Victoriasmom98
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2009
- Messages
- 2,785
Ok, here I am to complain…..vent…..ugh! So if you don’t read this post, that is totally understandable….
As I’ve mentioned before, I work for State government. I love my job, I really do, but we haven’t received a pay raise in 4 years and it looks like there won’t be another one this year either. Ok, so, I don’t like it, but I have a job with benefits, so I can deal with that. There are some states/city governments that have layoffs and I just saw on the news that one city dropped the pay of all their employees down to minimum wage. Ugh! So, I really am thankful about the income I have. Having said all that, the State also has changed its insurance company to Aetna from Anthem. Ok, well, I will give that a chance. Between Victoria and I there are quite a few specialist that we see, so I’m anxious about the copays on the visits. Well, today I went to the pharmacy and was charged $70 for a 90 day supply of synthroid!!! $70!!??
With Anthem I was only paying $30! Needless to say this really wasn’t in the budget and it really upsets me. Yes, I had the money to pay for it (we got paid today) but OMG!!! I know, I know, I am lucky to have insurance, but it’s just I wasn’t prepared for that. Peter and I keep our money separate for the most part and I am so sick of scrimping and living right to the dollar, paycheck to paycheck. It really sucks. Again, I know I should be thankful I have a job with benefits, but still…..
Ok, rant over. Sorry about that.
Anyways, Disney has put its prices out for 2013 today and of course I just HAD to look it all over. I mean, c’mon.
It wouldn’t be normal if I didn’t, right? I plan on booking the bounceback offer no matter what it is and hope it’s Free Dining or that Free Dining will come out during our dates. So, anyways, I’m planning on booking POP preferred location with upgrade to DDP instead of quick service ($3075), but will secretly be saving money for Animal Kingdom Lodge --- savannah view ($5467)! Wow….now that I write that I can see it’s a difference of $2,300 ---- Holy Fudge!! 
That’s another trip (almost) in and of itself……You all know that things come up --- new tires needed, insurances to pay, Christmas…ugh! And the above-mentioned prescription thing. Am I totally dreaming that I can pull this off, aren’t I? 
Ok, so let’s work the numbers. Let’s say there are 26 more pay periods until Trip 2013. Usually we get a joint tax refund of about $2,500 which automatically goes to the vacation fund. That leaves a difference of approximately $2,967 to divide by 26 pay periods --- that means I would have to put aside $114.12 every pay period from the time we get back this year until Trip 2013. It would have to be a tad bit more as we have to pay off the trip at the 45 day mark so let’s say $125 per week. Realistically, that can be done. 
Victoria wanted to stay at the Poly, but that’s over $6,000 ---- way out of the budget unless it was just a Mommy/Daughter trip. Here’s another dilemma for you planners out there ---- let’s say the bounceback IS free dining…….would you book Pop or AKL? 
If we book AKL and then end up not being able to afford it, would there be any rooms left at Pop? And if there are no rooms at Pop, what do we do then??? Do they have to give us Free Dining somewhere? See these are the things I spend time thinking about. Weird, huh? I really need opinions on what I should do! 
I think I know have enough clothes for both Victoria and I for this year’s trip. I was able to buy her 4 more pairs of pants that I will cut into shorts at Wal-mart for a total of $10!!! Boy, don’t I love the clearance racks. Just need to pick up bras and undies for me and maybe socks. I’m not sure yet on that one. Oh, did I mention I was now at 37 days??? Yesiree Bob! It’s coming so fast now. Pretty soon my ticker will not show “1 month and so many days” it will just be in DAYS!!!! That’s exciting!! I’m going to have to get the suitcase out and do a double check on the power strip, batteries, etc that can already be packed. I wait until the night before to pack clothes. Nikki over at the August thread made all of us “Team August’ers” a really cool nametag for our bags. I already have those on both my camera and park bags.
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee453/nikkigwdw/Team August/Screenshot2012-07-07at80214PM.png
I also bought Peter some Airborne. I’ve read on the boards that this is one thing that really helps people if you start taking it before you go on the plane. I’m hoping it works because he was sick on the last 2 trips.
I WANT MICKEY MAIL!!!!
Some of Team August already have theirs and they said they got theirs around the 32 day mark. Ugh! I’m so impatient! I need to email my TA to see if she’s received them yet. Oh, hurry up already!Well, I have sad news about my chickens. I only have 1 left of the original 3 I bought. I’m not sure what happened to them. Lemmie has been so lonely that he’s been treating my like his Mama hen ---- sitting up on my shoulder, cooing and grooming me with his beak. He tickles! But the good news is that I’m going to get 2 new babies tonight after work. These are about one month old and they are black cochins. So, they are the same breed, just different color than little Lemmie that I have now. I’m going to someone’s farm to get them and not purchase them out of the back of someone’s truck ---- that may have been the problem.
We have really been making the most out of the summer.
We have been in our pool at least 2 times per week if not more. I’m really enjoying this summer and the weather has been perfect. It’s hardly rained at all. Now, my garden doesn’t like that much, but I sure do! I actually have a little color on my pale, white skin. So cool! Ok, the color is a reddish type, but it still counts, doesn’t it? This weekend I have 2 bridal showers to go to ---- both at noon ---- one on Saturday and one on Sunday, so pool time will have to wait until late afternoon on both days. Oh well. 
My kids are due for upgrades on their phones in December, and they both want iPhones so I can just put the apps I want on their phones! 
I have a fence! 
I have 2 coworkers down there this week for a Modern Woodmen convention thing (yeah, really hard to take the Beach Club for a week all expenses paid.....I have a few choice words for them!) but I did ask that if they did any shopping, if they would please bring me back some Disney bags! I have enough for the front and two layers of the back. It's very frustrating to get the plastic to fuse rather than burn! 
to paying off the trip!
Yay for paying off your trip!!! That's such a great feeling!! 
Love having people join in my madness!!! It does feel great to be paid in full! 
There's really not much left for me to do other than the waiting for Mickey Mail and actually leaving! Both Victoria and I have our clothes all set except for the couple pairs of pants I am turning into shorts for her. I have them cut, I just have to hem them. I just picked myself up some shirts using gift coupons. Lane Bryant had "save $15 when you spend $15", so I ended up with a shirt for $5. Did the same thing at Kohl's but theirs was "save $10 when you spend $10", again I spent about $5 with the coupon. Love those coupons! 
Peter picked up a couple of pairs of new shorts and he says he'll be wearing last year's t-shirts. I think I might make him one more shirt. I want to put a picture of our chicken Lemmie on it and use a phrase from Chicken Little --- see? Disney related, right? The story is that Peter has been very concerned over Lemmie since the other 2 chickens we got are a bit bigger than he/she (we don't know yet) and Peter was afraid Lemmie would get picked on. He/she hasn't, but every night Peter will ask me how Lemmie was today and if he was eating/drinking, etc. Totally overly obsessed with this chicken!! Wow! And I thought I was! So I think it would totally funny for him to have a Lemmie shirt! 
We're staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek in a 2 bedroom villa for $120 per night. Like you said about your job, we are both employed and have good health insurance but co-pays keep going up. And my husband is making about 25% less this year due to health care cuts. Again, I'm not complaining because we're SO much better off than most people.
I purchased my 2012 Disney scrapbook and paper from there and they should be in today or tomorrow. Its so convenient. This is something I wont have to worry about buying and packing in Disney. Ive had to return a couple of things and returns are really easy as well. If I get them in today, I will be sure to post a picture. Now there will be no more shopping for Disney until Im at Disney! 
I havent had one of those since I was 18 years old!!! I believe Im a good driver, but what if I fail??!! I NEVER parallel park, so I will probably fail that portion. 
