Food Costs

[Pat_Elliott]

sorry, double hit!

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Pat_Elliott

Of course, we blew the credit cards off the face of the earth with PI liquor tabs, but we were younger then!

Pat

------------------
That really struck me funny - and then made me think how horrified my Dad would be.. He was a man who never had a car payment, never had a mortgage (even though in his lifetime he owned 4 houses, a summer place at the lake, and a fifth-wheel camper), and never, EVER used a credit card..

He had this motto - "Pay as you go.....unless you're going for good !!!! "..

He wasn't a wealthy man ( he was a steamfitter) but he could make a dime stretch a mile - and turn a dollar into two without blinking an eye.. Amazing man - with a third grade education..

I heard that so often while I was growing up that without even thinking I have lived my own life that way as well.. Sometimes it means waiting a long time for something - or working extra hard or extra long - but it's a GREAT feeling to go to bed at night knowing that you don't owe ANYONE a dime..

Right now I'm selling stuff on eBay left and right so I can take my grown DD and my granddaughter to Disney World for an AWESOME 2-week vacation in December.. Everything will be cash on the line - and I'm too old to "blow a credit card off the face of the earth with a PI liquor bill"... LOL

You're a funny guy, Pat.. Hope all is going well for you, your wife, and your baby.....

 

[tar heel]

Milk at the restaurants, counter services and food courts is around $2 per 1/2 pint. You can get a quart for $1.50 in your resort store -- I buy one each evening for the next morning's cereal.

You can save a lot of $ ordering kids' meals at counter service. For example, the kids' meal at the San Angel Cantina in Epcot includes a small burrito, chips and a drink for under $4. I suggest spending another 55 cents and getting cheese sauce. Add a couple packets of salsa, and you've got a meal way under budget.

You can split meals and both go away full at the places with the big fixing bars. At Pecos Bill's, you can get a chicken wrap sandwich that is huge and comes with fries. Augment the meal with some lettuce, tomato and fried mushrooms and get a bunch of cheese sauce for your fries. Alternatively, you could split a single or double burger. You'll fill two people for under $10.

If you really don't want water to drink, order the largest drink and ask for an extra cup. It is plenty for two and doesn't cost much more than the smaller one.

 

[patsal]

Sorry with the boards down for me I have not been able to respond! MK now has the mealdeal vouchers that were available over the past year at AK. You can get them at the counter service restaurant that you order your meal from (if that restaurant participates). When you order just ask for the "meal deal" (they will have a poster and or signs so you'll know they have these) they will then remove the meal coupon and take your order. You will get a reciept, and the other two "for later" coupons. I'm not sure which MK restaurants are participating, but I will report back when I return on July 2nd. At AK I remember Pizzafari and Tusker House because we used them there (I'm not sure if anywhere else participates). Hope this helps.

 

[cpl100]

Originally posted by patsal
Sorry with the boards down for me I have not been able to respond! MK now has the mealdeal vouchers that were available over the past year at AK. You can get them at the counter service restaurant that you order your meal from (if that restaurant participates). When you order just ask for the "meal deal" (they will have a poster and or signs so you'll know they have these) they will then remove the meal coupon and take your order. You will get a reciept, and the other two "for later" coupons. I'm not sure which MK restaurants are participating, but I will report back when I return on July 2nd. At AK I remember Pizzafari and Tusker House because we used them there (I'm not sure if anywhere else participates). Hope this helps.

I thought I was the only one unable to access the boards! Was going crazy without my disney fix/tips. I knew about the two in AK. It would be great if you could post the MK places. I hope you will return prior to my trip---leaving July 14th. Thanks! I would also be interested if they let older kids order the kids meal deal. Not only do I have a teenager who is a small eater, but I often am the same way.

 

[MaMudduck]

Nov 02- we had the Meal Deal at The Flame Tree in AK


This is from Deb Willis' site:
DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM
MEAL PLUS CERTIFICATES GOOD HERE!
Guests ages 12 and up $11.99 Guests ages 3-11 $5.99
Certificate is good for: One counter service entree plus a beverage at any of the following: Animal Kingdom
counter service restaurants:
Restaurantosaurus, Flame Tree Barbecue, Pizzafari, Tusker House. One box of popcorn or an ice cream bar
One bottled drink (soda or water)

dd & I split an adult meal ( I never felt the kids ones worth the price for the type of food you get -hot dogs or PB&J sandwich yuck)

 

[lexis53]

So does the meal deal mean that you get a drink with your meal and then a voucher for another drink with your snack? That is a neat thing for us since DD isn't a big eater. She does love hot dogs...She's a grazer like me. But with the promise of a snack and bottled water a few hours later, she will be in heaven.

And these posts might be frustrating to some, but I really am learning a lot from them. I can never get the search to work. Thanks!

 

[patsal]

The meal deal coupons are good for a combo meal which includes the drink. Then you get the couponfor the popcorn/ice cream and an additional bottle of water, soda or powerade. If you use them at Pizzafari the kids pizza is the same as the adult one, also Tusker House has the mac and cheese meals for kids, I think it was Mac and cheese, carrot sticks, a cookie and a drink. At Restaurantasaurus I think you can get the chicken nugget kids meal--I've not tried here though so it is only speculation. I leave on Tuesday and will be back in a week--if DH brings the laptop I will post of my finding in the MK, if not I will post as soon as I get back! If one person is ordering the food (like I have to for my family) I doubt they would know if an adult was eating a child's meal. I have also been at counter service where an adult is ordering the kids meal because they have a light appetite, and I have never seen anyone refuse them.

 

[cpl100]

Thanks for your insight and have a wonderful trip!

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by C.Ann
------------------
That really struck me funny - and then made me think how horrified my Dad would be.. He was a man who never had a car payment, never had a mortgage (even though in his lifetime he owned 4 houses, a summer place at the lake, and a fifth-wheel camper), and never, EVER used a credit card..

He had this motto - "Pay as you go.....unless you're going for good !!!! "..

He wasn't a wealthy man ( he was a steamfitter) but he could make a dime stretch a mile - and turn a dollar into two without blinking an eye.. Amazing man - with a third grade education..

Lest I give the wrong impression! We've grown up a lot since the "beat up the plastic" days. I think I probably resemble your father now (who's a lot like my own). We've been fortunate the last couple of years, and have also developed a frugality that actually seems to sicken our friends (who then blast us for "going the same place every year"). I smile and ignore them. They all go to the same restaurant every Friday night.

Amy and I haven't "financed" anything (besides the house, hard to avoid the ol' mortgage these days) in almost ten years. Pay-as-you-go took some getting used to, some suffering early on, and some self-control when we really hit the "Disney" stage. I'm lucky to have a vendor send me every year. When Amy caught on and we started going every year (two for me), that old credit card just lights up your pocket. But we've still paid as we went. And it just makes life more managable.

I know what you mean about that not-owing-a-dime feeling. I cherish it. Personally, I wish we could get rid of the mortgage, but the wife can only be pushed so far! Until then, I'm trying to hone my milk the dollar strategies. I used to like to say I can milk a buck five out of every dollar. It's getting harder, but I'm convinced I can make it a buck ten by the time I turn fifty. You should see Amy's face when chicken breasts are on sale for $1.50 a pound and I come home with twenty pounds....

You're a funny guy, Pat.. Hope all is going well for you, your wife, and your baby.....

Yeah, my wife thinks I'm funny, too. I'm not sure she has the same definition as you.....

Thanks. At the moment, Amy, Kimberly, and myself are in a uncomfortable but safe holding pattern. If it weren't for the sudden "I need Le Cellier cheese soup, and I need it tonight" tirade last night, Amy's been pretty agreeable!

Pat

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Pat_Elliott
Lest I give the wrong impression! We've grown up a lot since the "beat up the plastic" days. I think I probably resemble your father now (who's a lot like my own). We've been fortunate the last couple of years, and have also developed a frugality that actually seems to sicken our friends (who then blast us for "going the same place every year"). I smile and ignore them. They all go to the same restaurant every Friday night.

Amy and I haven't "financed" anything (besides the house, hard to avoid the ol' mortgage these days) in almost ten years. Pay-as-you-go took some getting used to, some suffering early on, and some self-control when we really hit the "Disney" stage. I'm lucky to have a vendor send me every year. When Amy caught on and we started going every year (two for me), that old credit card just lights up your pocket. But we've still paid as we went. And it just makes life more managable.

I know what you mean about that not-owing-a-dime feeling. I cherish it. Personally, I wish we could get rid of the mortgage, but the wife can only be pushed so far! Until then, I'm trying to hone my milk the dollar strategies. I used to like to say I can milk a buck five out of every dollar. It's getting harder, but I'm convinced I can make it a buck ten by the time I turn fifty. You should see Amy's face when chicken breasts are on sale for $1.50 a pound and I come home with twenty pounds....



Yeah, my wife thinks I'm funny, too. I'm not sure she has the same definition as you.....

Thanks. At the moment, Amy, Kimberly, and myself are in a uncomfortable but safe holding pattern. If it weren't for the sudden "I need Le Cellier cheese soup, and I need it tonight" tirade last night, Amy's been pretty agreeable!

Pat

--------------------------------

I like your style, Pat.. And no - you didn't give me the wrong impression.. Sounds like you have a great financial attitude.. (You see, my Dad was also a "jack-of-all-trades, so he built his homes and summer home from scratch himself - with no help from anyone else.. My Mom often tells me of him buying "a box of nails" after the groceries and such were paid for because he was SOOOO adamant about NOT borrowing money..)

The thing I like best about your attitude is that you fully comprehend the importance of NOT "saving" every penny for "when you retire" because none of us are given an "unlimited" number of tomorrows.. We have to live TODAY!! Believe me, I know.. My husband took an early retirement and before the week was out he was diagnosed with cancer - as well as several other life-threatening (and untreatable) health problems.. He's currently considered "terminal" and on oxygen 24/7 and we never got to do all those things we were going to do "when he retired..."

Anyhow - about that mortgage.. Any chance you could get Amy to allow you to throw an extra fifty dollars (or more if you have it) on the payment each month? You'd be AMAZED how fast you can get rid of that nasty old mortgage payment that way!!

Glad that things are in a safe holding pattern for all of you right now.. I've prayed for you - and will continue to do so.. Let me know when you take your precious daughter to Disney for the first time - I think I'd like to be there for that!!!!!

 

[Pat_Elliott]

The thing I like best about your attitude is that you fully comprehend the importance of NOT "saving" every penny for "when you retire" because none of us are given an "unlimited" number of tomorrows

We LIKE money! And we do have a retirment account, mostly for Kimberly's Harvard education (choke!). But, quoth Amy and backed by me, a million bucks isn't worth much if you wait until all you need is a walker........I think folks don't get into trouble because they spend all their money on Disney (or other things). They get into trouble because they spend money they don't have on Disney (and other things). That's the subtle difference.

More than anything, I hate paying for my own money. And damn, credit card interest rates are a crime. Just watched a buddy package a Bahamian trip into a refinance, about $2,700. By the time his thirty year mortgage is up, that trip will cost him ten grand. Yet he's got a "we can't touch it" savings account, because "we don't touch that money." That's just dumb.

My husband took an early retirement and before the week was out he was diagnosed with cancer - as well as several other life-threatening (and untreatable) health problems.. He's currently considered "terminal" and on oxygen 24/7 and we never got to do all those things we were going to do "when he retired..."

I'd read that, and it's a shame. Folks should hear two stories, the first being any one of a thousand about credit card debt killing people. But the second should be yours as to why folks need to live while their able. I kind of figure that's what all this weird Disney nonsense of mine is about. Somewhere in the last twenty years, I started caring that I not miss anything. If Amy wants to go to Disney, she's going to Disney. If I've got a couple grand in the "mad account," she'll stay in the Poly. If money's tight, we'll sleep in the damn car. But we're going. For the record, some of the neatest trips we've had were the low budget ones. I have a lot of fond memories of the early nineties.

Anyhow - about that mortgage.. Any chance you could get Amy to allow you to throw an extra fifty dollars (or more if you have it) on the payment each month? You'd be AMAZED how fast you can get rid of that nasty old mortgage payment that way!!

Actually, I complain about the mortgage because it's the only thing we owe and I hate owing. But thanks to early planning (and waiting twelve years into marriage for our first child), we have an embarrasingly low mortgage. At 15 years and 4.5% (just refinanced AGAIN), I'm making more money on some long-term notes than we're paying, so it makes sense to pay it. Still, I HATE owing people!

Glad that things are in a safe holding pattern for all of you right now.. I've prayed for you - and will continue to do so.. Let me know when you take your precious daughter to Disney for the first time - I think I'd like to be there for that!!!!!

Thanks so much! I'll be proudly yelling here at the top of my lungs about Kimberly's birth (after I make sure Amy is ok, gotta have priorities). Nothing would please me more than to have the whole darn lot of you with us early next May (knock on wood, that's a tentative, we've got a long road to haul medically). Sounds sappy, but I kind of feel a lot of people here are involved now. Ya'll are my strength.

Pat