Your most unexpected expenses

[JennM]

my brother told me, that if you wait a little while on that.. you will keep getting discounts.. I know you have a date you have to order it by.. but he said it came down some every so often when he waited to buy it. I can't tell you how much.. and can't make any promises. But this is what he said.

I am going to wait a little while and see whether I get any discount - hope you are right!

 

[nikkistevej]

The last time I went to WDW 2 years ago, I took my 35mm camera- my expense was when I got home- developing 36 rolls of film. I scrapbook, so I felt I needed them all I have my digital for my trip coming up!

 

[ss0414]

Contact lense solution...very expense in DW
Extra pair of sunglasses....either you spend $200 in DTD for a replacement or $20 for a pair worth $1 at the resort!
Cold/Headache medicine.
Those are the items I forgot and had to replace last time in DW.

 

[fAnnF]

my brother told me, that if you wait a little while on that.. you will keep getting discounts.. I know you have a date you have to order it by.. but he said it came down some every so often when he waited to buy it. I can't tell you how much.. and can't make any promises. But this is what he said.

I just got my message saying that my photos expire in a week and no discount code. It's all random.

 

[VMK_Princess_Chloe]

I just got my message saying that my photos expire in a week and no discount code. It's all random.

yeah that may be.. I just know that he has done it 3 times and each time he got a discount for waiting. I was just saying that it doesn't hurt to wait.. to see.

 

[andrews1]

Water!! We were surprised how intense the Florida heat was in the summer, the first time we went. Then we were shocked at what they wanted to charge for a bottle of water I swear the 1st year we spent $100 bucks on bottled water.

In case you don't know, you can get FREE glasses of ice and ice water at the CS restaurants and snack carts.

 

[englishteacha]

Once again, I reiterate the OTC medicines. My DH got one heck of a headache in MGM on our honeymoon, and we bought Tylenol at a gift shop. It was $2 for 4 pills! Now I carry a tiny first aid kit with me with band aids, tylenol, benadryl, etc. Every time I've forgotten that kit, one of us gets a headache.

 

[ThunderMTexpert]

"feminine" things.. Unless you're on the pill and know exactly when to expect your monthy.. friend, make sure you bring 'em. Got a 12-13 year old teenager that hasn't "started?" Bring a sample pack or something! Check out the BUDGET BOARDS and go to the freebie links!! There are ALWAYS pantyliners, tampons, pads, men's pads, that come in a sample 1-3 pack given for free on the boards (3-4 weeks shipping sometimes!) Or BUY EM!!.That would be perfect for a "just in case" type of thing that don't take up too much room! Think about it!!

 

[Fabinva]

Pain medicine, sunglasses, sunblock lotion, feminine products are very expensive, make sure if you are flying to at least carry kids Tylenol chewable in your bag, I had taken the liquid form and because of restriction put in luggage which I could not get to for hours after we arrived and my son started a fever shortly after getting off plane so I paid A LOT for a small bottle at the hotel gift shop, also ended up spending on a Dr visit a few days later, he had an ear infection.

 

[5fordisney]

I second the water camera!! We had just bought a new digital camera before our trip and it never occured to me until the morning we were going to Typhoon Lagoon that I wouldn't want to bring it and chance getting it wet. So I bought a disposable water camera and it was $20. Ughh...!!! It was the only thing I didn't think ahead for.
Also, upon our return, I never budgeted for the $150 picture development price tag for the 800 pictures I took! That hit me hard in the wallet, esp. after the expensive vacation we had just completed! Oh well, my album is priceless! We look at it every month and relive the fun!
Have a great trip!

 

[hddanis]

I like the idea of $250 for unexpected items...We could have used that! Most of our unexpected costs were due to us forgetting things in the room and not wanting to spend all the time to go back for them...

Lets see, I lost my sunglasses...DD forgot hers one day. That was $32 for the 2 pairs.

Forgot sunscreen one day, another $9

Didn't take a hat for DH (he never wears one) that was $17..That one was swiped from the stroller so another $17 to replace it.

Forgot our autograph pens one day.spent $4 for a disney one

The ONE day we don't take the stroller (where we stored the ponchos in the basket) it rained..Ponchs for 6..about $40

Camera battery died and I couldn't find my spare (it fell out in our van in airport parking lot in Philadelphia..found it when we got home) so I had to buy a disposable camera when we went to 1900 Park Fare..$20..Then forgot to take that one with us to AK and wound up buying another one..another $20

and then shipping back our box of uneaten snacks (sent down WAY too much) and souveniers...SOG only uses Fedex and DH thought I might need stuff in a hurry and sent the box 2 day...that was $90!!! (He could have sent it 3 day for about 1/2 the cost.

Now I'm faced with getting prints of all the picture I took...Didn't budget that. OOPS!!! about 200-300 on the photopass and another 300 I took on my camera. At 12 cents a print thats still quite a bit.

Wow, looking at this we could have saved a ton of money if we hadn't forgotten or lost so many things ...<sigh> Next trip it's just me and DH..hopefully we won't have so many things to worry about keeping track of.

 

[scouthawkk]

"feminine" things.. Unless you're on the pill and know exactly when to expect your monthy.. friend, make sure you bring 'em. Got a 12-13 year old teenager that hasn't "started?" Bring a sample pack or something! Check out the BUDGET BOARDS and go to the freebie links!! There are ALWAYS pantyliners, tampons, pads, men's pads, that come in a sample 1-3 pack given for free on the boards (3-4 weeks shipping sometimes!) Or BUY EM!!.That would be perfect for a "just in case" type of thing that don't take up too much room! Think about it!!

That happened to me when I was 11. Grandparents took me and little sis on a cruise. My mom had packed one pad, just in case...she had a hunch or something I guess. Sure enough, 2 days into the cruise! Talk about expensive, and not having much choice about where to get that!!!

Next summer DH and I are taking his little sisters (will be 11 and 14). That is going to be the first thing listed on their packing list...just in case

 

[kimis]

That happened to me when I was 11. Grandparents took me and little sis on a cruise. My mom had packed one pad, just in case...she had a hunch or something I guess. Sure enough, 2 days into the cruise! Talk about expensive, and not having much choice about where to get that!!!

Next summer DH and I are taking his little sisters (will be 11 and 14). That is going to be the first thing listed on their packing list...just in case

My dh and I worked with the youth department at our church for several years. When ever we would take any kind of a trip I always made sure the girls had all their personal items packed just in case. LOL The girls were surprised how many times they would need something even though they had declared it wasn't their time. LOL I would tell the girls that I am fifty and I still go prepared. LOL

 

[bennythepug]

great.....my dd is 12 and just waiting for her to get hers. would'nt it be something if it happened at wdw

i was actually going to say our most surprising expence was $2 for a bag of ice at FW

 

[ZoZo]

In case you don't know, you can get FREE glasses of ice and ice water at the CS restaurants and snack carts.

I tried this on my last trip and it worked great! Just ask for a cup of ice water at any CS restaurant. I loved it - got cold water for free and didn't have to lug around a water bottle.

Cheap (79-cent) rain ponchos. When in their original packaging, they tuck easily into a fanny pack, pocket, etc. When the rain is over, just toss out! (Who wants to fold down a big, wet WDW poncho anyways?)

Sunscreen, OTC meds, moleskin, bodyglide, hair products, Misty Mate, batteries, extra sunglasses, hat -- all of these things are easy to pack and cost waaaay less than if you buy at WDW. My strategy next trip is to pack half the amount of clothes I usually do (I plan to do laundry mid-week) and be sure to pack the other essentials. You can always wash clothes if you need to (so you don't have to bring as many), but you'll kick yourself if you have to buy a $20 bottle of sunscreen.

 

[ZoZo]

Contact lens solution...very expensive in DW
QUOTE]


You can buy Renu contact solution (travel size bottles) at Target for $1 each! I stocked up. Usually, travel size bottles cost around $4 each! What a score!

 

[Atchley]

Take all your camera stuff and buy extra stuff to take. Camera wasn't charging bought new battery. Didn't work. Ended up having to buy a sepatate battery charger. By the time we got everything worked out, we spent over $150.00 to get new battery, charger and lots of disposable cameras to use while we were trying to figure out why digital would not work.
The thing that really ticks me off is I told DH to take the dock, which is what we always charge it off of and never had any problems, but he said no, it'll be fine this way.
I insisted.
No, it'll work.
Just take it.
We'll be fine.
I caved.
Big Mistake.
When it quit working and we figured it out, I just wanted to jump up and say "Ha! In your face Buddy!"
But I was so steaming mad, I thought it best just to let it go as to not ruin the rest of our day.

 

[writersblock42]

Food charges the first year that we went as adults (without our parents) I never thought that it would cost so much to do stuff like order a pizza.

 

[ConnieB]

great.....my dd is 12 and just waiting for her to get hers. would'nt it be something if it happened at wdw

i was actually going to say our most surprising expence was $2 for a bag of ice at FW

Eeek....are you saying that there isn't an ice machine at the hotels at Disney (thinking every hotel I've ever stayed in has had an ice machine, right next to the over priced soda vending machine). I was going to bring my Vitamix to the hotel, but you gotta have ice to make my breakfast smoothies! We'll have a car and go to offsite grocery for fruit and such, but I'm guessing the POR fridge doesn't have a freezer big enough for a whole bag of ice??????

Agrh....I'm not sure if I can live without my morning smoothie...and can't stand the ton of sugar in most smoothies you can purchase. Oh please say it ain't so!

Ok.....daughter is reading over my shoulder and laughing hysterically at me, but she loves her morning smoothie as well (think coffee drinkers who can't start the morning without....that's us and fruit smooths).....but she said not to cancel the trip over ice....she has volunteered to take her refillable mug down to the food court every morning and fill it with just ice. Wow, what a kid! (Somebody bookmark this post so I can remind her of her promise!)

 

[MomofKatie]

Eeek....are you saying that there isn't an ice machine at the hotels at Disney (thinking every hotel I've ever stayed in has had an ice machine, right next to the over priced soda vending machine). I was going to bring my Vitamix to the hotel, but you gotta have ice to make my breakfast smoothies! We'll have a car and go to offsite grocery for fruit and such, but I'm guessing the POR fridge doesn't have a freezer big enough for a whole bag of ice??????

Agrh....I'm not sure if I can live without my morning smoothie...and can't stand the ton of sugar in most smoothies you can purchase. Oh please say it ain't so!

Ok.....daughter is reading over my shoulder and laughing hysterically at me, but she loves her morning smoothie as well (think coffee drinkers who can't start the morning without....that's us and fruit smooths).....but she said not to cancel the trip over ice....she has volunteered to take her refillable mug down to the food court every morning and fill it with just ice. Wow, what a kid! (Somebody bookmark this post so I can remind her of her promise!)

I believe FW is the abbreviation for Fort Wilderness. It is a campground (campsites for tent or RV camping, and cabins), so I'd think no ice machines. Every Disney hotel I've ever heard of does have ice machines.