Low Income Single Mom. Need ideas for places like the YMCA that give discounts.

[HelenePA]

Sorry I kind of helped throw it WAYYYYYY off track, *hugs* I bet a single parent has to be 100000 times harder than my job as a mom.

 

[twinklebug]

Wow this thread has taken on a life of it's own. It really has been an interesting read. Goodness... what to say... I am honestly very surprised at the anger toward single moms. Who knew? Perhaps this has been a good eye opener for me. I never knew so many had such ugly thoughts.

For those who had suggestions, I thank you very much.

For those who said weird and angry things completely unrelated to what my OP was... I hope you all find peace and another way to vent your frustration.

Life is an adventure... so are the Disboards. (Are threads really supposed to stay on track? ) I don't think anyone out there was targeting single moms (or dads for that matter)

 

[boomhauer]

I think this type of thread just throws up some red flags.

I've got 3 kids. I'd love to stay at the Poly too. Just not within my budget. If I was ever struggling to send my oldest to summer camp and a member of my family said "Here's a free trip to Disney - You're staying at the Polynesian!!!", my reaction would be "We can stay at Port Orleans. How would you feel about me using the rest of the money to send Johnny to summer camp?"

Do you really believe the family would be upset?

I also find it a bit strange that on another thread entitled "What is your total package price?", she knew exactly how much these gift trips were. No one's ever given me a gift and went out of their way to let me know the cost to the exact cent.

 

[HelenePA]

I think this type of thread just throws up some red flags.

I've got 3 kids. I'd love to stay at the Poly too. Just not within my budget. If I was ever struggling to send my oldest to summer camp and a member of my family said "Here's a free trip to Disney - You're staying at the Polynesian!!!", my reaction would be "We can stay at Port Orleans. How would you feel about me using the rest of the money to send Johnny to summer camp?"

Do you really believe the family would be upset?

I also find it a bit strange that on another thread entitled "What is your total package price?", she knew exactly how much these gift trips were. No one's ever given me a gift and went out of their way to let me know the cost to the exact cent.

Maybe she booked it, someone else paid. My dad actually paid for one night of our two night stay in a hotel once when we took the kids to baltimore for a weekend (I guess I have got a free trip!) I booked he gave me the money.

 

[Anjelica]

A few years ago, we were able to afford to pay for my sister's family of 4 to join us on a WDW trip, as they didn't have the money.

A year later, I did the same with my brother's wife, their two kids, and SILs mother.

For this year's cruise, I'm paying for my nephew, my 22 year old son, his girlfriend, as well as my DH and other son.

In 2001, my mother paid for all of us to go on a road trip to Mount Rushmore from NYC.

I could have given my sister that money to help her pay her bills, but I didn't want to. I wanted to treat her and her kids to a Disney vacation that they wouldn't have been able to take without help. She can figure out how to pay her bills; that's not my business. My business is that I wanted them to be with us on the vacation.

Some people find it hard to believe that vacations can be gifts. I hope someday you're lucky enough to be the recipient of that gift.

Hey Aisling - you caught me on another board... So your paying for my family on the cruise right....LOL. I need to get over there and read up as I haven't hit it the past couple of days.

 

[Aisling]

Hey Aisling - you caught me on another board... So your paying for my family on the cruise right....LOL. I need to get over there and read up as I haven't hit it the past couple of days.

Anjelica, finances are harder these days, and I'm on a seriously strict budget this year, so that I'll be debt-free when we cruise! If I could afford to pay for you, I would! If I were a millionaire, I'd be broke after a short while, because I love buying presents for others. That's what helped me get into debt in the first place!

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

What I really want to know is.....Where in the world can I find relatives to love us so much that they give us free trips to Disney??????

Me too. My parents didn't even take me to WDW as a kid. I grew up 25 minutes from Disneyland and only went maybe 6 times before I was 18. It also seems that the low income, struggling folks are the ones getting trips paid for by family. How come these family members don't spend the $10k on helping them get ahead instead?

 

[mrsklamc]

Hey, I thought I was as conservative as they come, but trust me, there are far worse abuses of the system going on than a woman who qualifies for the EIC credit and saves enough to go to WDW.

I know women who turn their noses up at me for shopping at goodwill and garage sales, while they dress their kids in brand names, full price from the mall, that I wish I could afford. And then they brag about being on welfare.

I know a girl who works 2 jobs and goes to college who can't qualify for assistance for her daughter, who is openly mocked by her sister who sits home living on welfare.

I know countless people who get food stamps but still manage to scrounge a couple hundred dollars a month for their two pack a day smoking habit.

At least this woman is working to make memories for her kids instead of giving herself a cancer we're going to end up paying for.

If you're upset about what you pay in taxes, get on the phone or write to your senator, which might actually do some good en masse, instead of taking it out on some woman who sounds like she actually is working and trying to maximize the $ she actually makes instead of going on welfare.

 

[summerrluvv]

The OP said she was going to visit the Social Services office for assistance.

Summer Camp is a luxury. Vacations are a luxury. My personal opinion is that $12,000.00 could have been put to better use rather than a few weeks on a luxury vacation, especially on such a low income. Feel free to flame away at me though for expressing MY opinion.

Summer camp is a luxury? Hmm, tell that to working parents that need childcare for the summer

 

[boomhauer]

Summer camp is a luxury? Hmm, tell that to working parents that need childcare for the summer

You don't think there are less expensive alternatives to summer camp?

 

[summerrluvv]

You don't think there are less expensive alternatives to summer camp?

LOL! No! A babysitter where I live is more than the cost of summer camp. FYI, we are talking about daycamp, not sleepaway camp. The cheapest here is $250 and that's usually through a daycare center. An actual daycamp is roughly $350 to $400 a week.

 

[JunkyardWillie]

Summer camp is a luxury? Hmm, tell that to working parents that need childcare for the summer

It depends on what you mean by "summer camp". If you are referring to what is basically just babysitting, then I agree, it's not a luxury.

But I know of some summer camps that cost thousands of dollars a week. Those ARE a luxury.

 

[summerrluvv]

It depends on what you mean by "summer camp". If you are referring to what is basically just babysitting, then I agree, it's not a luxury.

But I know of some summer camps that cost thousands of dollars a week. Those ARE a luxury.

Right..but when I specifically said and others have said that they utilize summer camp in order to "work" do you think we/they are sending their children to thousand dollar a week camps? Do you think the YMCA is a $1000 a week camp? I swear people argue just to argue around here. Next time try to read AND comprehend what people are saying and don't try to twist things around for the sake of TRYING to create an argument.

 

[crisi]

Fair enough, but the OP didn't ask for financial assistance. She just asked for 'discounts/rate cuts/scholarships for low-income, single moms.'

That is quite different in my book.

But that isn't different. Those programs are funded - generally through a combination of taxes and charity.

One of my very good friends has his career in running charitable organizations. You can get a great rant out of him on middle class people who take resources from the poor - leaving nothing to those that are truly poor. The dollars a charity has to spend are not endless, and he is currently working on housing people who would otherwise be homeless, not housing people so they can go to Disney.

 

[summerrluvv]

But that isn't different. Those programs are funded - generally through a combination of taxes and charity.

One of my very good friends has his career in running charitable organizations. You can get a great rant out of him on middle class people who take resources from the poor - leaving nothing to those that are truly poor. The dollars a charity has to spend are not endless, and he is currently working on housing people who would otherwise be homeless, not housing people so they can go to Disney.

So now scholarship programs and grants come from federal income taxes and are government assistance? Really reaching there. I sincerely hope none of the bashers on here have children that will receive scholarships or grants for college.

 

[summerrluvv]

Oddly enough, I just received an email regarding a single parent discount at Beaches. I guess those that partake in the discount should be bowing down to those married folks who are paying more huh?

http://www.sandals.com/massmails/Si...T.mc_id=SPFta_APR08&email=SUMMERDAY76@AOL.COM

 

[crisi]

So now scholarship programs and grants come from federal income taxes and are government assistance? Really reaching there. I sincerely hope none of the bashers on here have children that will receive scholarships or grants for college.

All the above is funded through your taxes and or your charitable dollars. Yes. scholarships and grants as well. I could rant, but I don't think its appropriate, about people with yearly trips in their signature that involve the Poly who now, with kids facing college, don't have a dime saved for it and then complain about the lack of financial aid, but I won't. They made those choices - they may wish to be aware while making them that there are fewer scholarships and grants than they imagine, and the financial aid office expects a large parental contribution.

The OP has a very limited discretionary income. She is using that to take her kids to Disney. That's fine with me, her money. She needs financial aid for her kids summer programs, that is fine as well with me, I frankly don't have an issue with it, but I think people should recognize that these resources are limited and where the money comes from and not think funding for these programs falls from the sky. I do think that spending money on vacations to Disney when money is tight in a down economy without a recovery in sight is not very bright - but I hope she has good luck so she doesn't need to find out why I think that.

 

[summerrluvv]

All the above is funded through your taxes and or your charitable dollars. Yes. scholarships and grants as well. I could rant, but I don't think its appropriate, about people with yearly trips in their signature that involve the Poly who now, with kids facing college, don't have a dime saved for it and then complain about the lack of financial aid, but I won't. They made those choices - they may wish to be aware while making them that there are fewer scholarships and grants than they imagine, and the financial aid office expects a large parental contribution.

The OP has a very limited discretionary income. She is using that to take her kids to Disney. That's fine with me, her money. She needs financial aid for her kids summer programs, that is fine as well with me, I frankly don't have an issue with it, but I think people should recognize that these resources are limited and where the money comes from and not think funding for these programs falls from the sky. I do think that spending money on vacations to Disney when money is tight in a down economy without a recovery in sight is not very bright - but I hope she has good luck so she doesn't need to find out why I think that.

Well, fortunately for her, her family is paying for the trip planned for her and her children

 

[Loverly]

I was going to agree! According to the state...I make to much to qualify for any assistance...but I am paycheck to paycheck...but...yanno... some people make sacrifices for things THEY want... because..it's just that...what YOU want. My time with my kids at Disney beats anything else I can imagine... yes...even going without cable, phone or internet and extra munchie food for awhile

I can't imagine living substandarly 360 days a year in order to take a 5 day luxury vacation, when you live paycheck to paycheck. I responded to your long post the other day about how you thought the high price of gas was preventing your kids from seeing thier fathers (who live elsewhere) -but now I can't find it ....anyway in that post you didn't see how you could even afford the gas it was going to take to drive to work after your maternity leave.

There are tons of FUN vacations anyone can take close to home that cost a LOT less than Disney and are fun times with your kids. WE went to the beach, the lake, Six Flags, the Zoo, Aquariums, lots and lots of fun things nearby that didn't cost the Thousands of $$$ that WDW costs.

 

[Pinnie]

To the OP.

I thought you said that your trips were paid for by family.

That is not what you said here:

I cannot wait to have all BF and I need for our vacation. We have spent a lot of money on this, and our children are really looking forward to this trip. Hopefully we will get everything in the mail by Friday.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22841124&postcount=35

I am not picking on you because you are a single mom. Heaven knows that it is a difficult job, but when you post one thing and then another, well, it makes me question your statetments.

pinnie