HUGE challenge for you all!

Lunar_Eclipse

Beki wrote: »

we have to find £1316.75 by 5th november.


MONEY TO PUT IN SAVINGS - 376


MONEY TO PUT IN SAVINGS - 730

Oh, and we *should* get about £275 between us on our birthdays at the end of october (we share the same birthday).

Perhaps I'm missing something, and appreciate that the birthday money is not guaranteed, but have you realised that:

376 + 730 + 275 = £1381

... which is enough to pay the required amount? Just checking!

ETA: I also assumed you were talking about Disneyland Florida. Although I did notice that the price was too cheap! We went to Disneyland Paris at Easter this year and can honestly say that 3 days, 2 nights was too much. Seriously. We did a Wed-Fri trip and no-one was interested in the park on the Friday afternoon before our 7.30pm return home. So I would reconsider the holiday extension and save the extra (almost £600!) money. We decided as a family, with girls aged 6 and just 8 at the time, that 2 days max was ideal. We arrived at the park on Wed lunchtime and everyone would have preferred to give it a miss by Friday morning. It's not that big and you can cover all the shows and rides in 2 days. Unless of course you are only having a couple of days there and spending holiday time elsewhere around France/Paris. But just thought I'd mention it in case it helps. Obviously it's our personal experience only.

Oh and do save up some spending money. Everything is very expensive; but thankfully there is a McDonald's so you only spend say 25 Euros on 4 burger meals instead of 100+ in the restaurants. Take fruit/healthy snacks too if possible since it's 'burgers, chips and crap' all the way sadly. Obviously it didn't matter for us with only 2 days, but even so I wanted the children to have some healthy snack options. Our hotel & passes were £600 for the 4 of us and return Eurostar was £400. Bloody expensive for what it is.

Beki

lynzpower wrote: »

Another good thing for luches is spanish omelette - if you have plenty of eggs

Im starting to eat a more high prortein low carb diet again and eggs are often far too overlooked in the moneysavers recipe plans I think and even better for you if they are free! Youll find that high protein meals are more filling, so more filling- less needed- less moeny spent all round - this is certianly myt experience anyway! Also dont forget to freeze eggs, I whisk them a bit with a fork splash of milk, then Ive have them to rely on - good for whipping up some pancaskes, or for using in egg fried rice . Just make sure they are properly defrosted then whisk brielfy again before using as they sometimes go a bit gloopy from freezing.

Theres stackloads here http://www.eggrecipes.co.uk/egg/asp/recipesearch.asp

lynz
x

brilliant! thank you!

Beki

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Blimey that's a huge amount of money for a very off season trip to Disneyland Paris. I'm not surprised everyone assumed it was Florida.

i didn't think that was TOO bad - that's for four people - 11 days in the park, 10 night's accomodation at a disney hotel, all you can eat breakfast and dinner for us all, plus eurostar direct each way and the disney express luggage service too

it's actually the eurostar that pushes the price up - think it puts about £400 on the price! :eek:

Beki

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

Perhaps I'm missing something, and appreciate that the birthday money is not guaranteed, but have you realised that:

376 + 730 + 275 = £1381

... which is enough to pay the required amount? Just checking!

no, you're completely right! lol. i'm just worrying that it'll leave us no room for maneouvre at all - i'm a bit of a worrier anyway, but realising it's going to be SO tight came as a bit of a shock - especially as i'd worked out beforehand we would ahve about £500 spare

seeeeeee... teeny brains and impulse purchases DO NOT mix :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Lunar_Eclipse

Beki wrote: »

i didn't think that was TOO bad - that's for four people - 11 days in the park, 10 night's accomodation at a disney hotel, all you can eat breakfast and dinner for us all, plus eurostar direct each way and the disney express luggage service too

it's actually the eurostar that pushes the price up - think it puts about £400 on the price! :eek:

Nooooooo - that's far too long, see my ETA in previous post. It's not that different to going to 2 x Chessington, Alton Towers or Thorpe Park. Could you spend 11 days there?

Lunar_Eclipse

Beki wrote: »

i didn't think that was TOO bad - that's for four people - 11 days in the park, 10 night's accomodation at a disney hotel, all you can eat breakfast and dinner for us all, plus eurostar direct each way and the disney express luggage service too

it's actually the eurostar that pushes the price up - think it puts about £400 on the price! :eek:

You're right. Ours was £1000 for 3 days, 2 nights, no dinner. But Easter time, so peak. I thought that was horrendous! As in crap value compared to our £5k 4 week trip to New Zealand for Christmas. But any weekend I price up (Centerparcs?) seems to come in at around £1000 for 4 people. I always wonder who can afford all these things.

Beki

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

Nooooooo - that's far too long, see my ETA in previous post. It's not that different to going to 2 x Chessington, Alton Towers or Thorpe Park. Could you spend 11 days there?

YESSSS!!!! :rotfl:

we went last year and the year before - first time was 5 days 4 nights, and we didn't think it was long enough - so last year we went for 8 days 7 nights and we STILL didn't think it was long enough :rotfl:

But then again, we're both mental and gluttons for punishment :rotfl:

Pitlanepiglet

Beki wrote: »

i didn't think that was TOO bad - that's for four people - 11 days in the park, 10 night's accomodation at a disney hotel, all you can eat breakfast and dinner for us all, plus eurostar direct each way and the disney express luggage service too

it's actually the eurostar that pushes the price up - think it puts about £400 on the price! :eek:

It's only France though, you'd get a ferry crossing for a song or even a Eurotunnel journey with your car. Hotels in France that time of year are dirt cheap and as said 11 days in the park is a huge amount of time.

Perhaps we're just used to taking cheap holidays to make the most of our meagre budget!

281273

With the potty training. I had major problems with my youngest daughter, but in the end she trained herself. She was just coming up to 3 years old. She has Aspergers syndrome. She wouldnt entertain going near a potty or a toilet, even though we have the child loo seats and step going to them.

What we did was get a potty chair off a freecycle site, we put a wanted on for it. Then we left it in the living room and she became adjusted to it. We didnt force her to sit on it. She started using it to sit on and watch TV, then she put the lid up and one morning, she got up and used it, and we have not looked back since. Gradually over a 4 day period we introduced the nic-nics and then trousers.

I felt fantastic that she had managed to do it, but slightly guilty that she did it on her own.

Hope that this helps at all

the_cat

Beki wrote: »

YESSSS!!!! :rotfl:

we went last year and the year before - first time was 5 days 4 nights, and we didn't think it was long enough - so last year we went for 8 days 7 nights and we STILL didn't think it was long enough :rotfl:

But then again, we're both mental and gluttons for punishment :rotfl:

I apologise in advance for what I know will be seen as some as a rude/blunt post, but I agree with Pooky.

If this were a one off once in a lifetime holiday I would understand, but you have been for 3 years RUNNING on what most people would consider a luxury holiday, each time staying for longer and longer, whilst allowing your parents to subsidise your basic expenses! That to me seems most unfair.