdays. As this will already be part of my normal weekly budget, I am only calculating the character meals with "some wiggle room" I expect around $400 for food.
Souvenirs: Being so close to Christmas and going for my son and husbands birthdays, we're actually not doing much in terms of souvenirs. But I'm still budgeting for $300. $50 for each of the children, $100 each for my husband and I. We're not buying anything for anyone else during this trip like we normally do because we buy for Christmas or birthdays. Seeing as they'll all be over, I'm saving my pennies (more like hundreds)
So total cost: 3984 Round up to 4000 just because I like even numbers.
Paid to date:
735 - Airline tickets
So total cost: 3984 Round up to 4000 just because I like even numbers.
Paid to date:
735 - Airline tickets
125 - deposit
25 - Disney Gift card
Total remaining: 3115.
Total put in savings this week: 205
Total put in savings this week: 205
Total remaining: 2910
Here's how I'm going to save almost 3000 in 84 days.
Essentially thats 34.64 per day or 242.50 a week I need to save. (Smaller goals work better for me)
I stopped putting Federal taxes in because I calculated, based on my income to what I've already paid in (25% for the year) and what my husband has paid in (also 25%) we've MORE than paid our share. So that's an extra $50 in my paycheck every week.
That brings my total down to 192 a week or 27.5 a day.
Now we turn to selling items and couponing.
For couponing:
Anything I buy I will use coupons. I'm a huge Target shopper, so I want to make sure I get my totals as close to 0 as possible, saving at least 47.50 each trip! 47.50 you say? Why such a funny amount.
Here's my logic. If I save 47.50 each trip, I can buy a $50 Disney Gift Card and use my Target Debit Card, bringing the $50 down to 47.50. Essentially paying "full price" for these products. Anything I save goes TOWARDS my Disney Total.
So say I need to buy Huggies Diapers. I have $4 off 2 packs of diapers from my newspaper, Plus 5% off AND $15 gift card promotion (a promotion that is currently active) That's essentially saving me 21.50. I can take that 21.50 and put it towards my Disney savings. (How I've saved the 205 in a week thus far)
Selling Items:
I sell on Ebay, local facebook boards and through friends and family.
I have a lot of childrens items, "stock items" and Harry Potter items (Harry Potter fan right here)
So far this week I have sold 47.50 and the week isn't over yet. Between my savings at Target and my selling on boards I have saved $205 this week, surpassing my $192 goal.
Think I can beat my challenge? Let me know what you think! Other than crazy ;)
Here's how I'm going to save almost 3000 in 84 days.
Essentially thats 34.64 per day or 242.50 a week I need to save. (Smaller goals work better for me)
I stopped putting Federal taxes in because I calculated, based on my income to what I've already paid in (25% for the year) and what my husband has paid in (also 25%) we've MORE than paid our share. So that's an extra $50 in my paycheck every week.
That brings my total down to 192 a week or 27.5 a day.
Now we turn to selling items and couponing.
For couponing:
Anything I buy I will use coupons. I'm a huge Target shopper, so I want to make sure I get my totals as close to 0 as possible, saving at least 47.50 each trip! 47.50 you say? Why such a funny amount.
Here's my logic. If I save 47.50 each trip, I can buy a $50 Disney Gift Card and use my Target Debit Card, bringing the $50 down to 47.50. Essentially paying "full price" for these products. Anything I save goes TOWARDS my Disney Total.
So say I need to buy Huggies Diapers. I have $4 off 2 packs of diapers from my newspaper, Plus 5% off AND $15 gift card promotion (a promotion that is currently active) That's essentially saving me 21.50. I can take that 21.50 and put it towards my Disney savings. (How I've saved the 205 in a week thus far)
Selling Items:
I sell on Ebay, local facebook boards and through friends and family.
I have a lot of childrens items, "stock items" and Harry Potter items (Harry Potter fan right here)
So far this week I have sold 47.50 and the week isn't over yet. Between my savings at Target and my selling on boards I have saved $205 this week, surpassing my $192 goal.
Think I can beat my challenge? Let me know what you think! Other than crazy ;)
