Disney Debt

[mrsklamc]

No one ever argued this point, .

Not on this thread, but I did actually once argue with someone here on the DIS that insisted that a Disney vacation was, in fact, a need.

 

[Too Far From Home]

Not on this thread, but I did actually once argue with someone here on the DIS that insisted that a Disney vacation was, in fact, a need.

LOL - sounds like an addiction. I need my WDW fix.

 

[BearcatsFan]

LOL - sounds like an addiction. I need my WDW fix.

I WANT MY DISNEY, AND I WANT IT NOW!

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I agree it is an addiction ......beyond a need

 

[a1tinkfans]

This is probably kind of a 'controversial' subject but does anyone go into debt to go to Disney? We can't be the only ones and it would make me feel better to know that!

DEBT for a vacation?
Sorry, but there are BIGGER issues here (unless extenuating circumstances) if one goes into debt for a vacation........sorry, but you asked, and no Id not go into debt for a vacation...if I could not afford something, I would not do it with my eyes wide open knowing that...its a bad pattern to set, for you and as an example to kids..but to each his/her own...

 

[PeterPan09]

If they aren't asking you to pay off their debt, why is it your business?

 

[a1tinkfans]

If they aren't asking you to pay off their debt, why is it your business?

I guess it became everyones "interest" when the Op asked for an opinion ..why ask it in the first place, to feel "camaraderie" with others that do the same thing? Because they feel unease about it, or just to see if they really are not alone in their way of thinking?? Who really knows...Like I said previously to his/her own, but I personally think its a bad move....

and as far as not "asking you to pay it off" .. that kind of question IMHO, and with all due respect...leads one to ponder who pays off all the debt wracked up out there including home debt, banking debt, car debt, etc etc.when one cant afford it but does it anyway......so yeah, it often can .......... somewhere down the line become "everyones" debt...so despite Not directly asking You or me to pay it off.....if one cant afford it now...before heaven forbid some off chance "something" happening, how can they pay it off then??
Its just a more risky way to live Just my opinion....and they asked...

 

[manning]

Never could figure out the appeal of unnecessarily increasing the cost of a trip. Those credit cards interest rates are huge.

 

[DawnM]

No, but if you are on the BB at all, you will know I am the queen of cheap Disney trips. I find the least expensive way to do Disney and do it. If we didn't, we wouldn't go.

We follow a Dave Ramsey lifestyle and live below our means, this includes frugal vacations. I just happen to like Disney trips better than other vacations in the same price range.

Dawn

 

[ChiCat]

I used to live way beyond my means. I lived paycheck to paycheck, never saved a single dollar but luckily didn't accrue much debt because my credit rating was so low no one would give me credit

Ok it's really not funny but I don't know how else to explain it except I truly didn't appreciate the importance of doing things the right way. My mother has lived paycheck to paycheck my whole life, like lets go to the state fair instead of paying the electric bill. As embarrassing as all of this is to admit, it wasn't until I got married (my hubby was frugal, ok a little cheap) that I changed my ways. We met each other in the middle and now I save way more than I ever did before and he spends a little more.

So now, no I would never go in debt for a vacation. But I understand the *need* to go on vacation. We are going to Miami in September because I found cheap airfare, not because I was dying to go to South Beach. If I had my way would be going to some island to some all inclusive fancy resort. Alas, there are no extra funds for that kind of trip this year, no Disney either.

 

[cm8]

What is worthy of debt to some is not worthy of debt to others. Doesn't make anyone right or wrong, as long as both parties are paying their own bills.

I sort of agree that it should be as easy to save before vacation as it is after but I also know how much that is easier said than done. I have known people that get a loan every year for vacation (Disney, beach, whatever). They pay on the loan for 12 months, pay it off and then get another loan for the next vacation. Its the way they choose to do it. Heck, I have known people that do that every year to pay for Christmas gifts.

I don't put an entire vacation on a credit card, but I do sometimes put half of it on, sometimes I don't. Just depends on what's happening at the moment in our lives.

As for it doesn't have to be a $3000 vacation to fulfill your kids. Disney doesn't have to be a $3000 vacation. And I have found that a beach vacation with buying food and going to amusement parks, arcades, etc. isn't a tremendous amount of money cheaper than Disney. Could we go without all that? Sure, but we choose not to and if we put some of the extra stuff on plastic, as long as we pay it off--I don't have an issue with it.

HIPPOing to agree with this poster. OP, you do what you want YOLO

 

[ksjayhawks]

I haven't read the whole thread, but no way would I go into debt to go on a trip to Disney or anywhere! I would wait until I had the money saved up before taking a trip or buying anything that isn't a dire need!

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

Wait...there's other ways to go to Disney WITHOUT going into debt?



Do tell.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that it's up to the traveler. I don't like the debt even though I did use it many years ago. I intend to pay everything upfront this time.

 

[2disneyboys]

Personally, I would not go into debt to vacation anywhere, nor would I vacation anywhere if I owed any credit card debt.

Now, in my past, I have used credit cards, and vacationed with existing credit card debt. It was the normal that we knew (how we both grew up...)

Only debt we owe now is our home and we plan to keep it that way. Making the choice to change our lifestyle to debt free has been amazing for us. I am not judging anyone who does it different, but it's had such a positive impact on us, that we want everyone to know how awesome it is... Yes, we have young kids and I whole heartedly agree that they are only young once and we "need" that vacation time together, but for us, that does not mean this extravengent amazing trip somewhere. Thankfully, dh and I were not in a huge Amt of debt, but once we paid that off, and then really put $ into savings, well, even with just minuscule raises this past year <$1000 for me, with not having credit card payments, and with having built up our emergency savings account, we are paying a lot extra on each mortgage payment and still have extra for the vacation fund each month. Oh, and we do things still.. Movies this week, bowling week before but the key is this are built into the budget so we are not taking money from somewhere else to do these things.

Sorry...didn't mean to get on my soap box there. It's just like I said earier, this lifestyle change for us has had such a positive impact that we love to share the new about it... To each their own, but dh and I hate the feeling of owingon anything other than our house and we hope to not owe on that much longer!

 

[Lucky4me]

Heck yeah I'd go into credit card debt to go to Disney!
Fortunately for me, my husband would not. Ever.
So I wait until we have the money to go. When we get home, I am much happier than I would have been if we had that big bill to pay off.
There's a reason opposites attract.

 

[MM27]

I honestly don't care what anyone else does with their money, whether they have it or not, but for myself, I would never go into debt for a vacation. While I like going on vacations, I also like to live life comfortably and not have to worry about day to day expenses. I wouldn't get much enjoyment out of a vacation knowing that when I came home I wouldn't be able to pay bills for things I really needed.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

This is probably kind of a 'controversial' subject but does anyone go into debt to go to Disney? We can't be the only ones and it would make me feel better to know that!

I haven't read the whole thread, but I sense you're going to do it anyway and want answers in the affirmative to convince yourself it's the right thing to do. So here it goes. Heck yes. Don't think of it as debt. Think of it as a leveraged buyout of your vacation. Charge em up baby!!!

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

We don't have credit cards and never will.
We save up the money prior to going on vacation so that it is paid for before we ever go.
I think charging stuff you can't afford is living beyond your means and is what usually causes ppl to drown in credit card debt and end up filing bankruptcy.
If you pay your credit card off in full every single month and never carry a balance there is no reason not to just use a debit card.
We have savings that we won't use for vacations. We save up separately for vacations.
I think going into debt for a vacation is crazy. But that's my opinion. I think if you have to go in debt for it then you really can't afford it to begin with.

 

[Abbie]

If you pay your credit card off in full every single month and never carry a balance there is no reason not to just use a debit card.

Huh. I just cashed in two months worth of reward points on my credit card for $200. It usually takes me a little longer but this new credit card has 5% back so it adds up amazingly fast. It's literally free money. I don't use my debit card at all unless it's to withdraw cash once in a blue moon, but as far as I'm aware it doesn't come with a cash back reward (maybe it does, I have no clue) so I'll stick with my credit card.

As far as traveling with debt, I don't think I could. I kinda hate parting with my money before I absolutely need to so I don't pay up front. I have no problem with charging a trip and coming home to the bills, I will just pay it off immediately by transferring the cash out of savings. If I know I have a large purchase coming up (like a trip to Disney) I will often take advantage of one of the umpteen zero interest credit cards offers that come and just take my time paying it off.