DFB35 Diary

DFB35

stepuptothepl8 wrote: »

If it was me, I'd pay NOT to go to a theme park!! :rotfl: can't bear them I'd rather go camping. Life would be very boring if we were all the same. I think it's all about the balance between paying off debts as soon as possible, but still having a life.. I think the balance shifts as well, so each possible compromise has to be judged on its own merits. So for me a trip to a theme park would be an easy no, whereas a trip to the mountains or seaside would be much harder to say no to.

x

Haha you know I agree with you! I hate the rides so much Ahhh but the kids love it so

Patman_Post

Hello (DFB) Sad Mummy,

Just wanted to drop in and offer a few options for a possible holiday. For you & little ones. I am not sure which theme park you are thinking of, but just had a few things you could look into.

Firstly, running through your list of expenses for the trip:-

hotel cost - £260

2 days entry to park – £145 (based on £35.99 x 4 on-line peak price for Thorpe Park)

Petrol – £80 (I don’t know the distances involved, but say at worst a 240 mile trip each way)

Lunch x2 – £40 (£5 each for 4 over 2 days)

Dinner x2 – £160 (£20 each for 4 over 2 days)

Gift Shop – £50 (£25 for each child and assume OH doesn’t want anything from gift shop)

Spends – £65 (simply to round up the total figure , but with food bought, tickets paid for etc – you shouldn’t need much more)

So total cost of £800.

Now, say you agree not to go this year and go for the summer 2016. Then you have 16 months to save this money. That is £50 a month. So as you have a possible £374 extra each month, then you should be able to save this. Especially as the car loan finishes in October which will give you more spare cash as well.
Whilst saving – you could look at cheaper hotels. Premier Inn are constantly offering discount tickets, it is just timing it right to get the best deal (other hotel chains are available ). However – I am sure it will be a lot less than £260.

Also, I am not sure if you use Tesco Clubcard (oops, StepUp has just given you this advice!), but they often give 4 times the value when you spend the points on Theme Parks. Search on-line voucher specialists like groupon/KGB Deals – these can often save you quite a bit, or even offer cheaper alternatives that you haven’t considered.

So don’t be sad DFB, you are allowed to live a little as well. Look on it as your reward for repaying the car finance.
Hope this helps

PP x

Igamogam

stepuptothepl8 wrote: »

If it was me, I'd pay NOT to go to a theme park!! :rotfl: can't bear them I'd rather go camping. Life would be very boring if we were all the same. I think it's all about the balance between paying off debts as soon as possible, but still having a life.. I think the balance shifts as well, so each possible compromise has to be judged on its own merits. So for me a trip to a theme park would be an easy no, whereas a trip to the mountains or seaside would be much harder to say no to.

x

I am with you stepup! Hate theme parks of every kind which is why when my DDs asked to go on a school trip ( school goes very year and my DDs where never in high school at same time ) I happily coughed up the £30 - job done! We live in the mountains and can see the sea and we tend to holiday in similar places:rotfl:

DFB35 - childhood memories are not IMHO full of expensive theme parks, expensive anything come to think of it but more what and how you do things together. We have had expensive trips and given our girls expensive presents ( technology) but they never expected any of it, dont ask for it and their best memories are those made up of simple, small things, but then we are not a family of Big Gestures. Stepup is right about the world being made up of different beings so be honest with the children. Tell them money is tight and a night away in an expensive theme park is probably not going to happen but that doesnt mean NOTHING will happen. Look into the cost of the more local one and start saving every week from NOW - either work it out and put that away each week or just chuck £2 coins in jar but what ever you start a 'fund'. Sometimes local coach companies run day trips to these places and certainly look up T*sco deals etc. If it was me I would be opening up an on line Credit Union account and putting the money away each week - cant hurt,you wont notice it and you may even have more money saved than you need

You appear to be in good place at the moment tackling those debts - its not easy and treats have to be 'built in' remember if its going to work long term........ but dont fall at the first hurdle:D

Igamogam

Patman_Post wrote: »

So total cost of £800.

OMGG - £800 for a 2 day hit to a theme park:eek: That is all the reason you need....................we have done 3 weeks in a foreign country for a little more than that!

DFB35

Igamogam wrote: »

OMGG - £800 for a 2 day hit to a theme park:eek: That is all the reason you need....................we have done 3 weeks in a foreign country for a little more than that!

Noooooo no way would I spend £800 on a trip to theme park lool! I'm feeling so much better, thank you everyone

I think I'm having a bit of a down day.. But work tomorrow and during the week I'm super busy so no time to dwell on things Xx

DFB35

And you are right about being honest with kids, I'm quite honest with my eldest (but not to the point to scare her.. Just quite gently letting her know that we watching the pennies right now). And she is really good! She would give up her horseriding but I would never let her, obviously if we really had to then there would be no choice but at the moment we are ok, and don't have to face that.

But my baby I don't want to burst his little bubble, he is so happy and carefree and I want to keep it for awhile longer (he's 6 so not a baby as such lol).

I will also look into vouchers but I normally double up points for presents.. In any case we will do some fun cheaper things. And only if we absolutely have to we will take them for a DAY at a much closer theme park which would cost 100 maximum.

Thank you guys

Igamogam

DFB35 wrote: »

I will also look into vouchers but I normally double up points for presents.. In any case we will do some fun cheaper things. And only if we absolutely have to we will take them for a DAY at a much closer theme park which would cost 100 maximum.

Thank you guys

Start putting that money away;):D:p

DFB35

Busy Busy week ahead, payday tomorrow so updating my totals to reflect the regular loan repayments plus the extra 100 towards loan 2 (which cuts the repayment time almost in half )

Have a good week everyone!

DFB35

Looking at my totals now:

Car finance - £1,428 Loan 1 - £5,995 Loan 2 - £10,213
Total Feb 2015: £19,337 New Total: £17,636
Debt free by 2019 Sep 2018
Savings £300
Mortgage - £156,546
Mortgage overpayment £0

Its so great to see Loan 1 under 6k and Im wondering if I will be able to get Loan 2 under 10k this month?!

I have £300 in emergency savings and hopefully another 300-400 left over at the end of march if im careful.. I wont rush just yet, but hoping towards the end of the month I will put that 300 towards Loan 2 and get it under 10k.

But I also want to over pay Loan 1 arghhhh decisions decisions... And again here i am, wishing the time away.. I really shouldnt do it, especially while the kids are so young. Enjoy the now more but not "enjoy" as in spend money haha no I mean not to wish the time away.. and to be patient. In 3 years time I will be debt free. I will do it!

stepuptothepl8

Which of your debts is the most expensive? (Sorry if you've said, and I've missed it!) I'd concentrate on that one, it really does make a difference with the amount you have to pay in interest, even if it doesn't alter the DFD by much. I do understand the compulsion to get certain debts below certain levels though, I'm guilty of that too!