The Mouse Part 3

When the twins were 3, we made the trip to Mecca (Mouse Mecca, that is), and allowed them to earn "Mickey Money" before we went to Disney World for buying something they really wanted. Not having the kind of tree in my backyard that produces green bills, the amount of money they earned was like $0.25-0.50/day for months before we left to the tune of $20 total (you know, before the 401G kicked in... the grandparents tend to match the children's contributions). Go on and say it... my friends already do... I know, I'm cheap. Tell me something I don't already know.

Knowing full well they were going to want to buy something just about everywhere, as nearly every major ride at Disney World empties out into a gift shop [you gotta watch those Disney folks... trickery, I tell ya :)], but also knowing they had a limited amount of money to spend, I wasn't really sure what we were going to do. That's whey my friend Stephanie gave me an idea: Did you know Tinkerbell has the option to visit the rooms of children who behave, while in the park?

She told me that on their last trip, she had purchased Disney items in their hometown and packed them for the trip. Every day they were in the park, she would conveniently "forget" something in the hotel room. She would send her husband and children on, while she would go quickly back to lay out a trinket (shirt, hat, stuffed animal, etc) from her stash. It kept her children from constantly asking to buy things. This way, they could look in the gift shops each day and on the last couple of days, decide what it was they they really had to have and finally make their purchase(s).

We did this on our first trip with the twins and again, on our most recent trip. We had to have a hard & fast rule about the suitcases, however, to keep the items a secret: once something is packed, you are not allowed to rummage through them. Secrets are kept, items are hidden, and budgets stay within means. :) In all honesty, I can't decide what makes our kids run faster: to be the first to a new ride or to see what Tink left 'em in the room. :)

Like those hats? Yeah, they're from Tinkerbell.

Big thanks to my friends who have shared all their dirty Disney money-saving secrets with me. My plan is to continue sharing them with you! Save on, friends! :)