Save money or go to Disney?

[frostymom]

Our financial situation is ok. We don't have alot of debt and have a little saved up. We both still have good paying jobs. What worries me is I see my retirement go down a little more each day. My grocery bill gets higher every week as well as my electric bill. I don't normally spend a lot for Christmas but I'm afraid what few gifts I do buy will take twice as much. Thank goodness gas prices are coming down.

On second thought, we could drive instead of fly. It's a 12 hour drive from here and that's doable since our chikd is 12 years old. The rates for the dates we want to go are fabulous! 3 nites at Pop with free dining 864.00 for all 3 of us. I just can't pass this up! I'm gonna stop this conpulsive worrying!! I'm keeping my reservations and I'm not gonna feel guilty about it!

When is this free dining and when can I get it! I would love to know of any good deals the time we are going 1/25-30th. We have also contemplated driving from DC area but we have a 23 mo and 4 year old.

 

[DisneyTN]

Stimulate the economy - take your trip!

Amen.
There are plenty of ways to take a cost-efficient trip. Most likely you would regret the decision not to go.

 

[dancin'girl]

I can't imagine that you would have written this if money was no big deal to you right now. It seems to me that you may be having doubts for a reason. Because none of us has any idea what your financial situation is, we really can't say what is best for you. If you just went 8 months ago and don't feel like you can afford a second trip this year, then put it off. Save up the money and then go when you have enough. If I'm wrong, and you can afford the trip - why ask us?? Of course we want you to go! Go and have fun!!!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

You know you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. I say go and have a great time. I had a friend killed in a hospital shooting earlier this year and my mom passed away suddenly in August, so I have decided to enjoy life. We can't get yesterday back, we can only live for the future. My family is more important to me than anything in this world and remembering that is very important to me. You never know when your day will come, so enjoy life now, and don't worry about what might happen in 10 years, or even a year for that matter.

Suzanne

 

[stephaniebatesjones]

I am happy that I came upon this post. I 'have been trying to decide if I should try and book for next year. My situation is unique because I can understand both sides of the issue. I have a chronically ill DD. She has had a heart transplant and now needs a kidney transplant. Of course I want to make as many memories with her as possible. You do only live once AND TIME IS SO PRECIOUS. And if anything ever happend I would so regreat not taking the trip because we put it off till later.

On the flip side of that, My husbands company just closed and he's been out of work since may. We have some money saved , but we were planning on using it during the time I will be on leave from donating a kidney to my daughter. There is a good chance that when my husband finds a job that he will not be making as much as before.

Our lives are very stressfull dealing with my daughters illness along with just dealing with life in general. Vacation is the one time a year that we can escape all the pressure and stress of life. I want to book in hopes that my husbands job situation will change pretty soon. I guess I could always cancel if need be. If We do go it will for sure be a more toned down vacation than normal. For example, more in room meals than normal.

So what do you all think I should do?

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

I am happy that I came upon this post. I 'have been trying to decide if I should try and book for next year. My situation is unique because I can understand both sides of the issue. I have a chronically ill DD. She has had a heart transplant and now needs a kidney transplant. Of course I want to make as many memories with her as possible. You do only live once AND TIME IS SO PRECIOUS. And if anything ever happend I would so regreat not taking the trip because we put it off till later.

On the flip side of that, My husbands company just closed and he's been out of work since may. We have some money saved , but we were planning on using it during the time I will be on leave from donating a kidney to my daughter. There is a good chance that when my husband finds a job that he will not be making as much as before.

Our lives are very stressfull dealing with my daughters illness along with just dealing with life in general. Vacation is the one time a year that we can escape all the pressure and stress of life. I want to book in hopes that my husbands job situation will change pretty soon. I guess I could always cancel if need be. If We do go it will for sure be a more toned down vacation than normal. For example, more in room meals than normal.

So what do you all think I should do?

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

I don't have any good advice, but I am sending prayers and pixie dust your way. Are you candidates for Make a Wish Foundation, or any organization like that? They often send children who are ill and their families to Disney and places like that.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I often read similar threads on the budget board. Then I start to relply then change my mind. BUT, it seems like this is an OK place to say this. We live on a tight budget, we are by no means poor, but on a budget. One exception to this is our trips to Disney. We go every other year. Even when we haven't saved enough for our trip we are willing to put what we need to on a CC. This may not be the choice for everyone, but it is our choice to make (we pay our bills, so if we don't mind paying interest on the money it's no one else's business.) Our personal feelings are we will always have bills, we won't always have little kids to make memories with. We'd rather charge a trip and pay it off till they're 50 then save the money and go when they are grown, not that we take that long to pay off trips, but you get what I am saying. So some trips we have gone and put a portion of the trip on a CC and paid it off with our taxes. We don't regret any of the trips we have taken (in fact our only regret is that we didn't take our oldest sooner!) Sure, that money may have been better in the bank, but we can always make more money we can't always make more memories.
Again, this is what works for us. My DH's job is extreemly secure so we don't have that to worry about. But it really is true, you only live once. HOWEVER, if you are worried about money and would spend your trip worring about what you are sending, then no, you shouldn't go. But, if you can go and enjoy, then why not? We go on a bit of a budget (value resorts, drive down, no hoppers, free dining this trip ) We have a great time (however if we want something we go for it--within reason!, we're on vacation.)
We have friends who waited till they had enought money and you know what, they never went. Their kids don't want to go (I can't imagine either) because they don't know what theya re missing. Our friends (2 families) say they regret not just going for it like we have. I said it before, I'll say it again... DH and I always say we'd rather regret not having more money then regret not having more memories, we can always make more money.

 

[RNtheRN]

Two days ago I would have said go to Disney.

But yesterday our lovely company, DHL Express, decided to lay off 30% of our drivers. No warning, no "look out, here it comes".

So, now I have the dread of telling my girls that we have to cancel our April trip unless something opens up.

This really stinks. I'll be out of nursing school in the next 24 months and can get licensed as an LPN in the next 11. This next year is gonna stink.

I miss the magic. Already.

 

[mikkiwikki]

Two days ago I would have said go to Disney.

But yesterday our lovely company, DHL Express, decided to lay off 30% of our drivers. No warning, no "look out, here it comes".

So, now I have the dread of telling my girls that we have to cancel our April trip unless something opens up.

This really stinks. I'll be out of nursing school in the next 24 months and can get licensed as an LPN in the next 11. This next year is gonna stink.

I miss the magic. Already.

I'm sorry to hear that RNtheRN
I too am very worried...We have a trip planned for November, and based on everything Ive read - the financial situation in this country is about to change into something the likes of which this generation has never seen. I dont think any of us can fully comprehend what the depression was like, and we are definitely in the midst of a recession. I am struggling with the ethical dilema that if we go, and the economy - not just goes south - but fails completely....then I will be kicking myself for not putting money aside to weather the storm that seems to be lying ahead.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but given many factors, and the fact that stocks cant seem to 'find the bottom' (as indicated by the 400+ point nose dive again on friday) i have begun to seriously consider postponing our trip.

 

[The Hendies]

So, it's been a week and a half...... did you decide to go?????

 

[sparkyboy]

I lost my mother a year ago (May 2007), my SIL passed Aug 2007 from struggling with brain cancer for 5 years and 3 weeks later her husband, my brother died of a stroke at the age of 62. DH and I had our ressies made/airline tickets bought for May 08 and his mother died suddenly. As we were driving back home from her funeral, I asked him if he wanted to postpone our trip to WDW and he said no, we need to go because I don't want any regrets about us not sharing our time together.

My mother always had this wonderful quote that both my sister and I share with others-"There are no do overs in life, so live each day to its fullest and be happy".

OP, only you know what your financial situation is but there will always be financial concerns in our economy, health issues for us and our loved ones, job concerns, etc. But for my DH and I, we would rather spend the time with our family now and enjoy the magic of WDW. Best wishes to you as you make your decision.

 

[cyndylou]

We are using credit card reward points for airfare, and are skipping Christmas gifts for each other so that we can go back in Feb 09. Maybe you have some of these options, too.

 

[hamold]

It really is hard to know what to do. It is hard to anticipate what will happen tomorrow in this wierd economy. I have been trying to decide for a month if I should make my final payment or just cancel. I was tired of going over it EVERY day in my mind so I just went ahead and made the payment. Now all there is to do is get excited about vacation because whats done is done!!!

 

[poohsgirl1202]

Saving is soooooo boring!!!!

 

[pepe of ohio]

It really is hard to know what to do. It is hard to anticipate what will happen tomorrow in this wierd economy. I have been trying to decide for a month if I should make my final payment or just cancel. I was tired of going over it EVERY day in my mind so I just went ahead and made the payment. Now all there is to do is get excited about vacation because whats done is done!!!

I posted earlier but now with the election over and the market jumping around, I really don't care. I'm 59, children thru college and married, home has been paid for for 10 years, what's left in our lives? We, the wife and I just booked WL for the end of January, AP rate could not be beat. We're looking forward to this vacation just like all the others, it's what we work for and save for. We were just there in Aug/Sept, again we never pay rack rate, always stay deluxe and recoup and covet our Disney stays. Life will go on, its like the western song, everyone want to go to heaven but just not now. tomorrow will come but you never know if you'll be included so we go, we'll survive and when we go, we'll have a smile on our face and not a huge bank account for others to fight over.

 

[edamethyst]

Good choice, you'll be glad you went!

 

[KayKyle'sMOM]

 

[sparkyboy]