How We Paid as Little as Possible for Our Vacation

Our vacation was fantastic and it really should have been considering that our family rarely takes them.  We have done several small trips and last year we took a trip to Red River Gorge in eastern KY, but nothing near extravagant since my husband's and my honeymoon.  So, it has been ten years in the making.  Why have we not taken many vacations?  Because they are so darn EXPENSIVE!  But, we finally managed to get one and not a single bit of it went on a credit card.  We paid for it all up front for the first time in our married lives.  Here is how we did it:

• We found a really great deal on a condo.  We let the price dictate the location.  We ended up in Siesta Key, FL and it was beautiful, but if we had not let the price dictate the location we likely would not have gone there.  The condo ended up costing us $500 total for the week.
• We got a condo.  This one seems a lot like #1, but the main idea here is that our condo had a kitchen which enabled us to save a TON!!!!  We ate all of our breakfasts and most of our lunches & dinners at the condo.  Because of this we only spent an extra $50 on food.
• Prior to the trip I saved money in every spot I could and then hid the money so it could not be used on anything else.
• We lowered our grocery budget by $25 a week and put that money away for our vacation.
• If the electric bill was lower than budgeted that money went to vacation too.
• I would say we saved between $200 - $250 this way.
• I made extra money and saved it too!
• I took surveys like crazy and every $3, $5, or $15 check I got I stashed it away.
• While this didn't add up quite as quickly, it did add about $50.
• I sold anything that I didn't need.
• My biggest money maker was selling a crib and dresser on Craigslist, but we also sold a bike, a shower kit, bar stools and I know I'm forgetting some other things.  If we had had enough stuff we would have had a yard sale too.
• I also sold the kids old clothes at the consignment shop.
• I sold books at Half-Price Books.
• My husband sold some items on e-bay.
• We likely made about $500 this way.

More to come later in the week.  What are your vacation saving tips?  I would love to hear them, especially if you have any regarding Disney.