Offered to take a friend... now can't afford it

[Lori of the Lodge]

The good news is, you've got six months to prepare and save for the aditional $700 you need to cover your niece's expenses. It also sounds as if you have at least four (potentially six or more) people who can contribute to the fund.

$700 divided by six months = $116 per month that needs to be saved

$116 divided by four people = $30 each per month
-or-
$116 divided by six people = $20 each per month

This is less than $1 per person per day.

My suggestion: Every day both families throw all of their extra change into a jar. This can be spare change from school lunces, coffee, take out food, etc. Additionally, do you have any old gold jewelry? Trade it for cash. How about having a multi-family yard sale? The teenagers likely both have clothes they've outgrown. Finally, both girls should be looking for opportunities to babysit, wash cars, rake lawns.
Next time your daughter asks for money for clothes or movies remind her that she needs to bring home change to put in the savings jar.

I think it is totally reasonable for each person to find a dollar per day in order to afford this special birthday trip for your daughter and niece.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Good idea about having a hard sale! You might even think about selling things on ebay. I think you would be surprised at the money you could make from the things you already have but don't use. For instance, I just sold a few random things that were taking up space in the house and made a total of about $150. It's very easy to do on ebay. I'm sure you can get tips from this board, but feel free to PM me if I can help you with the procedure. And who knows, the girls might have things they can sell. It's not only lucrative, it's actually fun!

 

[Kay1]

Also, if your husband's hours were cut, rather than just his pay, he'll have extra time to pick up some extra money. I would not uninvite the child as you have plenty of time to come up with the extra money. If the girls got babysitting jobs over the summer, that would be icing on the cake.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

If you can't afford to make good on your invitation then you probably are not in a position to afford the trip at all right now.
Postpone the trip for everyone. I would have a real problem with an adult promising my child a trip, then saying they are still going but can't afford to take MY child.

 

[fac]

This is really hard because her family is really poor and she would never get this opportunity with them. uggh.

You have good suggestions on how to make it happen. I don't have much to add except to agree that it is really hard. People was just telling you what they would have done themselves, don't take it negatively.

If it were me, I would to try to bring her along as well, sometimes fun/memory is not what you do, but whom you are with.

 

[EllenFrasier]

Could you have a garage sale, sell some stuff on Ebay or Craigslist (video games, CD's and DVD's all sell well)? Can your daughter or niece do some babysitting to earn some money towards her share of the trip? Pet sitting is also something they are old enough to do. Sometimes people just want to go out for a day and don't need to kennel their pets, just have someone stop in and let them out for a potty break. Can they have a candle party, or something like that to earn money? September is not that close that there still isn't time.

 

[tlh0726]

If finances are that tight then the trip should be postponed.

To invite a child (regardless of age) and then say we can no longer afford to take you and then still take the trip yourself

I would be sitting everyone down, explaining that the trip may need to be postponed due to the cut in hours, that at this time you foresee being approximately X dollars short in funds. If you cannot come up with this additional amount or make cutbacks on the vacation that equal this amount the trip will have to wait.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I would postpone the entire trip, or find a way to come up with the funds. I would not be able to uninvite someone, then take my family anyway. OP, I bet if you shared your trip and costs us Disser's could help you find a way to shave costs down...and you have 6 months to save money on outings, groceries, have a yard sale etc..etc...

 

[quentina]

^This. If I made that commitment, I'd honor it. Even if it meant postponing.

I agree....I would not break the promise.

 

[2Eskiedogs]

Have a yard sale, garage sale or whatever. I was picking up in my basement today, I found a number of things that will be put on craigslist. Mow lawns, babysit, petsit, dogwalk, picking up alum. cans(we've done this quite a few times), are the girls good students(they could tutor). I think there is plenty of things that can raise money to help cover her costs, or think of replanning your trip.

That would be a bitter pill to swallow to know you couldn't take my kid(that you promised to take with you) and yet your family still goes on the trip. That would make any family function - awkward.

I think a 16yr old might not admit it, but they would still be disappointed.

 

[disneybound31]

There are many ways to earn a little extra a month- is there anyway that OP (instead of DH who had the hours cut?) could pick up more hours or get a second small part-time job? Just over the summer for 2 or three months would be worth it to get everyone there.
On the Disney Visa you can charge the trip and pay what you have saved and pay for Dneices part over a 6 month span with no interest- so it's not 'going into debt' so much as it is a small amount paid equally over 6 months...$740 divided by 6 = $123 per month.

 

[Minnie]

I'm sure that most people would have a difficult time if their income was cut in 1/2.

Based on no further knowledge of your finances other than you can't afford the $1k and this sentence; I would have to advise on postponing the trip. Take a trip closer to home and include your niece then park the balance in your emergency savings account.

WDW will always be there!

 

[PixieTopaz]

Fast forward to now my dh job has cut his hours almost in 1/2 and the money is really tight. We really just can't afford to pay an extra $1000 to take dn now. What should we do? It costs us an extra $740 for her tickets and a bigger room to fit her, plus the airfare. .

There are already 6 of you-what were your accomadations anyway. I am picturing a house or two rooms(which would easily sleep 8)

 

[palmtreegirl]

I would postpone the trip until I could afford to include her.

I think that's the right thing to do.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I'm sure that most people would have a difficult time if their income was cut in 1/2.

If our income was cut in 1/2 we wouldn't take a vacation. Hope things improve for you soon!

 

[punkin]

I think the OP has left us.

 

[luvmy3]

OP, I am not telling you what to do, but I will tell you what I would do in your situation.
If money was so tight that I didn't have an extra $740 to spend then that means I really can't afford to go on a WDW vacation so I would potpone it until I am in a better place financially.

 

[hentob]

Honestly, OP, if $740 is stressing you out enough to renege on a promise, you really can't afford to go to Disney right now

Why not postpone the trip until you have a bit in savings and enough to vacation without stress?

 

[hentob]

I don't know. I feel frustrated right now. I'm sure that most people would have a difficult time if their income was cut in 1/2.

I would have a difficult time going on vacation at all if my income was cut in half.

 

[MarilIncredible]

I think the OP can't decide which story she wants to tell:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=35639646&postcount=2

If you feel comfortable with it, I would do it. I am taking my dn with us for the first time this Sept., but she's a little older. It would be so nice to let her have a special time. My dn is very similar where her parents just don't take her anywhere and her brothers get to do everything. They've (brothers) gone to Disneyland 2 summers in a row and lots of other little trips that she never got to do. I'm having her pay for her flight and tickets. I have to get a room anyway, so that doesn't cost me anything more. We are still hoping for free dining so that she doesnt' have to pay any more for food.