13 Days, Family O' 7 $2642 Budget!

[nzdisneymom]

TNKBELL, what a super job you have done!

I could only pull off a trip like this IF I left DH at home.... Unfortunately, he insists on tagging along on my vacations! He is MUCH worse than the kiddos.

Has anyone else been trying to mentally prep themselves not to freak out over paying $9 for children to eat mac n cheese in the World restaurants ($9X4=$36 for my kids to eat $2 worth of mac and cheese!!!)? I know there are other kids options but mine will always pick the mac n cheese if given the choice...ugh!

One thing we recently discovered is that you can order kid-meal items ala carte, so if you wanted to get just the mac/cheese or whatever the kid-entree is, you can do that. Or you can get two "desserts" instead of an "appetizer" -- at least I know you can do that at Liberty Tree Tavern at lunch as we've done that two separate times. The price comes out about the same and you don't have food-waste or pay for something that your kids don't / won't eat. Our almost 11 y.o. doesn't eat much variety, so he will often share with his brother who is still 9 and can get the kid-priced meals at Table Service.

 

[GoofItUp]

We don't eat large meals and eat several snacks per day. With the 2 little ones, Dh usually finishes what they don't. I also don't eat more than a couple fries myself. As Americans we eat entirely too much!! Our stomachs when the proper size are only as big as a fist, so we should only fill to that capacity. A Big N Tasty is plenty.

You're family will be all the healthier because of it! (I'm assuming you don't eat at McD's for every meal! )

Just a funny thing because your post made me think of it.....we once drove by a McD's who was advertising the Big N Tasty on their sign out front, but the first T had fallen off the board, so it just said "Big N asty"! Since I'm not a McD's fan, I thought it was appropriate!

I'm enjoying reading about your trip plans. Your whole attitude about it is positive...even with the nay-sayers! That attitude is what will make your trip great for your whole family!

 

[TNKBELL]

You're family will be all the healthier because of it! (I'm assuming you don't eat at McD's for every meal! )

Just a funny thing because your post made me think of it.....we once drove by a McD's who was advertising the Big N Tasty on their sign out front, but the first T had fallen off the board, so it just said "Big N asty"! Since I'm not a McD's fan, I thought it was appropriate!

I'm enjoying reading about your trip plans. Your whole attitude about it is positive...even with the nay-sayers! That attitude is what will make your trip great for your whole family!

 

[TNKBELL]

there are 5 in my family - and we can eat at McDonald's for around $8:

DH & DS - McChicken sandwich ($2 for 2)
DS - double cheeseburger ($1)
DD - plain cheeseburger (89 cents)
me - hamburger (79 cents)
3 orders of fries off the dollar menu.

we all drink water.

Forgot about the chicken sandwiches, Dh loves those!!

 

[mom2dea0813]

Hey there I noticed on your last trip you went to Mosi and did not care for it . I wanted to let you know they have added tons of things in the last 2 yrs so it may be worth the trip agian if you get in free or half off . Just thought I would share !!! And the zoo in Tampa is great if you looking for another option .

Either way have a great trip !

Sarah

 

[mickeyfan2]

It is on the Value menu and Dh usually gets that, the kids get cbs, I like the snack wrap and we don't always get fries just occasionally. Mcdonalds is just an example, I confess we mostly eat at Wendys because the dks like nuggets.
Eating out is a treat.

I have to move to KS. The chicken and the BNT are not on our $1. The snack wraps seem to be gone too. I did like them. I would get them without the sauce.

 

[sl_underwood]

You expect one roticerie chicken to feed 7 people? Yes, I know one is a baby, so let's say 6 people. And you expect leftovers for another meal for 6?
That's amazing. That one chicken will definately feed my family of 4 with no leftovers.

I also have no idea where you can get a bag of salad for less than $2. They are $2.50 on sale here.

We are a family of 5 but usually have an extra or 2 for dinner and we almost always have leftover rotisserie chicken which I turn into chicken quesidillas or chicken enchiladas the next day. Of course, we always have salad, bread, and fruit to go with it. Also, bagged salad here is about $2. Add some rice and some veggies to go with the quesidillas or enchiladas and you have 2 relatively inexpensive meals.

 

[nzdisneymom]

I also have no idea where you can get a bag of salad for less than $2. They are $2.50 on sale here.

We can usually get a bag of salad for $2 on sale (or sometimes less). We live in North FL and shop at Publix. BTW, you can get an idea of what is on sale at Publix by going to www.publix.com and checking the ads - over the course of several weeks, you'll have an idea of what is likely to have reached sale rotation again when you get there. FWIW, Publix sales-weeks start on Thursday and run through Wednesday, so depending on your travel dates, you could look online to see what will be on sale when you arrive.

 

[TNKBELL]

We can usually get a bag of salad for $2 on sale (or sometimes less). We live in North FL and shop at Publix. BTW, you can get an idea of what is on sale at Publix by going to www.publix.com and checking the ads - over the course of several weeks, you'll have an idea of what is likely to have reached sale rotation again when you get there. FWIW, Publix sales-weeks start on Thursday and run through Wednesday, so depending on your travel dates, you could look online to see what will be on sale when you arrive.

Thanks for the link, that's what I did last year!!

 

[punkin]

We are a family of 5 but usually have an extra or 2 for dinner and we almost always have leftover rotisserie chicken which I turn into chicken quesidillas or chicken enchiladas the next day. Of course, we always have salad, bread, and fruit to go with it. Also, bagged salad here is about $2. Add some rice and some veggies to go with the quesidillas or enchiladas and you have 2 relatively inexpensive meals.

Last night I roasted a chicken (about 4 lb precooked). We had potatoes and coleslaw for sides. Ice cream for desert. It fed 5 people, but my DN8 hardly ate at all and DH was hungry afterwards and made himself a sandwich. I had nothing left over but bones. I guess, I could make a soup out of it and stratch it to lunch that way, but I am not planning to make soups on vacation.

I don't discount the fact that some people can do this, I can tell you that my family cannot.

 

[hollyb]

If you only spend around $8 for a fast food lunch does that mean all six of you share 1 order of the dollar fries. I hope I'm not sounding negative here(not trying to be) but my hubby would flip if he only got one small dollar burger and a 1/6 order of a med. fry. It just sounds like a very small amount of food for so many people.

If your going to eat Mc D's your better off eating this way. Mc D is so unhealthy. When our family of 4 goes we easily spend less then $10.

 

[TNKBELL]

If your going to eat Mc D's your better off eating this way. Mc D is so unhealthy. When our family of 4 goes we easily spend less then $10.

Have you ever watched "Supersize Me"? Really Mcscary!!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Have you ever watched "Supersize Me"? Really Mcscary!!

Guess I won't be going to McD's for dinner tonight

 

[sl_underwood]

We rarely pay more than $10 for a fast food restaurant. Of course we dont drink soda so that saves alot. One idea for those of you who like the healthier stuff, try a caesar salad and a grilled chicken sandwich off the dollar menu and make your own chicken caesar salad, another good one is the side salad from Wendys with mandarin oranges on top, its very low calorie and tastes good too.

TNKBELL I love your budget, you are awesome. I know you all will have a wonderful vacation!

 

[hsmamato2]

Tinkbell,your thread is getting a real workout!
At our Mcd's. a big n tasty is around $3- but again, what you're buying wouldn't be enough to fill my family up,so if that was our McD's budget, I wouldn't go there, I'd spend money and everyone would still be hungry-
My little guy has a LARGE appetite for all things,he's trim and muscly,and eats about 3 times more than I do(I made a large dutch oven pot of chili,he ate it all over the course of 2 days,around 15 bowls-breakfast lunch and dinner-he's 7 )
I know you can do it- I've read your other report,and THANKYOU for sharing it with us! it inspires me to keep on budgeting too!
I know what my crew eats,and I stretch my budget out till it squeaks too!

 

[MEM]

my DN8 hardly ate at all and DH was hungry afterwards and made himself a sandwich... I don't discount the fact that some people can do this, I can tell you that my family cannot.

This sounds so much like my family! People talk about leftovers, I say, what are leftovers? No matter how much I cook, DH and DS12 manage to eat it all - neither is overweight, just big eaters. Sometimes DH will make himself cheese and jam sandwiches (must be a Philly thing) after eating dinner, to, as he puts it, "fill in the corners".

 

[ckoncurat]

Ok, I am seriously inspired. I am trying to eat smaller, more frequent meals myself, and my DH HATES how much food our kids waste!!! Everything you are saying here makes great sense to me. (My kids are infant-age 10, too)

 

[mickeyfan2]

We rarely pay more than $10 for a fast food restaurant. Of course we dont drink soda so that saves alot. One idea for those of you who like the healthier stuff, try a caesar salad and a grilled chicken sandwich off the dollar menu and make your own chicken caesar salad, another good one is the side salad from Wendys with mandarin oranges on top, its very low calorie and tastes good too.

TNKBELL I love your budget, you are awesome. I know you all will have a wonderful vacation!

That is it. I am moving!!!!! Not on our $1 menu either.

 

[TheBeadPirate]

That is it. I am moving!!!!! Not on our $1 menu either.

DH travels quite a bit for work and you wouldn't believe how much the Dollar menu varies. Not only from region to region, but from store to store! They're all different!

 

[Plantlady]

DH travels quite a bit for work and you wouldn't believe how much the Dollar menu varies. Not only from region to region, but from store to store! They're all different!

No kidding. We do the one sandwich off of the dollar menu per person, when traveling...

We were traveling to KC (2 hour drive), 1/2 way there, pulled over at a McD on the turnpike, ordered our sandwiches without looking over the menu, and then gasped, when it cost $10, I was expecting $4. Not huge in the grand skeam of things, but, I shop at Aldi to save 10 cents here and there!

From now on, I will study the dollar menu and choose accordingly.