Are you as thrifty when you're with others?

[Wiggle]

We're pretty good at being cost-conscious. I wouldn't exactly describe our family as penny-pinchers or misers, but smart would be a better description. I don't let a good deal pass us by (like the Courtyard $25/night deal), and I like to bring snacks from home instead of buying $5 buckets of popcorn. We do fly to WDW, we do the extras like tours and Hoop-de-doo, and we buy souvenirs on-site (!).

That said, we usually go to Disney by ourselves. This time, however, we're going with another family. They're some of our best friends, who we've 'hung' with for 20 years now. They're very well-off, but while they don't exactly throw their money away, they are a bit more free-spending than we are. (They'd think nothing of buying an expensive souvenir impulsively, for example.)

I'm thinking I'll be less likely to want to eat breakfast in our hotel room, for example, for two reasons. One is that they like to eat out, and the other reason is that this is a vacation for the two families together. I know it is easy to say, "meet up with them after breakfast", but it doesn't work that way in real life. And breakfast is just an example.

So, I'm not really asking for opinions, as much as I'd like to hear others' experiences with this type of situation. Did you find yourself spending a lot more than you would otherwise when you were with another family? Or did it pretty much balance itself out, and it wasn't that big a deal after all?

Thanks!

 

[daisyduff]

Last summer we met family in Scotland and travelled together for a week. Some people spent money at the drop of the hat, and some were pretty miserly. We were somewhere in the middle. I didn't feel like we really spent that much more money. It really only became an issue when it came time to eat! We probably spent $400 more than we would have on our own, but because we had such a great time we didn't even miss it! We were having such a great time together that eating in nicer restaurants than usual felt like a celebration. If I wanted to save some money I just ordered a less expensive item on the menu and saved the wine for later. We didn't feel at all pressured to buy more souvenirs. Had fun just window shopping! It's terrific that you'll be able to share your trip with such close friends!

 

[Mouser]

We have met family and friends at WDW and we tend to do dinner meets with them, when it is ourselves we do some nice dinners but more fast food..so we did spend more as we did more nice dinners..so the answer for us is yes....

 

[dandave]

Hi! We have gone to WDW with a group of 11 family members, total. That trip was actually one of our least expensive. I was very aware of the fact that other members of our family had less "disposable" income, so we ate very cheaply and bought very little souveniers. It was great just being together!

 

[Lucky4me]

Disney is great about separate checks. When we went with family we just made sure to get our own. We could order as cheaply as we wanted while some of the others went "bigger". Everyone was happy. As a matter of fact when we got home my sister told me what she had spent for the week and it was about half of what I did. I felt that I had the same enjoyment level that she did...........

 

[SleepyatDVC]

We go both ways. Depends on who we go with! Some are big spenders, some are frugal. We don't mind spending more with others - it's part of the experience. We are also understanding about others not being able to spend as much and will do the food in room route, etc. As long as our trip TOGETHER is enjoyable.

Worst case is when you go with both types!!! Dh & I (before kids) went with a group of friends which included "dinners out every night" types and "make sandwiches/cook-in every meal" types. We stayed at the Disney Institute so did have access to kitchen. They did compromise - some meals in, some meals out. However, when it was time to eat out, frugal one would exclaim about high prices - sometimes out loud, sometimes by body language. Made me so embarrassed - "frugal" was my best friend.

While some would say "split up," she didn't want to eat by herself in the room! Also, she didn't want to "miss out" on the group activities - she just didn't want to pay for it! Sometimes, she would order the cheapest item or watch us eat. Most of the time, she just mooched off me. I just think that if her attitude had been better, it would have been fine, but instead it made all of us a little uncomfortable. She kind of made us all feel like we were forcing her to spend $$ and putting her into the poor house. Then she spends BIG $$ on souveniers! Some people just put low priority on spending $ on food.

We don't ever travel with her anymore - dh and her don't get along. But she's married now and her dh LOVES to eat out at expensive places - so I guess her priorities have changed!

I find that the older (& we're NOT old) we get, the more we want to enjoy our vacations and thus, spend more on meals out, etc. But now that we have kids, sometimes it's easier to just eat in if we have access to a kitchen.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad says................................................We are kind of like you. While we have been in this situation elsewhere, we haven't at WDW. That said the following holds true for us. When with people with less we spend less and try to get in at least one or two treats for the others. The best way to do this, and it usually works is go out to a decent but not expensive meal and if they offer to treat let them. Then later go out to a nice more expensive meal and say it's your turn!! When with people with more we do spend more. WE can always spend an extra 300 - 400 in a week and not miss it, because we are cost conscience all the rest of the year. I wouldn't even worry about it. Except that every breakfast out kills at least an hour, while in the room can be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes!! That 45 minutes on an early entry day means 6or 7 rides at fantasyland!!! You don't eat in the room to save money(although you do), you do it to save time!!! Then give in the other half of the time. And don't buy expensive souveniers, if that's not your style, then don't do it!! Splurge on food, not junk.

 

[Wiggle]

Hey, DDad....that's so us! You're aboslutely right....now that I think about it, we DO eat breakfast in the room to save time for the parks! That and the fact that my kids are not great eaters, it's just a plain old waste of money to buy a restaurant breakfast!

DDad, you've hit the nail on the head!

 

[ncbyrne]

We've been in this situation many times, with as many different outcomes! The biggest problem is when eating out (esp. when traveling with higher income friends) is that my DH will never ask for separate checks - he thinks it's embarrasing. With everyone we just split the check. I'm not a big eater. I never order anything more than an entreé and I don't drink, so it winds up costing us a lot more when we eat out with other couples. We choose to go with whatever the other couple(s) choose to do, and never let $ be an issue between friends, or even relatives for that matter.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says.....................................................Hey Wiggle, glad to see someone who thinks like us!! Did you know that some people think that going to WDW is a vacation?!! WRONG, it is a fight to get the most in the least time! We never eat a "real" breakfast on a park day, except when we did Cindy's Castle. We may take some time for a nice dinner, because we did so much in the morning!!!!!!!!