Help! I don't know what to do!

[marcyinPA]

Since your DH wants to go, I would do it without a second thought. My advice would be different if you were going into debt for the trip or spending all of your savings but you will still have a small emergency fund.

I don't know how old your children are but another suggesstion would be to get a temporary part time job if they are a little older to make you feel better about spending the money.. You could also try ebay if you don't already to make a little extra.

I do sub during the school year at my ds's old pre-school (don't make a lot of money, but a little bit here and there) and I am thinking of finding a teaching job for the fall (probably pre-school...I'm not ready for district teaching yet!) My kids are 6 and 10. The 6 y/o starts first grade in the fall, so since he'll be in school all day this year, I am really concentrating my efforts on finding the "perfect" job (off on school breaks and summers!)

I do Ebay, too, but haven't done much in the past month or two. I have pretty much to put up for back-to-school, so that money would go right back into the savings account. I am also thinking of having a yard sale for things that aren't ebay-able, and I would have had that whether we do Disney or not. Every dollar helps, I guess!!

 

[marcyinPA]

Marcy--

I would book your air with SW and then watch for a better deal. Their internet specials come out every Tues morning and you can arrange for them to e-mail you whenever a special fare comes out. Also sign up for their "Ding" fares. Check out their site for more info. SW does not charge you a fee to change your flight or get a lower fare. We have gotten credit with them by doing just this and then been able to go on another trip almost free! I have also read on these boards that people have also gotten refunds. SW is a great airline! USAir is too shaky for me and their track record is not so hot either....

Sounds like you decided to go.. enjoy. You won't be sorry.

Thanks! I did sign up for Ding at your recommendation. Hopefully something cheaper comes up! My friend told me to try Expedia but their rates were higher than the airlines rates. Oh well!

 

[StephMK]

Yeah, sounds like you're planning to go! I'm also a SAHM on a tight budget & just bought a house in Dec. & savings not as good as you've done. We're going this fall despite the bills for many reasons, main one being it is so great going on vacation just us as a family. Usually we vacation to see family, fun but this is just us & special, kwim? I figure the money situation will get better when the kids are all in school FT & I can work more.

Go, have a great time & your mom will deal with it! Once you plan to start putting some aside, it's amazing how easily you can accumulate funds! Rebate checks, change jar, $5 a week really adds up without hurting the bottom line too much. Good luck!

 

[Taja]

GO!!!!

Here are my thoughts, which may or may not be good!

Check the current Southwest airfare against the others serving your area. If it is the same or less, book your airfare separately. As a previous poster noted, Southwest does not charge a fee to change your dates (as long as the fare remains the same) or to adjust the price if a lower rate is released later. The disadvantage is bare bones service, but a very good on-time record. Keep in mind that if you do end up with a non-refundable credit, it must be used within 12 months of the date the original reservation was booked.

Book the free dining MYW package using a single day, single-park non-hopping ticket for each person in your family. Then check the discount ticket websites (Maple Leaf and Ticketmania come to mind) to purchase 7-day or 10-day non-expiring hoppers for each family member. The remaining days can be used on a future trip. If you know you will be returning to WDW and completing another holiday within 12 months from the date of activation, APs might be an alternative. The park ticket days do not have to equal the number of nights you are staying on site, but you must purchase at least one ticket per person in your party.

It won't save you a ton of money, but it will save a little bit! Tuck it into your WDW fund for your next trip!

 

[dkrause716]

Thanks! I did sign up for Ding at your recommendation. Hopefully something cheaper comes up! My friend told me to try Expedia but their rates were higher than the airlines rates. Oh well!

Marcy-- You'll love SW. I think their service is great and the planes are more comfy than most.

I have never found a good airfare deal on Travelocity or Expedia. Always done better booking directly with the airline itself. Maybe for last minute travel thay are ok.

Good luck!

PS

I am a teacher too. Good luck with your subbing.

 

[ElizaB39]

Hi MarcyPA,

I am also in PA and flying out of Philly on SW. We transferred AMEX points and got 4 free one ways which we are using to fly down and we are returning on Airtran for about $400 for 4 of us. Now, with Airtran we are flying through Atlanta on the way home so we can leave at 8:45 pm and have a full day (almost) at the parks then get home that same night and no hotel costs for the final night of the trip. We are going for 6 days/7 nights.

Do you have any AMEX or Marriott points that you can transfer and use on SW? You have some time to plan for this since it is a few months away. We did it in just a week for a trip that is coming up quick! It CAN be done.

You can also try for flights out of Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, or Newark, NJ for other flight costs. We have flown SW before and they are great. I won't fly USAir anymore.

Also, try tickemania for base tickets. You will realize some savings. Just think of all the great meals you will have for FREE! This way you won't need much spending money... Just a little for incidentals and one really really special souvineir. Hey, I am putting off new windows and new kitchen floor because we had the chance to go on our July 2-8, 2005 with friends at the last minute. Glad you are going to GO FOR IT!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I would go for it because I can't see how going to Disney could possibly get any cheaper. If you got an AP and then got an AP rate value room at $49 all of the savings would be eaten up by the cost of the AP and then the additional cost of food would be on top of that.

I'd probably try and figure a way to make a little money between now and then. Around here there are convention centers that need people on a part time basis when big events come up. You could also consider replenishing your savings by getting a part time job AFTER the trip. It will be the start of the Christmas selling season so it will be easier to get the assignments you want (if you go someplace big like Macy's, Penney's or Kohl's). If you can replenish half before next year's tax return you would have actually made a dent in increasing your savings.

 

[floridagirrl2]

Another life-is-short-go-for-it response from me! Unless you are planning to move/sell your house soon, deferrring some maintenance on your house is OK!

Yes, life is short--life is good--enjoy!

 

[lbgraves]

All I remember is several family friends saving up for their retirement. Many of them retired but then died before they could go on those dream vacations. If you can afford to go without putting the trip on CCs...GO! Your entire family will be better for it.

 

[mysibee74]

GO!!! Life is short--you only live once and this will be something you look back on and say, "I'm so glad we did it!"

I wouldn't book your airfare just yet---I booked my flights from Southwest about 2 months ago-paid $800 for three of us. Now, they're offering deals, as is Jet Blue $69 each way from Boston) for half that. The one I booked on Southwest is non refundable, so I can't cancel and go with the lower flight.

It's a great deal--jump on it.

 

[thumpery]

Hi Marcy - My name is Marcy too! I would just like to add that I wish my husband would come up to me and say "Hey there's a great deal to Disney World; let's go!" Take the opportunity and go! Cherish your memories!

 

[CheapMom]

one more voting GO FOR IT! I think if you are patient and diligent about checking fares you can fly down for around $125 each RT. I see $98 from Philly to Orlando often (before fees- this may be a thing of the past though since fuel prices have increased) Also when choosing your dates- remember- you only have to check-in by Oct. 4th to get the free dining. This may make your airfare search more flexible.
Definately sign up for DING http://www.southwest.com/ding/
Also- not sure where you are but I remember someone saying they flew from Harrisburg and got a good rate. SW has $49 one way fares out of BWI for your time period. (comes to $116 pp RT with taxes/fees) So maybe you will get lucky!
important: DON'T FEEL GUILTY. You and DH work hard. Saving $8K is hard to do on 1 income. Your everyday frugality has paid off. I am sure you have made a lot of sacrifices to build that savings. Now treat yourself a bit.

 

[Ozymoe]

Marcy,

I have one more idea to think about. Round trip gas for your car would be about $200, maybe $250. You and the kids could drive and DH could fly. That would save you money if that's do-able. It's a lovely season to drive, educational for the kids and the Orlando airport is easy to get to from Disney (well-marked route with convenient parking/access).

You might also want to check out the price of buying one day's worth of tickets with the package and then using your own tickets for the rest of the days. The 10 day non-expiring premium tickets from TicketMania purchased through the Mousesavers link give 10 park days and 5 waterpark/DQ/PI days. A second vacation's tickets could be paid for at bargain prices by going this route.

Good luck...no matter what you decide to do, it sounds as if DH's 40th is going to be memorable!

 

[The Disney Bunch]

Go for it - you never know what may come up in the interim & at least you will have had the trip

 

[dkrause716]

GO!!! Life is short--you only live once and this will be something you look back on and say, "I'm so glad we did it!"

I wouldn't book your airfare just yet---I booked my flights from Southwest about 2 months ago-paid $800 for three of us. Now, they're offering deals, as is Jet Blue $69 each way from Boston) for half that. The one I booked on Southwest is non refundable, so I can't cancel and go with the lower flight.

It's a great deal--jump on it.

Did You check with Southwest about this? They are very liberal with their change policies. You might not get a refund but you should be able to get a credit for a future flight. I've done this several times even though the fare says nonrefundable. It would be worth it to check it out!!

Good luck!

 

[bizeemom4]

We live in Harrisburg but fly out of BWI. The flights from the 'burg are expensive & connecting. I prefer nonstop & cheap from BWI. LOL. By the way, you can get $49 each way right now for your dates.

 

[ckoncurat]

I think your situation is TOTALLY diffrent than that of some recent posters who have had guilt about plopping a disney vacation on their credit card. If you have the money IN CASH, go ahead. Life is short.

BTW, I am also a stay at home mom. We pay money to savings, 401K, college funds, but what is left over is EXTREMELY TIGHT. That is different than wallowing in debt. If you have the cash, go ahead. This is a great deal.

 

[Littlemotherhaywood]

I would check all of the smaller airlines like Spirit, Jet Blue USA 3000, Independence, etc... I'm not sure where you're located (sorry if I didn't observe that). Also, for the time you want to fly, I don't think there are a lot of discounted airfares out right now. We're planning a trip in December and there's nothing reasonable yet. I would just keep your eyes open and get a price in your mind that you are comfortable with so if you see it you can book it right away. Good luck.

 

[jeast]

You are actually saving money by going now. You most certainly will have to pay for food in the spring AND pay more for your rooms. Your hubby has good logic and a RIGHT to go. You have to put your guilt aside. If he is a good man, a hard worker (which it sounds like he is), he has the right to decide he wants a vacation with his family for his birthday.

By the way, it's okay to acknowledge where your guilt over spending money comes from, but part of growing up healthy is to realize when it is "wrong think" and move past that.

I'm a SAHM, too. We've decided our kids won't remember if we had the perfect house or nicer cars when they get older. they'll remember what we did together to create family memories. They'll realize later how hard we struggled to do these things for them and know that we loved them enough to do it.

I hope you go and have a wonderful time with your family. I'll be there then at ASmo, maybe we'll see you!!

 

[Bev in Chgo]

Go, GO, GO

Only you can make that final decision. I agree with a lot of the posts here.

You never know how short life is, enjoy it.

It sounds like you have a nice cushion ($8000), but we all know if something really big were to come up unexpectly, than a savings could go fast.

I think you would definitely save big if you go in October compared to going in the spring time, especially with the free meal plan they have right now.

Also bills will always be there. Sometimes you just have to enjoy life a little bit.

We visit Disney about every 3 - 7 years. Being a Disney fan I would love to go every year. I love Disney but my family (husband & 2 sons) like to try
other things (Wis. Dells, Six Flags Great America, etc) they don't get as excited as I do about Disney. When we are there they do enjoy themselves.

We just went to Disney last year (june 2004) and we do not plan on going back until 2007, mainly due to financial reasons, we have 2 sons graduating next year in 2006 (8th grade and High School). So we figure that we would have a lot of expenses next year. So I told my huband 2007 (he agreed).

Hope u decide to go, and don't forget to give us a trip report when you get back.