do u go on vacation if ur poor??

[amyy]

I haven't read all the posts. I see that you are now leaning towards camping. If you weren't camping do you have a ballpark figure for how much you want to spend on a vacation and how far you are willing to drive?

Growing up we took lots of weekend trips a few hours away from our home. I thought it was great. I work with kids now and so many of them are tickled to go to a hotel a few towns away where there is a pool and take out pizza.

We didn't take weekend trips for financial reasons. My father worked and worked, in a professional capacity, all the time. My parents paid cash for their house, cars etc. My father died of a heart attack at 51. A vacation for us was to go on a business trip with him. We might rent a camp for a week so he could still commute to work. I wish there had been more time for family vacations and memories.

We will probably never have a huge emergency fund but we take vacations. I put away for retirement but not 15% and we still take vacations. We have a very modest house, I buy a lot of my clothes on sale at Kohl's or Target, our house has the curtains that came with it (but I so want new ones). I couldn't live with huge debit but I want to make happy memories now and that includes vacations

 

[torinsmom]

I wouldn't do DC with 7 year olds, but that is just me. I think kids appreciate DC more as 10-12 year olds.

I bet they would enjoy 2 days at an indoor waterpark like Great Wolf in Williamsburg, VA. If you spend one night, you can get there by noon on checkin and stay until closing(10pm) on check out day. Then, maybe check into a cheaper hotel(Priceline) and do Busch Gardens the next day. You can get a Family Suite during the week at GWL for less than $200, then spend the next night at a cheap hotel($40). Tickets to Busch Gardens would be about $240 for 2 adults and 2 kids. You can bring food into GWL; they have a mini fridge and microwave, so you could eat cheap while you were there. Share meals or eat away from the parks at Busch Gardens. Add money for gas and parking and I bet you could do something like this for under $800 easily.

There are always those who say people should not vacation unless they are debt free and have loads of money in savings, but I often wonder if they have every struggled to make ends meet. I also wonder how many people would vacation if everyone believed that. The truth is that the majority of American families have debt and don't have much savings. When I am retired, I will be out of debt and have savings, but by then my son will be long gone from home and have a family of his own. As long as I am not asking anyone else to pay my bills, it's really my business whether I can really "afford" to go.

 

[marie1203]

will look into the camping and have though about dc but would 2 seven year olds like it? btw our cars are a 97 & 91 hondas

With the new info I will say no put the money in savings a 20 year old car can die anytime. DC is not a budget city either.

 

[elf]

With two 7 yr. olds I wouldn't do Busch Gardens unless they love large coasters. I think Hershey would be better for that age. My dd's now 10 and 13 have loved, Disney, Hershey (very close second favorite) and camping. At 7 I think they are going to LOVE Hershey.
The few times I went I've used my SPG. points to stay at a Sheraton in Harrisburg, it was 15 minutes away. I don't think it cost more than $110-130 for that hotel in cash and it had indoor pool. Go on website and get deals. You can even go free the night before if you buy ticket the next day.

I haven't been to Great Wolf but have had lots of friends who have been and all the kids have loved it.

 

[LeahA]

If you are not in debt, I don't feel there is anything wrong with taking a mini vacation. My dh and I have been married for 18 years and we always took some of our Income Tax money and used a little for vacation. The rest went into savings, paying off a bill or doing a household project.

You need to do a family vacation. It's a great way to reconnect with your loved ones!

 

[homedad]

growing up when money was tight vacation was up north to neighbor cottage with no electricity or running water and as a kid we loved it

 

[a1tinkfans]

OP!
Family time is great. It can de-stress you and reVitalize you. But, depite having 2 Honda's (they generally last a long time fortunately
Bad/Off things Can happen.........Then you'd be without a Savings Backup. That can get you in a bad situation very quickly. One you may not be able to get out of without reaching out for help from family/friends etc.
If someone suddenly got ill? Can you afford that cost? WHat if one of the workers (you or dh) got ill/hurt and was out of work for several weeks?
It can be a very scary situation. It can happen, I know first hand. We were prepared and it wiped out a huge part of what was saved for just such an emergency. Never thought we'd need that. It took years to recoup, the good news is YOU decide your future, you do not have to "stay" where you are financially.
Perhaps by "asking" here, you just may be trying to validate a vacation. I am not judging, please do not misinterpret me. I just want you to "feel safe" knowing that you could take care of your "Family" which is always the priority. If a vacation will actually make you "worry more" or "wonder, what if" it just may not be the best time, right now. Think it thru and Very Best of Luck to you all!

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

I think sometimes you just gotta get away and take a break from reality. Put most of $ in savings but take a few days to recharge. I always find great last minute get-aways on craiglist- vacation rentals.
I would rather have family time/memories than most anything else.

This


We have debt and we go on trips. If I waited until everything was paid off we'd be too old to walk around anywhere and our kids would be long moved out Any time I do pay something off, the next big expense comes along (braces, broken driveway, glasses, car stuff, etc...)

 

[deezeealum]

My parents used to take me and my sister to DC every couple of yrs and we were there when I was 7. THe Air and Space museum and the Museum of Natural Historty and the Smithsonian are fabulous for the kids as well as the National Zoo. Contrary to a PP, DC can be budget friendly. If you stay outside the city but on the metro line. Think VA. When we were little we stayed at the Key Bridge Marriot in VA rioght across the river from Georgetown. WE are planning on taking our 5 yr old DD this Spring and are looking at the Embassy Suites Chevy Chase. It has a full complimentray breakfast as well as a managers reception where you can get sodas, wine and small snacks in the afternoon. You might get slightly better rates at TYsons Corner, VA I tihnk I saw them for under $100 per night for a weekend.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

We've done lots of family vacations with very little money. Dh was in an industry that experienced lots of layoffs over the years (He lost his job permanently in 2007 and went back to school and is now in a different field.)

We did lots of vacations that included camping with my sks.

My most impressive (to me, lol) budget trip was the year we did 5 nights away for $500. I found a private campground with a cheap cabin rental for $40/night. I pre-cooked most of our food at home and froze it. We went to a waterpark at the end of one day, when you get the discounted price. We went to a small amusement park and I had my sister cut our "buy one get one free" ride wristband coupons out of her friends' phone books. We went to the zoo for a $15 family rate. We went to a provincial park to hike and hang out on the beach, for $5 a day rate.

Our suppers were around the campfire at night. We packed up our cooler each day for drinks, lunches and snacks.

We told the kids we had to do this vacation cheap, as dad had just gotten laid off, and you never knew how long it might last. We told them we weren't eating out, and not to bug for anything. They didn't. The last day we splurged on McDonalds for ice cream.

When we travel we bring our cooler for roadside stops. We never stop at restaurants to eat. We have discovered so many unique and special places throughout the years by doing this. Besides, who wants to take kids that have been cooped up in the vehicle, inside a restaurant and expect them to sit nicely and behave?!?!

You can have a lot of fun and make a lot of memories without breaking the bank, and I think it's important to do that. Someone posted a link to a cheap cabin rental. That's what I would recommend.

Good luck, and good luck finding a PT job and getting things back on track.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I skimmed thru this thread quickly, but it looks like:

1) you have little debt
2) you will be putting some $ in savings
3) a part time job is (hopefully) in your near future so you should be increasing your household income

Well, I bet there are high income households with lots of debt, little or no savings, and a recently reduced income taking a vacation this year!

I do not recommend going into debt for a vacation, but it sounds like you are in a decent position to take a "cheap" vacation. Just stick to your budget and have a great time! Make building up your savings and not acquiring any more debt a priority when you get back and when you start your part time job. Maybe you'll be able to take another vacation sooner than you think. Good luck to you

 

[Leajess99]

We are a low income family with little debt and no savings... we havent been on a vacation in 4 years. we have taken day trips to local places but you still come back to the stresses at the end of the day. Hubby and i are thinking of taking some of our tax return $ that is coming and putting some away for savings and some for a low budget 3 or 4 days..we are in jersey so we are thinking maybe herhey or busch gardens. We feel that maybe its time to take a few days with the family to destress and spend more than one day together. Question is, is it irresponsible of us when we are so very tight with cash or do you see it as a positive? please tell us what you all are doing? oh and moving to a cheaper place isnt possible to save $, it would compromise our safety where we are. Thanks.

I lived on a fixed income and my kids and I save money every year for a trip to Disney. We started in 2008 going because I was not going to let happen to my kids what happened to me when I was a kid. On that trip we stayed off site through Armed forces Vacation club and the next year we saved change tobe able to afford to stay on site. We do have the advantage of the Armed Forces salute tickets but the first trip and the last trip we paid almost full price for the tickets.

I would never fault you for taking a trip. Your kids are only little once and being a child that only got to go on a couple of family trips, other than when we moved from Army base to Army base, I promised I would not do that to my kids. My kids are actually well traveled. My son has been to about 40 of the states while the girls have only been to about 25 of the states.

 

[juliebean]

hello everyone-im the OP and iam astonished at all the replies i got..such good advice..our last vacation was disney in 2007..our twins were born premature with some medical issues which made have to be at home with them..only till this year (1st grade) am i looking for a part time job cuz they have got their medical issues under control. Having to live on one salary since 2003 has been very eye opening. i have gone without manicures/pedicures( do it myself) as well as do it yourself hair color..only get haircuts 2x a year and eating out is not an option.it can really wear on someones spirits but thankfully my hubby and i have always had a positive outlook so even though its been 7 years of struggling we know one day it will change. Vacations are a luxury for us so this is a big deal. btw-the disney trip was paid for by my parents who took us.

will look into the camping and have though about dc but would 2 seven year olds like it? btw our cars are a 97 & 91 hondas

Sometimes things happen that you cannot anticipate - including having children with medical issues. But, it sounds as if you are past the worst of that and maybe once you find a job, you can make it a priority to put a percentage of what you make towards a vacation. I'm a stay at home mom in NJ too, and it's not easy to live here on one income - I totally get that!

If you do decide to take a vacation, make the most of it - I think 7 is a great age for DC - and stick to a budget so you don't stress out about it during and after. Good luck!

 

[Colleen27]

We vacationed when we were "poor", not the sort of vacations we take now but renting a cabin up north and semi-camping (I don't do tents! ) for a long weekend or getting a cheap room in a nearby city and going to a museum or zoo. Sometimes you do just need to get away and reconnect for the sake of the whole family, and it is really hard to do that at home surrounded by all the reminders of your stresses and the daily grind.

With two 7 year olds, I'd lean towards camping. Even if you don't tent camp, a lot of state parks rent rustic cabins at a very modest cost and since you cook your own meals dining out doesn't add up to a major expense.

My kids are 13 & 9 now and they want to go to DC this summer, but we went when the oldest was 6.5 and he was bored with it - fortunately it was just a day there on the way to the "real fun" in Virginia Beach!

 

[PTL]

Being poor does not mean you never get to have any fun!!!! If you have sacrificed 4 years without a vacation, I think it is time. Don't feel guilty about spending money on your mental well being when there are bills to be paid. I promise they aren't going anywhere. Do you want to be one of those people who work, work, work and never have fun??? I say go for it

 

[ChisJo]

To the OP: We have in the past, and would continue to if we were struggling. We don't always do anything elaborate. We did go to WDW a couple of times (we live in Canada) when we probably shouldn't of, but we only went on seat sales and we didn't stay in one of the WDW hotels. We would save a little bit here and there, especially with every paycheck, save our change, and before you knew it, we had more money than we thought we had saved. We didn't don't dine anywhere outside of our price budget, and we cook as many meals as we can at the hotel/home that we are staying at.

As children, there were 5 kids. My parents made sure that every 2 years, we got a vacation. It wasn't always fancy, as my parents didn't have tons of money, but we always looked forward to something. The memories those make are worth every cent.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I will probably buck the trend here and say no to a vacation. If you are getting a chunk of money back, as it looks to me, I would adjust my tax withholdings to have more money each month for enjoyment. I would take a day trip or 2, with maybe a Saturday night overnight at a Priceline hotel.

 

[luvdisney00]

I have to disagree a bit on that. The horrible truth is, for some, tomorrow never comes. I'm not saying don't save for the future, you have to. But what is the point of living if all your are doing is trying to get "to the future" and missing life now. There has to be a balance. Only an individual themselves would know what that balance was.

I do agree that memories can be made in your backyard. The point is, don't forget to enjoy life before it passes you by.

I totally agree. No one can ever take your great memories from you or your kids. I'm not saying rack up debt to live for today, but you can't miss today saving and waiting for tomorrow because we are not guaranteed tomorrow at all. There has to be some balance.

 

[stacy347]

I say go for it. As long as you are not taking it out of bill and/or food money, sometimes it is really beneficial to get that much needed break from everyday life.

As others have said, it doesn't have to be anything extravagant ~ heck, we do WDW super cheap now and we still have as much fun as when we could afford to stay on-site.

It sounds like you are being very realistic about everything ~ enjoy yourselves for a few days and good luck on the new job prospects!!

 

[KayBella]

I would say that everyone deserves a vacation every once in a while. Personally, I wouldn't charge anything. I like the feeling of knowing its already paid for and not have to worry about the bill when you get home! DH and I finally went on vacation this past summer to WDW. We used part of our tax refund for the hotel and tickets. I waitress and we saved up $ for our flight & extra spending $ by saving all of my quarters I got working. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. It sure adds up quickly! SAVE SAVE SAVE and you can do it.