Anonymous wrote:How on earth would it be $5K. I have done this several times with my DD and did not need to spend nearly that amount.

Math is hard.

Take the bus, only $100 total for both of you round trip. You can find a good enough hotel for $150/night. It’s doesn't have to cost $1000. I would definitely do it.

My dad took me to NYC for my 16th birthday. It was just the two of us. I remember it really fondly and it was 40 years ago. It was priceless to me. Of course I wasn’t the one paying for the Plaza Hotel!

Anonymous wrote:It's not necessarily the budget, but the precedent. I can totally see my 11 year old son saying "well you spent all that money to take her to X so I should be able to get [insert equivalently expensive electronic device or other some such item] for my birthday then right?"

The answer is, “I spent more because it was a trip, not a thing. I’d be thrilled to do the same with you for a birthday.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not necessarily the budget, but the precedent. I can totally see my 11 year old son saying "well you spent all that money to take her to X so I should be able to get [insert equivalently expensive electronic device or other some such item] for my birthday then right?"

How will your 11-year old know how much money you spent? My kids were clueluess about that kind of stuff when they were 11, unless we purposely included them on the financial aspects.

I assume he knows how to use the internet?

Anonymous wrote:It's not necessarily the budget, but the precedent. I can totally see my 11 year old son saying "well you spent all that money to take her to X so I should be able to get [insert equivalently expensive electronic device or other some such item] for my birthday then right?"

How will your 11-year old know how much money you spent? My kids were clueluess about that kind of stuff when they were 11, unless we purposely included them on the financial aspects.

Yes, if I could afford it but I'd get a gift too.

It's not necessarily the budget, but the precedent. I can totally see my 11 year old son saying "well you spent all that money to take her to X so I should be able to get [insert equivalently expensive electronic device or other some such item] for my birthday then right?"

Sounds like you are a great parent if your teen wants to spend time with you. Even if NYC isn’t in your budget, consider somewhere closer. Maybe Charlottesville, Williamsburg, or Annapolis?

I would do Charleston with DD, different than NY.

Our 10 yo DS wanted to see civil rights sites. So we put together a civil rights road trip. We did a couple of non civil rights sites that he also wanted to see as part of his birthday gift.

Take the bus to NYC, choose your weekend based on when hotel rates are lower. TKTS for cheapest same day broadway tickets. It doesn’t need to be $1000 for a weekend for two.

MegaBus day trip or 1 overnight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my daughter will turn 14 at the end of August. She said that instead of tangible objects for her birthday, she wants to go on a long weekend with me to NYC or Charleston. I do like the idea of memories over things, but a trip would be at least 5x what we usually spend for birthday gifts (~$200).

Skip Charleston. Go to NYC.

+1 Try to fit a show in. Cheap seats would still give her a good experience.

NYC could just be an overnight too if you put two full days on either end. If she’s willing, push it into fall when the weather is great there. Watch hotel rates and pick an off season weekend. I nearly always find a Marriott for under $175 if I plan well and then we take the bus from here which is reasonable. Honestly for just you and a teen, staying outside the city is fine too. We often stay in Seacaucus or Jersey City and go in by bus/train for the whole day and evening (in which case I drive and leave the car there.)

I don't know when specifically she wants this trip to happen, but I just booked a long weekend of my own to Charleston, August 24-27. It was only $117 for a round trip flight on Jet Blue out of DCA. Really reasonable.