Christmas/Vacation Fund

 As you can see the scrap/sewing room didn't get cleaned up today. Hubby, DD#2 and her BF are in Atlanta tonight for a Braves game, I might get back to this later.

 But a few cell phone cases did get finished.

And more items are lined up ready to the stitched. Maybe tonight, maybe not.

After writing the check for the beach rental house today it was time to do a check-up on our Christmas/Vacation account.

I knew how much we needed to deposit in that account each month to reach our goals, however I haven't been sticking to the plan. Instead I have been throwing money in from no spend weeks, the no spend month, and little bits here and there where I have found savings. I was afraid to see how far I might be off!!

I am super happy that my undisciplined habits didn't bite us in the rump. We are in really good shape!! All of our vacations for the year are fully funded, and savings for Christmas is 1/3 of the way tucked in the bank.

I am thinking of doing a couple of no spend weeks in July and August, that along with diligently watching the sales at the grocery might put us close to topping off the money needed for Christmas. I have already purchased a few gifts for the big girls, have the fabric and pattern for an additional gift for each of them, and have the supplies on hand for gifts too friends (all on sale of course).

Setting up a separate checking account for our Christmas/Vacation fund this year is working out even better than I expected. In the past we always tucked away what we thought we would need in our regular spending savings account (some call it the Freedom account) but it was confusing and labor intensive to sort it all out, who needs more of that in their life. Since we got the account for free at our bank and there are no maintenance fee's it has been a win, win. With just a click of a button I can transfer money I save from my weekly spending money and forget it.

Do you have a vacation or Christmas account separate from your regular accounts, or maybe a jar hidden in the house to tuck a little away for your trips or the holiday's? Do you think it saves you time, money and anxiety over what we all know is coming each December?  If so share with the others in the comment section, we can all use more tips and idea's!!!!

I have a secret hope that we will have a balance in the account at the end of the year to jump start a trip to Disney for the entire family hubby is chomping at the bit to do. It will take lots of research and savings to pull off a trip of that magnitude for a family the size of ours but with enough planning ahead it might just be doable. It has been 3 years since I surprised hubby and the family with a Disney trip on Christmas. Maybe Christmas 2013 I can make it happen (that is if no DD's are prego!)