Does Anyone Else Suffer from Budgeting Withdrawal?

[mad4themouse]

My one final budgeting quest was to get a room-only discount for my trip. With the AP rates announced yesterday, I finally ended my budgeting quest. From transportation to tickets to food, I've been able to shave something off the "retail" price of everything in my budget. Now, I'm at a loss.

So, what do I do with 60+ days to go and all my plans set?

Okay...besides planning another trip to use that AP that will be calling to me all year!

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by mad4themouse
So, what do I do with 60+ days to go and all my plans set?

Okay...besides planning another trip to use that AP that will be calling to me all year!

Yep, that's the ticket...literally.

So glad that you got the discount that you wanted, mad4themouse.

I hope that I will feel the same way as you do now though sometime soon. Our entire trip is up in the air until we know exactly what our 2nd oldest is doing for the summer. I have a room booked and a rental car reserved. Well, now that I think about it, we have our tickets too. We have days left from the 7 day hopper that we bought last year. So actually all I am waiting to do is to book flights.

BUT! If our youngest DD does not make cheerleading then we will probably change our tentative dates and then I can begin all over again.

But I digress. I agree! Put those APs to work and start planning the NEXT trip!

 

[canwegosoon]

Glad to hear you got the room only piece done. I hope you have a great time. Just wondering if you have come to a place where, while on vacation, you can let go of the budgeting gene, I have a hard time that. I am not suffering from budgeting withdrawl though because I have the plane tickets and passes to get for our trip.

Hope you have a great time, and I think the value season is also calling your name too ..."you have an annual pass...

 

[mad4themouse]

Okay, I thought that I was done and then I just had to check to see if I could get an even better rate on my 2-night stay at the Peabody. Guess what?

Expedia had the same room for $25 less per night. So, I called the Peabody and they matched the rate!

That's another $56 (factoring in the taxes) that I saved by not throwing in the towel yet!

Bargain hunting -- Gotta love it!

 

[dizcrazy]

I hear you - it's like your tag says "Never happy unless planning!"

For me, you can add - "and trying to find bargains in the process!"

I am constantly checking for codes and new rates - it's like a game for me now!

Thank goodness I have another trip planned in February! I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't waiting for new codes on mousesavers!

 

[frannn]

planning, even when you are done with your own trips. Your responses to my questions have helped me out so much in planning my own Sept trip! What I am trying to say is that, if it would make you feel better, you can continue to help me budget my trip, and others on this board I am sure appreciate your help as much as I do. Sometimes it helps me feel closer to my trip by answering people's questions, even though I've got a big 4 months to go. Guess I should go check my counter now.....just wanted to say thanks!

 

[MollyBelle]

People think this is all I do...

Well, maybe they're a little right.

Madforthemouse: I always read your posts because you are always informed resourceful, and I sensed a bit of "dog with a bone" in you. Kindred spirits UNITE!

p.s. I suffered withdrawal last year after the FTP bigtime. So, I moved onto OTHER PEOPLE'S TRIPS to help THEM budget. pathetic.

 

[maggiew]

Don't you think you all need new Disney clothes for your trip . You can start bargain hunting for those.

Start looking for sample packs of laundry tablets, glow necklaces from the dollar store, etc.

Maggie

 

[Sandy Feet]

Just take a look at my post and you'll find lots to combat those budget withdrawal symptoms!

 

[MollyBelle]

Another good point, Maggiew:

Every year, our trip is in the fall...soooo, I STALK the sale racks and Disney Store for 75% clothes for my dds for the trip.

I get ALL matching DS outfits so that all my scrapbooks have cute matching outfits for the photos....BUT, I've gotten them all for like $4-$5 apiece, so it's okay (let me rationalize, here)...

My husband is okay with this because so far he has one Grumpy shirt and one Mickey Shirt that I pd $4 for each of them -- cute!

Yes, I'm anal and I love sales (even travel sales)....

but, i'm glad I'm not alone~!

 

[Mic]

You can always do what I do when I run out of things to plan for my trip...plan someone else's! Actually, I thought we were done planning a trip for our family and 3 teenage girls joining us, leaving me time to plan for SIL, who never plans anything. I have to print her an itinerary that I scotch-tap to the back of her door at the BWV, and she still gets confused! With less than a month to go, my oldest daughter talked us into inviting her best friend. Now I need to trim the budget some more to cover the added expense. And that is definitely going to cut into my time planning the trip for our band director, who doesn't know he's going yet(we are springing it on him in 2 weeks!) We have also given a room to a friend with 3 kids and an infant...and she thinks she will be fine without a plan She obviously has a lot to learn!

 

[Sarahsmom85]

You do just fine. I always see you posting and helping others, that how you can deal. Helping others.

 

[MK Familystone]

HI!
You think you have TRAVEL PLANNING BLOCK now !!!
Wait till you get home and finish adding up the receipts from the credit card and putting the travel folder on the shelf for the last time!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Solution: Tomorrow, Start booking the Fall foliage trip, Octoberfest weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas Vacation Break, Winter February Vacation, and Spring Break!
WHY?
We at the Disboards have been fortunate with "Being on the cutting edge of the discounts", in a slowed down economy in the last couple of years, if the economey picks up things will get fast and furious when it comes to time restraints on bookings and discounts.
Now!
Get up out of you chair and go over to the wine cabinet and pore your self a nice glass of chardonnay , close the travel folder and kick back until tomorrow!

"THE MAGIC HAPPENS!!!

 

[bigbabyblues]

Congrats on getting your discount mad4themouse! Isn't it great to save???

If you have a bunch of time on your hands, you can help me budget and plan! My idea of budgeting/saving money was to move our trip to Nov 04 instead of May 05 so we could take advantage of the 7/5, but DH didn't see it my way. Hmmm....wonder why?

Do you happen to know of any ways to save on Northwest flights, when we're buying 2 tickets and using ff miles for 2? I've never flown before, so that's totally up to DH, and he won't even try to find a cheaper rate. Whatever they tell him when he calls, and he won't check the bill to make sure he was charged right. Men!

Enjoy your trip, and don't try to hard to resist that AP, I wouldn't!

Steph

 

[sweet maxine]

That's what I get for lurking on these boards all the time!! Just when you think you've found the deal of all deals, someone else comes along and posts an even better one! So I'm thinking to myself, "Well, that sounds too good to pass up. I'll have to tell my husband how much I'm going to be saving with that one, (no, don't bother to let him in on how much I'm spending to get that deal). I agree it is so addictive. Another family will be joining us while we're in WDW, and when I found out, immediately my first reaction was "let me see if I can get you a better deal". Oh, is there never any end to the madness!!

 

[mad4themouse]

I just wish that my DH had an appreciation for the fine art of bargain-hunting. He just doesn't get it when I get all excited over saving $20 here and there. He has no idea how much it has all added up! If he were to look at what this trip would have cost without all my bargain hunting, he would faint! It is by no means an "economy" trip but that doesn't mean we have to pay full price for anything!

At least I have you guys to validate all my efforts. The amount of money I've saved by applying the suggestions of others on this board has literally saved me thousands of $$$$! Thank you, everybody for your encouragement!

 

[sweet maxine]

mad4themouse, I told my husband that buying the AP would REALLY save us a lot of money, and that it was IMPERATIVE for me to do so. So of course I ordered the AP, called to get some rates and voila, room discount. Now of course with the good room discount, you can't just stay a few nights...you HAVE to add on a few more! After all, look at the great discount you are getting! My husband says, "Wow! That's really great! Sure, we can stay a few more nights for that rate." Hehe, if only he knew that I'm trying to find a way as we speak to use that AP for even MORE discounts!!

When I finally sat down to add everything up for our trip and looked at the grand total, I almost freaked! I just told my husband, "Look at all the money we are saving!".

 

[zippehsmom]

Gee, sounds kinda like what I said to my DH yesterday. My FIL asked today how much this Disney trip is costing us (he does not like to part with a penny). I had to tell him that yes this is an expensive trip, but look at all the money I have saved. I'm still working on getting my inlaws to the world. Maybe next year.

I'm just glad to know I'm not alone.

BTW, I totally understand mad4themouse, I'm almost done tweaking my budget too. When I'm done I wonder what I'll do next. I'm still holding out for Naitonal to lower their rates in July and room only discounts to general public for our 1 night stay at Pop Century.

zippehsmom

 

[MK Familystone]

HI ALL!
On 5/7 I mentioned that the deals are going fast and furiously, well, I waited till today to try and buy the "Power Pass 5 for the price of 2 " at Universal 's Website and couldn't get the additional $5 discount which was on a popup a few days ago.

"THE MAGIC HAPPENS!!!"

 

[mgilmer]

Originally posted by dizcrazy

I am constantly checking for codes and new rates - it's like a game for me now!

Me too! My wife says I am driving her crazy with all my constant chatter about saving money on Disney planning. I am very compulsive about it, I am afraid. Now that I have finalized all my lodging and air plans for our upcoming trip, I am still obsessing about rental car rates. Then there is our food budget, etc! (Oh my, someone please stop me! )

Mike