How do you save for cruises?

[mapgirl34]

I LIVE for vacation.

 

1. I don't have Internet at home. My cable package is $11/month and has about 14 channels... yes my friends make fun of me.

2. I keep the heat and A/C at levels to keep my utilities down. When I'm cold, I think of the beach.

3. I buy a car outright and run it til it dies.

4. I use my Discover Card for everything, pay it off every month (no balance) and use the Cashback bonus to save on my cruises.

5. I dogsit for extra cash... last summer, my regular weekend dog paid for my Sept cruise

6. I pack my lunch every day. Ordering out is too expensive.

7. Prior to the recent addition of having a boyfriend, I went on lots of dates so I ate out a lot for free. ;) clearly I'm not a feminist.

8. I don't wear makeup, get my hair or nails done or buy expensive clothes. 9. I don't drink, smoke or have any expensive habits.

10. I book my cruises 60-90 days out to get the lowest prices... but I only book last minute if I can get airfare in a range that I deem decent.

 

I literally LIVE for vacation!

[paul929207]

We also save money by avoiding waste while on the cruise.

1. No photos. Haven't bought one in years.

2. No bingo

3. Rarely do a ship excursion.

[sprint180]

Hi all, I agree with most of you. I divert $500 each month into a savings account. I work also but that goes for bills. The $500 is not all for cruising it is for anything. Other then that we live simply. Like many of you we have one car and drive it till it goes no more. We don't run to the doctor for every runny nose. Don't smoke or drink. Rarely eat out. Don't have cable or satalite, yeah Netflix! We have a credit card that we get cash back for and I pay any bills I can with that. Local grocery store just started taking CC so that was exciting. But, Pay it off every month or it will defeat the purpose.

[MsViola]

I also use Christmas and quarterly bonuses (large and small) to fund my habit. Looking forward to booking #2 for next year. Alaska here I come!

[vabchtraveler]

I quit smoking on May 3, 2007 and took what I spent on cigarettes each day and put it in my savings account to save to take my cruise to celebrate the one year quit. I have since then been able to justify my new addiction (cruising) as a much better choice for my health! It's a win, win for me. :D

 

That's what I did, too. Good for us. And now that cigarettes are $4.20 a pack (purchased in a carton) - wow! A pack a day x one year = $1533 in the cruise fund. Cruising is a great addiction!! Anybody else want to join us?

[nurseingu]

That's what I did, too. Good for us. And now that cigarettes are $4.20 a pack (purchased in a carton) - wow! A pack a day x one year = $1533 in the cruise fund. Cruising is a great addiction!! Anybody else want to join us?

 

I'm also an ex smoker. I quit 5 years ago but never thought about saving the money I would spend in cigarettes for a cruise. But I love the idea! Especially with the price they are now!!! Along with my pocket/loose change that's a nice cruise fund!

 

Karen

[RN4Nsy]

I also save money in a big old water jar. All my change, and dollar bills go into this jar. Now hubby spends every dime in his pocket, so I will dive to get it if he drops a penny! Our credit cards are paid off each month. I am not a big shopper, but I don't cook much so we really could save more by eating at home. If I REALLY want something I will work overtime. That is not something I do much, but when motivated by travel, I do. I do some online surveys for money (its tiny amts but adds up). I need to start planning cruises way in advance, but our vacation schedules at work are kinda strange and you never know if you will get that week or not. I usually pick a weeks vacation and then find a cruise that fits into it. People ask us why we travel so much, it's because we don't spend money on "things". We spend money to travel, meet other people and get away from it all.

 

Just cruised in March, got my eye on the Allure in January!

Remember that a rough day at sea is better than a good day at work!

[circuitrider]

I don't save money specifically for cruises/travel - I just save period. So when I want to take a cruise or a land vacation, the money is already there.

 

Same here. Every so often we'll transfer a large portion of our cheque account to a retirement-type account, but even then we leave enough for unexpected expenses (such as an unexpected cruise sale). When one of those "we can't afford NOT to" travel deals pops up, we snatch it up if our schedule allows (sometimes my wife's work schedule is already made out, and we have to pass).

[navybankerteacher]

Like everything else, it is a matter of setting priorities. Anyone who smokes regularly could easily cruise once a year by quitting. Pack your own lunch rather than eating out. Cook good dinners at home rather than paying more for lower quality at chain restaurants. Drive a modest car for longer. Stay out of Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. Of course, you need a reasonably good income -- but at the end of the day, it is a matter of self discipline -- every time you spend a dollar or so on something you do not really need you are deciding, in small increments, not to have the money for larger, more important things down the road.

[JustinPlusLauren]

I'm a coffee addict and I usually end up buying two a day at work. Now, we got a Keurig machine at work to use that I don't have to pay for...so I've decided to add up every time I don't buy a coffee and drink one at work, and put all of that money into a trip fund! Also, every time I brown bag it instead of buying a lunch at work, too. I'm sure it will add up pretty fast!

[Sinppu]

No car, no children, no expensive hobbies (like golf, diving, sailing or skiing), no eating out several days a week, no weekly (or even monthly) shopping sprees, no clubbing or partying...

 

That does it pretty quickly ;)

[ViolaSwamp]

I put aside $150 every other week into our vacation fund. We usually do one land based vacation per year and cruise every 2-3 years... in addition to multiple long weekend getaways throughout the course of the year. Like other posters here we try to be frugal and not fritter away useless $ here and there, which helps. I also quit smoking a couple of years ago which helps, too.

[paul929207]

Saving is easy when you live debt free. We do not buy anything unless we can pay cash for it.

[donaldsc]

I lived smartly and saved smartly when I was younger. Now I have enough money to take as many trips as I wish.

 

DON

[Keith1010]

The key is good discipline.

 

Keith

[45014]

We don't spend any $5.00 bills. It really adds up quickly. And all the coins we get in change we drop it into a big jar and take it to the bank and deposit in a separate account.

[internetwhiz]

We did the same and now we can cruise when ever we want, where ever we want, and as often as we want. We do, however, take land trips and travel by other means as well. That way we can spend more time exploring new places instead of being limited to just a few hours in a port city. Both ways to travel are fun. Over the years by not trying to impress anyone with the newest car, biggest house, or most expensive clothes we decided to spend our money to travel all over the world and most of the US. It's just a matter of priority. Still more to see.

 

Cheers!

 

All I can say is ditto. I could have written this response.

[misty57]

We have been able to travel since I work full time ( kids all grown and gone)

plus mandatory overtime:p. Mortgage was paid off over 10 years ago, home improvement projects all paid off. Student loans paid off. Kids now in charge of paying for their own loan payments.

DH has his own business with very little left over from his jobs. I'm the saver in the family. I was the one who paid for the kids college tuition books and room and board. Daughter's weddings all paid for.

I save change and use cruise line credit card for OBC.

Don't buy alot of new clothes and don't eat out except for special occasions. (recent changes)

Look up frugal living and you will find lots of ways to save a few dollars here and there and it all adds up. I don't mean extreme cheapskates, but not placing so much importance to material possesions and lifestyle. Vacations are nice for us so we can regroup and go back to work.

DH married a nurse with a purse!:D