how much is enough?

soccermom5

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Jan 31, 2005
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we are a df of 7 dd 11,7,5, ds9,8 dh and myself how much is enough ? we have given the kids a limit of 150 on souv. we ahave the dining plan so that takes care of meals we will not charge anything so its cash all the way we will be there for 7 days please help? is 150 enough for each child ? how much total do you think we will need?
 
soccermom5 said:
is 150 enough for each child ?

We've always been skimpy on the souveniers (I genuinely can't remember what, if anything, we bought at Disney on our last trip). So we've decided that the souvenier budget for this year is zero. Yep, zero. We'll stay in nice resorts, and we'll eat in nice places. We'll provide the kids with absolutely everything they need, but we're skipping the tee-shirts, the stuffed animals, and the 3.99 ink pens.

The kids understand that they're going on THREE family vacations this summer plus two summer camps each; plus they have a season pass to our local amusement park /water park. They're fine with skipping souveniers in exchange for all the fun experiences they'll have this summer.
 
:wave: I think the $150 is an adequate amount. Our children save their birthday, Christmas, etc. money plus any extra they make along the way. It all depends on the child, however. Last trip our 2 boys (10 and 14) each had around $300 to spend. They both came home with around $175 left over. DD (16), on the other hand, brought $500 with her and had spent it all only half way through the trip. Our rule is, they can bring whatever they want and they can spend it on whatever they want, but when they run out, they run out. :rolleyes: That system just seems to eliminate a lot of headaches for us. ;)
 
I love souvenir topics!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

That should be a pretty good limit. They could get a Tshirt for $20, a couple of pins at $6.95 each, a plush toy for like $12, a hat for like $18, pen for $4, auto. book for like $7 and still have a good bit for other goodies. $150 should buy some good souvies and should last for at least a little while if they don't rush to buy everything they see once they see it.
 

$150 is great. I am making DS save his own money. I will give him 75.00 (but he does not know that yet.) and I am taking 600 for other stuff. I don't wanna buy much. I am selling half my stuff on Ebay now, so why would bring more stuff in the house.
 
I set daily spending limits, I feel this is a good way to make their money last, with the exception of the last day. If they have more than there daily allowance left over they can spend it anyway they choose. This makes them think about their choices carefully.
 
I say $150 is plenty adequate.. We just went on a 7 day cruise and each of the kids only had a $100 souvenir limit.. and it worked out fine.. I know its good to teach your children about budgeting and stuff but I hate it when they just have to have something and then get it home and it gets forgotten about... When we go next year I think Im budgeting $100 for each child..
 
We are giving the kids each $50 and anything else, they have to use their own money for. I have also let them know that anything they buy, they carry! My plan is to spend some time in DTD on our last day and shop there.
 
I have also let them know that anything they buy, they carry! My plan is to spend some time in DTD on our last day and shop there.

Don't forget that if you buy something in the parks and you are staying onsite, you can have it sent directly to your room - that came in handy when we went 10 years ago when it was cool in the morning, then hot as could be in the day - if we bought something, I would throw my sweatshirt in the bag too, and it would get sent back to the room! It was so nice to buy something, then get back in the room and find it there - unbent, unmangled, unsweated on LOL -
 
We gave our kids, 10, 10, 7, 7, and 6 each $75 for the week....They each spent it all by the end of the week. They rarely play with or pay any attention to what they bought! It did however curb the "I WANTS".
 
What does that $150 have to cover? Just tee and plush and other take home stuff. Or does that include unplanned snacks etc?

IMO if it just take home stuff then $150 is way more then enough if not too much. How much "junk" do you really want brought home? From experience, kids will have to have something when at the parks but then forget about it quickly when they get home. My kids will get about $25 each for our trip to Disneyland. After many trips this is more then enough for junk that is going to get forgotten when they get home.
 
I will be giving $50 each (to all 4). Last year we allowed them to have $100 a piece...what ended up happening is buying all the stuff they HAD to have... once we got back to the room, they played with it for a little while and have forgotten about it since we have been home. IMO it was a waste of money to get all the souvies for them to just sit around and take space. Not to mention, finding the room for them in the suitcase to get them home!!!

The kids love getting the autographs...this year instead of spending all that money on the books... we are going to have a family craft day and they are going to make their own... and bring their pens from last year.
 
thanks for all the replys the 150 is to cover souv. and any snacks that we do not vote on as a family.( We do the voting thing everywhere we go and it works great) plus they get a snack on the plan , each kid will have 10 pins when going there(e bay ) and we will buy them one not from thier money seeing all the posts i may cut it to 100.00
as a family of 7 what total spending cash should we bring 2000.00 sound good :guilty: :confused3
 
My kids money that is in their ING accounts will be what they use on our next trip if they want anything. Last year I found out about ING to late and the only souvenirs we came home with was our refillable mugs and the memories of going through Hurricane Charley.

The money that they got for Easter went into their account the same day they got it so they couldn't spend it. Just like whatever money they get for their birthdays and Christmas will also go in there.

Trying to get through to a 8 year old that if he puts his money into this account that the "bank" will pay him MORE money for having it put away. LOL!! :rotfl: So instead of having $10 and spending that on something at the store right away, by the the time our trip comes around that $10 will have doubled maybe tripled it's amount. Then he would have more to spend on our Disney trip. He has a thick head like his dad. LOL!!
 
Personally, I think that $100 is extremely generous.

In the past, we've gotten DS one of those twirly light toys, a balloon, a t-shirt or sweatshirt, and one toy (usually a med. stuffed character doll) on each trip -- so roughly $60. We also buy the occasional snack, but tend to pack a few snacks, juice boxes and candies with us too.

We don't stop in the stores at the parks -- we visit World of Disney at DTD toward the end of our trip. There's also a new store at DTD where everything is less than $10 -- maybe a good choice for kids who want to spend the last of their dough.

So, if you're looking for some place to trim your budget, I'd trim the kids' spending to $75. Let them know that they can keep any money they don't spend at WDW and you'll be helping them to prioritize their spending -- you may be shocked at how little a kid needs to spend at WDW if they can save the money for something they REALLY want back home, which may disappoint you somewhat, but is a great lesson in personal finance for the young!

Also, you mention $2000 spending money for the family. I'm assuming that includes all of your meal costs? If you're talking about $2000 for souvenirs and snacks, then that is much more than I budget. But I tend to be frugal. If you post with more information about what you plan to cover with "spending money", you may be able to get more advise about a good $$ amount.

One piece of advice that is off-topic from your original post: I highly recommend taking your kids to at least one Character Meal. It's such a treat and the kids get a kick eating while visiting with their favorite characters.

Enjoy your trip!
 
soccermom5 said:
as a family of 7 what total spending cash should we bring 2000.00 sound good :guilty: :confused3

I was asking myself the same thing, we are 5 and I was planning to take $2,000.00 in total for spending (meals and souvenirs). :confused3
 
meals are paid for w/the dining plan and we have 4 character meals planned . the 2000 total is for extra drinks snacks , dole whips( sound soooo good) and souv. i just dont want to short change us in disney :goodvibes
 
:earboy2: Wow! I've been lurking for about a year, now I have to add my 2 cents... I've taken the kids to Disney this way for a couple of years, and it works very well ... about 4 months or so before we go, I offer my kids a "match" on whatever money they can save from gifts, allowance, and extra jobs. This has turned my free spending guys into the thriftiest people I know! They work really hard to save and not spend for months, and with that money they feel real ownership. When they get their matched money they feel rich! They don't blow it on junk this way,(at least not as much ) It seems like when it's Mom and Dads money, they want everything, but when it's theirs, they end up coming home with money left over! (my 11y.o. ds saved $50 of his own, at 2.50 per week allowance, I matched that $50 for vacation, and he spent $16! ) The souvenirs they did pick are still their faves, because they had to think hard before choosing( big blue Stitch has to sleep with my little one every night now)
Love this board!
 
Just returned from Disney and for the first time gave my children each $20.00 to spend. (We've been there about 10 times with the kids!) If I were to give them each $150.00 we would never get out of the shops! I am there for the rides and attractions, and do not care to tie up my time souvenier shopping! Just my opinion! And like others have mentioned, if you don't give them alot, they tend to value their purchase more!
 
Since your kids will have to purchase there own snacks (if not a family/planned snack) then I would give them up to $50 each.

Another option would be to give them part of their money as "free money" money they can spend on whatever they want, no parent vetos. Then keep some of the money with you so that you have some control over what they purchase.
 


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