How often is too often? - Tax refund burning hole in my pocket!

[mickey1968]

Hello, my name is Mickey1968 and I am addicted to Disney vacations!
Over the last 14 months or so I have been to WDW three times! I was going to MAKE myself wait until the Christmas season to go again, but now my tax refund and another unplanned check are burning a hole in my pocket saying "go, go, don't wait."

Here's my story...I fell back in love with Disney last year at Thanksgiving after not visiting for nearly 10 years. I am a former College Program cast member (1991) and would visit pretty much once a year throughout the 90s. Then somebody got me started going to Vegas instead (fun, but so not the same!). I seem to think I need a vacation about every 6 months. Problem is, I live in Oklahoma and we don't seem to get those great airfares that you North Easterners get. $300 round-trip is good for me.

Anyway, I'm single so I only have to worry about me, but my credit cards are getting really tight and I want to put some of the money on those. But I really, really, really want to take at least a short trip to Disney in April before it gets too hot for my liking. I still plan on the Christmas trip too.

So, am I getting carried away with all of these trips? Do any of you have the same "issue"? What do your friends and family say if you go pretty much everytime you turn around?

 

[tms295psu]

We visit disney once every year or two... Since having kids. I'd love to go more often too! I have the funds available, but hate getting our accounts down to where their is nothing for emergencies. Our credit card balances are kept to a minimum (learned the hard way getting stuck with large balances and losing a job, the monthly payment was no big deal until we were a one income family)

If you were debt free (by debit I mean credit cards not mortgage or car loans) I'd say go! But my own preference knowing you have credit card debt I would want to pay it down before booking. But that's just me!

 

[secretpantssam]

I completely understand your affliction! However if you have credit card debt, I would recommend paying that down first. If your planning on going at Christmas anyway, you still have a trip to plan and you can think about that. Start thinking about where you'd like to eat and what you like to do at Christmas and it might be a little bit of a Disney fix to hold you over.

It would be best for you financially to wait. And going once a year is still pretty good!

 

[worm761]

I love going to Disney. Even snuck in a bonus trip before my AP expired in October. We are not going this year because we are going the grown up thing and paying off some debt. DH did promise that we will go next year. I am already saving. I have a whole $13!

My suggestion is to pay off your credit cards. You are saying that they are tight which I read as almost maxed. I may be wrong. But tight is never a word I want to use when discussing finance. You know you are going at Christmas time so I suggest not going now and paying bills instead.

 

[disykat]

When you realize you are living beyond your means to fund things that fit in the "wants" category, it's time to scale it back. That's the point when often becomes too often.

Your financial goal should be to cover all your "needs," and be able to fund your "wants" while planning ahead for future needs.

 

[wiigirl]

When you realize you are living beyond your means to fund things that fit in the "wants" category, it's time to scale it back. That's the point when often becomes too often.

Your financial goal should be to cover all your "needs," and be able to fund your "wants" while planning ahead for future needs.

Hard lesson to learn....

 

[geckodani]

If you didn't have the December trip already planned, I might say go for it. But since you know you're going in Dec, and you mentioned CC debt, I might be inclined to put the money towards that instead.

I betcha if you calculate the interest you'd save by getting rid of the CC debt, it might make it more palatable! Less interest paid means more funds for trips in the future!

 

[pocomom]

Hello, my name is Mickey1968 and I am addicted to Disney vacations!
Over the last 14 months or so I have been to WDW three times! I was going to MAKE myself wait until the Christmas season to go again, but now my tax refund and another unplanned check are burning a hole in my pocket saying "go, go, don't wait."

Here's my story...I fell back in love with Disney last year at Thanksgiving after not visiting for nearly 10 years. I am a former College Program cast member (1991) and would visit pretty much once a year throughout the 90s. Then somebody got me started going to Vegas instead (fun, but so not the same!). I seem to think I need a vacation about every 6 months. Problem is, I live in Oklahoma and we don't seem to get those great airfares that you North Easterners get. $300 round-trip is good for me.

Anyway, I'm single so I only have to worry about me, but my credit cards are getting really tight and I want to put some of the money on those. But I really, really, really want to take at least a short trip to Disney in April before it gets too hot for my liking. I still plan on the Christmas trip too.

So, am I getting carried away with all of these trips? Do any of you have the same "issue"? What do your friends and family say if you go pretty much everytime you turn around?

I'm with the other posters, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable to go at all with ANY credit card debt I couldn't pay completely off when the bill came. You never know what life can bring .... But maybe to have a little fun now, you can reward yourself for putting the funds to your balances by planning on staying an extra day in December, or having a nice meal at one the fancy places then, or some other treat you wouldn't have normally had? Or maybe purchase a disney gift card for $50, or buy something small for that December trip? Sometimes even just spending some time vacation planning can help the "I need to go on vacation now" urge.

 

[mickey1968]

I knew wiser, more level heads would prevail! I think getting geared up and planning a trip makes me want to impulsively jump on a plane!

Keep talking me down folks!

Meanwhile, maybe instead of pinning Disney stuff on Pinterest and reading Disney blogs, I should dust off my Dave Ramsey videos and Financial Peace book this weekend.

 

[Ginny Favers]

When you say your credit cards are getting tight, does that mean you are almost at your limit?

I completely understand your love of Disney. However, I would definitely pay off your debt now. You already have a trip to look forward to. Just plan for that. After all, planning is half the fun!

Then, once your credit cards are paid off, you can schedule another trip to celebrate being debt-free!

 

[arihillfarm]

Hello, my name is Mickey1968 and I am addicted to Disney vacations!
Over the last 14 months or so I have been to WDW three times! I was going to MAKE myself wait until the Christmas season to go again, but now my tax refund and another unplanned check are burning a hole in my pocket saying "go, go, don't wait."

Here's my story...I fell back in love with Disney last year at Thanksgiving after not visiting for nearly 10 years. I am a former College Program cast member (1991) and would visit pretty much once a year throughout the 90s. Then somebody got me started going to Vegas instead (fun, but so not the same!). I seem to think I need a vacation about every 6 months. Problem is, I live in Oklahoma and we don't seem to get those great airfares that you North Easterners get. $300 round-trip is good for me.

Anyway, I'm single so I only have to worry about me, but my credit cards are getting really tight and I want to put some of the money on those. But I really, really, really want to take at least a short trip to Disney in April before it gets too hot for my liking. I still plan on the Christmas trip too.

So, am I getting carried away with all of these trips? Do any of you have the same "issue"? What do your friends and family say if you go pretty much everytime you turn around?

Here's another vote for wait and pay off some debt. Besides, you probably won't get the best ADRs for a trip in April.

-Astrid

 

[ilovemk76]

Hello, my name is Mickey1968 and I am addicted to Disney vacations!
Over the last 14 months or so I have been to WDW three times! I was going to MAKE myself wait until the Christmas season to go again, but now my tax refund and another unplanned check are burning a hole in my pocket saying "go, go, don't wait."

Here's my story...I fell back in love with Disney last year at Thanksgiving after not visiting for nearly 10 years. I am a former College Program cast member (1991) and would visit pretty much once a year throughout the 90s. Then somebody got me started going to Vegas instead (fun, but so not the same!). I seem to think I need a vacation about every 6 months. Problem is,

I live in Oklahoma and we don't seem to get those great airfares that you North Easterners get. $300 round-trip is good for me.

Anyway, I'm single so I only have to worry about me, but my credit cards are getting really tight and I want to put some of the money on those. But I really, really, really want to take at least a short trip to Disney in April before it gets too hot for my liking. I still plan on the Christmas trip too.

So, am I getting carried away with all of these trips? Do any of you have the same "issue"? What do your friends and family say if you go pretty much everytime you turn around?

I could not use the money on a vacation while my financial house was not in order.

 

[mickey1968]

Yes, tight means almost at the limit. I haven't had this problem for a long time. I actually have gone through Financial Peace and have been telling myself it might be a good time for a refresher. I never got to fully free, but I did have the CC paid off then I have run it up again. I only have 2 cards and the newest one is that dang Disney VISA, but it has a low limit. If I can get the bigger one down to maybe half by time to book the Christmas trip I would be comfortable.

This is where being single sometimes isn't always so great. I don't have that built-in confidant or cheerleader to help get me through. It helps that other Disney-lovers can be the voice of reason.

 

[golf4miami]

Seems like paying off the Credit Cards is the general consensus and I agree.

If you really need to urge to buy something Disney then I would go get a gift card or something that you could put back for your trip come Christmas time. That way not only are you satisfying that urge but also you're helping your future budget too.

 

[geckodani]

Would you be able to transfer the balance(s) to a 0% card for a while? As long as that won't encourage you to overspend, that might be a way to help you pay it down without having to pay additional interest.

Also, if the Disney VISA has the higher interest rate, I'd pay it off first. Article you might find interesting: http://creditcardforum.com/blog/which-credit-card-to-pay-off-first/

 

[mickey1968]

I like the gift card idea. I have seen other threads where people buy the gift cards every so often to help save up. I may start doing that every month or so.

 

[mickey1968]

Neither of the cards have a particularly high interest rate, but I may look around and see if I can find a no interest offer to transfer the main card to. Thanks for the support and ideas. Geckodani, I will check out the other forum too.

 

[geckodani]

Neither of the cards have a particularly high interest rate, but I may look around and see if I can find a no interest offer to transfer the main card to. Thanks for the support and ideas. Geckodani, I will check out the other forum too.

I'm not a member of that forum or anything, I just thought it was interesting.

You might be amazed how fast small gift card purchases can add up. I whittled away at my last trip balance what way and it FELT much less expensive, even if it really was the same price.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Most definitely pay off the debt but if you are going to transfer your balances to a lower interest rate credit card, I'd also look for one that is giving you a good bonus (free airmiles etc.). It might make that next trip to Disney even cheaper.

 

[budafam]

I get where you're coming from. Since May 2011 I've been 4 times (it's no short trip for me either being from Wisconsin). One thing, I do not have any credit card debt. I could not enjoy myself knowing that I had other bills that were costing me money while there. With that said, we're going in December... it seems like a far way away but time goes so fast!