How do you afford 1-2 trips per year (not just DVC)

[Disneypirate85]

We saw our Disney Vacations rising dramatically. Our 1st year was $1700 for 8 days @ value resort with hopper, then the next year went to $2400 then last year $3900! so that was the stone so to speak for the DVC purchase.
Now we buy the AP for the 2 trips a year and discount on ressies and to help off set the other $$ we put back $20.00 a week + what ever extra we have which could be as much as $50.00 - $100.00 a month. Little bit here little bit there really helps out and we usually fly SouthWest which so far (fingers crossed) there fares have remained reasonable.
Vacations are EXTREMELY important for us both! As I'm sure they are to most ppl, my wife and I both come from very poor families growing up and to go to Disney or really any other place on vacation was impossible. So now we spoil ourselves and our children.

 

[Anal Annie]

We were already spending big bucks each year for vacations so buying DVC helped to at least cover our accomodations. We now just have to budget for travel & meals on an annual basis and park tickets only sometimes if we purchase AP's. We pay the annual dues monthly thru EFT so it's not a big "hit" every year and at this point have almost forgotten that they even exist. We tried to purchase enough points to use on DCL (which we're doing this year) or to have multiple trips per year. Would still like a few more points one day in an add-on. Would just make it easier to take more people with us or to maybe stay in a bigger unit (we just do studios in order to spread out our points).

 

[Buckalew11]

We do WDW about twice a year (more if I get lucky!).

I waited about 5 or 6 yrs. to buy into DVC so I could actually purchase it outright with no financing. I still did WDW but just not through DVC. I like to have a vacation paid for before I go because I am the type who could not enjoy myself if I owed on it when I returned home.

Therefore we live on FAR less than we make to save for retirement and do vacations. We stash away money every week for vacation. That way, when it comes time to go, we have the $$ already. It is nice knowing that $$ is there anytime you get the hankering to take off (I'm self employed so I can do that easier than DH so sometimes DD and I will go or my mom and I will go).

In 4 years we'll have a DD in college. I am sure I will visit WDW less then but until then, I'll go every chance I get! You never know how long you'll be around, ya know?!

 

[mnra]

On average I get to disney once a year and other areas of the country once a year. Some trips to disney are long and others are shorter. I feel that it is important to take a trip with my kids each year for the bonding time with them. Now that they are a little older I am able to do different things at disney then we used to do. We just make family vacations a priorty. I also work with people who never go anywhere and I think wow what a boring live that must be. Enjoy your trips and family time since you never know when think can change.

 

[WaltEeyoreWorld]

How do we pay for it. We are Americans. We pay for nothing. We put it on credit and hope to Die before the collector comes for us.
Seriously, and as it has been stated many times, it is a matter of priority. We are to a point in our lives where we have a good income to expense ratio. We looked at a bigger house but we do not have kids and do not plan to have them so a bigger house really meant more cleaning. We do not upgrade our cars often so we usually only have one car payment going so we bought 450 DVC points and 4 Marriott time shares and paid cash for about half financed the rest into a ten year mortgage on our house. Now that we have locked up vacations for a life time, who knows what we will turn to next in ten years when all this is paid for. Probably the med bills for my heart transplant I will need working off all this debt.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

Its already been said, but buying DVC is like pre-paying for the vacations.

We set our priorities that vacations are important and we wanted to take our kids to Disney at least once a year. This year we were able to buy a DVC discounted AP in April, stay at Vero beach/OKW, we have a trip in Oct at BCV and I just reserved 5 nights in Feb 09 at BCV...All using points banked/borrowed and getting three trips out of the APs.

The flights are the major expense now which is why we are going to try out driving in Feb 09. $500 in gas for roundtrip according to AAA, Accomodations $0, Park tickets $0.

 

[Sully]

In 2008 we wil have spent 73 nights on Disney property, including DVC and the cruise ships. On the cruise ship we take inside rooms and have a very small bar bill. DVC we use studios and do a lot of cooking in the room and use the DDE. We do not eat very expensive meals at Disney. We have the annual pass. It is just DW and I. We purchased DVC after son was out of college. We have very good retirement plans. We watch our spending at home. We do find reasonable airfare from Wisconsin . Our 945 points are paid for. Travel is a priority for us. DVC and the cruise line is our retirement home.

 

[dsneygirl]

For whatever it's worth, I had a relative who made a comment about all the Disney $$$ spent each year. My response: "you and your wife both smoke at least a pack a day. At 4$ a pack X two people that's about $3,000 a year."
"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

To each his own. Weather it be smokes, boats, season tickets, or the MOUSE.

Very good point. I know many women who's husbands golf or play hockey a couple of times a week. It all adds up. We have neighbours who have spent thousands on landscaping. We hate to garden but love to travel.

 

[DVC Eric]

My DW and I have no kids vacationing is a priority to us. We only have one newer car at a time and we don't have a huge house. So far we have gotten airfare cheap, but we had to give up going out to eat alot at home because of high gas/oil prices. We have DDE and AP so we save money that way.

 

[MinMouse]

As many others have shared it's all about choices. We have lived in the same home for 16+ years and watched our friends "move up"; we have two older vehicles; there's no hdtv here (we even had very good friends over and their son said "look how small their tv is!"); we eat in; we go to the movies once or twice a year. Basically, we're weird but we do manage to get to Disney 2-4 times per year.