Crazy way to save for your cruise

[Must Cruise]

First, I book while on board for the OBC and then transfer to my TA for extra OBC. I use C&A coupons and saving certificates when avail. Then I start my change jar and roll the change each week and place it in the safe until a week before we sail. When we get our tax refund and I use it all but about $200 for vacation/cruise's. I check daily for resident rates and for any price reductions. Yes, have a yard sale or 2. I've made $500 for our vacation/cruise fund this year. I have started taking my lunch and only eating out with co-workers maybe twice a month. I added up what I was spending a week and now I have that amount taken out of my checking account weekly and placed in my savings account. Boy! has that added up! Now for my biggest savings, I clip coupons for everything. Yes, I am the one that you get stuck behind in line with the piles of coupons, but I save on average a month about $150 to $250. That goes in the saving account as well. I even use coupons for restaurants. This year vacation plans for a family of 5: Jan weekend to Baltimore MD, Feb a 4 day Cruise, April week in Myrtle Beach, June a week in Gatlinburg TN and another weekend to Myrtle Beach, July a 4 day trip to Williamsburg VA and Nov a 4 day trip to New Hampshire. Already planning for 2008!!!

[Fran Harp]

I have a cruise jar that doesn't seem to be getting filled up these days, too much use of the debit card rather than cash. I do have an ING account where $50 each paycheque gets scooped from my bank account.

 

I decided that I needed an extra job in the hopes that it would keep me cruising so I became a part-time cruise consultant in addition to my full-time job. I don't make a whole lot yet, it's commission-based, but I like the perks! The downside is I keep wanting to book holidays.........for myself!

 

Madge, would you mind emailing me at franota at rogers dot com ????

 

I have a question for you.

 

Fran in Toronto

[randyfipps]

We cruise every thankksgiving. Every Friday M=my wife and I put a $20 in an envelope, more if we have it. At the end of the year that's $2080, pretty much covers an inside room and tips.

[fishy1]

After I had given the cruise to Jason as a birthday present we thought it would be good to have a cruise fund. I took a 5 gallon water bottle and decorated it up with leftover scrapbooking stickers & such. Now every Sunday night we empty whatever change I have in my purse since I never give correct change into the cruise fund. We counted it about 2 months ago and had $1700 in there I hope by our cruise in 26 days we will have $2000 in there. That would make for a wonderful cruise since most the excursions are paid for!!!

[ocwave]

I pick up extra shifts at work and my wife does the same. At time and 1/2

we are ready to roll in about 3 months working a shift every couple of weeks as a matter of fact I am working an extra shift right now!!! :D :D :D and am on my lunch break......leaving on explorer of the seas July 6th :eek: :eek:

[cds2423]

We are sailing in Oct with our daughter, son-in-law and 3 y.o. grandaughter. The 5 of us go out for dinner every Thurs. night normally, a couple of months ago i suggested that each Thurs when we get together the 4 adults each throw $5.00 into a kitty to pay for some shore excursions while in Bermuda, if we continue as we have we should have $720.00 by the time we sail. It's painless and we also just think of it as a little extra that we all put aside that we wouldn't normally have done.

I personally also started a savings account wherein i transfer $15.00 per week to pay for a girls only cruise in 2009 to celebrate my 50th b'day. I started March 2006 and already have $800.00, all the pennies add up.

Oh the things we do to feed our addiction:eek: isn't it wonderful?

Cheers all.

[robtulipe]

After I had given the cruise to Jason as a birthday present we thought it would be good to have a cruise fund. I took a 5 gallon water bottle and decorated it up with leftover scrapbooking stickers & such. Now every Sunday night we empty whatever change I have in my purse since I never give correct change into the cruise fund. We counted it about 2 months ago and had $1700 in there I hope by our cruise in 26 days we will have $2000 in there. That would make for a wonderful cruise since most the excursions are paid for!!!

It must be a pain to roll that much change in order for the bank to accept it. Even if you have a coin sorter it would take a bit of time and cost for coin wraps to do this.

We just have a saving account for vacation travel and to boot we get 4%/year interest on our savings. To get that rate we need to have a minimum $1000 so we start out with adding that amount and add to it regularly to build it up.

[LBB]

I also throw change in a bucket...and try to add dollar bills and higher every once in a while for tops.

 

Second, I am a freelance writer and take all the extra money for vacations. I get little checks, every so often, and it all goes into the vacation fund. I'm over $1,000 right now!!! Plenty for tips, excursions, etc.

[sas80]

We decide a year or two in advance which cruises we want to take and then deposit all the money into a CD for the duration up till final payment, so we can earn some $$ on it.

 

Boring, yea.

Smart, yup!

[KJHorton]

First, we have a RCL credit card and charge just about everything to get points.

 

Second, my husband teaches spinning at our gym. The money goes into a separate "slush fund" that pays only for vacations and/or fun. So basically, he gets paid to keep and shape and enjoy our cruise, a double bonus.

 

Not so exciting methods but they work.

[cruznlion]

And I thought I was the only one breaking paper money to make change for our cruise jar. :)

 

I don't break paper money on purpose, but I do save my change, But I use what I save in the Casino.

 

I pay for the cruise with my childrens board and room money. ( well over the age that I have to save for them )

[viper88]

We set aside most of our tax refund into a CD. We dont cruise until aug. 08. We set aside half of what we need this year and should have the other half with next years return. We also do the coin saving thing as well. Right now we are helping our children earn their spending money by doing things around the house. Santa will be bringing the family a shore excursion or two for the cruise. The wife and I set aside aniversary/birthday money for use on the cruise. Every little bit helps.

[ken_nyc]

I run and bowl in a vacation league. I just save up my vouchers with the travel agency that is connected with the league and when there is enough to cover I make my reservations. I also use a large water jug to put coins from my pocket every night, it adds up after a couple of years to a good amount of spending money.

[Desert Cruizers]

Have to agree with the other posters, I save all loose change and spend it only for vacations, I have over $200.00 saved so far! It adds up fast and its really easy to do. I also put all money I earn from overtime in my savings account.

Wow you learn something everyday, the Cruise jar is a fabulous idea. I better get my Jar cleaned up and ready to go.

[Monchhichi]

I do the coin jar thing too. :) I also have about $100-$200 automaticly deposited into an online savings account that give about 4% interest.

[ashleycrew]

My wife limits my gambling budget so I have to take that $5 cash back every time I use the debit card (when it is not obvious) for a couple of months before I go. I am bad I know but she is tough on the gambling budget.

[papermans]

We just go. The money seems to take care of itself.

[bubbie617]

I temporarily stop going to strip clubs and buying crack until after our cruise and if we are still short I rent out my wife.(hehehe)

 

 

John:

 

I am sending you a bill for what it's going to cost me to clean my computer and screen. I just laughed so hard that I sprayed all over it! I will put that money towards my next cruise.

[BakerBoysGirl]

Husband and I host poker nights once every three weeks. They rotate from other houses as well. All winnings, plus what the players tip for drinks goes in to the Cruise jar. Plus all extra change, and dollar bills.

 

I also rent out husband to our elderly aunts for fixer up work around their house....I don't really charge them, but they always give him a nice little bonus money for expenses.

 

If I still don't have enough, well I guess I could pick up cans, or sell some newspapers on the corner....anything legal to afford this habit!!!;)

[mommy2mrb]

We also save our change in a jar, put $50.00 in savings each month, any money I get from consigning my DD clothes, toys, etc.(that's her spending money for souveniors), Bunko winnings and we also do Keep the Change through our bank, yes its our money going from the checking to savings accts but we have already saved over $350 in just 3 months and we have 13 more months until our cruise.

 

Happy cruising everyone :)

[Fran Harp]

Wow you learn something everyday, the Cruise jar is a fabulous idea. I better get my Jar cleaned up and ready to go.

 

I just put another $200 in the cruise jar, and with $21 in one and two-dollar coins, I'm up to $421 in just over a month. Wish I'd done this sooner. Unfortunately the tax refund will have to pay for the trip to Japan. Bummer. Oh well, I guess I can stand three days at a hot spring....MIL needs to get out of the house. :D:D

 

Fran

[kingsgirl]

1. Lemonade stand.

2. Refusing to ever pay taxes again (note: may result in your last vacation ever)

3. Over using your RCI Visa so you can earn points for a free cruise.

4. Begging your parents.

5. Begging your friends.

6. Begging God.

7. Begging Satan (okay maybe not)

8. Become a lab rat for science experiments (note: you may not be alive to cruise)

9. Give up eating for a year. (this also includes at no extra cost, a free weight loss program)

10. Screw saving and just be a stow-away.

[TPKeller]

Check this one out: Stop smoking! Or any other daily vice you might be better off without... :D

 

Here is a calculator that will show you just how fast it adds up! Throw the money into one of those high yield on-line savings accounts (ING, HSBC, etc). At the end of a year you're most of the way there!

 

Giving up one pack a day at $3 each invested at 5% will get you over $1,100 in a year! Works for coffee too! ;)

 

Theron

[jstpshe]

Years ago I bought a very tall blue plastic crayola savings bank, any change I got I threw in there, but now, I'm in that Bank of America, Keep the Change program so anytime I purchase something I use my debit card and the extra change I make off of the program goes to my savings. Last year I made over $700.00 free money. Until they stop the program that is how I'll get my change now.

 

I do a lot of the rebate programs, Walgreens, Eckerds, CVS, etc. and I buy anything that's free even if I can't use it because there's always someone at my yardsales that can and I've already made my money back and resold it for more.

 

 

So that's where some of my travel money comes from.

 

CJ :) :)

[01821]

Just wondering what people do to save that bit extra for their onboard account or cruise? The missus and I are avid game players, right now we play "Power crazy 8's". 25c if you lose a game, $1 if you get stuck with the queen of spades, $1 if you get stuck with 100 points in your hand etc. Same for Yahtzee, 25c per game and an extra 25c for every extra Yahtzee. You dont miss the money when its in small amounts and it adds up fast. Last year we saved $345 in 10 months.

Just wondering if we are mad, snow bound crazies or do other people do this:)

 

 

I "Pay myself first". as soon as my deposits are in, I put my alotted cruise saving amount into special savings acct.:)