What's in your budget??

[momoftwins]

A while ago, I think there was a thread about items, other than the obvious: (passes, hotel, airline tickets, rental car or other means of trans. souvenirs, food) that people had in their budget. Does anyone remember the thread or can we start a new list?

I just had to remember to add for parking for the week at the airport. oh, I just thought of another - my 7 yr old likes to have her hair braided at the parks.

There has to be a lot more.

 

[lalapodip]

We joked that the photos available for purchase were our "budget buster" - we HAD to have the Splash Mountain picture....AND the picture of the kids with Woody and Buzz.....AND....well, you get the "picture" LOL. Also, the girls decided they wanted to spend their souvenir money on caricatures (sp?) at AKL, something that I wasn't counting on. I DID budget for the hairwraps, another must have!

 

[momoftwins]

Good one on the pictures. I always wanted one in front of the castle - you know when you are walking down Main Street. This time we're getting one.

Anybody else? Come on all you budget nuts!

 

[FonFon]

Oddly enough, I budget for pressed pennies. LOL, usually I budget a roll of quarters and a handful of pennies - and have some quarters left over.

We also budget for food for the drive down, for pictures at the parks (we forgot to budget this for our honeymoon, and went WAY over when the photographer at EPCOT took some REALLY good pictures of us!) and for a kennel for the dog, but usually end up finding someone to watch her for us for free before we go, just to be able to stay at our house (it's usually a single sailor who's living on the ship or in the barracks, and they'll do anything to get off the base and in a real bed for awhile).

 

[~Sparkly~Zoe]

Crap I forgot about the parking at the airport! Thanks for reminding me!

 

[mickeysaver]

The basics (Gas/Food/Lodging/Ticket Media)
Bottles of Liquids or Cup Drinks (up to 6 total/day)
A Turkey Leg (we can share!)
Mickey Bars (at least 2 during the stay)
Mickey Balloons (at least one per day)
Popcorn (at least once in the parks)
AMC Movie Theater Tickets for LOTR: Return of the King
Pressed Pennies
Film
Video Tape
A Portable DVD player
Film Development
Pins to be prepurchased for Trading
1 or 2 really nice collectable pieces in the $100+ category
1 or 2 Christmas ornaments for our tree
Photo Op Packages (up to 5)
MVMCP
CP x 2 nites

All this and no kids......

I am a large toddler! Luckily, so is my honey!
Mickey

 

[tink2dw]

What about tip money for Maids,Valet parking,Meals and ect!!

 

[vhoffman]

Don't forget the pet sitter. Our "cat lady" charges $17 per day. Also, budget for airport to hotel transportstion, assuming you're going by air. A shuttle bus will cost about $60-$70 round trip, but we like pre-arranging a limo service. They run from $70 --$100 round trip. They are there waiting for you at baggage claim and you don't have to wait for other passengers to fill up the shuttle van. Also, you go directly to your hotel. A shuttle service can take 2-3 times as long to get you to your destination because they drop off other passengers.

If you're not flying, budget for parking your car both at the hotel and at the parks. Some hotels offer free parking, but many charge $7--$10 per day. Then there's the parking fee at the parks. I don't know what it is, but its not free!

Also, budget for your cell phone charges. If you're not in your calling area see if expanded service is cost effective , or, like us, it was just cheaper to pay the roaming charges rather than expand our service.

Well, that's all I can think of. Travel costs, but its so worth it!

 

[vhoffman]

Don't forget the pet sitter. Our "cat lady" charges $17 per day. Also, budget for airport to hotel transportstion, assuming you're going by air. A shuttle bus will cost about $60-$70 round trip, but we like pre-arranging a limo service. They run from $70 --$100 round trip. They are there waiting for you at baggage claim and you don't have to wait for other passengers to fill up the shuttle van. Also, you go directly to your hotel. A shuttle service can take 2-3 times as long to get you to your destination because they drop off other passengers.

If you're not flying, budget for parking your car both at the hotel and at the parks. Some hotels offer free parking, but many charge $7--$10 per day. Then there's the parking fee at the parks. I don't know what it is, but its not free!

Also, budget for your cell phone charges. If you're not in your calling area see if expanded service is cost effective , or, like us, it was just cheaper to pay the roaming charges rather than expand our service.

Well, that's all I can think of. Travel costs, but its so worth it!

 

[DiznEeyore]

We also budget for snacks, arcade $$ (I have a 10 yo ds -- 'nuff said!), valet tips, film developing, water park lockers ... All those little things that can "nickel & dime" you to death!

 

[jann1033]

got a cheap way to get your film developed...go to www.snapfish.com and get a supply of postage free mailers before you go. as you finish a roll,drop them in a mailbox and they'll be there a waiting for you ( takes about a week to ten days usually start to finish to get the actual pictures back but are online in about 3-5 days) I use them all the time for our business and have never had any problems. 5x7 great looking prints( much much better than any drug or grocery store I know of) are about $6 a roll total ( including s&h) smaller prints about a dollar cheaper. the parks have to cost a lot more to develop them and who needs to spend vacation time looking at pictures anyway!

also, others have probably thought of this but we always give ourselves a spending allowance that we keep seperate from all our other money.also in real money, Disney dollars seem like fake money and go so quick! we usually have about (each) a hundred dollars that's for junk food (not meals) and souveniers or extra stuff like arcade games( altough our kids were never really into them) or what ever that person wants to use it for. I like disney stuff but it is so easy to overspend there a definite figure helps curb impulse spending. also we go get our souveniers the last park day so we are sure of what we want. this really helped when our kids were young...they got to think about what they really wanted and didn't buy something and regret it later. plus the 2-10 dollars here and there really add up quickly but when they know they only have 20 left they need to decide if they really want that ice cream or another toy.

 

[travelbug]

Did anyone mention tolls?

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

got a cheap way to get your film developed...go to www.snapfish.com and get a supply of postage free mailers before you go. as you finish a roll,drop them in a mailbox and they'll be there a waiting for you ( takes about a week to ten days usually start to finish to get the actual pictures back but are online in about 3-5 days) .... the parks have to cost a lot more to develop them and who needs to spend vacation time looking at pictures anyway!

What an excellent idea! I just started using Snapfish, sending out some really old film. The rates are low, comparible with Walmart when you add the shipping. I've sent film out twice and have plenty of labels and mailers on hand, plus you can print more whenever you need them.

1. I add a round figure to cover all souvenirs. $150 for the three of us gives each $50 to buy tee shirts or whatever.
2. I have added parking for the days we plan to be off-site for US/IOA and SW.
3. Since we plan to drive, I have fuel at $1.50/gallon*, and should add a few dollars for tolls. *I made need to increase that figure based on this week's prices.
4. I hope DD gets to feed the dolphins at SW. I have a figure noted for $20.

The excel spreadsheet I use has a row for additional costs for each day/segment of the day. I use it for mini-golf, rentals, extra admission (like DQ, Cirque), movies, etc.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

Snapfish is awsome. We've been using them for a couple of years.

I'm not good at remembering the film, when we are out, so it is perfect.

Last trip to Disney, I requested a ton of mailers, and they gave me a ton. Worked wonderfully. One less thing to lose track of.


Don't forget to budget the grocery stop, if you are makig one.

 

[jann1033]

i agree I always find a roll of film long after a trip rolling around under the back seat!

 

[WIcruizer]

I learned long ago to avoid "what should be budget be?" type of questions. Mostly because I've seen from this board that everyone's idea of "cheap" "frugile" etc. varies far greater than I expected.

The important thing is to budget what YOU can or want to spend, and plan from there. Then this board can be of great value.

 

[FonFon]

Originally posted by travelbug
Did anyone mention tolls?

Speaking of tolls - is there a website or something that lists out the FL Turnpike tolls??

 

[FonFon]

LOL, nevermind, found it.

For those wanting to calculate ahead of time, here is the website that calculates your tolls on the Florida Turnpike...

Florida Turnpike Toll Calculator

 

[danacath]

How about mouse boats? Definitely not a "necessity", but oh, so fun!