Why won't some people ask for help Saving $$$ on big ticket items???

[It's A Happy Day]

I had lunch today with my stepsister and her son - almost 3 - and we were talking about WDW. Now we have had open discussions pertaining to my family going and costs so she knows I have over-researched alot of this. She knows when I am going and she said they finally booked for the long weekend after us - they get there 10/13 and leave on Sunday night to come back. After telling her a few months back about the awesome deal we were getting with the free dining, etc. I was surprised at how much she is spending on this trip - she offered prices, I didn't ask. We are there for 10 nights and are just hitting the 2k mark - passes, hotel, and food. We will spend probably another $1000.00 with souveniers and such before the trip is over but not bad considering how long we will be there. She is hitting about 1500.00 for 4 days going to seaworld for 1 day, animal kingdom for 1 day, hotel, rental car, and airfare (food not incl) - If she doesn't mind paying top dollar instead of saving a few bucks fine by me but why would you want to when it could mean more $$$ for souveniers/spending cash. She told me that airfare they are spending 245 per ticket and I had just researched this as we thought about flying and direct flights were around $150.00. Why is it that some people don't ask for help in saving money??? Even if you don't take the advice given wouldn't it be better to see whats available first?

PS. My only response to her was positive "in thats great, you'll have a great time, etc." I didn't attack her with "WHAT, why didn't you ask, I could have saved you X amount, etc. I just can't imagine giving my hard earned money away when I know that it could be better spent elsewhere.

 

[my3kids]

I had a similar thread like this about six months ago. Some family members were planning on going this fall. I said there were great discounts and places to buy passes and yada yada yada....they unpolitely me told me that I knew these things then so would a travel agent. Whatever.....some people just don't care to comparison shop. Oddly, the family members I was speaking too are the ones that really need to comparison shop for the best deal. But, what can we do????

 

[disneydave2003]

some ppl couldn't be bothered taking the time to research for deals or they don't know about codes, ap's etc. etc. before i found the dis i had no idea about codes and postcards and multiple sites out there to give us tips and lots of other things. i guess it is laziness and lack or knowledge.

 

[RachaelRol]

Maybe you should tell her, I would have.... She might not really know how much she overspent. Any BTW, nothing wrong with over-researching, all members of the Dis do and we're perfectly normal....

 

[RichNKatHolly]

People overspend on Disney vacations all the time. Disney LOVES it, I'm sure.

Some people just don't know. I also used to pay rack rate on vacations (many years ago mind you). Can you imagine, rack rate???!!! What a horror! Now I get the most fantastic deals. However, nobody ever asks me for help either.

They may learn later on and maybe not. What can you do? If they have the money and are happy to be going I think you were right to not say anything. You could have offered what you were paying though. Then maybe she would have asked. A lot of people don't think there are discounts for these types of vacations, especially disney.

Have fun!!!

 

[powellrj]

because people like to do it their way. My DM came over so I could help her book part of her trip this fall on-line (not Orlando). She would rather pay more to stay at a 1* hotel than I would pay for a 3 or 4* for the same trip, because she likes to be able to cancel rooms and chose beds. I showed her what I would do if I were going, but she likes to go by the seat of her pants and pay rack rate for a room rather than book ahead and get the internet rates.

I showed her different resturants in the area that had great coupon offers and how to get the entertainment book for her area and what they had to offer, but she would rather stick with national chain resturants that she knows and won't try anything new.

Its not the trip I would have planned, but Hey, its her trip and if that what she wants, who I am to tell her that her way is wrong. It's just different than the way I would do it.

 

[MrsPete]

I've come to the conclusion that some people -- even people who take time to cut coupons, compare car insurance, and mow their own lawns -- DON'T WANT TO SAVE ON VACATIONS. I think these people have the idea that budgeting is for "everyday" and it's a drag. They seem to have the idea that if you bargain-hunt, your vacation won't be as fulfilling. In their minds, full price = full fun.

Obviously, I don't buy into this idea, but I think some people do.

 

[rigs32]

For me, the opposite is true. Discount vacation = more money for extras and less stress about what I'm spending! Booking a discount cruise and planning excursions on my own = more adventure and excitement about doing something different.

I love the planning. DH could care less. So I create the detailed itineraries, including choices. At WDW, for example, if we're at MK, he gets 2-3 affordable choices for lunch.

 

[Free4Life11]

I agree with whoever said that some people feel that vacations aren't for budgets. That's fine if you believe it, but I say why waste money? I'd rather take a 10 day budget vacation then a 4 day deluxe vacation, but everyone has different interests I guess. But even if I went on a deluxe vacation, I'd still try and find ways to at least earn points or cash back or SOMETHING!

I guess it comes down to the fact that everyone has wants and needs. Some people would rather not spend time looking for deals, others would, etc.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Some people just don't like the hassle of looking for deals. I know I could save $$ in some areas of my trip, but it just doesn't seem worth the hassle. For instance, I always get towncar service from the airport. I know I could take the free shuttle but I'd rather just get the twoncar, get to WDW sooner and have more time.

 

[Strings]

I had offered to book a trip for a friend. I would do all the research and get the deals. He said he had it covered. He came back complaining about how much he had spent. I ran the numbers for the exact same vacation. I lookd up a code rate for the exact room, tix through ticketmania, etc. I could have saved him $3100. I think he ended up throwing up. I offered.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I had offered to book a trip for a friend. I would do all the research and get the deals. He said he had it covered. He came back complaining about how much he had spent. I ran the numbers for the exact same vacation. I lookd up a code rate for the exact room, tix through ticketmania, etc. I could have saved him $3100. I think he ended up throwing up. I offered.

Why didn't you offer that to me!

This might be a silly question- but I was under the impression that codes for resorts were only given to certain people via postacard and that if you didn't get them you were out of luck- am I mistaken?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Why didn't you offer that to me!

This might be a silly question- but I was under the impression that codes for resorts were only given to certain people via postacard and that if you didn't get them you were out of luck- am I mistaken?

Some codes are.

However...sometimes, having one adult member of your party buy an annual pass can be worth the savings on hotel rooms alone, esp. if you stay at deluxes, wher ethe AP savings can be steep. I'm saving $70 a night because I have an AP on my room at the Boardwalk in Feb. Saved about that per night on AKL back in May. When you add that up over the span of a few nights stay, the AP pays for itself...

Sometimes, general public codes are offered, although not recently. Sometimes, AAA has good savings. You just never know.

 

[ducklite]

There are some things I'll try to save a penny on, and others that I just can't be bothered taking the time to do the research. Lots of people are like that.

For example, I can't be bothered spending hours online looking around for grocery coupons. If there's on in the box of whateer I buy, or in a magazine, I'll use it, but I don't get the Sunday paper and don't go out of my way to track down coupons. (I do have and use the Entertainment book, but I do'nt go out of my way for it though.)

Frankly, I think I might have said, "Oh, next time you are planning on going, let me know, I know some money saving tricks" and left it at that. Frankly it's none of your business otherwise.

Anne

 

[DisneyKT]

A friend of mine was flying out and her tickets were expensive I said to her why didnt you use Southwest. She said oh I dont mine spending the extra. I mean 3 hundred dollars is nothing atleast not to me. Oh well to each their own.

 

[4formickey]

Pride is the main reason people will not ask for help.

 

[ducklite]

Pride is the main reason people will not ask for help.

I disagree. I think some people just don't care. Look at it this way--many would never pay teh extra to stay concierge level, because they can "bring beer and snacks from the grocery store and make their own ADR's" while others have no problem paying extra for it, just because it's more convenient, because they don't want to take the time to do the research or make the calls. Same idea.

Anne

 

[4formickey]

When some one needs help and don't ask, the root of the problem is pride. .I can book this trip and get all of these upgrade, pride. Keeping up with the (jones) is a issue that deals with pride.

 

[cstraub]

I think some people just like blowing a lot of money on a big vacation. It makes them feel good?

 

[4formickey]

I think some people just like blowing a lot of money on a big vacation. It makes them feel good?

The feel good issue is the pride