Goodings?

[friskykitten]

And to those of you thinking "this is not right" Welcome to the budget board... Sorry, but the truth is that this is NOT a kind and gentle board. The tone on this thread is pretty typical for this board.

And to the OP.... if you don't want negative views on a public board then the best thing to do is not post. Requesting the thread to be closed???? Why?

Sigh! Unfortunatley, this is true as I can attest to from our own situation that I decided to post on this board a few weeks ago. Right or wrong, it is not in my place to say, some of the posts were not pretty. But I decided to post it on a public forum and made myself take a step back from what was said to really think about everything that was mentioned. It ended up doing me a world of good. We are on our way to changing our entire lifestyle and the way we will handle our finances in the future. We haven't used our credit cards since May and won't until all debt is paid off. Then it will be only one credit card for emergencies. And there will be no Disney trips until our debt is paid off. It will not be easy but as I have found out it is very necessary! To make a long story short, I didn't like everthing that was posted but both the good and "bad" posts were what I needed to help me see what I needed to do and where I really was in our financial situation.

Some of these posts really were way over the top. Worse than what I got. But I think that this OP has been able to see enough to help her make her own decision as to what she should or should not do. I believe they have decided to cancel their trip until a later time when it is more affordable for them. I don't believe Disney is only for the rich and famous. And who knows how long and hard they have saved up for this trip, it could have been for years! Just because someone may be on assistance does not mean they should not get to see Mickey.

I used to work at Publix and I used to HATE to have a bride come in and order a $500 wedding cake and pay for it with food stamps and then go get in a BMW of Jaguar. However....I took their order and decorated their cake just as I would anyone else. And I did take action...I wrote the State Senators, and even President Clinton. It did not make a difference but at least I tried.

I worked at a grocery store in college. And yes, it can be very hard to know that you are eating Mac N Cheese, rice and beans and spaghetti every night while some on food stamps are buying steaks, prime rib, etc. Then some following up their food stamp purchase with cigarettes and liquor. It was really hard for me to curtail my judgement at that point. Mum4jenn was not judging the OP but others were. That was her point to her post. There are several here who are making personal judgements which are very painful and were made only to demoralize and hurt the OP. There isn't a human on this earth who hasn't been judgemental at least once in their life. These boards are the way they are though.

 

[MartinaC]

Over the weekend reading the post I started wondering.
How many of the posters that have judged this person for thinking of a vacation while recieving EBT, went to college?
My point with that. How many went to college on grants and scholorships?
If they did, did they do any partying? spring break fun?
Shame on you!!!! if you did. Do you think the people that paid for those things paid for you to party and have fun or to go to school and get an education! Did you feel you had worked hard at school and deserved it.
Well this person has worked hard and maybe this is there time to have some fun. Just because they accepted EBT doesn't mean the rest of there lives need to be void of fun.
For all that got there education with grants and scholorships. Hope you have given up fun for the rest of your life because the people gave you the chance to better yourself not to enjoy life.

 

[Disneyadore]

Well this person has worked hard and maybe this is there time to have some fun. Just because they accepted EBT doesn't mean the rest of there lives need to be void of fun.

How do we know she worked hard ?
Because she told us?

I'm in NO way judging the OP. I don't know here and wish here only well.
But.... a few days ago we had a similar question here.

People bent over to give a person advice how she could make money. It turned out to be someone who was on this boards a while ago stating she was terminal ill and seeking information from CM.

Ill spare you the details but she was in no way terminal. Just saying you can't believe everyone on his big blue eyes.

 

[Metsfan520]

Over the weekend reading the post I started wondering.
How many of the posters that have judged this person for thinking of a vacation while recieving EBT, went to college?
My point with that. How many went to college on grants and scholorships?
If they did, did they do any partying? spring break fun?
Shame on you!!!! if you did. Do you think the people that paid for those things paid for you to party and have fun or to go to school and get an education! Did you feel you had worked hard at school and deserved it.
Well this person has worked hard and maybe this is there time to have some fun. Just because they accepted EBT doesn't mean the rest of there lives need to be void of fun.
For all that got there education with grants and scholorships. Hope you have given up fun for the rest of your life because the people gave you the chance to better yourself not to enjoy life.

I went to college with scholarships. I did not go on any vacations while in college. I took my first Disney vacation when I was 30 years old, which was the first time I could afford it.

BTW, many scholarships are because of grades, and have nothing to do with financial needs. So if I could have afforded it, I would have gone on spring break vacations with a clear conscience.

 

[MartinaC]

I went to college with scholarships. I did not go on any vacations while in college. I took my first Disney vacation when I was 30 years old, which was the first time I could afford it.

BTW, many scholarships are because of grades, and have nothing to do with financial needs. So if I could have afforded it, I would have gone on spring break vacations with a clear conscience.

Thank you for proving my point. I knew I would get someone to tell me how they worked hard to get good grades and deserved the money they were given. Well, you could have worked hard to get good grades and not taken the money. Student loans are available. You could have paid for it all by yourself.
That is what people are asking this poster to do. Do you think that is would be fair to you?
Is it fair for the poster? If so why.
You did take free money. Why in the world did you take a vaction at all. You didn't deserve it, you took free money.

 

[Nie0214]

Thank you for proving my point. I knew I would get someone to tell me how they worked hard to get good grades and deserved the money they were given. Well, you could have worked hard to get good grades and not taken the money. Student loans are available. You could have paid for it all by yourself.
That is what people are asking this poster to do. Do you think that is would be fair to you?
Is it fair for the poster? If so why.
You did take free money. Why in the world did you take a vaction at all. You didn't deserve it, you took free money.

You're really reaching.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

Over the weekend reading the post I started wondering.
How many of the posters that have judged this person for thinking of a vacation while recieving EBT, went to college?
My point with that. How many went to college on grants and scholorships?
If they did, did they do any partying? spring break fun?
Shame on you!!!! if you did. Do you think the people that paid for those things paid for you to party and have fun or to go to school and get an education! Did you feel you had worked hard at school and deserved it.
Well this person has worked hard and maybe this is there time to have some fun. Just because they accepted EBT doesn't mean the rest of there lives need to be void of fun.
For all that got there education with grants and scholorships. Hope you have given up fun for the rest of your life because the people gave you the chance to better yourself not to enjoy life.

The only education I received is the one I PAID for no one else just little old me. So any & every vacation I've taken I deserved and could take knowing my husband & I have ALWAYS provided for ourselves. He also did not take grants/scholorships but instead paid for education. We've also never taken WIC or any other form of public assistance and before you say do your children go to public schools yes mine do however the LARGE amount of taxes I pay more than covers their education as well as those who can not or do not pay taxes for their children to get an education. So chew on that one for a while.

 

[MartinaC]

Thank you for your post.
I agree with you whole heartedly. You paid for your education entirely and you deserve all the rewards of your hard work.
I also agree with you that your taxes should at least offer you the right to have your children enjoy what your taxes are paying for.
So, my question still stands does the original poster not deserve to do the same? What they chose to do with there portion of it (as long as it is legal) should be there choice.

 

[MushyMushy]

Thank you for your post.
I agree with you whole heartedly. You paid for your education entirely and you deserve all the rewards of your hard work.
I also agree with you that your taxes should at least offer you the right to have your children enjoy what your taxes are paying for.
So, my question still stands does the original poster not deserve to do the same? What they chose to do with there portion of it (as long as it is legal) should be there choice.

No. Nobody "deserves" any kind of luxury vacation while they can't put food on the table, period!

It was a nice try with the education analogy, and I can see where you were going with it, but they are two entirely different things. You don't "need" an education to feed a family, but you do need an income to do so. If you've got the money to blow on a luxury vacation, then it should go towards the food on the table, period. NOT asking Joe Taxpayer to fund your trip.

Don't you think the rest of us "deserve" that trip too? Maybe the government should start giving out funds to all the deserving families in need of a vacation!

 

[Metsfan520]

Thank you for proving my point. I knew I would get someone to tell me how they worked hard to get good grades and deserved the money they were given. Well, you could have worked hard to get good grades and not taken the money. Student loans are available. You could have paid for it all by yourself.
That is what people are asking this poster to do. Do you think that is would be fair to you?
Is it fair for the poster? If so why.
You did take free money. Why in the world did you take a vaction at all. You didn't deserve it, you took free money.

I don't think I proved your point--in fact, I was trying to prove the opposite. My scholarship was from the school I attended, not the government. It was not free money--I had to have a certain level of grades & keep my grade point average at that level, or I would lose it. It was also just a small part of my tuition, I paid for the rest of it myself. I didn't take a vacation at all until I could afford it.

The EBT program is there for people who need it, not for people who have savings and/or plan a vacation to WDW. I can't afford a trip to WDW this year, but my tax dollars are helping this person to go on a trip. Can you not understand how that might annoy me?

 

[Metsfan520]

The problem here is that your point is not relevent to the discussion. A college scholarship is earned. It is not assistance for those who cannot afford college. It is not emergency public aid. It is funding that is granted to students based on thier merits.

Last time I checked food stamps are emergency public aid, not a reward for hard work and achievement.

food stams <> college tuition assistance. Apples <> organges.

Perhaps if future posters bemoaning thier budgetary woes would have the forethought to simply remove thier tickers, we'd no longer have these issue.

I suspect the OP knew what she was getting into, though, and was enjoying the kerfuffle.

All excellent points, especially the part about the OP knowing what she was getting into. And I love the word kerfuffle!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'll play

My parents and I paid for my education.

I didn't go on spring break trips. During spring I came home to NY or went to visit family in SC. (I went to college in NC).

I was 33 the first time I went to WDW. (My son was 9)

I don't know what this has to do with foodstamps and WDW.

 

[MsAmerica]

This thread is a perfect example of the problem with entitlement programs......They lead to people actually thinking they are entitled to having it all because they somehow "deserve", in this case, an expensive vacation to Disney World despite the fact they are on gov't assistance.....

I swear, people have simply gone mad.

Also, I am higly offended by the foul language the OP used in a post...Completely unacceptable!!



MsA

 

[mum4jenn]

A WDW vacation does not have to be expensive. Best Western Lakeside is going for $25 a night off of Hotwire and if someone already has tickets then all you need to spend on is food and gas. Not everyoe has to stay on site to have an enjoyable time and an affordable time.

 

[PinkRhombus]

Over the weekend reading the post I started wondering.
How many of the posters that have judged this person for thinking of a vacation while recieving EBT, went to college?
My point with that. How many went to college on grants and scholorships?
If they did, did they do any partying? spring break fun?
Shame on you!!!! if you did. Do you think the people that paid for those things paid for you to party and have fun or to go to school and get an education! Did you feel you had worked hard at school and deserved it.
Well this person has worked hard and maybe this is there time to have some fun. Just because they accepted EBT doesn't mean the rest of there lives need to be void of fun.
For all that got there education with grants and scholorships. Hope you have given up fun for the rest of your life because the people gave you the chance to better yourself not to enjoy life.

Ha. After I went to college on scholarships that I worked my BEHIND off for and on money that my parents saved that that I saved...never taking a spring break ANYWHERE except with my parents the one year that my spring break was the same week as my sibling...working all summer long between spring and fall semesters. I took probably 5 or 6 weekend trips with my friends and my now husband TOTAL between graduating and getting married.

My honeymoon was the first week-long vacation I had in...9 years at that point. NINE YEARS!

So, yeah, if you're on EBT, no need to have a life "void of fun" but it sure as hell shouldn't involve Disney. I don't know where in the heck people got the idea that just because something exists that they deserve it automatically.

And it's not about being "perfect". We goof up on things all the time, but we sure as heck don't intentionally do things that are stupid.

 

[disneyjunkie]

A WDW vacation does not have to be expensive. Best Western Lakeside is going for $25 a night off of Hotwire and if someone already has tickets then all you need to spend on is food and gas. Not everyoe has to stay on site to have an enjoyable time and an affordable time.

The money spent on a trip to WDW; no matter how cheap; is money that can be used to buy groceries. If you can't afford to feed your family, then you can't afford to pay for a vacation.

Adults should be able to separate NEEDS from WANTS.