Need love having to sell ;-(

[eliza61]

Scott,

I'm going to sound obnoxiously positive but, while it is sad try and look at the bright side.
I have 1 son starting college and another starting college in 2 years, so in the future I may have to sell also.

1) Yes, you may not be able to leave your kids a membership but you are leaving them with some thing far more valuable.. an education that will help them have successful lives.

2) memories of outstanding family memories. I lost my mom some years back. She left me a small inheritence but you know what I remember. I remember the family picnics to bear mtn. I remember the first wdw trip we took with my girl scounts troop. I honestly don't remember what I spent my inheritence on.

 

[lugnut33]

The bigger point in this discussion is it's so sad that kids and their parents are being saddled with $50,000 to $200,000 tuition bills for something that will have a much greater good for society. It burns my butt that we as a society spend more on criminals each year than students. In Wisconsin: "Housing just one person for a year in a Wisconsin state prison costs $28,000, and it costs $22,000 to keep just one person in a county jail for a year." Compare that with how much NY spends per pupil (which is the highest in the US): "New York State spent $14,119 per student (2005)".

Don't we as a nation have our priorities messed up?

It's getting to the point where our middle class cannot reasonably afford post secondary education.

 

[Muushka]

Scott,

I'm going to sound obnoxiously positive but, while it is sad try and look at the bright side.
I have 1 son starting college and another starting college in 2 years, so in the future I may have to sell also.

1) Yes, you may not be able to leave your kids a membership but you are leaving them with some thing far more valuable.. an education that will help them have successful lives.

2) memories of outstanding family memories. I lost my mom some years back. She left me a small inheritence but you know what I remember. I remember the family picnics to bear mtn. I remember the first wdw trip we took with my girl scounts troop. I honestly don't remember what I spent my inheritence on.

Awww. That was beautiful. PM to E on it's way.

 

[DMKEDM]

Only you can do your personal math, and set your personal priorities...but the thought that occurs to me is: how much does your investment in DVC provide when spread among eight kids?

E.g., say you own 160 points and can sell that contract for $70/point...that's $11,200--take off $1120 for com'n and you're down to about $10,800...divide by 8 kids...that's $1350 or so per kid...add in MFs at say $600/year and you get to around $1410/kid (in the year you give...the math gets "too complicated" for me trying to make the MFs annualize!)...of course, you can also add in the cost of actually going to WDW and that'll up the ante some...

So...figure if you sell your DVC (at 160 points) you'll be able to give each kid somewhere around $1400...that won't buy a year of college anywhere--it won't even buy a semester (altho it may buy a year's or 3 semester's worth of books)...and it won't pay for much of a wedding, either...

It just may be that the level of help the DVC can provide, compared to the joy of going to WDW (presuming your kids love to go, too) is small enough that you "shouldn't" sell after all?

(Buying back in means a higher investment cost, which is also something to consider)...

Now, think about renting...160 points at $10/point is $1600/year...subtract $600 for MFs...that gives you $1000/year to give your kids (and w/any luck you won't need to give to each kid each year, altho it would be "too convenient" if the kids' needs were just one kid per year!)...

So, suspending use of DVC in favor of renting for a few years may "save" your m'ship and still provide almost as much help to your kids as a flat-out sale would???

In any event, great good luck w/whatever decision you make...I don't think comments like whether you "should" help w/college or weddings make much sense...you "should" if you feel you want to and "shouldn't" if you don't feel you want to...it's a personal choice! I know there's nothing in the world I want more than to provide my son's complete (including law school) education... that's my personal choice. I know there's no "law" or even "social requirement" to do this...but I WANT to...and if I had to sell my DVC to do it, I'd cry, but I would...because I want to do that more than I want my DVC...

Massive pixie dust to you...your kids are lucky to have you as parents!

 

[TLSnell1981]

Thanks again to everyone for the hugs. I am not understanding the purchase of the additional 50 points. I guess it would be a separate contract and we could keep it? .

Yes, it's a separate contract. You may consider a resale. They are generally a lot cheaper than a direct add on.

 

[sigillaria]

deleted

 

[chrisw127]

Scott,

I'm going to sound obnoxiously positive but, while it is sad try and look at the bright side.
I have 1 son starting college and another starting college in 2 years, so in the future I may have to sell also.

1) Yes, you may not be able to leave your kids a membership but you are leaving them with some thing far more valuable.. an education that will help them have successful lives.

2) memories of outstanding family memories. I lost my mom some years back. She left me a small inheritence but you know what I remember. I remember the family picnics to bear mtn. I remember the first wdw trip we took with my girl scounts troop. I honestly don't remember what I spent my inheritence on.

Great points, especially #2.

 

[CSJLJJK7]

Once again, thanks for everyones encouragement. I think we got a little off-track however, I don't think I was completely clear in my OP. We are really selling in order to pay the bills and keep everyone fed. Our oldest getting ready to start college was really just the catalyst that made me realize that I was holding on to our DVC for my sake. I paid for my own college and our kids realize that for the most part they will have to as well. The sale of our DVC pays our monthly bills for three months. Its what we have to do. I'm sure that things will get better and we will be back as DVC members soon.

 

[toniosmom]

Once again, thanks for everyones encouragement. I think we got a little off-track however, I don't think I was completely clear in my OP. We are really selling in order to pay the bills and keep everyone fed. Our oldest getting ready to start college was really just the catalyst that made me realize that I was holding on to our DVC for my sake. I paid for my own college and our kids realize that for the most part they will have to as well. The sale of our DVC pays our monthly bills for three months. Its what we have to do. I'm sure that things will get better and we will be back as DVC members soon.

Things are tough for many people right now. In my case, if I ever lost my job, I would likely be selling my DVC. You do whatever it is you need to do. I wish you all the best and hope that one day you can tell us that things have turned around for you and you are a DVC member again.

 

[DeeCee735]

So sorry you find yourself in the position of having to sell. At the very least, you did enjoy your membership, and at the most, you will get your kids through these huge steps in their future and enjoy membership with them again!

We have twins in college.
We are middle income people, both worked our whole lives and we work hard, as do so many. I used to worry myself sick (literally - I'm a breast cancer survivor).
We don't have alot saved, and had as much as possible when they started college 2 years ago, but nowhere near enough. That's already gone
And, yes I'm really laughing . The economy, as we all know, has tanked and so much of what people had riding on that went with it.

However, we have decided, not only after living through our own ordeal, but after losing people we (at least) know and some, we love in tragic ways (and young....in their 40s), drowning, car accident, etc. that life is way too short to worry oneself sick. We are on the "wing and prayer" plan. We pay our bills, and work hard for whatever we have. Our house is small, but expensive. Our 2 cars are not luxury, but practical. Our kids have loans, so do we...to help get them through school. The college fund would take a lifetime to build to get them both through without loans. This is the fact of the way things are. No more worrying about it anymore. God willing, we will all be healthy and safe and happy. The thought of possibily being broke in the future only scares me alittle now, staying healthy and alive and living each day happily with my family, that's all that matters.

So, as irresponsible as it may seem to some (and I'm sure it does), since it's our hard work and our money, we continue to book our trips, enjoy our spending on our life together and work hard to hopefully continue to be able to do all we can while we are young and healthy.

I wish all the best to you and yours....

 

[Disneypirate85]

Don't worry.. you'll be back.. we'll keep the light on for ya!

My sentiments exactly! .....Shawn

 

[CSJLJJK7]

I'm with you Diane. With eight kiddos and no outside help from exes I know I will probably never be able to retire, but thats OK. Planning our next trip even if it was a year or more away, was the thing that got me through a divorce, a bankruptcy, and just all the little things that make you crazy everyday. The DIS and Debs Unofficial (AllEars) were my escape during the hard times. I know that we will survive these tough times, but then I think about all of the great times our family has had at the World. My 4YO DD who has a visual impairment screaming look theres Cinderellas Castle, as we pass ToT. Peter Pan telling my 8 YO DS that he should have his own room in the castle since he was already on his tenth trip. The spontaneous trip (3 hours notice) that my wife and I took when our marriage was very strained that revived our marriage. Laughing so hard with DD's 10 and 12 that we thought we were going to pass out at the AC (maybe it was the laughing or maybe it was the booze). I know we can make memories like that at home or anywhere, but at least in the short term, I will really miss making them at the World. Oh and I forgot, meeting the thousands of great people, like everyone here on the DIS, on every trip. You all really have made me feel better. Thanks so much,

Scott

 

[crisi]

Disney is a great place to create memories - they happen so easily there. But they can happen at home, and the memory of a stable home gives benefits well beyond the escapism of frequent Disney trips. When I was a kid, we took ONE memorable vacation - our other trips were to visit Grandma. I remember that trip fondly, but I also remember summers playing outside and shaking presents under the Christmas tree and dressing up the dog in a tutu.

I hope money gets less tight for you. Money DOESN'T buy happiness - but it sure cuts down on the stress.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Once again, thanks for everyones encouragement. I think we got a little off-track however, I don't think I was completely clear in my OP. We are really selling in order to pay the bills and keep everyone fed. Our oldest getting ready to start college was really just the catalyst that made me realize that I was holding on to our DVC for my sake. I paid for my own college and our kids realize that for the most part they will have to as well. The sale of our DVC pays our monthly bills for three months. Its what we have to do. I'm sure that things will get better and we will be back as DVC members soon.

Things stink for a lot of folks right now. I'm sorry ya'll are going through a tough time.

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

Thanks to all for the encouragement. Crisi is right however, with eight to raise and get out, giving them a full ride or extravagant weddings is certainly not our concern. Feeding them and helping them just a little with college and weddings is. I know selling is the right thing to do, its just hard as I have always dreamed of taking the grandkids to the World. Oh well, maybe the good Lord will turn things around and this is his way of us getting into BLT.

I am hoping things will turn out the best for your family. I don't have personal experience but have dealt with numerous people through The Timeshare Store, Inc.® who have had to sell for whatever reason and come back years later to join again. They are so sad when selling but then so happy to buy back in. I have only worked at TSS since January 2004 but have come across this numerous times. Wanted to share so you know you are not the only one in this position.

Jason