How do you afford frequent cruises????

[ibouncetoo]

But I said all this because I have a question after reading all these wonderful posts:
How in the world do you NOT eat out?? I spend way too much eating out, I know, but it seems I spend a fortune at the grocery store and still don't have anything everybody will eat. And, for me, eating out is "entertainment." Since I am home all the time it's a way out of the house. Nothing is very expensive around here, but it does add up! I am SO admiring the lady that makes it on $210 every two weeks!
I wish I could give up this eating out and put that money towards another cruise that I yearn for daily (it's sad not to having something to look forward to/plan for) but I just don't know how you don't get sick of cooking and eating the same ole same ole!

Hello my friend! This is also the area that's the hardest for me too! I KNOW how much I could be putting aside if I cooked and packed my lunch more. As I live alone, it's hard to come home and cook just for myself. I have no problem however eating alone in a restaurant...as long as I have a book in my hand. I have two trips coming up and I've GOT to get this under control.

 

[TDC Nala]

As I live alone, it's hard to come home and cook just for myself. I have no problem however eating alone in a restaurant...as long as I have a book in my hand. I have two trips coming up and I've GOT to get this under control.

I cook for myself and never eat out in restaurants when I'm at home. (NEVER. Unless either my parents take me or I get stuck in DC because the Metro broke down and I can't stand not eating one more second.) I don't like going by myself. Actually I have been making a pot of soup and eating that for dinner all week.

 

[westjones]

We downsized from 7 night, to the 4 night, and now we are considering the 3 night. Or we will go to every other year instead of every year (that is what we are planning right now, another 4 night in two years). Basically, planning (thinking) of our cruise is as much fun as going, so we just need to know we have a cruise to dream about.

DJ

 

[disneydance]

Ive just thought of this idea and started doing this to when we ordered our mothers day meal at our favourite ok so instead of ordering a large plate that you know can only eat half of split it with your kid and with the money you would have spent on that meal put it an a cruise saving jar. We already have $22 in our jar. Also we only eat out once to twice a week and with the difference of that you would have payed for that meal at a restrarunt put it in the cruise saving jar. Also book out and get the best deal you can. Also we try not to use all that gas and so we try to be invaled in things close to home. Such as instead of going to the dance studio 1hour away from home go to the local dance studio and put the money that you are saving in gas in the cruise fund jar and see how far you can go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[captaincrash]

Mike, wish someone could find a decent $750K house here, but not happening!! We sold my dad's house (where we grew up) which was 1750 square feet, needing a roof replacement, pool replacement and termites in the garage for 680K (16 bids) two years ago. This same house which was in our family for almost 50 years was just sold again (don't know if any repairs were done) last month for $785K. Real Estate in California is insane to say the least!!

Hi Birkner! When I read Mike's post about the 750,000 loan, it made me laugh and cry at the same time! We are looking at moving now to be in a better school area and we will have to buy an 875,000 to 900,000 house just to move up in size to about 2000 square feet (nothing huge and enormous at all). And that's even with us redoing the kitchen and bathrooms in addition to that! Hmm....wish I could move out of here like everyone else I know has done! Think of property taxes on 900,000......$13,500 per year just in property taxes. CA real estate has lost their minds!

Yeah ...

... I was intrigued with this thread and reading through when I found myself compelled to quote you here. We also are California residents and I am mildly amazed at what folks have to pay for a decent sized home around here. In our neighborhood the asking prices got up to 1.1 with selling levels just over 9. And just recently we saw a home that was asking 899 sell supossedly for 799. Wow... now we are not spring chickens now - and we've lived through the RE market in the early 90s when the Soviet Union collapsed and our defense industry collapsed. Along with the RE market... so this is nothing new to us l... alas it is fascinating just the same.

As for building a spec home out of Califonria in a "normal" region of the USA... spending $750K for construction sounds like a 3,000 ~ 3,700 sq foot home. And in our area new homes like that should sell for 2M+. So ... there again I have to wonder why folks spend so much for their homes? AND I live out here! You see... we've been in our home for about 12 years so our original cost basis is quite modest compared to todays' prices. SO - yes I am astonished by what people must be doing to live out here. I often reflect on whether it really is worth it to pay what folks are paying to live out here copared to many other places in the nation...

Above is the USA RE history versus California RE history below

​

So what does any of this have to do with how we afford to cruise. In my case it is that we stayed put in the same home - and have a low cost basis for housing. SO we have a certain amount of financial flexability. Plus we are very frugal sorts and shop carefully for everything. I drive a 9 year old Lexus which I bought used when my neighbor 3 doors down has a ... Ferrari.... and my next door neighbor (the pro football player) has all these nice huge cars with all this flashy "bling". I do not covet or resent my neighbors with thier artifacts of wealth - I just do my thing and am happy being relatively modest in most matters.

Off hand - If I had any advice to anyone it would be to vacation less and invest some money conservatively. RE or mutual funds (spider/index funds are not bad and cheap on the management fees). And in a decade or so you'll have some financial fat which might enable you to be more agressive about other things in life. PLUS ... I would like to suggest reading an old "best seller" called...

This is one of my favorite basic money books. And you can get them cheap on eBay or possibly FREE at your local library. PLUS the deition on tape or CD is a time saver if you're in the car any length of time.

I found it very comfortable reading this because it vindicated my penny wise tendencies.

Hi all... just surfing the DIS and had to stop because of sticker shock .....I live in a very very very small town in west central PA (the 2006 graduating class only had 115 kids) and i am thanking my luck stars that we do...we purchased a lovely 1850 square ft remodeled home last ST. Patty's Day for 72,500 yes that is 72,500 not 725,000 I just wanted to say I LOVE BEING A HICK!!!!....lol

And might I add that my spouse grew up in a ONE signal light town in PA... and her Dad sold their family home in recent years for just over $100K... so I can do nothing but admire how affordable it is to buy in some parts of PA. I already know PA is a fine place to grow up and otherwise raise a family since my spouse is from the state!

i would love to live in a big house with some land...here in OK a new 3500 to 4000 square foot home with 1-5 acres of land runs about $250000 to $350000....we currently live ina five year old home that is 1700 square feet that we paid $112,000 for....we could afford to move up and buy a more expensive home (with all the bills that go with it) but then we could not cruise....

it all comes down to choices i guess....i travelled alot growing up because my parents worked for the airlines and that is what i remember the most...i want my kids to remember these things too...actually seeing things instead of just reading about them....but i do keep playing the lottery!!!

I want to second that!!!!

For 750,000 in the boonies of Buffalo, NY, you can get an estate. No lie. Huge square footage, 100 acres, horse barns, whole shebang, even has a butlers pantry, which everyone needs. Very few homes over a million here.

Taxes can be steep here, though. We did look at a house last week. 22 acres, 2300 sq feet, beautiful landscaping...... $170,000. Taxes were only 2700/year, not bad.

Guess it pays to be buried in snow every year.

Well now... my spouse was BORN in Buffalo, NY... and all I can say is WOW... for 22 acres and a 2300 foot home ... WITH nice landscaping ... not a tear down fixer upper. All for $170,000? Give me 20 of those please... one to live in and 19 to rent! As a similar home in my zip code where they have 20 acre estates (Lake Sherwood) would cost about 3.5 million ... at least! Seriously... all this talk about RE all over the country just makes me sit down in total amazement - and reflect on the virtues of skating over the state line to "the good life".

My compliments to the good spirits everyone engages in here - and in sharing useful info.

 

[captaincrash]

I discovered this thread at a good time since I am having Disney cruise blues. We (DH, me, DD5, DD3) took our first, a 4 nighter, 2 years ago--inside stateroom, one child under three (free). We were able to go on a 7 nighter, with verandah, in November because same child was just under three again. (Big help.) There is no way we can do that again any time soon. I am a SAHM mom and hubby is self employed and all that comes with that (no health insurance, no paid vacations--don't work, don't get a paycheck--no bonuses, etc).
We don't have cable TV, don't go to the movies, buy clothes at consignment stores and live in a "cheap" state to live--Mississippi. Property taxes are minimal ($400 a year!) We drive paid for, used cars. I hang out my clothes on the line. I have two decks and two patios and no furniture on any of them because I won't spring for it! I just got my first haircut in 8 months. We homeschooled our kindergartener this year (for alot of reasons) but it did help with no extra expenses--school lunches, gas back and forth, all that stuff like wrapping paper, etc they want you to buy/sell. But I said all this because I have a question after reading all these wonderful posts:
How in the world do you NOT eat out?? I spend way too much eating out, I know, but it seems I spend a fortune at the grocery store and still don't have anything everybody will eat. And, for me, eating out is "entertainment." Since I am home all the time it's a way out of the house. Nothing is very expensive around here, but it does add up! I am SO admiring the lady that makes it on $210 every two weeks!
I wish I could give up this eating out and put that money towards another cruise that I yearn for daily (it's sad not to having something to look forward to/plan for) but I just don't know how you don't get sick of cooking and eating the same ole same ole!

SOme dining out tips....

.... maybe nothing new to you... at Home Town buffett I don't go in to eat half the time and JUST PAY for the kids! It comes out pretty cheap and we have a great time. The cost is under 6 bucks for 2 kids ages 3 and 6. I snap a few fork fulls and nothing more. Just so an item taken by "mistake" does not go to total waste... and I have been encouraged to get a drink on the house. I usually bring a magazine and can get through a lot of it.

Also, every tuesday and Saturday 4 to 10PM at Dennys' Kids eat free. Even 2 kids eat free with one adult. I usually get the same breakfast for $5.99 and we have a nice little meal!

The same deal at Carrows is not quite as good since one childs' meal is free with one paid entree for an adult. So you need two adult entrees for two kids meals. However, at Carrows they include a beverage free with the kids meals. At Dennys' that is not the case.

Oh well... there's my 2 cents on saving while dining out.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I usually get the same breakfast for $599 and we have a nice little meal!

well, for $599 you better get one hell of a breakfast!

 

[captaincrash]

well, for $599 you better get one hell of a breakfast!

$5.99

Ya silly....

<chuckles>​

 

[lds0191]

Saturday yardsale a success! $398.00 !!

Waiting on 'cheap' fares from Southwest..

 

[minnie4me]

I am glad to see I am like so many...finding ways to save $$ for a nice vacation. Most we take are Disney oriented, say every other year then the in between years do a small (long weekend type) vacation or two. This way we have 2 years to save for the big vacations. Garage sales, taking clothes to sale at a consignment store, etc..all great ways to put alittle extra cash away. My DH doesn't spend change, except quarters in vending machine at work, so I collect it off his dresser every few days. Have almost $50 rolled up to go to the bank, till our trip in Oct it might be more like $75. The Disney rewards card is great. I put alot on it every month, knowing I can pay it off when bill comes due. Groceries, gas, restaurant bills, md visit copays, trips to walmart and Target...we payed for our landscaping last summer (new house) and that really added up !! Right now we have over $500 waiting to be used. Started saving it right away after came back from vacation in 2005, so meals at WDW & spa visit on cruise can be mostly covered w/out really reaching into own pocket. Would have to pay for food,gas etc anyway, just trying to get back what I can for it.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Saturday yardsale a success! $398.00 !!

Waiting on 'cheap' fares from Southwest..

CONGRATS! That's a great haul for a yardsale!

My project for the next two weeks is to get stuff up on eBay. I truly have enough items that should total several hundred dollars! Now I just have to deal with it...