How do you afford DVC?

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We are not in the FIRE mindset, hence the numerous trips to Disney. While DVC saves us money on lodging we tend to spend quite a bit on our trips on everything else so overall we are spending alot more than we normally would.

We used to live somewhere that was somewhat LCOL and allowed us to save some. 2 years ago we moved somewhere that everyday items are less cost but housing is expensive, but the pay here is better.

I started my career in healthcare before going into IT and I have to agree that FIRE ( at least the retire part) is not for me. I will work as long as customers find value in hiring me.

Too many people retire and decline mentally.

I have even considered moving to Florida later on life and working as one of the DVC stand people, not selling so much as answering questions and screening leads for the guides.

 

[KrzyAsian]

DINK in SoCal.

My job is in finance, my partner in healthcare. Since we're travelling without kids, we go during off-season.

Split cost right down the middle. Used a newly opened CC to get the sign-up bonuses and paid it all off before interest accrued (6 months). It basically jump started our mileage accrual on the travel CC, which we've used to purchase flights to Paris, Rome, and next year, Japan.

 

[Robclint734]

We are in our late 40’s, I’m a teacher my wife a physician assistant. We took our 4 kids for the first time in 2022, it was both mine and my wife’s second trip ever, we both went when we were kids.
We then went to Disneyland in 2023, and back to WDW in 2024. It was clear it was something all 6 of us liked to do.
We stayed at Hilton Buena Vista Palace in a suite to accommodate all 6 of us while at WDW. With room rate, parking, taxes, etc it was $4k for 6 nights.
A friend told us about DVC after that trip and we did the math and realized we had already payed in 3 years nearly what a resale contract (that would get us a week at SSR, OKW, or AKL), would have cost. So it was a no brainer.
We know have 75 points at CCV and 150 at SSR all resale. All in for just a tad over 20k or what rack rate at the Hilton would be for 5 years. So in our head after 4 more trips we are ahead of the game moving forward.
Of course stupid FOMO is hitting us and we are strongly considering 150 direct to get our blue card….