Nosey

[trainingupmy4princes]

My DH is part owner in a small business, computer software. So he has up to 6 weeks off but never takes it all. I am a SAHM. Most of our vacations have been around 10 days. But twice I convinced him to take 2 weeks. But he works at night while down there as the company ends up having emergencies he has to handle. The vacation time is misleading as he can never truly use it all because he is pretty much needed all the time. Someday if the business becomes successful enough to grow more then he'll be able to take longer vacations. Of course, with this economy it may be awhile.

As far as the money part, we go during value season and look for discounts like free dining. We couldn't afford 10 days for our size of family paying full price.

 

[entropy63]

I'm a single father with 2 boys full-time. I own my own IT consulting firm which is nice, but even at Disney I still carry my cell and my laptop is back in the room to work if I need it. I do ok, but I am far from rich. I have to plan 6+ months out. I bought DVC a few years ago so it makes the trip easier and not as expensive. I only get to take a week or so off to take the boys.

 

[cglaura]

I am self employed, so I have to budget in my time off. I can take as much time as I want, but the caveat is, no paid vacation! Usually I just try to do as much extra work as I can beforehand. I am luck to work with a great design firm and get a Christmas bonus every year, so that makes up the difference.

As for paying for the trip (we are going 15 days this year...in 6 more days ).... I also do online surveys, product testing, gpt sites. I've been saving the rewards for a little over 2.5 years, so all but $95 was paid from them (I've posted in the Rewards Board about what sites, etc.).

And if I wasn't such a sucker, it would have been $100% paid, but dd always wanted to try LeCellier, so that is one of her extra graduation treats.

Alot of my budget allowance is living frugally as well, no credit card debt, no car payments, etc. I pretty much only buy what we need, and we wait for birthdays and Christmas for big stuff (cameras, phone, special/extra clothes). Our only dining out is a pizza every once in awhile. That we'd do regardless of finances though, we just don't enjoy eating out.

 

[Metsoskil]

OK..I'm just plain nosey here...for those blessed people who can take 14+ day trips:

What do you and your spouse do for a living?
How are you able to take off that many days straight from work?

I can't even imagine leaving work for 10 working days...I'd have SO much to do when I got back! I can understand affording it all, I think, with lots of saving, or being blessed financially...

Just curious...

We're both teachers. We have a tight monthly budget that we stick to - ie. DW takes a calculator to the grocery store. DW is the science department chair in her high school, and I am the head teacher at my elementary school. Our stipends pay for our vacations (DW and a week at Rehoboth Beach every summer). Since it is money we get outside of our regular paychecks, it's not included in our monthly budget, and our monthly budget includes all of our payments to our savings & retirement accounts so the stipends are freed up.

 

[Heidijs]

If they're thinking the same as me (I'm a CPA), sounds like somebody may be doing a little "cheating" on their taxes. You can't just choose a lot of things like head of household status & how dependents are claimed. While I'm all for keeping as much $ out of Uncle Sam's (or Obama's, as the case may be) hands, there are ways these things work & they can't just be changed to get the best deal possible.

Okay, I have our taxes done by an accountant and here's our sceneria...boyfriend claims TWO children from a previous marriage...claims the mortgage interest on our house...last year he got $6000 back...WE'RE NOT MARRIED....

I claim head of household and claim our daughter...I claim her daycare...I pay our insurance pre-taxed...I get about $5000 back...

Yes, it's legit...we've been getting these amounts back for YEARS...I wouldn't have the first CLUE how to cheat on my taxes nor would I ever do it...for the record, his taxable income is about $40K and mine comes out to about $38K after retirement and insurance is pretaxed out of my checks...last year we both started claming 1 on our payroll and still got almost $11,000 between the two of us...I claim single head of household with one child, he claims single with 2 children...I'm sure now you see why we get so much back...I've told this scenerio to many tax preparers and they said it sounded pretty typical!

We also have had our accountant run "scenerios" for best returns...since we're not married, he too could chose to claim head of household...claim our daughter along with his...claim daycare...but the way we split it, we get the best possible return...

 

[Dr. M]

Okay, I have our taxes done by an accountant and here's our sceneria...boyfriend claims TWO children from a previous marriage...claims the mortgage interest on our house...last year he got $6000 back...WE'RE NOT MARRIED....

I claim head of household and claim our daughter...I claim her daycare...I pay our insurance pre-taxed...I get about $5000 back...

Yes, it's legit...we've been getting these amounts back for YEARS...I wouldn't have the first CLUE how to cheat on my taxes nor would I ever do it...for the record, his taxable income is about $40K and mine comes out to about $38K after retirement and insurance is pretaxed out of my checks...last year we both started claming 1 on our payroll and still got almost $11,000 between the two of us...I claim single head of household with one child, he claims single with 2 children...I'm sure now you see why we get so much back...I've told this scenerio to many tax preparers and they said it sounded pretty typical!

We also have had our accountant run "scenerios" for best returns...since we're not married, he too could chose to claim head of household...claim our daughter along with his...claim daycare...but the way we split it, we get the best possible return...

This is a very kind response to accusations from a CPA who has no idea who you are or what your particular situation is. I personally would have been very insulted and my response would have been rather scathing. Anyway, you did not owe anyone a detailed explanation of your personal situation, but thank you for your effort at setting the record straight. I'm glad you are getting your hard-earned money back from those who might otherwise squander it.

 

[TBLaube]

I am in the military so I get 30 days of leave per year. When deployed, the days build up because you can't use them. I am back on shore duty and volunteered to deploy last year so I should be home for the summer (that of course could change quickly. We deployed hundreds of people from my command to help in Haiti...it is always a gamble) Last year I bought into DVC and got a year in developer points and stayed at SSR for nine nights in a studio. I then rented out my 2009 points to help cover expenses. Plus the military discount tix were a steal last year. This year I don't get a free ticket but it is still a great deal. And if we prepurchase on base there are no taxes. We will add the water park and more option and get four days in the parks and two DQ visits and one each to TL and BB. The couple of days in between will be to relax by the pool. Last year I also ordered groceries and we had breakfast in the room and even had some lunches and dinners. That saved a bunch!
One of my trips was cut short adn I had to come home a couple of days early and that was very depressing, but that is always a possibility.
We are staying 8 nights in a LV Studio at BLT and then 2 nights at Poly out of pocket but have a 40% discount in a GV. Youngest son has been begging to stay there forever. This will be the only time I spend $250/night in a room!!!!!!! By staying in a studio vice a one bedroom (which is fine for three of us), I will be renting the rest of my 2010 points and that will pay for the QSDP.
We also pack a few big boxes of cereal, some oatmeal packets, and snacks to help save money. That is a big help.

 

[Heidijs]

This is a very kind response to accusations from a CPA who has no idea who you are or what your particular situation is. I personally would have been very insulted and my response would have been rather scathing. Anyway, you did not owe anyone a detailed explanation of your personal situation, but thank you for your effort at setting the record straight. I'm glad you are getting your hard-earned money back from those who might otherwise squander it.

I know, I feel stupid offering our personal information out there but I'd be the last one who'd have a clue on how one "cheats" on taxes??? How does one do that??? I use a CPA and have for years...most of our return is federal...we don't get much back for state...I've even went through every line on our taxes when she gives them back to us and everything is correct and where it should be and no "wrong" numbers...I get a break for being a single mom who pays a LOT in daycare and health insurance and my partner claims our huge mortgage interest and two kids...no cheating here and our CPA is good about figuring out who should claim what...and we've claimed the same since day one since I don't think you can really switch back and forth but we could our DD we have together...I can't claim his obviously and I stay Head of household since I make less and get a bigger break...The IRS scares the crap out of me...for a while my partner was getting paid cash on the side for a job and I freaked and made him start claiming it!!! Even our CPA warned us...but once we figure in mileage...it doesn't effect his return much...

 

[paintnolish]

Teacher and future teacher (student right now). Long summer trips are ours forever!

 

[Heidijs]

Teacher and future teacher (student right now). Long summer trips are ours forever!

I so wished I worked at a school for summers off!!!!

 

[PKWallaby]

If I understand the question:
My DH works for a paper mill, has 7 or 8 (I forget?) wks vacation per year that he uses for hunting, out-of-town ball tournaments (for himself) and hockey tourneys (for our DS)... I beg every year for more time to go to WDW, so far he relented to a 16 day trip in 2007 and 15 days in 2009 (usually he gives WDW one week of his treasured vacation, plus adds on a few days since he "makes trades" to get more time off while still using one week vacation (perfectly legit, just means working a couple 16 hr days before or after we go). Since I suspect the place runs better without him, no worries about him being gone that long

I work for an insurance company and after staying home 9 years, returned with full credit for past service and have 5 wks PTO plus 4 floating days. I would use all of it in WDW, but finances insist otherwise. When I am gone that long, no one else really handles my desk so it takes another week to gain control once I return...

We (I) purchased DVC with our increased salary when I went back in 2008. Unfortunately I think we spend more per year now on vacation since we don't have to pay for the hotel

 

[shellybaxter]

Dh works for the US Forest Service - has worked there over 20 years - gets 8 weeks of vacation and all of the national holidays

I work for a community college and get 30 days of vacation each year (5 weeks) and 17 holidays (national plus breaks)

We go on a two week vacation to WDW every year and a couple of long weekend visits to Vegas and still have to take extra time off when we are "just home"

 

[andee515]

I am a physician assistant in a county clinic, my husbands a stay at home dad. Between holidays/vacation/comp time etc I get @6-7 weeks off a year. I hate going anywhere for less than 10-14 days, We always take extended vacations. We spend way too much monay on vacations, but thats what we splurge on.

 

[paintnolish]

I so wished I worked at a school for summers off!!!!

Yeah, but we'll only be able to stay value! JK...we might spring for a mod once in a while.

 

[canfield77]

My DH is a gas worker for Chesapeake Drilling Co. The way his work schedule is, is he works 12 hour days for two weeks on, and then gets two weeks off. This is EVERY two weeks. So he only works two weeks every month, or only six months out of the year. I am a SAHM and self-employed/work from home. He makes an average income working the two weeks a month, because he gets about 44 hours of overtime each week he works. Now, whenever we want to plan a vacation, DH can pick up additional hours at the rig on the two weeks he has off, and that means twice as much money as we are used to, so we save it. Then when it comes time for vacation, he doesn't have to take off or use vacation time (because he doesn't get any vacation time, he gets enough time off), we don't have a break in pay, and we don't have to worry about my schedule. Plus, we usually get great deals because he is in the military (like the 40% off room rates at Disney right now, plus tickets for only $99 a person for four days). We usually use some tax refund money as well, and we usually only take one vacation per year. We are lucky!

 

[dpknoll]

We go off season (August) with free dining promo and stay at value resorts in order to stay as long as we do. I am a teacher and can only get there during peak seasons (no way) or the summer. Nobody in my family minds the heat so we choose summer - it's a nice way for my daughter and I to end our summer vacation. My husband is self employed so as long as he can connect to the internet he can be anywhere to work =)

 

[ScrapperBelle]

My DH and I both work in his family's business. Our trips have always been 12-14 days, but 2 of those are for travel, so we have 10-12 onsite. We don't take other trips throughout the year, no "weekends away" or anything like that. There are several weeks a year where we work 7 days, so we love having our time away to relax. DH refuses to take short trips because he says it's too much hassle and it seems like you spend all your time packing, traveling, unpacking, repacking, and traveling back. I have to agree with him on that!

We both get paid for our time off and I work all year at paying our bills ahead so that when vacation time comes, we don't owe anything and we are able to take our vacation weeks pay "free and clear". Our family members all know that we love our WDW trips, so they give us money for bdays, Christmas, etc. which we put toward our trip. We're very lucky and blessed in that regard.

 

[ckdsnynt]

Same for city workers...0% cost of living/raises here this year! WOO HOO!!! Oh but our health insurance went way up...yep, vacation and sick time is about all it's worth...DH is head of streets and is very underpaid...

Try four years without a raise and now talking about furloughs due to poor revenues in our state! You won't see my kids working for the state.

 

[lynnebla]

I know, I feel stupid offering our personal information out there but I'd be the last one who'd have a clue on how one "cheats" on taxes??? How does one do that??? I use a CPA and have for years...most of our return is federal...we don't get much back for state...I've even went through every line on our taxes when she gives them back to us and everything is correct and where it should be and no "wrong" numbers...I get a break for being a single mom who pays a LOT in daycare and health insurance and my partner claims our huge mortgage interest and two kids...no cheating here and our CPA is good about figuring out who should claim what...and we've claimed the same since day one since I don't think you can really switch back and forth but we could our DD we have together...I can't claim his obviously and I stay Head of household since I make less and get a bigger break...The IRS scares the crap out of me...for a while my partner was getting paid cash on the side for a job and I freaked and made him start claiming it!!! Even our CPA warned us...but once we figure in mileage...it doesn't effect his return much...

I'm sorry, I should have read my post before replying. It was much harsher than I intended. There are a lot of intricacies in how head of household can be claimed, who can claim children & how credits work in your type of situation. When I read your post & someone commenting on it, I thought of the many people I've dealt with who try to "use" the system and claim things a little differently than they should to get a better tax deal than they really ought. I'm sorry I implied that this applied to you. I'm a little jaded after years of dealing with people and taxes and often see the worst when people give scenarios.

Again, I'm sorry to have implied that you had bad intentions or had cheated the government, though more power to anyone who can keep as much as possible of their own money out of the government's hands legally. That's always my goal!

 

[Disneyadore]

Perhaps so they can gear their career towards that direction?

I don't see any one change his career from unemployed to a CEO just because he read this threat.