Tell me I can do this

[jdcri]

I sure hope that is not what they eat every night! I also have no idea how a family of 4 could make two meals off a roasted chicken. There are 4 of us and we are not over eaters and my kids have very athletic and healthy body styles and a whole chicken is one meal plus some leftover meat for me to throw on a salad the next day. I guess maybe if you eat a bunch of carby sides with it you could stretch it but I would much prefer my kids filling up on the protein part of the meal first before having all the carbs. However my food budget is far more important than my WDW budget and my husband would never accept a "gift trip" from a family member.[/

Of course it is not - but they ask for it!! If all I had was 80 bucks to feed my kids 1 month I would let them eat it every day though - better that than to starve!!

This is not about me or what I feed my family... this is about how someone can feasibly stretch money 1 month out of an entire year to get by!!

And yes we can make 2-3 meals out of a roaster chicken. (i buy fairly large ones I think!!) One night we would eat less than half the thing... the next I would make chicken salad or stir fry or cacciatore, then I would boil the carcass and pick meat off it... then adding veggies and noodles I would have my soup - and there would be enough for 2 meals at least! My dogs would get all the weird tendony gross pieces, because I do not like to waste!! They eat very well! (last night they each had a boneless pork chop and some pork tenderloin because I knew we would not eat it and I did not want to just toss it they probably eat better than many people!!)

I eat low carb, so no pasta and rice for me!! My kids love carbs and I let them eat them - they also eat plenty of meat and dairy. I eat mostly fresh veggies and salads. My kids are funny abput veggies - one will eat carrots raw only, the other cooked opnly - the list goes on!! I accomodate them the best I can!! My husband is a substantial eater, but I have learned how to stretch food if need be - my dad is the oldest of ten, my mom from a family of six.

My husband accepted a gift trip from his parents because they wanted to enjoy disney with the kids and we are in no financial position to be going on vacations at the moment - as I am in nursing school and my husband is currently building an addition on our home. I do not think it is belittling to accept a generous gift from my inlaws at all and I could care less if anyone thinks it is either!! I think we are fortunate!

I would definitely feed my kids before disney - but all the OP wanted to know was tips to make money last - who knows what or why - and who cares - just give her some advice and move on!! We took 500 from our disney fund (because we are responsible for our own food when we get there) to pay for new tires on the car - because that was more important!!

 

[KigerKat]

No one "deserves" a vacation.
Are you kidding me?

Well my son deserves a vacation and he doesn't have the money for one but once he gets home for Dyess Air Force Base, this momma is going to take him to his favorite place, which is disney.. It's been 18 months since I saw him last and it maybe another 4 months before he comes home.. But he deserves a vacation and he going to get one...

Good for you!! And I hope you both have a magical time!!

Everyone's situation is going to be different, but there are many people that do deserve a vacation. And since I don't know everything about everyone's specific financial situation, I'm in no place to judgement and approval as to who does and who doesn't deserve one. And no one else should, either.

 

[mdsoccermom]

No one "deserves" a vacation.
Are you kidding me?

Well my son deserves a vacation and he doesn't have the money for one but once he gets home for Dyess Air Force Base, this momma is going to take him to his favorite place, which is disney.. It's been 18 months since I saw him last and it maybe another 4 months before he comes home.. But he deserves a vacation and he going to get one...

Miss the point much?

A trip to Disney is neither a necessity nor a right. If you can afford to take your son with no consequence to your family. But, spending money you don't have and not being able to suitably feed your kids or fill your tank but taking the kids on a train to Disney? Sorry. Not necessary.

 

[veraletta]

Yeah I guess only the rich 1 % deserve a vacation, because they can afford it...The rest of us shouldn't even thing about it...

 

[JennyKS]

Correct, no one "deserves" a vacation.

That's your opinion. And my opinion would be I work hard I deserve a vacation to enjoy time away from the stresses at work. But that would be my opinion. Not wrong but not right with everyone.

Fortunately we are allowed to have opinions, doesn't mean anyone is more correct.

 

[sissy_ib]

No one "deserves" a vacation.
Are you kidding me?

Well my son deserves a vacation and he doesn't have the money for one but once he gets home for Dyess Air Force Base, this momma is going to take him to his favorite place, which is disney.. It's been 18 months since I saw him last and it maybe another 4 months before he comes home.. But he deserves a vacation and he going to get one...

Oh, please. I am so sick of this. I spent 4 years in the Air Force and my husband is active duty Navy. That does not make us more deserving of anything.

 

[mdsoccermom]

There is a huge middle ground between the 1% and someone who has blown all their money for the month and is left with a whopping $60 to feed their growing children.

 

[sissy_ib]

Yeah I guess only the rich 1 % deserve a vacation, because they can afford it...The rest of us shouldn't even thing about it...

You don't have to be in the top 1% to afford a vacation. But feeding you children should come first! Is this really that hard?

 

[SaraJayne]

No one "deserves" a vacation.
Are you kidding me?

No, no one "deserves" a vacation. Especially when you have less than $90 for an entire month!

 

[veraletta]

No where did she say she spend all her money...

 

[KigerKat]

Correct, no one "deserves" a vacation.

Tell that to the Make a Wish children and their families who are broke from hospital bills, when all they want is to be able to allow their child a moment, no matter how small, to forget that they may not have much longer to live and just enjoy being a child at Disney.

I'm sorry, but there are people out there who do deserve a vacation. I know this has absolutely nothing to do with the OP's original questions, but it just upsets me when someone makes a blanket statement like that when there are clearly various situations that would count as an exception. Yes, I chose an extreme situation, mainly to prove a point.

 

[mdsoccermom]

No where did she say she spend all her money...

So you missed the part where she said she always comes up short and ends up borrowing from the next month? As she blew all her money in May, borrowed from June and now has a grand total of $80?

Yeah. She spent all her money.

 

[thelionqueen]

I love how someone can decide for everyone what is a necessity or a right. The definition is different for everyone. For ME (just me) a Disney vacation IS a necessity! It keeps me focused, keeps my grounded, happy and have something to look forward to. It motivates me to go to the gym and save money wherever I can to be able to afford it. It gives my kids something to work towards and look forward to. It teaches them that if you set your mind to something you can do it. And once we do make it there..the satisfaction and memories it creates for us is PRICELESS! So..to me a necessity? ABSOLUTELY and I budget and clip and save to make it so.

Everyone has a RIGHT to the way they choose how to live their lives and without judment or persecution from others. It's a simple question not an occasion to get on a soap box and preach how one thinks others should live their lives. It's just wondering if she can make her budget work.

I can tell you it would be tight, but I could do it..and I think she can too. If not, other things will have to be factored into the equation and what she decides is best for her situation not what others think she should do.

 

[veraletta]

She says she doesn't have any of her money that she budget for food.. That is not all her money, as she said she can get more money from her husband if she needs too...

 

[punkin]

And yes we can make 2-3 meals out of a roaster chicken. (i buy fairly large ones I think!!) One night we would eat less than half the thing... the next I would make chicken salad or stir fry or cacciatore, then I would boil the carcass and pick meat off it... then adding veggies and noodles I would have my soup - and there would be enough for 2 meals at least!

I have done this for years. My Grandma used to be able to feed a whole family of 4 dinners for a week off of one chicken...but then she was REALLY POOR. I prefer not to do that, but certainly would in a pinch. Potatoes, rice, beans, pasta is all cheap and great to stretch meat in an emergency.

My problem with OP is not the Disney trip, it's the fact that she habitually overspends her budget. That indicates (to me at least) that the amount set aside for food is inadequate. She will be able to cover one month (she does have a lot of meat in the freezer) but what happens the month after when there is no stockpile and she goes over-budget again?

 

[jdcri]

So you missed the part where she said she always comes up short and ends up borrowing from the next month? As she blew all her money in May, borrowed from June and now has a grand total of $80?

Yeah. She spent all her money.

From her budgeted portion of funds - she just doesn't want to ask her hubby for more money than apparantly is alotted for groceries... yes she spent it poorly, yes she probably needs a better grasp on spending, her husband probably has told her this - or she would just suck it up and ask for more!! (And I could care less about having to ask him for money - their finances, their business- and it is obvious why it is that way IMHO!!)

Her Mom or whomever is paying for most of their Disney trip - they are not destitute - she is not choosing Disney over feeding her kids - the money is there if she asks for it - she is just trying to not go that route!!

Everyone is so judgmental!! Who cares!!! She just was looking for budget tips on the budget board!!!

 

[JennyKS]

So you missed the part where she said she always comes up short and ends up borrowing from the next month? As she blew all her money in May, borrowed from June and now has a grand total of $80?

Yeah. She spent all her money.

But didn't she also say she could get more money from her husband if she needed to, she just didn't want to?

Funny thing about the internet, people read things differently. I read it she always goes over budget, has to get more from her husband. And this time she wants to try to not have to do that.

 

[jdcri]

I have done this for years. My Grandma used to be able to feed a whole family of 4 dinners for a week off of one chicken...but then she was REALLY POOR. I prefer not to do that, but certainly would in a pinch. Potatoes, rice, beans, pasta is all cheap and great to stretch meat in an emergency.

My problem with OP is not the Disney trip, it's the fact that she habitually overspends her budget. That indicates (to me at least) that the amount set aside for food is inadequate. She will be able to cover one month (she does have a lot of meat in the freezer) but what happens the month after when there is no stockpile and she goes over-budget again?

I just think she may be lousy at handling finances and that is most likely why she has to ask for money and has no access to the bank account!!

I think it is nuts reading everyone get so high and mighty over a question!! (not directed towards you!!)

 

[donaldlovesdaisy]

Oh, please. I am so sick of this. I spent 4 years in the Air Force and my husband is active duty Navy. That does not make us more deserving of anything.

ITA my DH is in the military and the last 3 years has been home for maybe a total of 9 months and he will be the first to deal you he is owed nothing and that they military compensates him very well for his work and if he ever feels they don’t he will resign his commission and move on.

 

[veraletta]

I think it's so sad as she was looking for help from us, and we all got sucked into all this rudest... Yes me included...