Debt Dumpers 2021

[MerissaAndMomLoveDis]

My daughter and I have 7 day WDW tickets from our March 2020 Spring break trip that got canceled due to COVID shutdown. Disney extended those tickets to September 2021. My college aged daughter finally got her summer plans totally sorted and we were able to figure out two weeks that work for both of us before she has to go back to campus at the end of August. I still have to confirm with my boss for certain that I can have the week off, but I chose a week and had planning fun this weekend—made a resort reservation, grabbed some good airfare on southwest that was paid with travel funds (from cancelled trip last March), selected park reservations, and made a couple of dining reservations. It was sooooo nice to get in to WDW planning mode!

The week we can go is in August. We went one time in August for two park days when my daughter was about 3, and I remember thinking it was so hot that I would never do that again. However, since we need to use the tickets before end of September, this is our only chance to use them. We are rope drop people, so hopefully that helps. Anyone else here ever go August? Any tips?

 

[nycdisneygal]

Almost Mid Year update:

2021 Financial Goals:
-Try to pay down most of my school loans. About 70K left. Thinking of looking to see if I can add 35K before the no - interest under CARES expires.
Sold some bitcoin and buckled down and we are on our way. Just a little left to go that will be paid off gradually before Sept 30 when the interest would start accruing again.
-Try to add 30-50K for the girls' college funds. Older one is already in high school. I have a feeling we will not travel for a 2nd year in a row so this may be possible. I want to have most of it in for older DD when she starts (though the way she is she may never go anywhere)
Added 10K and set up monthly deductions from our account directly into their funds.
-Try to max out retirement
Doing this
-Don't buy things I don't need/ order out less. So that I can then do the above.
Got 1 new pair of shoes. But otherwise hardly buying. Little DD gets hand me downs from older DD and old babysitter's daughter.
-A PP mentioned saving for retirement home-- I think I should do that. FLORIDA!!! Course thats when I am 65 so about 20 years to go.
Not there yet. Working on paying other things down
-This year rather than the kids related charities I gave to I have been helping those working on causes that are important to me on crowd funding. And helping with things in my town/food banks.
Doing this.
-Maybe need a new car. My subaru is a lease that we will likely buy in 2022 but my DH is driving a car that turns 20 yrs. And its not good in snow. I want him to get a subaru and he wants to get something pricey. I keep asking him if he has a trust fund I didnt know about (he grew up in the projects so the answer is no). Maybe at end of 2021 we can get a 2021 Subaru that they need to clear out.
Dinged the car a little but will not repair. Its cosmetic. Will not buy a car for DH as he hardly needs to drive. But his 20 yr old car needs new steering or something like that. About 3-4K

2021 Personal/Home Goals:

-Drive on the highway - I only got my license last year when we left NYC
Not yet
-Exercise and lose weight - I bought myself a nordictrack for black friday. I got the iFit so this is my way to travel --- the workouts are in different places all over the world. Its hard after a long day at work but I got to do it!
Exercising 5 times per week. Starting to lose covid weight but way more to go. I could not even zip up shorts from our august 2019 disney trip.
-Reading more. Now at least I do a lot of audiobooks when I drive to work but want to actually read more!
Read a couple recently. We are renting a house in july instead traveling far so will hopefully read a lot then. Need to come up with a list.
-Try to figure out how to deal with my difficult / lazy teen. I really want to find a nice volunteer opportunity. I loved doing that as a teen. But she wants to do nothing all day
Still searching. She has not interest. But at least she had a good time when we rented a house for mem day weekend. Bad weather so we did puzzles and played (disney version tower of terror) CLue.
-We have something leaking in the house and can't figure it out. Since DH is in charge of communicating to contractor it hasnt been fixed yet. Other than that I hope for no home renos. We already added a stone patio
Got this fixed!! I had to nag DH a lot. But now our central air is broken so we are looking at around 10K replacement. Ugh.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

-Try to figure out how to deal with my difficult / lazy teen. I really want to find a nice volunteer opportunity. I loved doing that as a teen. But she wants to do nothing all day

Is it possible she's battling depression? So many people are since covid hit.
Is she old enough to work? Maybe being productive and earning $ is more to her liking.

 

[nycdisneygal]

Is it possible she's battling depression? So many people are since covid hit.
Is she old enough to work? Maybe being productive and earning $ is more to her liking.

SHe is not yet old enough. She just wants to watch youtube and play video games with friends...She is just not interested in helping people or thinking about the future.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

SHe is not yet old enough. She just wants to watch youtube and play video games with friends...She is just not interested in helping people or thinking about the future.

There may be opportunities even if she is younger. I started babysitting at age 11 and I got a job through the park service when I was 14. When I was 16 I started working at Sylvan Learning Center and worked there throughout the rest of high school. I just really liked working and making some of my own money.

But also, I wouldn't be too concerned with her lack of desire to work or even to help others. Childhood is pretty short. I wouldn't rush it. If she has any hobbies, perhaps you can help her lean into that more? Or even explore potential hobbies with her. It sounds like she enjoyed the puzzles and board games. That is one of my favorite hobbies. I belonged to a gaming group in high school with some friends and it was a highlight of my week.

 

[Nettlelondon]

I think this is going to be a really helpful investment in myself. I am all about knowing when I don't know enough and taking advantage of the expertise of others.

Knowing when you don't know enough about a subject is always a very useful thing - whatever the subject. It can save a lot of anguish, pain, time or money depending on the situation.

 

[barkley]

There may be opportunities even if she is younger. I started babysitting at age 11 and I got a job through the park service when I was 14. When I was 16 I started working at Sylvan Learning Center and worked there throughout the rest of high school. I just really liked working and making some of my own money.

sylvan hadn't started when i was a young teen so i asked if i could put up posters at the elementary school i had gone to offering tutoring services. i ended up helping young kids with math and reading. made about quadruple per hour what people paid for babysitting so it was a good gig.

volunteering opportunities exist in our area for kids as young as 10 at the public libraries. my oldest became one as a tween and as a result (1) got the community volunteer requirement our state requires for high school graduation knocked out before she even started high school (we kept documentation), and (2) it led to part time job all the years she was in college at the college library (which kindly worked hours around classes).

don't like to work with people much? our local animal shelter will take kids 11-13 if their parent or another adult will accompany them, at 14 they can volunteer independently. one of the neatest gigs the kids do is 'kitten socialization'-they spend their time playing with the kittens the shelters have so that when people come to look at adopting the kittens are used to and want human contact so they are much more affectionate and apt for adoption (esp. for families with young kids).

gamer? if that includes any card or board based games (including d&d which mine plays exclusively online) you can see if a local gamers store does a weekly gamers day. a couple of ours do and they use volunteers to help set up, help with questions for newbies...many of their staff members start out as young teens volunteering.

 

[DLgal]

There are not a lot of volunteer opportunities this summer for kids due to Covid. Even in my large city/county, there are literally only 3 volunteer opportunities for kids under 18, and they must be at least 16. All three are at soup kitchens run by churches. All other opportunities are "currently unavailable due to Covid 19." I was trying to find something for my almost 17 year old son with autism who is not yet ready for a real part time job. I thought volunteering would give him some good skills and practice. It's not an option this year. The soup kitchen requires you be available for 2 three hour shifts per DAY at least 3 days a week. 11a-2p and then 4p-7p AND volunteers under 18 need to be accompanied by a parent. That won't work for us as I can't leave my 15 year old autistic son alone at home for 6 hours 3 days a week. They are making it very hard for kids to volunteer right now.

Even our animal shelters have suspended all volunteer opportunities for people under 18 and only have limited opportunities for 18+ right now.

 

[jen7233]

Anyone else here ever go August? Any tips?

No, but I've been in July. I suppose that's close enough! Hot, humid, sporadic rain downpours. BUT, it wasn't cold rain, so no big deal. Took ponchos, still do any time really and read the daily weather forecast. I'll throw out this what I'd do if we were going this July:
-Go early and then take a break after lunch until 6 or 7pm back at the hotel (if you're party doesn't enjoy being early risers).
-I'd do the 5pm plus route.
-Or mix and match days early and late if you've got certain things you want to ride, or have a break day in between. We have teens, so I could see us shifting park touring to the evening. However, not sure what the park hours will be in the evenings this summer, without researching (since I'm not going, haven't been looking at them).
-Easy packable ponchos.
-A pair and a spare of shoes. My kids won't wear sandals except flip flops at the pool, I've wasted money on sandals and they don't like wearing them, so I pack several running shoe pairs for them and their pool flip flops, and slides for around. So, if shoes they like get soaked, they have to deal with the flip flop and slides until dry, but we've never had both pairs completely soaked at the same time.
-For me, no big deal, I will wear flip flops, running shoes, sandals, whatever. I'm a notorious over packer, and a bad last minute packer, hard to believe I ever packed rucksacks and duffle bags once.
-A few more, I bring wet weather clothes bags, like extra grocery bags or large ziplocks.
-The obvious but you know hat, sunglasses, sunscreen (though I dislike sunscreen feeling so we take the kind I like, and the kind the rest of the family wears) extra sunglasses, drink water!
-Have a plan and an option B plan if the weather gets to be too much.
-Wait, one more thing came to mind, a lightweight backpack or bag! Rather than a heavy-weighted material feeling backpack. And a ziplock...

Personally, I love warm, well, hot humid nights outside and I don't have to worry about winter clothes. But, being the over-packer and run cold even in summer with AC on, I pack a hoodie or two and lightweight pants for in the room. Can't think of anything else really. Well, I limit my hot coffee drinking if I stay in summer, so I don't get dehydrated, sticking to just one if it's early am, or switch to cold iced coffee, still limiting.

My favorite time to go is March/April, but for the pool on our agenda if it were, I prefer the summer personally for me (the kids and DH don't care) and summer nights. These are some of my thoughts, I don't do too much extra or different or at least I think so at the moment, other than I'm more likely to wear sunscreen and either do nights plan or an early rise/break/go back at night, and repeat park plan if we went in summer.

 

[CaleCakes]

My ADR window opens tomorrow and I am totally unprepared. I'll be up early to see what I can get but I am ok with "I get what I get and I don't get upset".

@MerissaAndMomLoveDis- I go for my first August experience this year. I've been in February, April, June, and December but never August. I am used to the heat but I do plan on taking mid day breaks to recharge and rehydrate.

 

[nycdisneygal]

There may be opportunities even if she is younger. I started babysitting at age 11 and I got a job through the park service when I was 14. When I was 16 I started working at Sylvan Learning Center and worked there throughout the rest of high school. I just really liked working and making some of my own money.

But also, I wouldn't be too concerned with her lack of desire to work or even to help others. Childhood is pretty short. I wouldn't rush it. If she has any hobbies, perhaps you can help her lean into that more? Or even explore potential hobbies with her. It sounds like she enjoyed the puzzles and board games. That is one of my favorite hobbies. I belonged to a gaming group in high school with some friends and it was a highlight of my week.

Thank you. We are trying to figure out what to do... eta: appreciate all the tips.. will research a bit

 

[nycdisneygal]

sylvan hadn't started when i was a young teen so i asked if i could put up posters at the elementary school i had gone to offering tutoring services. i ended up helping young kids with math and reading. made about quadruple per hour what people paid for babysitting so it was a good gig.

volunteering opportunities exist in our area for kids as young as 10 at the public libraries. my oldest became one as a tween and as a result (1) got the community volunteer requirement our state requires for high school graduation knocked out before she even started high school (we kept documentation), and (2) it led to part time job all the years she was in college at the college library (which kindly worked hours around classes).

don't like to work with people much? our local animal shelter will take kids 11-13 if their parent or another adult will accompany them, at 14 they can volunteer independently. one of the neatest gigs the kids do is 'kitten socialization'-they spend their time playing with the kittens the shelters have so that when people come to look at adopting the kittens are used to and want human contact so they are much more affectionate and apt for adoption (esp. for families with young kids).

gamer? if that includes any card or board based games (including d&d which mine plays exclusively online) you can see if a local gamers store does a weekly gamers day. a couple of ours do and they use volunteers to help set up, help with questions for newbies...many of their staff members start out as young teens volunteering.

Thank you. I think she likes animals more than people so maybe I will see if that is an option. She gets very upset if there is even a worm on the side of the road that may get run over. We have to pick it up and move it off the road!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

There are not a lot of volunteer opportunities this summer for kids due to Covid. Even in my large city/county, there are literally only 3 volunteer opportunities for kids under 18, and they must be at least 16. All three are at soup kitchens run by churches. All other opportunities are "currently unavailable due to Covid 19." I was trying to find something for my almost 17 year old son with autism who is not yet ready for a real part time job. I thought volunteering would give him some good skills and practice. It's not an option this year. The soup kitchen requires you be available for 2 three hour shifts per DAY at least 3 days a week. 11a-2p and then 4p-7p AND volunteers under 18 need to be accompanied by a parent. That won't work for us as I can't leave my 15 year old autistic son alone at home for 6 hours 3 days a week. They are making it very hard for kids to volunteer right now.

Even our animal shelters have suspended all volunteer opportunities for people under 18 and only have limited opportunities for 18+ right now.

Ds21's small HS volunteered the students at a soup kitchen one day per month. They had a choice of that or cleaning up litter from a local cemetary. Ds preferred the soup kitchen. It's in a very poor city and it was so good for him. It was a real eye opener because most families in our town are pretty well off so seeing how rough some people's lives are was truly humbling for him. When he graduated, he said he wanted to continue to go on his own but didn't remember the name of the church or even what street they were on. It wasn't actually at the church but in a building nearby.
I wasn't so keen on the idea of him driving around this city due to its crazy high crime rate so I didn't push him. I felt better when he arrived by school bus with the group.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are kicking butt on paying down the mortgage. If all goes according to plan, it should be gone by Nov 1.
I am practically salivating over this. Every time I get the urge to travel, something steers me away. Must be some divine intervention. I was considering a quick Disney water park weekend over Labor Day and not long after, watched a snippet of news on tv where there was yet another case of some wild passenger out of control on a plane. Even the pilot came on the PA system to ask for all able-bodied men to come to the front of the plane for an emergency. I would seriously have a heart attack to experience this so I'm better off pecking away at this debt til it's gone.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

My ADR window opens tomorrow and I am totally unprepared. I'll be up early to see what I can get but I am ok with "I get what I get and I don't get upset".

@MerissaAndMomLoveDis- I go for my first August experience this year. I've been in February, April, June, and December but never August. I am used to the heat but I do plan on taking mid day breaks to recharge and rehydrate.

When we went in March, our window was long open by the time we planned our trip. I had a hard time choosing which day to visit which park and which days we'd just relax by the pool. I'd much prefer to decide these things based on the weather but that wasn't possible.
I was able to get dinner at Crystal Palace, which we love, but after reading the post-covid, non-buffet menu, I wasn't so keen on it and the price wasn't any lower. I finally decided to just wing it. I had one ADR for Liberty Tree Tavern for the whole trip and it was nice to not feel so locked into meal times. Usually in previous visits, we could snap up some last minute cancellations the day before for high-demand restaurants but after experiencing the freedom & spontaneity of no schedule, it felt good and I stopped looking for more ADRs. It was nice to leave the parks a little early and go back to the pool when we felt like it.
Just something to consider.

 

[CaleCakes]

When we went in March, our window was long open by the time we planned our trip. I had a hard time choosing which day to visit which park and which days we'd just relax by the pool. I'd much prefer to decide these things based on the weather but that wasn't possible.
I was able to get dinner at Crystal Palace, which we love, but after reading the post-covid, non-buffet menu, I wasn't so keen on it and the price wasn't any lower. I finally decided to just wing it. I had one ADR for Liberty Tree Tavern for the whole trip and it was nice to not feel so locked into meal times. Usually in previous visits, we could snap up some last minute cancellations the day before for high-demand restaurants but after experiencing the freedom & spontaneity of no schedule, it felt good and I stopped looking for more ADRs. It was nice to leave the parks a little early and go back to the pool when we felt like it.
Just something to consider.

I agree completely and it's just me and the kids so they don't know the difference if we "miss out " on a certain reservation. The only one I am really hoping for is Hollywood and Vine breakfast because my daughter really loves Fancy Nancy and Vamparina (got her a FN dress on etsy- so so cute) and we will be at HS for her birthday. Other than that I'm ok with whatever we get or don't get. Our day could change quickly depending on who is tired or cranky so being able to head back to the resort early and grab something quick is definitely on my mind.

 

[jen7233]

When we went in March, our window was long open by the time we planned our trip. I had a hard time choosing which day to visit which park and which days we'd just relax by the pool. I'd much prefer to decide these things based on the weather but that wasn't possible.
I was able to get dinner at Crystal Palace, which we love, but after reading the post-covid, non-buffet menu, I wasn't so keen on it and the price wasn't any lower. I finally decided to just wing it. I had one ADR for Liberty Tree Tavern for the whole trip and it was nice to not feel so locked into meal times. Usually in previous visits, we could snap up some last minute cancellations the day before for high-demand restaurants but after experiencing the freedom & spontaneity of no schedule, it felt good and I stopped looking for more ADRs. It was nice to leave the parks a little early and go back to the pool when we felt like it.
Just something to consider.

I thought similar about the menus at some of the places during our visit this spring and didn't do reservations that we usually do, such as Be Our Guest at lunch. Maybe the previous menu is back, same goes for others such as Crystal Palace, good to look quickly and see if the menu changed, or returned for that matter! I don't like doing at most one ADR a day, and some days we skip ADR entirely and just do a planned quick service at places we like or work a quick serve plan into the park hopping we would do later.

 

[barkley]

We are kicking butt on paying down the mortgage. If all goes according to plan, it should be gone by Nov 1.
I am practically salivating over this.

it's an unbelievable feeling-you will love it!!!

i will suggest though, if you currently pay for your homeowner's insurance and property taxes via your mortgage:

research the numbers on how much of a reserve you have sitting in the mortgage holder's account b/c depending on how big of a reserve you have you might be able to do a payoff sooner vs later (one mortgage we had always had at least 6 months of both prorated homeowner's insurance and property taxes sitting there).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

it's an unbelievable feeling-you will love it!!!

i will suggest though, if you currently pay for your homeowner's insurance and property taxes via your mortgage:

research the numbers on how much of a reserve you have sitting in the mortgage holder's account b/c depending on how big of a reserve you have you might be able to do a payoff sooner vs later (one mortgage we had always had at least 6 months of both prorated homeowner's insurance and property taxes sitting there).

We've been paying our own for several years. Our bank liked a large reserve which was so frustrating. I finally called them and asked if we could pay on our own. Not that it earns a huge amount of interest but it's been convenient to borrow for a day or 2 occasionally when I need to.

I agree completely and it's just me and the kids so they don't know the difference if we "miss out " on a certain reservation. The only one I am really hoping for is Hollywood and Vine breakfast because my daughter really loves Fancy Nancy and Vamparina (got her a FN dress on etsy- so so cute) and we will be at HS for her birthday. Other than that I'm ok with whatever we get or don't get. Our day could change quickly depending on who is tired or cranky so being able to head back to the resort early and grab something quick is definitely on my mind.

Keep trying. Now that people get charged for no-showing or cancelling at less than the day prior, we see a lot of very high demand reservations show up the day before.

 

[CaleCakes]

Successful ADR morning. I signed in at 5:15 CST and started trying. Made a few errors with days despite having notes ready but I got everything and then some. I wasn't expecting CRT, O'hana, Homecomin', Topolino's, and H&V to all work out but they did! I've already cancelled out the ones I made in error so someone else can snag them. I may change one of the days if we decide to do Boo Bash but I didn't book yet and I am holding off. Idk if the kids can hang until midnight so right now I'm not ready to commit.
June has been a pricey month so far but Payday today, let's see what I can knock out!
Have a great day everyone