I'm on low-income

[barkley]

are you saying that poor people should not have the same opertunity as others?

not all people on ssi or other public assistance are "poor" by any means (not saying the majority but a percentage)-i administered many cases wherein people with relativly small families (maybe mom/dad/2-3 kids) were getting as much as 60-70K per year in tax free income (between work incentive programs, earned income tax credits, specialized grants....) and they had far more opportunities than the adverage full time working family could dream of (full ride financial aide for the kids in private schools, fully paid high end camps for the kids to attend, fully reimbursed daycare expenses, access to "season of sharing" funds for trips to disney and other places, housing subsidies that required only 5% of thier income be paid on housing/utilities...). these were not people who lacked by virtue of their being "unemployed", nor were they incapable of gainful employment.

 

[MyGoofy26]

Wow. I'm impressed with how quickly everyone here at the friendly Disboards chose to flame someone without complete knowledge of the situation. I suppose they could have been asking for a handout, but honestly, I doubt it. I simply read they wanted advice on how to make a trip work as cheaply as possible. I really don't think anyone has the right to judge others or their circumstances and I recently stopped visiting a similar forum because the people there felt it was okay to pick others apart. I'm not like that and I don't like to associate with people like that so I sincerely hope that what I've read on this thread was written in haste with little forethought because I would hate to think of my disfriends that way. Now, does anyone have any real advice for this person, or just more flames?

No offense Littlemotherhaywood - but I don't think that a few people posting that they read the OP's request a certain way is equivalent to everyone flaming the OP. Other than one or two posts, they (and I include myself in that "they") have simply stated what amounts to "This is how I read it" and left it at that. No judgement, no name calling, nothing. In fact, when dvcgirl first posted it said, "I could be wrong but. . ." and others stated that they got the same interpretation from the post. If anything it was an opportunity for the OP to jump in and clarify his/her position and intentions - is it for advice? Or is it for a handout? I have seen NOBODY insisting that this thread absolutely is asking for a handout and condemning the OP for it.

I hate to see people jump in and begin villifying people for relatively nothing because that's when people get defensive and the claws really come out. Things turn ugly when people start policing posts.

 

[summerrluvv]

Millions of children that have a diagnosed disability get SSI and Medicaid. Should they not be entitled to vacations either because they get that type of assistance from the government? I don't think anyone has the right to tell someone else they cannot take a vacation because they get help from the government. Would you say the same thing to seniors that get Medicare and get all of their healthcare paid for by taxpayers?

 

[CJRN]

putting on flame suit


Am I the only one that thought TROLL when reading the OP?

 

[ducklite]

I'm not so sure the OP was looking for advice. Sounds more like the OP was looking for actual contributions to his or her "like to go to Walt Disney World Fund". I could be wrong, but that's how I read it initially....

That's the way I interpreted it. I sure hope that wasn't the intent...

Anne

 

[barbeml]

putting on flame suit


Am I the only one that thought TROLL when reading the OP?

You're not the only one. There has been so much of this lately on the DIS that I am pretty wary these days.

As others have said, if the OP is looking for advice on saving money and saving on a WDW vacation, s/he has come to the right place.

 

[Soupermom]

okay. I'll bite. I'm guessing this thread will be closed soon. I, too, thought "troll" when I read it. Especially if you think about the user name being used. That's all I'm going to say.

Off to read some ways to save more money now...

 

[taragl]

Skirting the "intention of the post" issue for a moment... as far as vacations for cash-strapped families, it can be a truly rejuvenating experience. Though it may seem like an impossible hurdle to ever get "out of the hole" (whatever the particulars of your hole are), a vacation is a tangible and achievable goal.

During the first ten years of our marriage, my little family did not have the means for more that a weekend trip to nearby locations. Last year, we were finally in a stable enough position for a Disney trip, and we had the time of our lives. What it did for us in terms of relaxation and togetherness was incredible. Families in general need an occasional pressure-release, and families in tense financial situations need it even more.

tdickensheets: If advice is what you're looking for, the best piece I've ever heard is to "pay yourself first." Have a certain percent of your small income set aside into savings before you even see it. Saving seemed impossible before we began doing that, now we rarely miss the portion being saved and it added up quickly to another vacation -- good luck!

 

[ANTSS2001]

I'm not so sure the OP was looking for advice. Sounds more like the OP was looking for actual contributions to his or her "like to go to Walt Disney World Fund". I could be wrong, but that's how I read it initially....

that's the same impression I got but then I hope I am wrong

 

[zalansky]

okay. I'll bite. I'm guessing this thread will be closed soon. I, too, thought "troll" when I read it. Especially if you think about the user name being used. That's all I'm going to say.

Okay I just read the screen name, hadn't done that. Clearly a troll. What is it with trolls? Are they dejected DIS-ers lookinng for revenge and they think pot stirring is the way to go? Or just somebody with way too much time on their hands?

 

[tinker&belle]

okay. I'll bite. I'm guessing this thread will be closed soon. I, too, thought "troll" when I read it. Especially if you think about the user name being used. That's all I'm going to say.

Off to read some ways to save more money now...

I thought the same thing from their name, but I thought I just had a dirty mind...

 

[Trixiezzz]

putting on flame suit


Am I the only one that thought TROLL when reading the OP?

What's a TROLL?

 

[Trixiezzz]

OK, nevermind. Found it:

"....In Internet terminology, a troll is someone who comes into an established community such as an online discussion forum, and posts inflammatory, rude or offensive messages designed intentionally to annoy and antagonize the existing members or disrupt the flow of discussion...."

 

[jam217]

Something else to keep in mind....according to another post he/she wrote in the Disney Trips Forum, this person has already been to Disneyland 3 times (last time in 2004).

 

[Evil Queen]

Well said LittleMotherHaywood! That's the one thing I dislike about boards/forums and MSN and such. IT is SOOOOO EASY to misconstrue what the meaning behind the post because you cant hear the inflection in their voice. I think we should all take a little more time before flaming to find out pertinent information and not jump to conclusions.

I just wished that LittleMotherHaywood would not had said "everyone", because not everyone is thinking anything other than the OP was asking for advice on how to save. As for what other posters are believing the intent to be, the OP's start post could be seen as a request for a handout. That's just not how I took it.

 

[raammartin]

putting on flame suit


Am I the only one that thought TROLL when reading the OP?

(I thought the same thing)

 

[Tinkerbell_Tiffany]

well if nobody else is gonna say it I am
GET A JOB!!
I by no means have alot of money, I just took a part time job to pay for our vacation in september, I also do stuff on the side for extra money like e-bay yard sales.
not to sound so harsh but that's just ridiculous! JMHO

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Okay, just in case this is serious:

if you don't have money for a trip you can:

1. enter contests and hope to win (Mousesavers.com)

2. sell stuff you own already or make something to sell (jewelry, etc.)

3. get a job

I do all three. Plus save a lot in my ING and buy a lot less than I used to.

OTOH, if you really are that tight on money and have two kids, I just want to remind you that children need other things A LOT more than they need Disney. Make sure that they can be successful, educated, safe, productive citizens.

Here's the embarrassing part:

I am very well educated, I promise. I'll post my degrees, majors, minors and SAT and Praxis scores if necessary, but I have absolutely no street smarts or common sense at all. Can someone please PM me explaining the "username" business. I don't get it. My mind is too clean, maybe?

 

[Chickysmom]

me too about the username....I'm just clueless too.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

me too about the username....I'm just clueless too.

Me too.


I've even tried saying it 3x fast and I got nuttin'!