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Home > Archive: February, 2012

Archive for February, 2012

Saved $700 obsessing over Disney trip

February 28th, 2012 at 01:26 am

I found the tickets that we needed to buy for our upcoming summer trip to Walt Disney World as I obsessively checked all of the online websites for various options available. I was able to find a program that Disney offers for children that would allow us to buy discounted tickets. The kids get to attend a 3-hour class on Disney animation and we are able to buy tickets that cost a total of $700 less than the 2nd least expensive option I could find. I had checked these programs a couple of weeks ago and there wasn't anything advertised for our travel dates. When I checked yesterday, classes had opened up for our travel dates but were filling up quickly. I guess obsessing over the trip was worth it!

Back again, saving like crazy!

February 25th, 2012 at 02:40 pm

I have been at my new job now for 6 months. I haven't blogged in a while and thought I should start going again as it helps keep me focused on the finances. I have managed to save $13,000 to savings! In January, I started putting the max into my employer retirement plan. My employer puts in 8% of my salary regardless of my contribution. Everything is being put into Roth savings so I am able to save more than the $10k that my husband and I would be allowed to be put into Roth accounts outside of an employer plan. My goal for 2012 is to save $3000 per non-summer month in addition to retirement savings. January and February savings goals have been met!

We have two big expenses coming up that I have been saving for: 1) summer salary replacement for my spouse who does not get paid a full salary in the summer - he teaches. 2) A French drain and retaining wall as our current one has rotted and partially collapsed from water damage.

After living for years on a very tight budget, it is so incredible to be able to increase our savings and have extra spending money. I am now trying to let go a little of my frugal tendencies. I did buy a new tv stand/entertainment unit to replace the old coffee table we were using, but I just can't justify buying a flat screen tv that everyone thinks we should get when the standard model we have works just great. The cable guy couldn't believe that we did not have any flat screen tvs in our house. We also now eat out every Friday and take turns picking the restaurant. This has been so much fun and so enjoyable. Pre-the-new-job, the most we could afford to do was to go to the cheap family place on rare occasions.