by Matt Fildes
Happy Tuesday everyone!
I want to discuss what our upcoming plans are for mid-Spring into Summer:
- The biggest one by far is going to be a week long trip to Disney World in mid-July. It’s always been a tradition in our family to head to Disney World on a bi-annual basis, ever since I could walk. This was going to be the first time that I was going to opt out. While more than one reason weighed into this decision, the biggest reason, by far, was cost. Disney World can be the most magical and amazing vacation you can take, especially with a large group or family, but it is so freaking EXPENSIVE!!! Also, being 28, there was no way I could let my parents swing my vacations anymore. So for the past year or so I’ve been dead set on no expensive vacations for me until I’m debt free- Disney included. And I must have told my mom this 2-3 a week, at least. Well… during a cold night in February, I was up in Buffalo visiting, and being semi-intoxicated, we started sharing stories about our past vacations. One thing lead to another and, just like that, I agreed to go. BAM! The next morning, it was final. I woke up to my mother telling the rest of my family how excited she was to have her whole family going together. So here’s about what it’s going to cost for me and GF to go- 1) We’re driving, since GF will not get on a plane, so the cost of gas 2) my folks are in the Disney Vacation Club so the room is paid for with their membership 3) The Disney Dining Plan (meaning food has been paid for in advance) and park tickets were already bought. 4) Boarding our dogs for the week (GF’s mother has told us she could watch them for the week; I plan on paying her $200) 5) Since my parents graciously paid for our dining and tickets I have a couple of ideas to thank them (pay the tips, buy the booze, etc…) while on the vacation.
- GF and I have really got into good health and fitness regimens in the past couple weeks. To rewards ourselves for going to the gym 5 or more times a week, we’re going to have date nights every weekend. Every other weekend will be one where we spend money (dinner, movies, etc) and the other weekend we’ll have non-spendy dates (picnics, walks, drives, etc).
- Me and my brother are going to Cedar Point on May 9th (the day they open). Me and my brother were always extremely close up but had a bit of a falling out, recently. We both love roller coasters and this place is amazing, so I plan to treat him.
- We’re hosting a couple of family parties at our house to get our families together. Memorial Day and Labor Day are the two big ones. We’ve had great success in the past doing a potluck deal where we buy the hot and hamburgers and do the cooking and everyone else brings a side.
Does anyone else plan out their summer’s? It may just be a northern thing since our summers are so short, lol.
As for my debt totals, my automatic Navient payment was made on the 21st. It didn’t post until the 22nd so it wasn’t on last week’s update:
| Loan Name | Interest Rate | Original Balance- May '09 | Current Balance | Total Paid Off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sallie Mae 01 | 5.25 | $27,837.24 | $23,996.52 | $3,840.72 |
| Sallie Mae 02 | 4.75 | $22,197.02 | $18,830.11 | $3,366.91 |
| Sallie Mae 03 | 7.75 | $20,692.10 | $0.00 | $20,692.10 |
| Sallie Mae 04 | 5.75 | $10,350.18 | $7,420.39 | $2,929.79 |
| Sallie Mae 05 | 5.25 | $6,096.03 | $2,198.58 | $3,897.45 |
| Sallie Mae 06 and 07 | 4.75 | $6,415.09 | $0.00 | $6,415.09 |
| Sallie Mae- DOE 01 | 5.25 | $5,000.00 | $0.00 | $5,000.00 |
| Sallie Mae- DOE 02 | 5.25 | $3,000.00 | $0.00 | $3,000.00 |
| AES | 6.8 | $9,000.00 | $0.00 | $9,000.00 |
| TOTALS | $110,587.66 | $52,445.60 | $58,142.06 |
I hope everyone has a great week!
I’m going to Cedar Point on the 11th! It is part of my graduation gift from my aunt who is flying in from Washington State. I live less than 2 hours from the park! Hoping it is a little slower on Monday, with the week being back in, than it will be opening weekend. I used to work there a few summers ago to!
My other summer plans include, maybe getting a gym membership in central Ohio, near where I will be working for the summer. Setting up student loan stuff since they will be in deferment. Working a bunch. Finalizing moving stuff to head down to Texas at the end of the summer. Oh, and applying for jobs!
Thanks awesome! I’d love to go during the week, but I don’t get that many vacation days to use 🙁 I’m jealous that you got to work there. Very cool!! Erie is about 2 hours away or so and even though we aren’t THAT far, I’ve only been twice. I’m excited!!
I feel you on the working a bunch. If only summer vacations translated to adulthood, lol. Good luck with your move and the job search!! Cheering you on!
Disney IS magical – no matter what age you are 🙂 We don’t really “plan” our summer here in California since it feels like summer pretty much all the time – it is already going to be in the 90s this weekend 🙁
We are going on vacation and then will be putting all our money toward paying off my car and some much needed home repairs – will be spending a lot of time in our pool this summer since that is free 🙂
Hey it’s only been in the 40’s here for the past week- I’d take 90’s any day 😉
Very true on the summer “all the time”. Since my sis moved down to Florida, she said the hot weather becomes less appealing the longer you live there and getting ready for summery activities is less excited. The change of seasons does give you perspective, for sure.
Good for you on paying down your car and doing the home repair! I’d say I wish I had a pool too, but unfortunately it would only get used 3 months out of the year.
I’m from the north and we plan our summers too! We have a couple weddings on the plan, a few camping trips to local state parks and plenty of grilling in the backyard. Summers are too good to let go without having a lot of fun.
As you get closer to your trips, you’ll have to brief us on what little things you’re planning to do to save some cash here and there while still enjoying the experience.
Yes, I couldn’t agree more- it seems like once you hit Memorial Day, it’s already Labor Day in a flash!
And that’s the plan. I’ll have to start with our date nights since we already started doing those last weekend. Next will be my Cedar Point trip and family picnics. The Disney trip will be the big one then.
I live in Maine and we plan out trips. We would like to go up to northern Maine and do some camping. I’m hoping to have a job soon won’t have any vacation time yet so will probably just have a long weekend to go up there.
Other than that we just plan on doing some day trips of canoeing.
Yep I’m with you on the long weekends. I only 2 weeks paid vacation (and 2 days of sick) so I find oursleves doing long vacation/weekends a lot, especially when we visit family.
Good luck on the job hunt! Wishing you the best 🙂
Sounds like a great summer ahead!
We’re in the Northeast and, while not organized enough to map out so many things so far in advance, really do make an effort to get outdoors every weekend in the summer.
In some ways it feels like we do more now than when we lived in California, since the urgency was never so palpable!
Yes, we’re very excited for this summer coming up!!
And this sounds just like Sue, above. If you live in the warmer climates, there’s always tomorrow. When you only have 3 months of great weather, you can’t let it go to waste.
We HAVE to plan vacations, because my husband works in a job where he has to put in his vacation time for a year ALL AT THE SAME TIME. At the beginning of April, he submitted vacation time for May 2015 – April 2016. BUT, since we don’t have to work around school vacations, we tend to go when school is in session, depending on where we’re going. We’ve planned a trip to TN (Nashville & Memphis) in October. I’m also planning a trip to the Biltmore in the fall with a friend. My aunt mentioned that she might rent a house in the south of France for a month this fall; if so, I’m hopping a plane to visit! (I work for an airline, so the airfare would be minimal – just have to pay taxes so maybe around $150 – and I would have free lodging!) OH, and we’re doing a family weekend trip at the end of June to celebrate both parents turning 70.
Wow- that’s crazy!! So you REALLY have to plan for your year if you have to put in your vacation at once.
Have fun on your France vacation!! Very lucky!!!
Everyone that I know plans out their summer. It’s good to have even just a vague plan to budget and to not get lazy and let summer pass you by.
Amen!
We plan out our summer, but it’s more because of the kids being out of school. Since the older 2 are just about 14 and 12 (May/june birthdays), they don’t go to daycare/have a babysitter. The youngest (3) goes to preschool/daycare year round.
So we plan out our summers so the kids will have stuff to do that doesn’t involve watching TV and playing video games for 8 hours a day.
We already took our trips for the year. At the beginning of April I went to Hawaii with our 11 yr old for a cheerleading competition. I was able to use miles for 1/2 the ticket, and our only cost was food (it was a trip they won, and I was chaperoning). And then a week later we went to Disneyland with my inlaws. Our only cost was the airfare (got a killer deal…5 r/t tickets for $1000 including tax from Oregon to LAX), and food. We don’t have anything else planned for now.