Kinda dumb questions... (if you knew me in person, thats all I really ask though!)

[hollyb]

This will be our frist trip since our honeymoon back in 93. We now have 2 children. We will be using our income tax refund for most our trip. DH works in computers. I am lucky enough to be a SAHM. For our spending money I am putting $20 away each week. I think of it as paying ourselfs first. Also when I write a check at the supermarket I have started to make it an even numeber. If the bill is 17.84 I round up to $20. The difference goes into our Disney jar.

At times we want to dip into our jar. BUT we DON'T. This Disney trip is more important then take out. DH and I just can't wait to get our kids to Disney.

SHH I also have a another jar going that only I know about. I want to be able to surprise DH with at least $500 at the last minute. He tends to worry about money. When I give him the cash I know he will be so relived. He worries about money, yet the guy can't save anything.

 

[john2u]

We go at least twice a year. If you want something really bad, you will figure out a way to accomplish this. . I am a manager and my wife is a Catholic school teacher and of course we know what they pay!! . As most other dis board members tax refunds help in a big way. Also we do not have any credit card debt. The only big expenses we have are a house and car note. Oh, one thing I forgot is tuition for DD education. We always are putting money into savings for our vacations. For us of 3 this is OUR TIME as a family and it is the most important thing in our lives.

We do not live an elaborate life style. We believe our money should be spent on family time together.

Time in Disney is PRICELESS!!!

Have a Disney Day
John

 

[DisFhan]

WOW, I guess I could save some money and I could afford to take mulitple trips a year, we only make one trip a year. First I think it would be hard to find time to go more than once. I work for myself as a freelance videographer (camera op for major sporting events and so on) so any amount of time I take off cuts into my earnings. The problem is I have college debt, little CC debt, car payment, cell phones, huge cable bill ( which I think is out of control), my netflix account, and I rent. I look at what people do to save money and I see I waste alot of money. I attend several nascar races, I have been to 2 Cirque shows this year and a couple concerts, I guess this all adds up and I would be able to visit Disney more often if I cut back on my spending. I guess maybe I should buy annual passes for X-mas instead of other gifts, that could also help save me some money. WOW again....now that I think about it I waste alot of money and I would get more enjoyment out of a vacation...................!!!!

 

[Thinktinknpixiedust]

Tell you what... I love this thread. It's nice to hear about our fellow disers. Like so many others have said, if you want it bad enough you'll make it happen. Both my husband and I are work in restaurants. He is a bartender, I am a server. We work opposite shifts so there is always someone home with the kids and have the flexibility to take time off when we need to (as long as it's not a holiday) We don't make alot of money, but it's not about the money right now. Our family is our world and we work to live... All of us make sacrifices, not the coolest shoes, or the newest wardrobe, but each one of us has bragging rights to our yearly Disney vacations!! We all plan and contribute to the trip. We make our ressies as far out as possible, pay the 200 deposit and then make as much payments as we can everymonth. Can and bottle return... rebates... even some of those online survey companies (p.s. they really do pay you... we have made over 100 this year) And then of course there is the tax refund The last 2 years we have gotten the dining plan for a couple of reasons... DH likes to not think about the tab when we get there, and we love love love Disney restaurants (we know a little something about restaurants! ) BUT.... now that our youngest turned 3 we are camping at Fort Wilderness in a tent! you see because there is 5 of us we can not stay in a value and the moderates are just a little too much out of our range... so we"ll do it this way now. We are never in our room, and we love to camp... so it sounded like a winner to us and it's sooooo much cheaper. If worse came to worse we could eat at our site!

Disney really is priceless... and we see it as an investment in our future. For 2 weeks a year we are all moving in the same direction at the same time in the most wonderful place we can think of with the most wonderful people! Each other

In other words... we can not afford not to go!

 

[hollyb]

I agree %100 vacations are so important to us as a family. No phones, no computers just us!!!!!

 

[Beana9802]

Tell you what... I love this thread. It's nice to hear about our fellow disers. Like so many others have said, if you want it bad enough you'll make it happen. Both my husband and I are work in restaurants. He is a bartender, I am a server. We work opposite shifts so there is always someone home with the kids and have the flexibility to take time off when we need to (as long as it's not a holiday) We don't make alot of money, but it's not about the money right now. Our family is our world and we work to live... All of us make sacrifices, not the coolest shoes, or the newest wardrobe, but each one of us has bragging rights to our yearly Disney vacations!! We all plan and contribute to the trip. We make our ressies as far out as possible, pay the 200 deposit and then make as much payments as we can everymonth. Can and bottle return... rebates... even some of those online survey companies (p.s. they really do pay you... we have made over 100 this year) And then of course there is the tax refund The last 2 years we have gotten the dining plan for a couple of reasons... DH likes to not think about the tab when we get there, and we love love love Disney restaurants (we know a little something about restaurants! ) BUT.... now that our youngest turned 3 we are camping at Fort Wilderness in a tent! you see because there is 5 of us we can not stay in a value and the moderates are just a little too much out of our range... so we"ll do it this way now. We are never in our room, and we love to camp... so it sounded like a winner to us and it's sooooo much cheaper. If worse came to worse we could eat at our site!

Disney really is priceless... and we see it as an investment in our future. For 2 weeks a year we are all moving in the same direction at the same time in the most wonderful place we can think of with the most wonderful people! Each other

In other words... we can not afford not to go!

You definitely can't! Thanks for a great post..it makes you think!

 

[Kitka]

We can only go every 2-3 years due to us being a factory worker (DH) and an office manger (me). Our priority is our children being in private school. The tuition would pay annually for a nice week stay at a deluxe resort, but instead we go to a moderate/off site every couple years because the kids school is our priority. Basically, everyone has SOME extra money - and different priorities. For some people vacations (to Disney!) are their priority. For us it's a school. I know once they're out of school travel will become DH and I's #1 priority and we'll visit much more often!

 

[spiceycat]

I have it easy. Single person.

just a few loans and mortages....

but I own DVC and some other timeshares....

this time with a getaweek from skyauction last year - I am going in May, then again in Sept - using my certificiate.... so my costs for these two trips is $334 - staying in a 1-bedroom offsite for a week both times..

plus Spicey so add $100 (pet deposit)
grocery are generally around $75 - so $150

I have my DVC discount so my annual pass is $315

so for around $899 I get two weeks at WDW....staying offsite.

now when I stay onsite I have to consider my maintence fees - but right now I am probably better off renting my DVC and staying offsite..... Although all trips have onsite parts - so add $200 for that - so for $1,099....

of course these great deals are getting harder and harder to find....I waited, looked, searched from October (when I won the auction) to last week to find that one for May....

the one for Sept was pretty easy.

you can find deals - but only if you are willing to stay offsite.

sometimes with AP you can get a value resort (and I do love Pop) for $59. but Disney only gives these great discount during offseason.

with children you must go doing spring, summer, holiday (christmas or thankgiving) time - when WDW is expensive.

Thankgiving is probably your best bid for a deal traveling with kids.

if your kids have a fall break you might consider that time.

Oh I live in b'ham so I drive - forget that cost and that one is going up...up...up.... my car uses up 38 gallons on the trip down and my driving around there. So add another $100.

I have flown - but I don't like to fly....I am a control nut....

 

[Mom to a Princess]

What a great thread. When it comes to Disney planning is key. I am a single mother to a wonderful dd (4 but her birthday is next week!!!) We started our Annual Mom/DD trips last year. I never thought I could afford it on my own. But with careful planning we were able to have a wonderful 5 day/ 4 night vacation last year. This year we are going for 8 days/ 7 nights. In the past we have gone with others and stayed at moderates and above but now that it is just the two of us I find the values to be perfect. Maybe when we are older we will spring for a mod/deleux but for now I can save a lot by staying at values.

DD & I have been through some tough times and planning a trip to Disney is way for both of us to bond and to have something to look forward to. We do without a lot of the extras some people have but never feel as if we are doing without. Like other posters we rarely eat out or go to the movies. We only get what we need while shopping. By saving extra $$ I can induldge DD while at WDW.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

we go every year DH, M, DD and DS we sacrifice throughout the year and we save big time! we book the DAY we get back from vacay and then make payments as we have money! it's awesome and for holidays and such we ask for and give eachother DD (disney Dollars!). I'm a SAHM and DH is just s supervisor, we have only 1 car payment and no CC debt!! we don't have cell phones, we don't have cable even basic! we splurge on bags (i'm a COACH fanatic) but that's about it! the kids have nice clothes and plenty of em but that's in our budget. whatever you want you can truly have it if you want it bad enough. At least that's our theory!