What works for us -

[Calgon1]

First up, we are Empty-Nesters. The kidlets are grown and gone. So, these money saving tips work for us. If you have young'uns around, it may be more difficult, as there are always wants and needs tapping your wallet/purse.

 

That said, here are a couple ways to set aside "extra" cash before that cruise.

 

1) Spare change - When making a retail cash purchase, I NEVER use coins. I only use bills. Each day, when I get home, all change goes in "The Jug". Also, on Fridays (the end of my week), any $1s or $5s (that have survived the week and are still hiding in my wallet) . . . go in "The Jug".

 

2) Pay it forward - "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed" does this. Every time we return from a cruise, she begins a new cruise fund. First Saturday, she puts $1 in her "Bucket". Second Saturday - $2.; third Saturday - $3, etc., etc., etc.

 

If she makes it through a full year, her "Bucket" has $1,378.

 

Other savings -

 

3) Cabin - We find it really hard to justify anything other than an "inside". Yes, I've heard all the arguments . . . "I'm claustrophobic", "I want to be able to see outside", "I want to have fresh air", "I want to hear the ocean at night". Please note that only one of those did not include the word "want".

 

Folks, you're only in your cabin to s***, sleep, shower, shave, make 'whoopie' and change clothes. You can't see anything at night (there are NO streetlights out there). If you leave your balcony door open, you'll A) shut of the air conditioning and B) wake up to a nice coating of salt spray/dew on everything.

 

If you want to see outside, go up on deck. The top two or three decks are designed just for that purpose. Plus, there is food and drink within an arms reach almost 24 hours/day.

 

For those who are prone to mal-de-mer, that inside cabin, on the lowest deck, centered (amidships, fore and aft) is the most stable point you can get. Basically that's the pivot point. the farther you get from there, the more pronounced the roll (tipping), pitch (up and down) and yaw (side to side) becomes. Where you might experience a 1 inch shift, the folks in the penthouse suite (who paid2 to 5 times what you did) are going through a 2 foot movement!

 

4) Drinks - If you're going to drink so much as to realize any significant savings on the packages they offer, you're going to be totally stoked up on caffeine or alcohol. Personally, I don't need either buzz that badly. Oh, and the bottled water . . . Why? The ship's desalinization plant produces water that's cleaner than the stuff in the bottles. If you "want" flavorings, bring along some "Crystal Lite" ( or equivalent).

 

5) Photos - Other than for a private setting, DO NOT BUY any ship's photos until the last night of the cruise! Can't say this enough. Don't avoid the ship's photographers. Let 'em take all they want. Each day, swing by the gallery and find your photos. Set them aside. On the last cruise day, go through them and be ruthless. We save the "embarkation", one formal night and (maybe) one or two candid's (if we REALLY like them). We also get the cruise video. That's it. Between those professional photos and our amateur snap-shots, we have enough to fill the scrapbook (that we only look at a couple times before putting it on the closet shelf - with the others).

 

6) Casino - We are not gamblers. I have a set amount for the cruise. When I hit that amount, I stop. I came on the cruise for the cruise. If I wanted to live in a casino, I could drive to the nearest reservation and give away my money for a heck of a lot less!

 

7) Internet - Oh my. Here we go. I'm an Internet junkie. I love it. But, I'm not addicted to it. I don't see the "need" to be connected every second of every day. The whole purpose of a vacation is to take a break from the stresses of daily life. Disconnect and recharge. Yes, the garden must be watered, fertilized and tended to; but, you also need to totally stop . . .and smell the roses once in a while too!

 

I'm important (at least I'd like to think I am), but I'm not so important that my work, or my friends or extended family have to be in constant contact. If something happens back home, what (realistically) can you do about it? Yes, I realize that there are (rare) exceptions, but that's what you should get insurance for. If you have to return early it's covered. If something at work pops up, (hopefully) your assistant/deputy/co-worker will handle it. What would they do if you were gone. Indeed, 'someone' would set up and make whatever decision was necessary.

[sfaaa]

Add one more to the list: Be flexible and watch those prices daily. Only go when there is a deal.

[Rebel54]

Great post. It's certainly easier to save when you are an empty nester. We do the jar thing too. Every time we break a $5.00 bill, all the change goes in the jar. We do the 52 week saving's plan too. The first week we start with $52.00 and work back to $1.00. Makes for a nice bit of cash for traveling expense.

 

http://www.resourcefulblogger.com/52-week-savings-plan/

 

I've just started playing with a couple apps for savings as well. The first one is called Digit. It monitors my spending and transfers bit's of money here and there based on what it determines I don't need. So far I've got about $110 in there. They don't charge any fees and I can pull it anytime I want with no penalty. It's also guaranteed so if they take too much and accidently cause me to over draft, they cover everything.

 

I'm playing with another app that rounds all my debit charges up to the nearest $1.00 and collects the change and transfers that amount in $5.00 increments into the app which invests it into electronically traded stocks. Hoping I'll make some money off it eventually but who knows. I've got a whopping 64.00 in there. It's called Acorns. I can remove the money at any time with no penalty.

 

I also dabble around on a website called Swagbucks. When I'm sitting watching TV I take survey's, watch video's and earn Swagbucks. These are converted to gift cards of your choice. I go with PayPal gift cards and transfer that to my travel account. It's not a lot but in the last two months I've made $250.00 that way. Helps pay for tours and stuff.

 

Finally, I coupon. Anytime I go shopping, whatever I save couponing goes in my travel fund.

 

After a year it all adds up!

[Romano3505]

Planning my families first ever cruise and we were looking for an interesting way to save the funds for it. Gonna start the 52 week challenge tommorrow, should be fun. Any other suggestions?

Edited June 12, 2015 by Romano3505

[TruckerDave]

I have one of those cash back credit cards so all the cash back goes into the vacation fund.

 

I also do the all pocket change idea. I just empty my pockets every night into the bucket. (I am one of the weird people who like rolling coins. My friends think i am nuts but nothing better than stacking rolls of quarters. :D )

 

Because my pay varies from week to week, I also dump 1% of my net check into the savings fund.

 

I might need to replace my 1% plan with the 52 week idea, looks like it would add more to the fund. Time to break out the calculator.

[pmoniz]

Calgon1 - great thread and great advice!! We, too, do many of the things you do as well to save money to cruise (-the booze)! The balcony vs. interior cabin cracked me up!!

[Romano3505]

I have one of those cash back credit cards so all the cash back goes into the vacation fund.

 

I also do the all pocket change idea. I just empty my pockets every night into the bucket. (I am one of the weird people who like rolling coins. My friends think i am nuts but nothing better than stacking rolls of quarters. :D )

 

Because my pay varies from week to week, I also dump 1% of my net check into the savings fund.

 

I might need to replace my 1% plan with the 52 week idea, looks like it would add more to the fund. Time to break out the calculator.

Change adds up quick!!! We frequent Disney every other year and we use m&m minis containers to store quarters and pennies for my kids to use for the penny transformation machines. When they aren't in use I use them to store quarters until filled then cash in and put to the side. It's close to $150 each time for a couple months extra change.Every dollar helps when you are on a budget.

Edited June 13, 2015 by Romano3505

[YubaSutter]

First up, we are Empty-Nesters. The kidlets are grown and gone. So, these money saving tips work for us. If you have young'uns around, it may be more difficult, as there are always wants and needs tapping your wallet/purse.

 

That said, here are a couple ways to set aside "extra" cash before that cruise.

 

1) Spare change - When making a retail cash purchase, I NEVER use coins. I only use bills. Each day, when I get home, all change goes in "The Jug". Also, on Fridays (the end of my week), any $1s or $5s (that have survived the week and are still hiding in my wallet) . . . go in "The Jug".

 

2) Pay it forward - "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed" does this. Every time we return from a cruise, she begins a new cruise fund. First Saturday, she puts $1 in her "Bucket". Second Saturday - $2.; third Saturday - $3, etc., etc., etc.

 

If she makes it through a full year, her "Bucket" has $1,378.

 

Other savings -

 

3) Cabin - We find it really hard to justify anything other than an "inside". Yes, I've heard all the arguments . . . "I'm claustrophobic", "I want to be able to see outside", "I want to have fresh air", "I want to hear the ocean at night". Please note that only one of those did not include the word "want".

 

Folks, you're only in your cabin to s***, sleep, shower, shave, make 'whoopie' and change clothes. You can't see anything at night (there are NO streetlights out there). If you leave your balcony door open, you'll A) shut of the air conditioning and B) wake up to a nice coating of salt spray/dew on everything.

 

If you want to see outside, go up on deck. The top two or three decks are designed just for that purpose. Plus, there is food and drink within an arms reach almost 24 hours/day.

 

For those who are prone to mal-de-mer, that inside cabin, on the lowest deck, centered (amidships, fore and aft) is the most stable point you can get. Basically that's the pivot point. the farther you get from there, the more pronounced the roll (tipping), pitch (up and down) and yaw (side to side) becomes. Where you might experience a 1 inch shift, the folks in the penthouse suite (who paid2 to 5 times what you did) are going through a 2 foot movement!

 

4) Drinks - If you're going to drink so much as to realize any significant savings on the packages they offer, you're going to be totally stoked up on caffeine or alcohol. Personally, I don't need either buzz that badly. Oh, and the bottled water . . . Why? The ship's desalinization plant produces water that's cleaner than the stuff in the bottles. If you "want" flavorings, bring along some "Crystal Lite" ( or equivalent).

 

5) Photos - Other than for a private setting, DO NOT BUY any ship's photos until the last night of the cruise! Can't say this enough. Don't avoid the ship's photographers. Let 'em take all they want. Each day, swing by the gallery and find your photos. Set them aside. On the last cruise day, go through them and be ruthless. We save the "embarkation", one formal night and (maybe) one or two candid's (if we REALLY like them). We also get the cruise video. That's it. Between those professional photos and our amateur snap-shots, we have enough to fill the scrapbook (that we only look at a couple times before putting it on the closet shelf - with the others).

 

6) Casino - We are not gamblers. I have a set amount for the cruise. When I hit that amount, I stop. I came on the cruise for the cruise. If I wanted to live in a casino, I could drive to the nearest reservation and give away my money for a heck of a lot less!

 

7) Internet - Oh my. Here we go. I'm an Internet junkie. I love it. But, I'm not addicted to it. I don't see the "need" to be connected every second of every day. The whole purpose of a vacation is to take a break from the stresses of daily life. Disconnect and recharge. Yes, the garden must be watered, fertilized and tended to; but, you also need to totally stop . . .and smell the roses once in a while too!

 

I'm important (at least I'd like to think I am), but I'm not so important that my work, or my friends or extended family have to be in constant contact. If something happens back home, what (realistically) can you do about it? Yes, I realize that there are (rare) exceptions, but that's what you should get insurance for. If you have to return early it's covered. If something at work pops up, (hopefully) your assistant/deputy/co-worker will handle it. What would they do if you were gone. Indeed, 'someone' would set up and make whatever decision was necessary.

 

I have to disagree with the cabin. It's a vacation. A balcony for us is a must. Getting an inside is like going to a beautiful destination and staying at a flea bag motel.

[celebrity]

Please don't dismiss those with claustrophobia. I suffer from it and while I would love to save money and book an inside, it would never happen. I always sit in theaters, restaurants etc where I have a quick escape in the event of a fire. I have to take Xanax on a plane as I feel trapped. With a balcony cabin, if I wake up in the middle of the night, I can step outside on the balcony and get some fresh air without getting dressed and going up on deck.

I love watching the sunrise, sunsets the harbor pilots all from my balcony.

It really is a wretched condition and unless you suffer from it, you cannot understand it.

I don't gamble, go to the spa or specialty restaurants, so I save in that regard.

[wdw1972]

I have to disagree with the cabin. It's a vacation. A balcony for us is a must. Getting an inside is like going to a beautiful destination and staying at a flea bag motel.

 

I totally agree with you!! We get a verandah when cruising together, but I will settle for an oceanview when sailing solo. Quite honestly, I would stay home before I'd settle for an inside stateroom....it's nothing but a walk-in closet with a bed & toilet. For those who like complete darkness or have some other reason to like inside staterooms that's fine, but please don't suggest anything nicer is a waste of money.

 

I also buy the internet package - again, it's my choice to be online during my vacation, and it's not appropriate to state what others should do. Throw it out as an idea - along the lines of "if you can skip the internet or limit yourself to free wifi found in ports, you can save a chunk of change" and leave it at that.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[spleenstomper]

We spend a lot of time on our balcony. It beats trying to fight chair hogs..