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[BeautyBeastAndNemo]

Thread Closed as some as just plain rude. Thanks to all those that had a great discussion!

 

[DCLMP]

Great topic. The problem you may have is there doesn't seem to be a lot of middle class left on this forum.

That's the impression I get when I see some of the eye-popping cruise and vacation budgets... and just a lot of the posts in general. I could be wrong though.

 

[Dcgc28]

I have 3 kids soon to be 4 and on a single income (under 100k) while my wife finishes school. We go on a week long vacation every year and have budgeted for 3 this year…tho 1 is staying with family.

 

[BeautyBeastAndNemo]

Great topic. The problem you may have is there doesn't seem to be a lot of middle class left on this forum.

That's the impression I get when I see some of the eye-popping cruise and vacation budgets... and just a lot of the posts in general. I could be wrong though.

Good point!

 

[BeautyBeastAndNemo]

I have 3 kids soon to be and on a single income (under 100k) while my wife finishes school. We go on a week long vacation every year and have budgeted for 3 this year…tho 1 is staying with family.

Where are you other two vacations to? Do you pay them off in full before each trip? Thanks for responding~

 

[DCLMP]

Good point!

We make over what you stated, but I feel middle class. It's gotten considerably more difficult over the last couple of years. Yes, we will take vacations just more scaled-down than in the past.

 

[Dcgc28]

Where are you other two vacations to? Do you pay them off in full before each trip? Thanks for responding~

We went to Disney in March for around 5200 all things considered, travel, food, souvenirs our out the door price was 5200ish

Our other trip will be to Myrtle Beach SC, from Louisiana, in September for a week to visit family but we’re not staying with family. That trip is around 2500 all things bought I’m hoping for.

I take advantage of Disneys “pay it off before 30 days before your trip” but for our Beach trip we’ve budgeted and paid for our room. Hoping to get it all done for 2500.

I’m fortunate enough to work for a good company and I don’t have to use my quarterly bonuses to survive, or save the amount I want to save now, so I’m able to use those as disposable income. That accounted for our whole Disney trip from March 22 (when we started planning) to March 23 plus some money to start planning our September trip.

 

[john7994]

Probably worth noting ... Pew (Research Center) defines “middle class” as those earning between two-thirds and twice the median American household income, which in 2021 was $70,784, according to the United States Census Bureau. That means American households earning as little as $47,189 and up to $141,568 are technically in the middle class.

Also worth noting, As is often cited, the share of adults who live in middle-class households is shrinking. Now, 50% of the population falls in this group as of 2021, down from 61% 50 years earlier, according to Pew.

 

[DL1WDW2]

.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Great topic. The problem you may have is there doesn't seem to be a lot of middle class left on this forum.

That's the impression I get when I see some of the eye-popping cruise and vacation budgets... and just a lot of the posts in general. I could be wrong though.

they just have really good credit and charge it all

 

[BeautyBeastAndNemo]

,

Probably worth noting ... Pew (Research Center) defines “middle class” as those earning between two-thirds and twice the median American household income, which in 2021 was $70,784, according to the United States Census Bureau. That means American households earning as little as $47,189 and up to $141,568 are technically in the middle class.

Also worth noting, As is often cited, the share of adults who live in middle-class households is shrinking. Now, 50% of the population falls in this group as of 2021, down from 61% 50 years earlier, according to Pew.

Yeah, but I am specifically interested in those that make under $100k. $141k is quite a bit of money most places.

 

[cvjw]

they just have really good credit and charge it all

Nope. Just have cash and pay for vacations.

 

[BeautyBeastAndNemo]

Nope. Just have cash and pay for vacations.

We can't speak for all. I am sure many put vacations on credit.

 

[BeautyBeastAndNemo]

I started to plan a vacation to DL to stay in the new Tower VDH cash booking for 2 nights. And then I started to think about just going to Oogie Boogie Bash and not anything else… and then I checked on SW for flights for one person . Then I started to think I didn’t really need to stay at the DVC since I could book a tour to just see the resort !
Why is everything so expensive?
…. No vacation for me probably , unless I win the lottery.
Wish me luck !

Flights are the worst part sometimes! If we wanted to go to Hawaii, it would be almost 3k for 4 people for flights alone. Yikes!

 

[kuhltiffany]

We live very frugally (no drinking, smoking, share 1 car that’s 10 years old, eat out only once per month). Any “extra” money we get goes into the vacation account (bonus, tax returns, etc). I also use points programs to our advantage and use them for flights, hotels, etc. too. We don’t have extravagant birthdays and Christmas, we prioritize experiences instead. It can be done, just takes careful planning…

 

[Gr8t Fan]

.

 

[nw6675]

We are a little above your stated threshold, but I'm not going to lie - we get a substantial check from my parents at Christmas (thank you Santa!) with their request we do something for ourselves and my DD11 with it. So, we use it as our vacation.

My grandfather used to do this for my parents as well as for me and my sis. Dad carried on the tradition.

 

[DCLMP]

Nope. Just have cash and pay for vacations.

I'm sure the wealthy do, but the OP was specifically asking about those that make under 100k.

 

[robinb]

We no longer qualify under your rules (no mortgage, make too much, DD out on her own) but we did when our DD23 was little. We were able to afford to travel mostly because my DH traveled every week for business. He amassed tons of hotel points and airline miles. We had a nice cache when our DD was born and he continued to travel every week for his job. It's nice when you can fly and stay in a hotel for free.

We also bought into DVC after our first Disney trip a couple years before our DD was born. Our contract gave us 230 points to use on a yearly basis, which gave us 2 full weeks in a studio for the price of dues. I could not bring myself to pay for a Disney vacation for the past 10 years if we didn't have DVC. We bought APs which we would use to 2-3 trips per year.

 

[DLgal]

We no longer qualify under your rules (no mortgage, make too much, DD out on her own) but we did when our DD23 was little. We were able to afford to travel mostly because my DH traveled every week for business. He amassed tons of hotel points and airline miles. We had a nice cache when our DD was born and he continued to travel every week for his job. It's nice when you can fly and stay in a hotel for free.

We also bought into DVC after our first Disney trip a couple years before our DD was born. Our contract gave us 230 points to use on a yearly basis, which gave us 2 full weeks in a studio for the price of dues. I could not bring myself to pay for a Disney vacation for the past 10 years if we didn't have DVC. We bought APs which we would use to 2-3 trips per year.

When your child was little, vacations were cheaper than they are today. The point of this thread is who is able to take vacations TODAY under these parameters.