FROM: Practical Pointers from the Pink Ear Pixie Published Every Other Wednesday

Kids Pitch in for Pennies

As she was splurging, my mother would advise me to save my pennies because they add up. Today, I'm a wonderful splurger, a poor saver. Don't listen to me! Listen to Amanda Sykora, whose clever tips will help you amass some Disney pocket change.

- Amanda Sykora, April 6, 2011

The kids are begging to take a trip to Disney World. You know the drill - "Please mom! We'll never fight again and we'll clean the car and we'll eat peanut butter sandwiches for dinner for the next 3 years!"

Most households that own a television have seen the many, many commercials that Disney has been promoting this year. And there's no doubt that the kids are picking up on the magic of Disney through the smiling faces of the children in these commercials.

But maybe your kids are right. Maybe this year is the perfect year to plan a Disney World vacation. Even better, maybe this is the year to teach your children how they too can help make a Disney World trip a reality.

Spring Cleaning

Every penny helps when it comes to paying for your vacation. You can start by cleaning out the closets! Have your children go through every piece of clothing they own - right down to the socks and underwear. Separate the items into two piles: yard sale and consignment. Put nicer, name-brand items in good to excellent condition into the consignment pile. Put clothing with rips, tears and stains into the yard sale pile.

Then tackle toys, movies, books, and video games. As you did with clothing, sort these items into two piles: yard sale or consignment.

Next, search online for local kids consignment sales. In some areas these sales are becoming quite popular and a great way to make a few extra dollars. The typical set-up is a one to four day event where you can tag your items and drop them off to be sold without having to be there yourself. It's a great way to sell your kids' unwanted items!

On to the yard sale. Have your children help tag the items - the cheaper the better, as you do not want to bring anything back into the house! Fifty cent and one dollar items are great for yard sale shoppers.

Put the older children to work carrying big or bulky items for older shoppers, bagging items, and circulating amongst shoppers as sales-people touting the best toys and games.

Flower Sale

Another great way for children to help out with Disney expenses during the spring time is by selling flowers. Seed packets, a bag of potting soil, and small clay pots are fairly inexpensive. For best results, choose zinnias and cosmos, both of which are easy to grow from seeds. Help your children plant and take care of the seeds as they're germinating.

Then have your children ask grandparents, aunts, and neighbors whether they'd like to purchase a small potted flower for a nominal price. Don't wait until the seeds have sprouted. Take orders in advance.

Before you know it, you may have a couple of future entrepreneurs on your hands!

Snack Savings

One last simple suggestion for kids to save a few extra pennies toward a Disney vacation is to skip the school snack line!

I know that buying ice cream or cookies during lunch is a nice treat for kids. And I'm not suggesting they never do it. However, that money adds up, even if it's only once per week. Talk to your children about saving their snack money for Disney World. Make a math lesson out of it:

75 cents x 4 (weeks) = $3
$3 x 9 (months of school) = $27

And $27 can buy a nice souvenir during your Disney vacation!

These ideas are not designed to make your family rich or to pay for a Disney trip in its entirety. Instead, these are great ways to connect with your children on a fiscal level and teach them the value of a Disney dollar. Get creative and come up with your own ideas on how your children can earn and save money toward your next Disney adventure!

Need more pointers? Come back next week, or get in touch with Amanda herself at her travel agency, Pixie and Pirate Destinations, where she'll answer all your questions, book your next trip, and possibly sprinkle a bit of (pink) pixie dust on your tickets!

Vacation News from Amanda Sykora

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