Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 18:57     Subject: Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
Just to share (even though OP has already taken her trip!) the way we did Disney without breaking the bank was to drive there, and only go to the Magic Kingdom for one day. The tickets were indeed $100 each, parking was $14 and we splurged on an early dinner at the Cinderella Castle. So that was a pricey day. But I got a great deal online for an Orlando condo resort with a fun pool and stayed there two nights, and then we went to a suite hotel at the beach (Amelia Island.) We also have friends down in Florida now and they are always delighted to host us for a night or two. If the kids ask about going to the other parks (honestly I would only be excited to go to Harry Potter one myself) you tell them, maybe next year! Once they are at the beach they will not be complaining. I feel like parents feel like (or want? really??) to do an extravagant week and go to multiple parks, but walking forever standing in lines and eating crap theme park food - that's not my idea of a fun time.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 15:18     Subject: Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
camping on assateague island
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 15:16     Subject: Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
Haha. After reading the title, my first thought was I don't think the six year old is worth very much to somebody else (i.e. that the poster was willing to spend $500 + whatever somebody would pay for her kid).
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 14:04     Subject: Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Pathetic budget, rather save for a few years and have a normal vacation. Rather than this penny pinching crap.

Whoever posted this is just an awful, awful person.


+1

I remember the years when my kids were young and I was struggling to pay for basics, but a vacation (even a no frills single night camping in a state park) would have been so refreshing. If you have never been too poor to take a vacation, you don't know the psychological impact of spending every single day in the same settings (work, school, home). I remember not being able to afford the fare to take my 7 year old to the free museums on the Mall on Saturdays because she was having idiopathic precocious puberty and we had to pay for trips to the endocrinologist and therapist. One day, a couple stopped us at Metro Center to ask for confirmation that they were on the right train to the airport. To thank me, they gave us their hop on hop off passes and a couple booklets of prepaid admissions to DC tourist attractions. You'd think we'd won a trip to Disney.


The pathetic mom probably lives in a McMansion, leases a car, puts the vacations on credit and has debt up to her eyebrows.

OP - you are a breath of fresh air. I am sorry you have to live around here. It sucks
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 11:13     Subject: Re:Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
You sound like a great mom. Which is why I wanted to add one quick thing. My guess is that you've made quite a number of sacrifices in saving this money I know seeing our kids brings happy, makes us happy, but... This is YOUR vacation too, so make sure you do at least one thing for you.

Enjoy the trip, and the memories.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 09:28     Subject: Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Pathetic budget, rather save for a few years and have a normal vacation. Rather than this penny pinching crap.

Whoever posted this is just an awful, awful person.


+1

I remember the years when my kids were young and I was struggling to pay for basics, but a vacation (even a no frills single night camping in a state park) would have been so refreshing. If you have never been too poor to take a vacation, you don't know the psychological impact of spending every single day in the same settings (work, school, home). I remember not being able to afford the fare to take my 7 year old to the free museums on the Mall on Saturdays because she was having idiopathic precocious puberty and we had to pay for trips to the endocrinologist and therapist. One day, a couple stopped us at Metro Center to ask for confirmation that they were on the right train to the airport. To thank me, they gave us their hop on hop off passes and a couple booklets of prepaid admissions to DC tourist attractions. You'd think we'd won a trip to Disney.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 08:21     Subject: Where can I vacation for $500 and a 6 yr old?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Pathetic budget, rather save for a few years and have a normal vacation. Rather than this penny pinching crap.



OP, ignore this kind of stuff. You sound like you are a doing a great job, and as you said about your vacation last year, just getting to go someplace new and staying in a hotel (or cabin, or tent etc) is exciting for a child.


OP here!!! I'm sorry you think my budget is pathetic. I don't earn a lot but I do have a retirement fund, a college fund for my child and I have savings. I pay a mortgage, I'm putting myself though college paying out of pocket and I do donate (a small sum ) to charity every month. While I can easily put a Disney vacation on my credit card, I choose to be debt free. In two years I will be in a position to take my child on vacations but right now a $500 vacation is very normal to us. There have been some great suggestions on this board and I appreciate every single person taking the time out to help my child have a vacation. He is 6 and when he goes back to school and everyone is talking about their vacations, he too will have memories to share and we will have memories to look back on. I know that he wont think of these as cheap $500 memories but special times we had together. I don't have a single relative here in the US and I do everything on my own since I am a single mom. Please don't make me feel bad about my pathetic budget! That $500 means so much more to me.

OP you sound smart and grounded and like a great mom. You will have many great memories with your child. Enjoy your time together, it's well-deserved.


+1. Your son is lucky to have you! Enjoy your well deserved vacation!