The Adams family of Summerville got up at 6:30 a.m. and piled in the car.

They were headed to Orlando.

The excited family of five was off to make memories and spend time together as a family.

"We saw parades and shows, met characters, rode rides, ate in fun places, went to a luau, rode the monorail and boats every day, played on the beach, swung in a hammock, watched fireworks, stayed up late, had Mickey waffles, danced with Tigger," says mom Kristi Adams.

Adams says she watched her dollars carefully this year and actually saved quite a bit by planning ahead.

Molly Thomas Bundy, vice president and city executive of First Federal of Charleston, says vacations are feasible if parents make vacation savings a priority early on.

"Saving isn't difficult, but changing your spending habits can be. Try to make a game of it and actually total how much you're saving so the entire family can see positive results."

The Adams kids did extra chores last summer and saved their Disney dollars all year.

"They also saved their birthday money, and I kept it all in an envelope," Adams says. "Then when we went shopping, they each knew how much money they could spend and they shopped with their earned money for their own souvenirs."

How to save

Terri Lee Morrie, a travel consultant with Abbott and Hill Travel in West Ashley says parents first must decide on a budget.

"The biggest thing about that budget is creating it and sticking to it. Whether it's $2,000 or it's $10,000, there's a vacation for everyone."

The best thing to do is to book early, she says.

"That way you have more options when it comes to payment plans. A lot of companies will offer reduced deposits if you book in advance depending on the travel company and destination."

Certain companies will honor the price of the vacation booked in advance if it is reduced later in the year.

"A lot of companies don't advertise that, but a lot of them will do it."

Morrie recommends using travel agents because they've built relationships with companies which often allow them to get better deals for the customer.

Adams used AAA to book her family trip and saved about $350.

"They also provide help in planning meals and will call the reservation line for you."

Each family has to plan according to individual wants and circumstances so what's right for one may not be feasible for another.

Adams opened a credit card with 0 percent interest for six months and used tax refund money to pay it off within that amount of time.

"Over the summer months of using the card for purchases and paying it off each month I'd earned around $140 dollars to use on our vacation."

Adams also bought prizes at a discount store before the trip to save on pricey toys while there.

"I knew that at night, there were carts selling glow-in-the-dark or lighted toys : so I picked up glow-necklaces at the store and packed them, and also some lighted spinning handheld toys. I broke them out for the kids as we were waiting on the night parade. They enjoyed them so much, they didn't even realize they were waiting almost an hour before the parade started."

Bundy saves throughout the year for her family vacation. She has a vacation account and part of her paycheck is automatically deposited there each pay period.

"When I'm ready to take a vacation, I know how much I have in my vacation budget and can plan accordingly. You can bet we'll return home with loads of laundry, but I don't intend to come home with a load of credit card debt."

Mom Tip!

One of the "magical" moments we created was each night I prepared a small gift from Tinkerbell. I'd purchased everything before our trip and had it packed in a bag they [the children] wouldn't get into little things, like Disney washcloths, figurines, small toys. I'd put it out when they were asleep and when they woke up each morning, there was a prize waiting for them.

This thrilled them and they looked forward to each morning. This also seemed to curb their asking for things during the day. They each had a small backpack that they wore to carry their disposable camera, hand sanitizer, a small fan and a notepad for autographs.

Kristi Adams of Summerville, mom of three

Editor's Note: This is the second in a four-part series on saving money. Last month, we covered household items. Look for upcoming stories on how to save on entertainment and health care.