For those who are struggling financially

[Liberty Belle]

How do you stop yourself from feeling jealous or depressed when you hear about the vacations others are going on or how much money they spend on "wants" ? It's something I'm beginning to struggle with.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

we try to save up for a "minication". We pick somewere about two hours or so away that has stuff to do and see. We book the cheapest hotel possible and have fun. For instance, this year were going to a city 3 hours away with three cool meseums and a zoo. Were paying $40 a night for our hotel (which has a huge pool) and were planning on inviting a friend of mine who has kids to come have a swimming night at our hotel. Makes us all feel better about not being able to afford something huge.

 

[LizabethSwan]

I have also struggled with this for a couple of years, things like this never used to bother me. I deal with it by praying, and being thankful for what I do have. It is tough though.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I would rather know I have enough for all my needs than going on vacation.We did not go on any vacation for 3 years. I look at is as if people can afford to go I hope they can have a wonderful time. I feel like I am on vacation when I sit here and read TR. There will come a day when you wont be struggling and you will be able to go back on vacations. Try finding things to do things around town you can enjoy with the family. Please be grateful you have your family to enjoy.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I would rather know I have enough for all my needs than going on vacation.We did not go on any vacation for 3 years. I look at is as if people can afford to go I hope they can have a wonderful time. I feel like I am on vacation when I sit here and read TR. There will come a day when you wont be struggling and you will be able to go back on vacations. Try finding things to do things around town you can enjoy with the family. Please be grateful you have your family to enjoy.

I know. I am very grateful for my family. And I know there are many, many people worse off, financially than us.

It's just very difficult right now. I don't have the money for even little things. I desperately need a haircut, but can't get one because I have a husband and two sons and they can't go without haircuts. I can just keep wearing mine in a pony tail.

Just little stuff like that. It's starting to get to me.

My parents are on a vacation right now (cruise then car travel) and my mom calls me every day to tell me where they are and what they've done and I really am happy for them. I know how much they love to travel. I don't want any jealous or depressed feelings get in the way for me being happy for them.

It's been a tough day. Maybe I'll feel a little more positive tomorrow.

 

[crazelion]

Find another means two pay for a vacation. I know I was able to on my weekend trip to Orlando when I was fired from my job because the hotel room, food, gas, tickets was all fund by reward programs. So that made the trip free. I put in a a lot time doing rewards programs. Some days I do a lot some do little.

I thinking year we do something closer to home. I am thinking Gatlinburg for a day. Local amusement park Lake Winnie when they have two for one Fridays.

The rewards programs I do:
quickrewrds.net
swagbucks.com
simplegpt
zoombucks
clixsense
creationrewards
mypoints.com .

Swagbucks and quickrewards.net is where I make most my money on.

You will be amaze what buy with amazon gift cards from swagbucks.

I paid for the kids Christmas with amazon gift cards.

I get from quickrewrds.net movie gift cards, gas cards, and restaurant gift cards.

My rewards site is way for save for vacation, needs, and other fun stuff.

I have new job as cook.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Find another means two pay for a vacation. I know I was able to on my weekend trip to Orlando when I was fired from my job because the hotel room, food, gas, tickets was all fund by reward programs. So that made the trip free. I put in a a lot time doing rewards programs. Some days I do a lot some do little.

I thinking year we do something closer to home. I am thinking Gatlinburg for a day. Local amusement park Lake Winnie when they have two for one Fridays.

The rewards programs I do:
quickrewrds.net
swagbucks.com
simplegpt
zoombucks
clixsense
creationrewards
mypoints.com .

Swagbucks and quickrewards.net is where I make most my money on.

You will be amaze what buy with amazon gift cards from swagbucks.

I paid for the kids Christmas with amazon gift cards.

I get from quickrewrds.net movie gift cards, gas cards, and restaurant gift cards.

My rewards site is way for save for vacation, needs, and other fun stuff.

I have new job as cook.

What do you have to do on those sites? Is it a deal where you go through them to purchase something, you get money back for it? If so, I'll keep them in mind for the future.

Right now, though, all money goes to bills, food, and gas. There's nothing left for anything else.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I know. I am very grateful for my family. And I know there are many, many people worse off, financially than us.

It's just very difficult right now. I don't have the money for even little things. I desperately need a haircut, but can't get one because I have a husband and two sons and they can't go without haircuts. I can just keep wearing mine in a pony tail.

Just little stuff like that. It's starting to get to me.

My parents are on a vacation right now (cruise then car travel) and my mom calls me every day to tell me where they are and what they've done and I really am happy for them. I know how much they love to travel. I don't want any jealous or depressed feelings get in the way for me being happy for them.

It's been a tough day. Maybe I'll feel a little more positive tomorrow.

You will begin to feel better. I dont do my hair either. I used to do my nails. I havent worked since 06. I make sure my husbands needs are met more than mine since he is the one working. I assure you, you are not alone. Here is a big . If I could share my story with people I think people would find just being with the family is far more important than any vacation.

 

[disneymarie]

How do you stop yourself from feeling jealous or depressed when you hear about the vacations others are going on or how much money they spend on "wants" ? It's something I'm beginning to struggle with.

I am the same way with want and desire to go, but we are hurting so bad, I had to return something to Walmart last week to put gas in my tank to take on part time work for dh and myself.

I am in the frame of using the time to organize my past trips. I have the oxes of keepsakes, pictures we took. I have edited and made CD's of the memories.

Going through the Disney suitcase is like a treasure box. I of how lucky we had a few trips to Disney, many to Hershey camping, day trips to Lancaster, PA. some kids and families will never be able to have a dream trip.
I wonder what they think as they watch the Disney commercials with the Magic coming into the bedrooms of the kids.

It use to hurt so much when I realized we lost dh job, that we had to cancel our trip. I was upset because it was magical and helped my depression after my dd passed away to take my grandson.

One day maybe a trip will be possible, but every moment I have now instead of being sad, I think of how we will travel, a charter, autotrain dgs wants to take, where will we stay.

So for now I remember, dream and pretend a plan.

 

[Liberty Belle]

You will begin to feel better. I dont do my hair either. I used to do my nails. I havent worked since 06. I make sure my husbands needs are met more than mine since he is the one working. I assure you, you are not alone. Here is a big . If I could share my story with people I think people would find just being with the family is far more important than any vacation.

Thank you. I needed a hug.

If you're able to share your story, I'd certainly listen. It sounds like you may have been through difficult times or had some losses and I'm sorry for that.

 

[crazelion]

What do you have to do on those sites? Is it a deal where you go through them to purchase something, you get money back for it? If so, I'll keep them in mind for the future.

Right now, though, all money goes to bills, food, and gas. There's nothing left for anything else.

Do not spend any money on these sites at all. I want make money instead spend money.

swagbucks.com I do search and they rewards points for search. I do triva, swagtv and videos.

mypoints is paid read emails. It is slow put do get paid. I like to cash for gift cards.

simplegpt is paid to click site which very timing concuming that take a lot patinace for.

clixsense is easy pie. Just click on links

irazoo - is a easy pie but slow. Just search site that has many prize and gift cards.

I would check out rewards board on disboards that huge thread that explain everything what to do. It has some very good info on the thread. That is where I got start.

I have got point now building my gift card to pay vacation, fun stuff and eat out budget.

I make less money now at my new job and had found a way to make more money in the winter. I happen be reading the boards and some post how do and that Is how got start.

Now in the summer now I will let on a lot because I work at the baseball field.

I can do it while watching tv.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I will shoot you a pm just a short version. Please dont feel sorry for me as I tell you as god is still brining me through it a little at a time.

 

[youcansmellit]

I get like that a lot. We go on vacation because we consider it a priority. I will make sure bills are all paid, but we always have a vacation booked. If I have a set date for a vacation I will pay it down. I will not charge a vacation but I will eat pasta a couple extra times a week to pay down a vacation faster.

Whenever we want something and can't afford it. I set a goal dollar amount and try to make it happen with selling on ebay and craigslist. Whatever it takes. I do yard sales and my wife has been doing coupons. The internet has made getting free stuff a lot easier. You have to know what to look for.

A couple years ago Coach bags sold very well on ebay. Every Friday night we would take a trip to the outlet and spend as much as we could afford on bags. Saturday we would take pictures and put them on. If they didn't sell for more then what we paid we would return them back to the store the next week. For about 9 months we made about $300-$500 a week. That worked out great. But people stopped buying them.

After that dried up we moved on to the Cricket machine. We would get them for 50% or 40% with a coupon at AC Moore or Michaels that would make them about $100 for us. We would sell them for $150 on ebay. That was $50 less then what the store was selling them for. Selling about 4-5 a week that was another $200 a week for vacations. They no longer let you use the coupons for the cricket. You can find other resellers.

We have done a bunch of things like this. If you are creative and you can see what people are buying you can make a good amount of extra money with no risk. You just have to make sure to be organized.

 

[diamondpixienc]

@ youcansmellit this may be a dumb question but what is a Cricket machine?

 

[captsparrowslady]

For 10 years my mom planned a WDW Parks trip. Through thick and thin and nothing At least she could plan. It kept her sane!! Through our chapter 13 and my dad's company's strike all at the same time!! It was finding the DIS that was helping with her plans and research that after that 10 years when the time came we were so ready and my mom's real planning went off without a hitch!! We had so much fun!!

She still plan trips, watch airfares, and rental car prices and so on!!

 

[JaymeC]

It helps if you know it's temporary. My dh is going back to school, so I'm our only income right now. I have a bachelors degree in accounting, but because of the economy the best position I've found is a teller job that pays roughly 10-15k less per year than most entry level accounting positions, but it does pay and it's helping us pay our bills for the moment. Both of these things I know won't last forever. I was a SAHM for many years and though money was tight we could always afford vacations. We can't this year (and I don't have the time off anyhow), but we are together and we're happy for that. That may be the perspective of a former military wife though.... the best times are always when you're together no matter where that happens to be.

I also have this knack as my dh says of seeing the bad things and being grateful my life isn't like that. A few years back my in-laws were taking trips all the time... but they were paying for it by my FIL working 100hour work weeks. There are things I'm not willing to do for a vacation, and that is one of them. His hours were drastically cut at the beginning of the recession and truthfully they all seem much happier right now, without any plans for vacation and barely eeking through. I know there are also many people who will never travel or never see things... so I'm grateful for what I have. Sometimes just refocusing can help.

 

[NemoMom07]

Our family can not afford to do vacations every year. We did go to Disney last year and everything was paid for with our Disney reward dollars, but that took 4 years to save for those dollars.

We live only 45 minutes from Myrtle beach so we sometimes go down there for the day and do some putt putting. This year I need to make a trip to our regional Make A Wish which is about 4 hours from us. There is also an amusement park there so we may make a small weekend of it

I have a friend who keeps talking about the they vacation they are taking, if she should do free botox, and all other things that have to do with money, but I try not to let it bother me. Like others have said I am thank God for what we do have and thank him for taking care of us.

 

[powellrj]

I was really jealous of someone on facebook that was always traveling and taking wonderful family vacations to places like Europe, plus weekend get aways. That was until she was bemoaning the fact that her kids were sick and they had no health insurance. The kids didn't go to the doctor, but she and her DH took a short vacation the next week across the county.

It kind of put it in perspective for me. I would never put travel over health insurance for my kids. We will take short little home trips and know that if needed my kids will have insurance.

 

[eliza61]

How do you stop yourself from feeling jealous or depressed when you hear about the vacations others are going on or how much money they spend on "wants" ? It's something I'm beginning to struggle with.

First two disclaimers:

1) right now dh & I are in a pretty good place financially but we are always conscious of the fact "there by the grace of God, go I".

2) We old enough to have lived through unemployment and major illnesses. we have been butt-poor and up to our ears in debt. We know that every thing is relatively temporary.

Now, basically I really believe, not many people outside of Oprah and Bill Gates get to have every thing they "want" when they want it. I love designer pocketbooks. it's my guilty vice but I realize if I save up and blow 600 bucks on a bag, I won't be eating out, going to the movies etc etc.

Last year was a huge money outlay for my family. As god is my witness every major appliance and my roof needed repairing plus we had a big IRS bill. We decimated our savings, so this year we are back to living frugally.


I'm a goal person so when the ugly green monster begins to rear his head some times I make a game of trying to plan an budget alternative vacation. some thing non disney, some thing we've never tried before.

and some times I have to disconnnect. If I'm broke, I may stay out of the malls and immediately through away catalogues. some times even step away from the dis.

Remember LB, this too will pass.

 

[eliza61]

P.S. last week we had a snow storm, unfortunately in my big head I was driving down 95 way too fast for the conditions. I hit a ice patch and did a complete 360 spin. totally out of control. The only reason I did not hit another car was that it was at 5:00 in the morning so the road was pretty empty.

Scared me "*&^tless" and for the rest of the day, I was seriously aware of how blessed I was to escape. had it been 1 hour later It would have been a major pile up.

put things in prespective real quick.