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[tinaluis]

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation or when we retire.
The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with ... and remember that time waits for no one.
So, stop waiting ... Until your car or home is paid off. Until you get a new car or home. Until your kids leave the house. Until you go back to school. Until you finish school. Until you lose 5 lbs. Until you gain 5 lbs. Until you get married. Until you get a divorce. Until you have kids. Until you retire. Until summer. Until spring. Until winter. Until fall. Until you die. There is no better time than right now to be happy.

Well said. Thanks for sharing.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Yup, while WDW is our favorite (hence the many times a year) we also travel every year to the ocean (New Hampshire) for a week along w/ weekend trips and a cruise every couple years or so but the brunt of our "spendable income" is for Disney. Its what we like to do and find the cost is well worth it. Now...don't put me at the Cape, I hate that place and wouldn't spend $50 a night....not my cup of tea. Diff strokes for diff folks.

ETA...I was one of the people who took advantage of the 40% deal to do a cash weekend night at OKW before the points kick in and feel I was getting a great!! deal.

Thanks....just curious.
I think people LOVE or Hate the Cape.

 

[brittsmum1998]

Curious......I would hate to think people just limit themselves to WDW.

Now I don't understand this. While we don't limit ourselves to WDW (although i would be fine if we did I get my moneys worth) so what if people do...maybe thats all they like. My grandfather only likes to go to Hollywood Beach, FL and does so every year for a few weeks. Just because you don't like to limit yourself, doesn't mean other people feel the same way
Before our DD we travelled extensively and now with Britt we find WDW is just about the best place for us at this time other than the ocean
and we are perfectly happy this way.

I hope this doesn't come off as snarky...I DON'T mean it to be

 

[brittsmum1998]

Thanks....just curious.
I think people LOVE or Hate the Cape.

You were typing as I was....I HATE the cape my best friend LOVES it and other than them coming to WDW in November 2007, they only/always go to the Cape...go figure

 

[JoyG]

Thanks....just curious.
I think people LOVE or Hate the Cape.

Oh, I loved the Cape! We took our family vacation last summer there. It was cheap and there was plenty to do to keep us occupied for a whole week.

 

[disykat]

Just another of my 2 cents...

It won't let me quote your comment about some people budgeting for the Grand Floridian. Obviously, different people have different budgets and you can look for a deal at any price point - but I don't think there's anyone on the DIS who doesn't get that the Grand Floridian is not considered the cheapest option available - no matter what your deal! If there are, I'm amazed.

The OP specifically referenced people whose 40% off still meant hotel rooms that were several hundred dollars a night after the discount, so I stand by my original comment wondering why people who got $45 dollar rates felt like she was talking about them.

 

[crunchymomma]

We take a family vacation every year. We pay for it using our tax refund!

 

[HelenePA]

uh it would also make sense since this is a DISNEY board most people would post about their disney vacations most of all?? Yes we go other places during the year but disney is our big trip, dh only as so much time off and after this week at disney he's gonna need time off when I have the baby, dr apts ect ect we usually do a few weekend trips but that's it.

 

[Cinerbelle]

Hi!! What doesn't add up?? I was raised in a household where our mantra was "Use it up. Wear it out. Make do or do without!!!" I clip coupons and only buy clothes on sale... I just got two pairs of new jeans last week for a total of 20 bucks...my first new pair in 4 or 5 years!!! Sure, we could just plunk down the cash and go My original post I just didn't see how let us say a two school teacher family could. That said...thanks to all of you "real" people who wrote and gave me ways that you do afford it. It makes a lot more sense now.
Christine

I think the whole "school teacher" example is pretty funny. My Sister is a normal High School teacher here in So. Ca. She doesn't even have her Masters and she made $93k last year when you add her base pay, summer school pay and coaching pay. $93k is nothing to shake a stick at... now if her Hubby was a Teacher too they would be rolling in the dough! Teachers make better money then they used to...and some school districts pay better then others. She happens to be in a darn good one. I would say 2 Teachers making almost $200k could take a few vacations a year...depending how they lived the rest of the time.

 

[bdcp]

If it's no one's business why would you state your private information?
I don't think the OP was trying to make people defensive.....it was just a thought and a question they were asking.

Private information? What exactly did I post that was "private"? Private info would be our salaries, where we live, what our bills are, what our names, phone numbers, addresses are? I think the OP is asking a question that really isn't something they need to be concerned about unless they are envious.

BTW, are you a "real" person? FYI, that was my point.

 

[mickeyfan2]

BTW, are you a "real" person?

I have already proved I am not a "real" person.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

OP, you sound like sour grapes to me. Not sure how "real" we are, but our WDW trips have been priceless and worth every penny.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I just start laughing at people who think they have gotten a "great" deal with the 40 percent off rate, but the rooms are between 400 and 500 dollars with a rack rate!!! If we stay in a hotel, I rarely pay more than a hundred dollars. I guess I am just cheap. I got back from a doctor's meeting with my husband and they wanted us to pay 350 dollars a night at the hotel. Instead I found a great condo for us to stay at for 80 dollars a night that was a 5 minutes free shuttle from the meeting/ski slopes. We payed 1600 total for the two of us to fly, stay and get a rental car. We would have paid more that that for just the hotel if we had stayed there. So I look at all these people and think....who is paying this much money to stay there???? Are there houses paid off, kids colleges saved for, etc. The money could go to a much better use!!!! That said, I am thinking we are going to stay at the All-Music Suites but at 111 it is more than I usually pay to stay anywhere. I guess it just worries me that "real" people are mortgaging their futures for a trip. This will be our one and only trip and I am really trying to keep us under 3000 for the 5 of us for the week, which still seems REALLY expensive for a vacation!!!

Christine

We pay cash for all our vacations (several per year, 1 or 2 of those to WDW). We don't feel the money could be put to better use. We'd rather go on vacations and have wonderful memories together and have our son get out and see the world while he's growing up. He does have a college fund and his schooling will be completely paid for by the time he's 18 (he's 3 now).

Obviously, we don't give a rat's flaming patootie if others don't agree with our choices. We aren't getting any financial help from anyone else, so they can bite us!

 

[DOOM1001]

Well I live about a 3.5 hour drive from Orlando and try to make it to the parks at least once a month,there are times in the year I'll go like twice a month and there are times I won't go for 2 months.I have Disney seasonal passes that cost me about $220 to renew yearly and also have Universal AP's at $100 a year and the Busch Gardens/Sea World Platinum passes for all their parks.So I go often and maintain AP's for all these parks but for me to do this I know I won't be staying at no Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge,instead I book rooms through Hotwire that cost me like $45 plus tax.Many times these rooms that I get for $45 go for over $100 through their website so it's a pretty good deal,you just never know what hotel you get until you actually book.I'll stay at a Disney hotel once or twice a year but never the deluxe hotels.Also table service meals are maybe once for every 5 counter service meal.Also most of my trips are between 1-4 days,yes there are days I'll go just for the day,no hotel needed.But the truth is over the years of doing those day trips I do them less and less as they wear you out,but if there's something special you want to see at the parks and it's bunched between 2 days you have to work,you bet I'll be going for only 1 day.I know most people prefer to go to Disney for a week or more staying at a deluxe hotel and eating only table service meals,but usually these are people who go once a year or maybe 5 years, for me I know I have to go constantly no matter what and would honestly go crazy if I left a Disney trip knowing I wouldn't be back for a year or two.

 

[WaltD4Me]

You know, every time I go to Disney, I walk around saying in my head (and sometimes out loud) "Worth every penny." Is going to Disney cheap? Nope, but to me, it's still worth every penny. I save and give up other things to go to Disney because to me it's important and worth it. Sure, I could stay off property and save a few bucks, but I could also pitch a tent and go camping and save alot more. Life is about choices. Today I chose not to buy a new wallet I didn't really need and I skipped the Starbucks, but I will be going to Disney and it will worth every penny and then some.

 

[Bribrittmom]

We are a "real" family. We earn a good income, we pay our bills on time, we have lots of equity and retirement savings but we carry a lot more debt than we should. For me, it's about balance. As long as we can pay our bills and pay down some debt, I'm okay with some discretionary spending. We stay offsite in rented condos so that we can have breakfasts and light meals/snacks there instead of eating out every meal. We fly out of NY instead of Canada, and reserve rental car months in advance to get the best deal. Meals that we eat out are often offsite (Golden Corral, etc) but we will do a couple of special TS meals as well. Budgeting and prioritizing what we want or need from our vacation means that we can go for a fairly reasonable price.

We are willing to be inconvenienced to save a buck, but I am quite willing to spend that buck somewhere else on something I perceive to be better value. I apply that same principle to my everyday spending. When something is on sale, I stock up. I rarely pay full price for a big ticket item. Saving money in one area allows me to spend it somewhere else.

We aren't the most financially responsible people you will ever meet, as evidenced by the fact that I am willing to spend a coupleo of thousand dollars on a vacation; money that could undoubtedly be put to better use elsewhere.

My 54 yr old cousin just died on Tuesday, after being diagnosed with a very agressive cancer only a few months ago. Fine one day, dead less than 6 months later. I bet his wife and children are not remembering all the bills he paid. I am okay with having some debt, and enjoy living my life.[/QUOTe

I second your thoughts. While I wish I was debt free I'm not going to live without some fun. Life is too short to not build memories with your family.

 

[HappyLawyer]

Each vacation taken is priceless, there are so many people who don't even get to travel locally let alone to Florida or other destinatons. I have always wanted to stay at the Poly, but if not in my budget, i can get a villa off skyauction for 7 nights for the price of 1 night at the poly, so i make adjustments. Vacations are what you make of them, and i have also learned not to judge anyone elses pockets by my own. If i did not think a vacation was worth it, then we would not go. This year is tight and i am trying to do other things, so we elected not to travel this year and wipe out bills and travel next year instead.

 

[choirfarm]

I think the whole "school teacher" example is pretty funny. My Sister is a normal High School teacher here in So. Ca. She doesn't even have her Masters and she made $93k last year when you add her base pay, summer school pay and coaching pay. $93k is nothing to shake a stick at... now if her Hubby was a Teacher too they would be rolling in the dough! Teachers make better money then they used to...and some school districts pay better then others. She happens to be in a darn good one. I would say 2 Teachers making almost $200k could take a few vacations a year...depending how they lived the rest of the time.

WOW!! The first year I taught, I made 18,500 and dh and I had a hard time living on it since he was in his last year of med school. He had to travel to find residencies and pay 1000 for his big test he had to take to get his M.D. The last year I taught, I think I made 25,000. So salaries must have gone up!!!

Christine

 

[Aliceacc]

I started in 1980 at $9600. (yes, there are only 2 zeros there.)

Several decades later, I'm nowhere that $93K number. Neither is my husband.

 

[choirfarm]

Nope, both sides of the family are schoolteachers for many generations, which is why I used teachers as examples. My side of the family never travelled. Dh's side would take one big 2 week trip every year. We just couldn't afford to go anywhere. Hence, my question.

Christine