Eat at home

[bigsis1970]

I have rented DVC many times - it is sometimes quite less then a value or mod.. the DVC rent/trade board is good.. you figure out the dates you want and the property using the DVC info charts then find someone selling points then if they can make the ressies (they have to call DVC and check for you) they will then tell you yes and make the payment arrangements (lots of time is 50 % at booking then 50% so many days before your vacation) we love OKW!!!

 

[100AcreWood]

Dinner tonight:

Grilled Cheese
Canned Soup

BIG QUESTION HERE!

I am trying REALLLLLLY hard to go back to Disney a year from now. Do any of you have experience renting DVC? A friend from work did and they got their Disney Vacation CHEAP. The problem is that her hubsband is the one who planned and booked the whole thing, so she is not able to answer even the most basic questions about it. Can any of you help or do you know where I can look for help with this? I checked the DVC rental/trade thread and it frightened me, LOL!

I know this is the "safest" way to go. Are you willing to stay offsite? We have saved the most money staying offsite. http://www.mousesavers.com/davids.html

 

[fromscratchmom]

Sometimes we cook "big food" and then have the leftovers for days and days. I have a friend who says she "cooks once-eats twice" pretty often; its the same idea. It especially works to my benefit when one of the kids is suddenly eating more than they usually do and I have lot of extras in the fridge and the freezer.

Today I am thawing out a great quality chicken bought straight off the farm. I'm going to roast the chicken for tonight and then make a bunch of soup to have all week. The soup is going to be full of veggies and there will be enough extra chicken that isn't going in it for me to plan to use in another meal or two, unless one of the kids kicks in with extra appetite tonight. If that happens I'll let them eat up the extra chicken as long as they are also eating up some extras of all the veggies and whatnot that are set out for the meal.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I know this is the "safest" way to go. Are you willing to stay offsite? We have saved the most money staying offsite. http://www.mousesavers.com/davids.html

Actually, now that you mentioned it....I just spoke with my mom on the phone. She and Dad have a timeshare through someone other than DVC. They always use up the weeks they own, but she said they get Orlando get-way week offers all the time. As it turns out, she can get us a week off-site at a 5 star resort for just $400 a week!!!

So here is my next big question regarding staying offsite: Can you still get the ticket package with a dining plan? We REALLY liked the dining plan a LOT!

 

[100AcreWood]

Actually, now that you mentioned it....I just spoke with my mom on the phone. She and Dad have a timeshare through someone other than DVC. They always use up the weeks they own, but she said they get Orlando get-way week offers all the time. As it turns out, she can get us a week off-site at a 5 star resort for just $400 a week!!!

So here is my next big question regarding staying offsite: Can you still get the ticket package with a dining plan? We REALLY liked the dining plan a LOT!

$400 a week is awesome! Especially for 5 star! No, you can't get the dining plan when you stay offsite. It hasn't really effected us though because our kids are picky eaters an usually share meals. So the dining plan isn't a real money saver.

 

[bigsis1970]

Wow $400 a week is GREAT.. have fun planning!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

GRRRRRR!!! DH does not want to stay off property!!!! I have been crunching numbers all morning and my brain is hurting....

We need to keep the budget to about $4000. This is for a family of 5: hotel, 6 night/7 day tickets and dining plan...

From what I see of the DVC rentals, it looks like we are not gonna get anything cheaper than about $2000 for just the room since most rooms are either "sleeps up to 4" or "sleeps up to 8". Since we have to use the "sleeps up to 8", the price goes up considerably....

Anyone have any ideas??? I want to do this really badly!

 

[bigsis1970]

well can you stay at PO Riverside in the rooms with the trundle bed - anyone little enough for that? What time of the year are you going? that is important to the budget

 

[100AcreWood]

have you thought about getting two connecting value rooms?

I'm curious what time of year you're considering too.

We have three children too so I get what you mean about the price increase. Yikes! I was looking at a great wolf lodge stay and the price jumps $60 a night just because we have 3 kids.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

We would like to go one year from now...we are looking at either the first or second week of October. That is when the children will be on fall break (year-round school schedule).
Our DS is five years old and very small for his age. He could probably fit on a trundle... I did not realize they had those.

I will check that option!

 

[charming23]

I am making the Pioneer Woman's Lemon Blueberry Pancakes with sausage for dinner tonight.

 

[KellyNY]

Stuffed eggs
Pasta with cream souse

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Okay friends. I have started a new thread on the budget board called 1 Year to SAVE...I would love for any of you to join me if you have a savings goal you would like to meet in one year. My goal is to save $1000 by the end of September next year....that's ME saving it by myself using whatever means necessary. And of course my goal ties into REALLY wanting to go back to the house of mouse next October. Wish me magical savings...

Would anyone like to join me on the journey? Check out the 1 Year to SAVE!!! thread on the budget board. Thanks!!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Tonight is butter chicken with squash and spinach, rice, and naan bread! YUMMY! Mom isn't home so I only have to cook for myself... thus the Indian food.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Tonight is Spaghetti night at home. Both DD's are spending the night with a friend and were sad to find out they would miss spaghetti night...DH's homemade sauce is so yummy.

I am taking DS to Walmart after work to buy the Lion King... We'll watch it tonight. That is DS's consolation prize since he wasn't invited to the sleepover...can't imagine why 5 yr old little brother wasn't invited.


Spaghetti
Steamed Broccoli
Garlic Toast

 

[fromscratchmom]

Because I am enjoying my lunch and I had been tempted to go to McDonald's I wanted to share.

DD11 and DD 13 and I went to the zoo with friends from church this morning and when we left I was famished. Besides being so hungry I needed to make a side trip on the way home to pick up our CSA veggies. But as it turned out that worked out beautifully since I knew I would be making a new pot of veggie soup today and I had hope that there might be something for salad making in my CSA box. So I abstained from an impulsive trip to a fast food place and I'm really happy with my lunch too!

I had a tiny cup of leftover veggie soup out of the fridge and now I'm eating a big salad and also some celery sticks with humus.

 

[Bribrittmom]

Tonight was an easy night.Sloppy Joes,Tater tots,and salad.

 

[charming23]

Last night was a fend for yourself night. Both my mom and I woke up yesterday with a cold so we just ate whatever we could find.

Tonight I am going to make some chicken and orzo soup with the left over chicken from monday night. I am hoping it will help us both feel better.

 

[craftymama71]

I've been loving this thread. It's motivated me to try new meals. Tonight we had Peri Peri Chicken with beans and rice.

 

[LattNJ]

Tuesday - I ended up making frozen raviolis with jar sauce and homemade garlic bread for kids, meatball subs for my husband and I with some left over meatballs I had in freezer

Wednesday - husband and I ate out at Chili's for lunch, mom brought home pizza for dinner so we ate over her house, 2 pies for $16 (which is a deal around here), and mom paid

Thursday - kids and I ate chicken tacos, don't know what husband ate he was out all afternoon and night

tonight - I'm going to make Big Steak Salad from pioneerwoman

then this is the rest of the plan, everything is already shopped for:

-chicken cordon bleu, frozen veggie, mashed potato? (daughter's request)
-cajun chicken pasta (from pioneerwoman)
-sloppy joes (eat ½, freeze ½ for after Disney)
-lasagna (eat ½, freeze ½ for after Disney)
-pork chops with sautéed apples, twice baked potatoes

Then I also plan to make:

-homemade pumpkin bread
-homemade sourdough bread (I have the sourdough starter on counter)