Spending, Food and Incidentals

[JessNewbs]

What's wrong with stuffed toys

We have stuffed toys coming out of our ears at home right now! They are pointless IMO and such a waste of money! They do NOTHING and take up so much space and make a room so so messy!

 

[JessNewbs]

Jess, definitely do the baseball and a Broadway show if you can stretch the budget. You will never regret it.

Do you know how early I can check what will be on, dates/times/bookings etc.??

 

[JessNewbs]

We are in much the same boat, not really sure how much to budget and desperately hoping we'll not run out of money half way through!
I am working to $5000 for food and spending for 3 of us for 16 days and will have a credit card just in case. We haven't had a huge amount of time to save so its going to have to do.
It helps that the potentially most expensive part (disney!) of the trip is the first week so I'm hoping it'll even out and it just means less shopping in hawaii if we've gone too far over

Sounds like you have roughly the same amount as us compared to the time you are there. We are there for 30 days and have double that amount. Plus we have the CC just in case too!! We are ending in Hawaii as well!

Are you going anywhere else or Disney and Hawaii? Did you opt for the dining plan?

 

[viaggiamo]

Sure. We have decided to go with Family in New York based on sensational reviews. Here is their website:- http://www.familyinnewyork.com/. Here is a link to their Trip Advisor reviews:- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...amily_In_New_York-New_York_City_New_York.html

If you haven't been to NYC before but still would rather do something a little more private than a big bus tour, this is a good company as well:- http://www.realnewyorktours.com/. Here is their TA reviews:- http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Attra...al_New_York_Tours-New_York_City_New_York.html.

Cool, thanks for that.

We are going back to the USA in March/April next year and NYC will be on the list, I have been there twice before but am always looking for cool, new stuff, especially with children in tow.

C

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Do you know how early I can check what will be on, dates/times/bookings etc.??

Well the baseball season will likely just be starting when you get over there. You will be able to buy tickets on www.stubhub.com probably 2 or 3 months out. You will love love love it. In terms of broadway shows, if you don't have your heart set on a particular show or awesome seats, you could just see whats happening once you get there. You can generally walk up and get tickets on the day.

Cool, thanks for that.

We are going back to the USA in March/April next year and NYC will be on the list, I have been there twice before but am always looking for cool, new stuff, especially with children in tow.

C

Well one of these tours could be just the ticket.

 

[JessNewbs]

Thanks Ms.Shuttergirl! I will definantly check the baseball out and might just wing it with the show! BTW I LOVE your TR, very insightful!

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Hi Jess!

When we did the big trip in 2010 we were gone for a month and I allowed $500 a day.We saved very, very hard for 2 years to get that much with long hours and lots of extra shifts!!! We didn't end up needing that much and brought a few thousand home. For the trip in October there is just the 2 of us and will have roughly $300 a day. We are big souvenir/collectable buyers, so do spend a fair bit in the parks. We only have 2 meals a day though as we find that the size of the breakfasts over there keep us going all day with maybe a churros for a snack in the afternoon Or a funnel cake ( or two!!! ) of course!!!

Oh, and some of that will be on stuffed animals! We have a large collection and even I have to make myself a Build A Bear

 

[viaggiamo]

Hi Jess!

We are big souvenir/collectable buyers, so do spend a fair bit in the parks. We only have 2 meals a day though as we find that the size of the breakfasts over there keep us going all day with maybe a churros for a snack in the afternoon Or a funnel cake ( or two!!! ) of course!!!

Oh, and some of that will be on stuffed animals! We have a large collection and even I have to make myself a Build A Bear

Yes, I think this is the key to what you will spend.

We are not souvenir buyers. At. All.

We are more minimalist and buy clothes, shoes, golf stuff, camera stuff, yummy food and stay in great accommodation.

I said before that $300 was our food/shopping budget excluding large purchases that we know we will buy (camera lenses/ golf clubs).

For us a DL souvenir for the children would be a t-shirt or jumper rather than a trinket.

Everyone is different and has different priorities.

The fact that we will be returning within 6 months has calmed me down with spending too as if we miss something we can buy it the next time.

Someone worked it out once in another forum that from Australia is you allow around $1000 a day for everything including airfares it averages out. (that is for 2A2C)

Food is so much cheaper over there, but tipping adds on to that.

I love seeing how much other people budget, I am such a voyeur!

C

 

[JessNewbs]

Thanks, think we might need to save some more! I have already paid for all of the flights and most of the accomodation so just spending and food to go pretty much. I have already spent $1000 per day and am still not finished all of the tickets and accomodation yet

It is a pretty big trip for us I suppose though!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

This is exactly what our family budgets for our trips. $1000 per day which includes flights, accom, everything. This has worked very well on our previous 2 trips.

Because we are going for 5 weeks this time I am budgeting around $35k. I think we may have been looking at going a little over that but then free dining was offered so I think we should hit this mark around about.

 

[australiankaren]

ok

so the final costs are in & paid for....
incl. airfare, accom, car, cruise, excursions,tours, food, tickets, etc.

$14,300......

all that's left is spending $$$........which will be around $3-$4K

so for 28 days that's $7250 pp....I'm ok with that....and DH has signed off on it...

20 sleeps to go

 

[alicia1506]

ok

so the final costs are in & paid for....
incl. airfare, accom, car, cruise, excursions,tours, food, tickets, etc.

$14,300......

all that's left is spending $$$........which will be around $3-$4K

so for 28 days that's $7250 pp....I'm ok with that....and DH has signed off on it...

20 sleeps to go

wow that is cheap for 28 days... our 15 day trip was going to cost around that much...

 

[australiankaren]

wow that is cheap for 28 days... our 15 day trip was going to cost around that much...

it helps lax-mco using points & using our DVC points for 10 nights accom.

all up we have saved around $5K in discounted airfare, car hire, cruise, hotels etc from listed prices....plus our wdw accom is worth around $5500 cash if we paid out of pocket instead of using our DVC (BLT x 10 nights).....we have got our money back with DVC costs in our savings already

so happy little girl I am

 

[cola]

I LOVE timeshares (DVC or Marriott ) they are the best thing for your budget in Orlando, and staying non-DVC they are ridiculously ridiculously cheap (eg 2 bedroom Marriot sleeps 8 for less than $500AU for 7 nights - can't be beaten, even if you have to pay for parking at the parks)

 

[australiankaren]

I LOVE timeshares (DVC or Marriott ) they are the best thing for your budget in Orlando, and staying non-DVC they are ridiculously ridiculously cheap (eg 2 bedroom Marriot sleeps 8 for less than $500AU for 7 nights - can't be beaten, even if you have to pay for parking at the parks)

totally agree.....we love our DVC