Do you think that not taking a vacation is cheating your kids???

[daleswife]

My DH and I just returned from a mini adults only vacation to Pigeon Forge. We had a great time and our cabin was only $176 for 3 nights. Thats really cheap. Anyhoo, I have been thinking about this trip and how if we dont take any other vacations for about 2 years we could possibly get our truck paid off in 18 months. That would leave us owing on our house, a personal loan, and a student loan. plus an extra $500 a month to put toward the next lowest loan we owe on.

Now back to the question, would it be cheating our kids if we didnt take a vacation for a few years? I feel like we owe it to them to take them somewhere because we went on our mini vaca without them.

What would you do???

 

[2poohbears]

IMO, kids do not need a vacation every year, and I don't think you OWE your children a vacation.

You can do fun things close to home...picnics in the park, movie night at home..see if there are any local festivals that are free of charge...think of the things your family enjoys doing together and find ways to make them special, but inexpensive or free.

I think it's more important to take care of your family's finances/debts and savings first.

 

[worm761]

Vacations are not a right, they are a privilege. Paying off debt should come first. Though if you feel that badly about it, you may think of doing a budget vacation. Oh, and there are other places than Disney to vacation. We are visiting family this year. Fun? Not so much but we had a baby and this way they can see her. Next year I am going back to Disney. We are working on paying off debt too. Though I still insist on vacations. I think they are very important. I feel it does us all good to get away from the stress of home and bills once in a while.

 

[daleswife]

I should add that we live in the middle of nowhere and there isn't anything to do around here unless you travel at least an hour or more away. Heck, even the nearest walmart is an hour from here....

 

[maleficentmom]

your kids don't look too old in the photos,so I would think at that age it wouldn't be a big deal to them,especiaaly if you do lots to keep them busy.When our oldest was little we did Dollywood season passes and just went for the day.Libraries always have good summer programs,or maybe get a local pool membership for the summer.We don't camp,but you might try that at a local state park or campground and let the kids go swimming and ride bikes.So that way you could have sort of a mini-vacation without breaking the bank.Last summer we did Atlanta cheap, 55 night at Drury Inn(included snacks,breakfast and cocktails),combo pass for aquarium and World of Coke.Outlets on the way home.Getting out of debt is super important,but if you can swing it on the cheap, still get out and create some memories....but I don't think your kids will be deprived without a weeklong vacation..or any vacation for that matter.Just being together and doing day outings is a lot of fun.

 

[sksjasams]

I'm sure that your kids do not feel like they were cheated because you went on a mini getaway. And you shouldn't feel that way either.

We went on our very first vacation last year when DS was 10. We'll be lucky to get another one in before he goes to college. Not every family can afford to go on vacation, and we happen to be one of them.

 

[2poohbears]

We travel an hour or more to get to larger cities for shopping, zoo trips, museums, etc. You can make a day of it. It's definitely less expensive than WDW. We even pack a cooler with lunch and have a picnic at the zoo (our zoo allows this...i'm not sure the policy of other zoos). There may even be things you aren't aware of within driving distance...check around.

Maybe you could set a date - 2 - 3 years in the future - for your WDW trip. Put out a change jar where the kids can see it, and have them help collect change for the trip---that will get them excited about it. Each month, you can see how much closer you are to the trip. Get the Disney Vacation DVD (it's free) and show it to them, or go online to view some of the rides on youtube from time to time. Talk about what you want to do and see. I know my kids would be excited that they were "helping" decide what to do on the trip, and "helping" save change for it. It would also help them see how great it is to set a goal and work toward it together.

I would bet you would feel a lot more relaxed on your vacation if you had that bill paid off.

 

[cglaura]

I feel the only thing we "owe" our children are shelter, clothing, food, a proper education and lots and lots (and lots) of love.

The fact you are even worried about this shows that love isn't an issue

I'm not sure if you sig pic is recent, but they seem pretty young. And if you are only thinking of this short term to get finances in order, they are too young for it to really matter. I doubt when they are grown they will be, remember when we were 5 and didn't take a vacation???? More likely, remember when we were 5 and mom made that really cool camp in the backyard and we did this that and the other thing?

Financial security and spending time together is more important than far away destinations.

Don't feel guilty about your grown up mini vacation, married folks need that sometimes. And it's not like "my kid has no shoes because we went to Pigeon Forge". I'd definitely plan something sometime in the future before they are all grown up, but right now, it is not shorting them anything.

 

[maleficentmom]

I should add that we live in the middle of nowhere and there isn't anything to do around here unless you travel at least an hour or more away. Heck, even the nearest walmart is an hour from here....

just read this.....that does make it harder. ps....we do Myrtle Beach in Oct. and stay at Monterey Bat Suites...it includes breakfast...there are lots of places there that you can vacation off-season,cook in the room,and there is enough to do to keep busy without spending a lot.....we are hopefully debt free(except for house that we are paying extra on, and a newer van) in April.If you feel you need to take a mini-vaca. maybe you could crunch the budget somewhere else to do that.(we have cut way back on eating out and gave up gym memberships).Best of Luck

 

[disneyworldaddict]

Its fine to skip vacations if you have other things that you need to pay for. If more Americans took that view, the nation probabaly wouldn't be in this financial crisis.

When my girls were little we were really poor. We bought a cheap tent and went camping over a long weekend. For us Lancaster, PA is a 3 hr drive. We camped out there, took the girls to Hershey Park after 4pm when tickets were half price. We ate in a nice family style restaurant and hung around the campground. It was great! The kids didn't know how cheap it was...only a coupla hundred, and they didn't realize how short it was.

So, basically there are other options. And what kids enjoy is spending time doing family things together. Thats what they remember.

 

[NYCDiane]

Paying off your debt is a lot more important than taking a vacation. Why would you even think it's "unfair" that they don't get to go on vacation???? How many ways can you spell RIDICULOUS?!?!?!?

Your kids only go to school 180 days -- in between, they have 2 1/2 to 3 months off in summer (depending where you are), a 1 to 1 1/2 weeks off at Christmas, a week off in February, a week off at Easter, 4 day weekend at Memorial Day, and let's not forget about the 1/2 days and "teacher conference" days.......

A "vacation".... they're on "vacation" until they graduate college and have to enter the real world.

 

[daleswife]

Paying off your debt is a lot more important than taking a vacation. Why would you even think it's "unfair" that they don't get to go on vacation???? How many ways can you spell RIDICULOUS?!?!?!?

Your kids only go to school 180 days -- in between, they have 2 1/2 to 3 months off in summer (depending where you are), a 1 to 1 1/2 weeks off at Christmas, a week off in February, a week off at Easter, 4 day weekend at Memorial Day, and let's not forget about the 1/2 days and "teacher conference" days.......

A "vacation".... they're on "vacation" until they graduate college and have to enter the real world.

Wow, your kids get a lot of time off school. We dont get that much off. We get the three days off for thanksgiving, 1 1/2 weeks for christmas/new years, a week for spring break, three day weekend for memorial day, and thats about all we get. NO half days or anything like that.

And I dont feel its Ridiculous to want to take my kids somewhere for a vacation. And I would appreciate if people would not flame. Its not a matter of spoiling my kids, I just happen to be one of those parents who had to stay home when i was little cause we couldnt afford to go on vacation. Its not that we cant afford it, its that if we put that money toward something else we can get it paid faster. I want out of debt. its that simple.

 

[bookgirl]

Honestly, I'd rent a hotel room for a saturday night, swim at the pool, go eat at a favorite resturant, visit a local attraction, it will seem like a vacation, cost very little and give your kids a little taste of something different. For the next couple of years that will be plenty of 'vacation'.

I'd also start the coin jar and tell them it's for a special vacation (don't give an actual location) in a couple of years, then as you save dream of places to go, make them as outlandish as possible, change it every few months, half the fun is planning expecially if you go to the library check out books or even travel dvd's. They'll think it's funny to spend the next few years researching the perfect place to go.

 

[Kellydelly]

My kids think going to a hotel for one night to swim using Marriott or Holiday Inn points is a vacation . When I was growing up we went on only maybe 4 vacations (one time week at cabin "up north,", two trips to Florida, one trip to D.C.). I didn't think vacations were a way of life . I think that parents taking the time to do things away from their kids to keep their relationship solid is never a bad idea, and you got a great rate . Hopefully the babysitter was free!

 

[mom2maggie]

We never took vacations when I was a child. Once every couple of years we would drive from Indiana to South Dakota to visit my father's family and that was it. We never took a family vacation to anywhere other than to visit family - because my family couldn't afford it! And I turned out just fine!
Not flaming you for taking your kids on vacation at all! Because I didn't get to go when I was younger, we go once a year now too - but we're going to take a break after this vacation to pay off debt as well, especially while my kids are still young.

 

[daleswife]

My parents were the baby sitters and it was FREE!!!!! Although we did give them money to take the kids to Wacky Bear and to Chuck E. Cheese.....

 

[minniebeth]

I don't think anyone is flaming you, just voicing their opinion that kids will be ok not going on vacation every year. Pointing out alternatives that can be fun experiences for your kids. I understand wanting to take your kids someplace special, especially when you said you felt like you missed out yourself as a child. I think sometimes it's us adults that feel like we have to make it special for them more than the kids wanting it.

Just think of how good it would feel to have the things you wanted paid off...then save for the vacation of your dreams, have the kids be part of it, and then go, with debt and vacation paid?
Two years is not that long to go without a vacation and save and plan for one. Also, you never know what could come up in that time that could railroad your finances more.
I only say this, because we've been there, and took vacations on credit with other debt, and we were sorry we did it. Now we only do what we save and pay up front for.

Like others have said, you could take mini trips like camping, or hiking, etc. National Parks, lots of things that don't cost a lot of money (even Washington DC) if you really want to do something. What do other families in your area do for entertainment? Maybe you could get a kids' 'camp' together with friends, etc. with projects and activities/sleepovers/cookouts, etc.
for all the kids to do.

With some creativity, kids can have great experiences without spending the money. We plan to have a summer like this too!

 

[Debbie]

I never took any of the posts as flames. I took them as ardent expressions that vacations aren't usually a need but are an extra. I also took them as trying to allay your (inferred) fears that you owe the kids a vacation. You don't.

I like the ideas just ahead of me: overnight at a hotel with a pool, coin jar to save for Disney etc. We did the coin jar and it was FOUR years between our first trip with three kids (3, 4, 5) and our second with five (infant, 2, 7, 8, 9).

I want out of debt. its that simple.

You have your answer. Don't second guess yourself, don't feel guilty, just enjoy your kids and enjoy the feeling of the debt being paid off.

 

[ICF]

no....kids (nor adults for that matter) are not entitled to a vacation every year.

 

[KirstenB]

How about a 3 day trip to Williamsburg, Va? You can easily do Busch Gardens one day, Water Country 1 day, and maybe Colonial Williamsburg the last day. You could drive, and Williamsburg is chock full of hotels.