Favorite money saving/thrifty tip?

[DebBrown]

Several years ago, on a thread right here on CC, I read of a great way to set aside money for a cruise and I've been doing it ever since. If it was your suggestion, THANK YOU!

 

Every time you get a $5 bill, put it in a jar.

 

I find that I am putting away over $100 a month with out even noticing the bite. I currently have over $1200 in my jar, and that's just since Sept.

 

One problem I had to overcome was that everytime I went to Starbucks and paid for my $4.30 drink with a $20, I would be given change of 3 $5 bills and the coins. Since I have seriously committed to putting away any $5 I received, that made my latte a $19.30 expense! I got around that by now paying with a loaded gift card (registered and earning free drink points).

 

My mother has started putting away her $5 bills too and has saved over $400 in a just few months for her upcoming trip to Paris.

OMG!!! I started doing this about 6 months ago and have $500 saved. Just like you, if I get back 3 $5 from a $20, it all goes into the envelope. I truly haven't missed a dime either. GREAT way to save! We also save our change but it doesn't add up nearly as quick. :rolleyes:

[lola61]

We plan ahead and save rebates,bottle deposits, birthday and xmas money etc.. and get fun ship dollars. Last cruise we had a $600 OBC and partied like a rockstar no worries, and no credit card debt:D

[All4fun&fun4all]

I love the idea of using envelopes for each day's cash allotment!!!

 

I do this also. It really works to keep you on budget.

 

No credit cards for this girl...I cant even imagine how I would keep myself under control. I doubt I could even get a credit card if I tried. :o

 

We save our change as well. Unfortunately, we constantly are "borrowing" from it. It never gets past $20.00 sadly. (There is that lack of control again.)

[mwood0612]

 

I always pay my bills on time and do not pay interest .. so why not take advantage of free money. I dont get people who must not be able to budget well enough they would give up free money.

 

I have no problems paying my bills or budgeting my money, the part I was quoting " I use the envelope method. I have an envelope for each day and once on the ship put all the envelopes in the safe. We use that days envelope only and if there is any money left, we put that in either the next days envelope or the envelope for the last day. It's always great to come home with money!" has nothing to do with pre-cruise planning but a way to spread our spending money out each day...........

[Spring1onu]

Wonderful ideas everyone! I'm taking notes, LOL! Really like the idea of putting money in an envelope for each day - a great idea!

 

 

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[Out to sea!]

If you bring battery operated devices onboard, take out the batteries and pack the device and the batteries separately so that things don't accidentally turn on and run out before your cruise even starts. And bring extra batteries too.

 

Take the batteries out of BOB?!?!? :eek: Just how many extra batteries does BOB need??? :confused:

[Out to sea!]

I agree don't drink onboard except what you bring yourself. And to all the people outraged over the baggies, too bad I have done it for 21 years nobody has EVER said a word. If you are so moralistic or so afraid of your own shadow that's your problem.

 

Baggies??? :confused:

[daijayx2]

I do this also. It really works to keep you on budget.

 

No credit cards for this girl...I cant even imagine how I would keep myself under control. I doubt I could even get a credit card if I tried. :o

 

We save our change as well. Unfortunately, we constantly are "borrowing" from it. It never gets past $20.00 sadly. (There is that lack of control again.)

 

Ok tell me how this would work. So each day you take the cash in the envelope and add it to the s&s account? I have seen several people say they use this method but I'm not understanding how. So if you want a drink you have to add money to the s&s b4 you buy one? Or is this money the extra spending money you bring for other things?

If so how do you budget ur on board expenses? Just curious because sounds like something I want to try myself if I can figure out how.

 

 

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[mwood0612]

Ok tell me how this would work. So each day you take the cash in the envelope and add it to the s&s account? I have seen several people say they use this method but I'm not understanding how. So if you want a drink you have to add money to the s&s b4 you buy one? Or is this money the extra spending money you bring for other things?

If so how do you budget ur on board expenses? Just curious because sounds like something I want to try myself if I can figure out how.

 

 

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For us, it will be for casino money, misc. tips, and spending money in port. We usually put the S&S acct on our credit card and pay it off when we get back. I guess we could take any left over money on the last day and apply it to our S&S acct to cut down on the amount charged to our card. :)

[All4fun&fun4all]

Ok tell me how this would work. So each day you take the cash in the envelope and add it to the s&s account? I have seen several people say they use this method but I'm not understanding how. So if you want a drink you have to add money to the s&s b4 you buy one? Or is this money the extra spending money you bring for other things?

If so how do you budget ur on board expenses? Just curious because sounds like something I want to try myself if I can figure out how.

 

 

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We use the envelopes for ports. Not so much for onboard. Although, we do use cash for our S&S accounts. We put $200.00 on each folio. When that is gone and if we actually have extra money (doubtful :p) then we add more to the account.

 

I work out a budget on paper before we cruise of the activities that we want to do and then put the amount of money in the envelope that I believe it will cost. I screwed up our last trip to Nassau though and ran out of money before I could get a souvenier hat for my kiddo and a shot glass for me. Luckily, we met some cool people that loaned me the money til we could get back onboard. OOPS!

 

My new rule is to add $20.00 to the proposed budget so that doesnt happen again.

 

We also pre-pay our tips before we cruise so that when we board, it is a zero balance.

[daijayx2]

For us, it will be for casino money, misc. tips, and spending money in port. We usually put the S&S acct on our credit card and pay it off when we get back. I guess we could take any left over money on the last day and apply it to our S&S acct to cut down on the amount charged to our card. :)

 

Thank you for the tip. Do you also set yourself a budget for onboard spending I'm pretty good when it comes to spending money in ports. But horrible with on ship purchases! I end up with a 1,000 bill for 5 days. :( I have been adding funship dollars and buying drink coupons to try to cut down the sticker shock of my next cruise but I'm afraid that will just leave me more money in the end to spend.

 

 

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[daijayx2]

We use the envelopes for ports. Not so much for onboard. Although, we do use cash for our S&S accounts. We put $200.00 on each folio. When that is gone and if we actually have extra money (doubtful :p) then we add more to the account.

 

I work out a budget on paper before we cruise of the activities that we want to do and then put the amount of money in the envelope that I believe it will cost. I screwed up our last trip to Nassau though and ran out of money before I could get a souvenier hat for my kiddo and a shot glass for me. Luckily, we met some cool people that loaned me the money til we could get back onboard. OOPS!

 

My new rule is to add $20.00 to the proposed budget so that doesnt happen again.

 

We also pre-pay our tips before we cruise so that when we board, it is a zero balance.

 

I use cash as a payment method for my s&s and usually end up spending between 1000-1200. Mostly all drinks! Then the pictures. It is so hard for me to turn them down. I guess if I never seen it or knew it was taken then I wouldn't buy them but to actually see them printed out makes it real hard to pass up!

For my next cruise I am purchasing 4 photos. Embarkation photo, first port pic in Jamacia, Grand cayman(assuming the do these pics there) and Cozumel. I will be in coz in the exact date I was this year so I want another pic to fill the book.

...... Off topic but anyone who has been to Grand Cayman, I knew we tender in is there someone there taking the candid photos when we exit the tender?

 

 

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[mwood0612]

Thank you for the tip. Do you also set yourself a budget for onboard spending I'm pretty good when it comes to spending money in ports. But horrible with on ship purchases! I end up with a 1,000 bill for 5 days. :( I have been adding funship dollars and buying drink coupons to try to cut down the sticker shock of my next cruise but I'm afraid that will just leave me more money in the end to spend.

 

 

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I have to admit that we really haven't done that great on our last two 3 night cruises!! I think we left with a $600 bill each time!! MORE THAN WE PAID FOR THE CRUISE!!! How are you adding the funship dollars??? I think that would definitely help!!!!!!!!! We've got 3 more pay checks before the cruise and it would be nice to add some out of each check!!! :)

 

 

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[daijayx2]

I have to admit that we really haven't done that great on our last two 3 night cruises!! I think we left with a $600 bill each time!! MORE THAN WE PAID FOR THE CRUISE!!! How are you adding the funship dollars??? I think that would definitely help!!!!!!!!! We've got 3 more pay checks before the cruise and it would be nice to add some out of each check!!! :)

 

 

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I couldn't find the funship on the Bon voyage page so I searched carnival from the http://www.carnival.com home page and it came right up. When purchasing them instead of putting in your address where it says address put in on board credit and your booking number, once the order is placed you will receive 2 emails and then another one once the credit is added to your account. Make sure you put onboard credit tho and not an address or they will mail then to you. It takes about 3-4 days to show for me but I don't cruise till feb. yours "may" past sooner seems how your coming up on ur cruise.

I add some every pay period. It starts at 25.00 and goes all the way to 500.00 I believe. Also you can add them by calling the Bon voyage department. That may be easier then searching and filling the form out but I always find myself adding them late at night when I finally get time to myself with work and kids, so the b.v dept is closed. I hope this helped a little.. Have a great cruise!

 

 

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[RWolver672]

One good way to save money on sodas is to buy it in the ports you visit. They let you bring it onboard without any problems. It might taste a little different than what you are use to but it's still better than buying the overpriced stuff onboard. Works especially well if you aren't into Coke products.

[Andoria]

Book during hurricane season.

 

Book early.

 

One picture only.

 

Bring wine on board, pour glass and carry it into MDR (this is not against any rules, according to MDR staff....perfectly fine).

 

Go to The Dig at Atlantis after 9:00 pm - free when we did it, twice.

 

No cakes, rentals, flowers, etc. Enjoy what's included.

 

Lower decks, man! Rough seas are miserable the higher up you go.

 

Use the gaming coupons in Fun Times for the casino, if you're a player.

 

Bring nuts, crackers and such for the room. Save on room service tipping.

 

Priceline the hotel night prior. We stayed in a Staybridge Suites for $40 that included breakfast for everyone so we arrived full and happy. A real bargain.

 

Ross for ladies - great cruise clothes for very reasonable prices.

 

Note on the carrying out foods - I know it's a touchy subject but please consider that endangering the environment and native plants in another ecosystem is not worth saving $5. Just ask the carp eating up local species or the cudsue taking over farmland in the south. Buy a sandwich and know it's worth it for the good of the whole!

 

Why would you bring nuts and crackers on board to save on room service tipping? You only have to tip a dollar or two and I'm guessing that's a lot cheaper than buying nuts and crackers.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Stay out of the casino.

[Dolfinsfan]

Couldn't agree more!

 

So, here one of the big ways to save money. LOTS of research! Check out (if you haven't already) the ports boards right here on Cruise Critic. Of course as many have stated you can book private tours and that can save money but the big savings come when you are the leader of your own excursion. Yes, I know this can come with risks etc but so can many things. Here are 2 examples:

1. In Grand Caymen there are 2 excellent snorkling places within walking distance of where the ship docks and both are free (one is a shipwreck and one is a lot of fish)! I found photo direction of where to go on the boards. Others pay to go on a boat that takes you to the shipwreck one but if you are an ok swimmer then its FREE!

2. In Barbados I wanted to swim with the Sea Turtles - the excursion was at the time I think $50 or $60 per person for the bus, boat and the snorkle with the turtles. On the boards I found directions taking the city bus ($1 pp each way) to the beach where the turtles are. Then you look out to where the other snorklers are and you can swim up and see the turtles.

No, it wasn't free but we spent less then $5 for the two of us plus we spent time lazing on the beach after we snorkled for free (we brought our own towels).

 

Good luck!

 

Boowaaccaa or anyone who might know- where can I find the directions to the city bus stop info. on Barbados? I had heard about this and did look at the city's website for public transportation but never could figure out where the bus stop near the port was located. Just dont want to get on the wrong bus going in the wrong direction. Thanks for any info. on this!:)

[Godiva5]

:mad:

I do have to say that I thought the odometer reading was little much and didnt think that would be something to worry about until today when i seen this on another thread!!

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/parking-lot-owner-caught-using-customers-car/nNM6q/

I have NEVER done a park and cruise but do you have to give ur keys to them at every location? Just the idea of someone having inside access to my car is a bit uncomfortable, Let alone if something like what happened in the video occurred!!

 

I saw that news clip the other day and was shocked!:mad: Now even if I leave my car for the restaurant or hotel parking attendant, I'm writing the odometer reading on a post-it and boldly sticking it up in clear sight! Also, it (should) go without saying...DON'T leave any valuables in clear sight or reach. :eek: If it's not worth the loss, remove it from the car all together.

[mermaidofmanhattan]

Stay out of the casino.

 

AMEN! Hate gambling, lucky me!:p

 

For us: we spend on the cabin (s)--very important to us that space and comfort indoors and out for all of us.

 

No soda (not on land either, in real life!)

 

Zip-lock bags, absolutely.

 

We don't eat in ports except for a little something-something.

 

Creatively planned, private excursions.

 

No ship's photos--they're just not good quality IMHO. Maybe if they were a lot better, I would do it.

 

Careful packing.

 

We are fortunate to be able to take a cab or a car service to the ports--no airfare, hurrah!