I’ve watered the plants and picked up the meds
I’ve cleaned up the house except making our beds
I paid all the bills that soon will be due
I’ll be done with my blogging in a moment or two

We’ve checked all the tires and changed the oil
Cleaned out the fridge so nothing will spoil
Took out the trash and gassed up the car
Went to the bank, or we wouldn’t get far

I printed the maps and programmed the TomTom
Gave our itinerary to my son and my mom
Won’t sleep much tonight as I’m sure you could guess
With so much to do who has time to rest

We’ll load up some stuff and put the rest by the door
Charge all the phones, ipods and more
Grab my Disney notebook or how could I make it
Everything’s in it, no way I could fake it

Grab the pillows and blankets and each tech device
Then check the stove, I always check twice
Set the thermostat high to save on our bill
Then doctor my coffee and take my pill

Make sure we’re all loaded and everyone’s in
Then go over my short list quickly again
Lock up the house and set the alarm code
Then we’re out of the driveway and in Disney mode!

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Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

So today I want to share some things that my family has done, as well as a few ideas I have come across in my internet wanderings.

• Credit card rewards. I already have mentioned how much we love the benefits of the Disney Visa rewards card. I have honestly found that the rewards that I accrue over an entire year or so, can pay for significant parts of our trips. And even if you don’t plan to visit Disney World that often, you can use those Disney rewards for all kinds of Disney products: merchandise, videos, shows etc. If you have kids, and credit cards work for your lifestyle, consider this card. But don’t overlook other cards you may have: many offer all kinds of rewards that can be used on your trip. Discover, for example, actually accrues dollars. Others add Frequent Flier miles and such. If you are getting any kind of rewards, look into saving them up and applying them to your trip.

• Pennies, pennies, pennies! Yup, we have a coin jar, and you won’t believe how much change a family of 3 saves up over the course of a year! The thing about this strategy that I love is, it really is money that is not “missed”….we don’t really think about all those coins sitting around, and don’t really use them for anything else (well, except for my daughter’s college laundry, but that’s another story )

• Have a yard sale. OK, I really like this for two reasons: we get rid of stuff we don’t need, and we get money for it in the process. Added bonus: have your children create their own section of the yard sale with stuff they really need to part with, have them be responsible for selling their own items, and they can put their profit towards their own Disney fund. Clearly the kids need to be old enough to comprehend this process, but trust me, it is highly effective.

• Disney gift cards. This is where planning in advance can really pay off, because they make great little gifts throughout the year. Valentine’s Day? Nothing sweeter IMHO. Easter? Perfect size for an Easter basket. Christmas? The original stocking stuffer. Plus, getting them throughout the year, in small denominations, allow you to budget easily for your trip.

• This last one I personally have not done, but know people who have: “Vacation Club” accounts at your local bank. This is a variation on the old Christmas Clubs where you deposit a small amount each week and at the end of the year you have quite a little nest egg. You can do this for vacations too, and the nice thing about this is, “out of sight, out of mind”.

So, find your piggy bank and start saving! A little bit every day or so, and you may be surprised how much it adds up to by the time you leave!