How do people my age afford to go to Disney so much?!

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Exactly! OP, I don't think that anyone was trying to judge you, we just want you to understand that if you try to compare yourself to others you'll always lose. This is something you learn with age. But it's also good to hear tips on what works for others.

I'm really not trying to compare myself. I'm perfectly content with myself. But, I would like to take more trips and I ask these questions to get tips to do so.

 

[Jason_V]

I'm really not trying to compare myself. I'm perfectly content with myself. But, I would like to take more trips and I ask these questions to get tips to do so.

Here's a tip anyone can do.

Every paycheck, buy a Disney Gift Card. Decide on an amount and do it every time you get paid. I do a $25 GC every paycheck ($50 a month) even when I don't have a trip planned. This way, I can use the GC's on everything but the airfare to a park. That helps defray some or all of the expenses. I also use some of my Disney Movie Rewards Points to get GC's.

I'm going to D23 in August and staying for a week. The hotel has been paid for, the D23 tickets paid for and my ex (bless him) got me the plane ticket for my birthday. All I need to think about is park admission and spending money. By the time the trip rolls around, I'll have at least $300 for spending money. That's PLENTY for me.

Think about building GC's into your budget.

 

[Dakota731]

I think that's one of the troubles with social media. People are always comparing how many trips someone else takes, how often someone remodels their house or how many friends someone has. It just can't be healthy and seems to explain why so many people have more than ever before in history yet seem so unhappy. I know a lot people have decided to go off Facebook etc recently and I think this may be a great trend for the future!

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm really not trying to compare myself. I'm perfectly content with myself. But, I would like to take more trips and I ask these questions to get tips to do so.

If you want to travel more, get a CC that gives you rewards in one part of the travel you need (tickets or airfare most likely) - always pay it off every month, so you truly are getting travel focused rewards...and when you sign up, make sure you get an extra perk for signing up.

Ask for any gifts you might still receive (parents tend to gift their kids forever) to be in travel items - disney cards are easy.

See if you can find someone who would like to travel with you, so you can split hotel costs.

Decrease any and all "non-essentials" for travel - if you really want to travel more, you have to give up other non-essentials - Netflix, Cable TV, Pandora/Sirius, Happy Hours, Meals Out, Unlimited cellphone data plans, designer clothes, Starbucks, etc, etc, etc...the more you give here, the more you'll have there...

 

[Marionnette]

I'm really not trying to compare myself. I'm perfectly content with myself. But, I would like to take more trips and I ask these questions to get tips to do so.

Ah, but you are comparing yourself to them when you wonder why they can afford something and you feel that you cannot. This isn’t a judgement of you, just an observation that is true about most people.

The simple answer to anyone who asks “How can I afford...?” is two parts:

Make More
And/Or
Spend Less​

That’s not a big secret. Start reading the threads that are already posted. There’s plenty of advice on how to save for a trip, as well as how to save during a trip, has been posted repeatedly. Quite a few in just recent weeks. I’m sure there are some tips that you can glean from those threads.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Every paycheck, buy a Disney Gift Card. Decide on an amount and do it every time you get paid. I do a $25 GC every paycheck ($50 a month) even when I don't have a trip planned. This way, I can use the GC's on everything but the airfare to a park. That helps defray some or all of the expenses. I also use some of my Disney Movie Rewards Points to get GC's.

Hmm very good tip. I usually ask for Disney GC's for my birthday and other holidays, but this is a great idea.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Ah, but you are comparing yourself to them when you wonder why they can afford something and you feel that you cannot. This isn’t a judgement of you, just an observation that is true about most people.

The simple answer to anyone who asks “How can I afford...?” is two parts:

Make More
And/Or
Spend Less​

That’s not a big secret. Start reading the threads that are already posted. There’s plenty of advice on how to save for a trip, as well as how to save during a trip, has been posted repeatedly. Quite a few in just recent weeks. I’m sure there are some tips that you can glean from those threads.

Alright, thank you.

 

[Magical2017]

Everyone has different income levels and family situations.

I charged a trip once when I was in my 20s. Disney was not as expensive then, but I also did not have all the cash saved up before hand. I ended up coming home and paying for that trip, plus interest, for awhile. I never did that again. DH and I always make sure all trip costs are saved in advance. We use credit cards while on the trip but pay them off as soon as we get home. It works for us, and then we can immediately begin saving for whatever vacation is coming next.

 

[mousefan73]

I read a story once of a dad that took child for one day. Flew in early , had backpack with change of clothes, left late at night. Only went to MK. They lived maybe a state or two away, so short flight.

Airline employee? I know airliners who fly to cities just for a nice lunch.

 

[crisi]

There was a point several years ago when I was talking to friends. And I discovered a number of them (including my husband - but I already knew that) got large inheritance from grandparents often in their twenties. If their education expenses had already been handled, we had a huge jump start on other people.

Now, this was when we were in our 40s. And those that took that money and spent it on travel or other short term goals were not as financially stable and able to travel in their 40s as those of us who paid down and refinances mortgages or bought homes, made sure we would never have a car loan, and kicked off a rainy day fund.

But a five figure inheritance in your 20s can fund a lot of travel.

 

[QueenIsabella]

There was a point several years ago when I was talking to friends. And I discovered a number of them (including my husband - but I already knew that) got large inheritance from grandparents often in their twenties. If their education expenses had already been handled, we had a huge jump start on other people.

Now, this was when we were in our 40s. And those that took that money and spent it on travel or other short term goals were not as financially stable and able to travel in their 40s as those of us who paid down and refinances mortgages or bought homes, made sure we would never have a car loan, and kicked off a rainy day fund.

But a five figure inheritance in your 20s can fund a lot of travel.

My oldest got a 5-figure inheritance at age 22. But it was a low 5 figures--about $15k. We convinced her to use $10k to fund a Roth (last year and this year). Then, she could spend the balance on travel. Which, she's been doing. A kid after my own heart, she loves cheap travel--looks for low airfare, stays on the cheap. And, of course, being young and single, can practically live just out of her backpack.

 

[okeydokey]

My daughter is a 21 year old college student. We live in Florida and she has a resident annual pass. She and her friend go to Disney several times a year. They drive and stay in Airbnb if there is not a good room rate. She is totally independent, pays tuition with scholarship money and works two jobs to pay expenses. Everyone has different circumstances.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

My daughter is a 21 year old college student. We live in Florida and she has a resident annual pass. She and her friend go to Disney several times a year. They drive and stay in Airbnb if there is not a good room rate. She is totally independent, pays tuition with scholarship money and works two jobs to pay expenses. Everyone has different circumstances.

I understand that. But I’m specifically looking for answers from those who live far away and fly. I know how people who live close visit often. I used to be that person. But thank you for the insight.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I am in my mid 20s. College graduate, professional job, but still low on the totem pole. I follow a lot of people on Instagram who go to Disney like 5 times a year. And I get it if you live close and can drive, which I used to, so I went more frequently. Now I have to fly. A particular person I follow has to fly. And she goes multiple times a year! And I don't get how!

Let me say that I'm not hating on these people in any way, I ask this question because I WISH I could do that! Like how do you get that much time off? How do you afford that many flights? They go on weekends, which isn't always the cheapest time to fly. Obviously they have annual passes, which I plan on getting, but it's still mind boggling!

I totally get how people who are older afford it, as they probably make a lot more money than me, have more time off accrued, etc.

I'm guessing maybe credit cards? Man, I wish I knew how to go that much because I would!

• Credit Card churning is one way (though I'm not personally into that)
• Earning Credit Card or even Debit Card points without churning
• Actually going into debt
• Good deals on airfare
• Going solo can def. help too
• Some people have generous PTO policies or vacation time stored up
• They allocate their funds they have available to them differently than you do
• They have different funds available to them compared to you
• Their normal expenditures are different than you. In this I mean things like insurance costs (health and car/renters/homeowners), utility costs, cell phone plan costs--on that note cost for the cell phone itself, gasoline costs (average MPG can play a role in that as well as gasoline costs of the gas station where they fill up) and so many more things.
• They have money from some other means (legal settlement, inheritance, someone else fronting the bills, extreme saving from some other point in their lives, etc).
• Etc.

Now you can def. ask your friend you know how they do it because you'd like to be able to do it as well. Just know that people do sometimes fudge the truth, alter the truth or don't tell the full truth. That's not to say your friend would do this but it does happen.

I say this with kindness it could be that whatever funds you have available to you simply can't afford Disney as a destination no matter what you do to try and save for it. Others have def. given good advice so you can always put pen to a paper and see if any of that can work for you.

Also I'll mention that for some people they are working with things available to them. I absolutely benefited from my husband traveling. Not only the time we had the Companion Pass (where we used it for visiting up in MD in 2016, ski trip to CO in 2017, our 2017 WDW trip, Vegas 2017 trip (work trip extended), NYC trip in 2017 (work trip extended)) but also most recently at the beginning of the month his company paid for my plane ticket (and of course his too) to LA so he could go apartment hunting (as he's about to do a field assignement for 6months+ there) and we squeezed in a 3 day DLR trip. We'll likely be able to sqeeze in another trip there and I'll be using his plane ticket he would normally use to come home and instead I'll go out there.

I get that it comes down to how you spend your money, but I really don't live a lavish lifestyle either. I don't have cable, I always make my food at home, I rarely go out. I just think it's funny how lots of people I went to school with are out living those lavish lifestyles AND traveling and I'm not really sure how. It's one thing if you're saving and living minimally, but I have a friend who goes out every weekend, purchases name brand clothes and just bought a new car. He makes about 20,000 a year. I know that because we used to have the same exact job (I don't have that job anymore). He goes on about 10 trips a year, internationally and domestic. I don't know how he does it.

Well you don't truly know that the friend makes the same amount of money as you UNLESS you were hired at the exact same time and you KNOW it was with the same starting salary AND neither of you have earned raises or bonuses since you were hired. OR you know because your friend told you just how much money they make and you trust they are telling the truth.

I mean this respectfully but you seem to be focusing on the materialistic things your friend has. Looks can be deceiving. For example I have a Michael Kors bag. The bag was like $150. Did I pay that? Nope. I paid something like $30 for it at DSW because it was 80% off. But I guess someone could look at me and think I spent a lot of money for it. I didn't. But truth is even if I paid $150 for it I may have done that for a variety of reasons through a variety of means.

I know a person that goes to Japan for a month sometimes two months each year and just travels around when he's there. I could spend a lot more of my time wondering just how he could do it but honestly? I think it's cool and I get to see some amazing photos he takes with his nicer camera (a lot of long exposure ones too).

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

• Credit Card churning is one way (though I'm not personally into that)
• Earning Credit Card or even Debit Card points without churning
• Actually going into debt
• Good deals on airfare
• Going solo can def. help too
• Some people have generous PTO policies or vacation time stored up
• They allocate their funds they have available to them differently than you do
• They have different funds available to them compared to you
• Their normal expenditures are different than you. In this I mean things like insurance costs (health and car/renters/homeowners), utility costs, cell phone plan costs--on that note cost for the cell phone itself, gasoline costs (average MPG can play a role in that as well as gasoline costs of the gas station where they fill up) and so many more things.
• They have money from some other means (legal settlement, inheritance, someone else fronting the bills, extreme saving from some other point in their lives, etc).
• Etc.

Now you can def. ask your friend you know how they do it because you'd like to be able to do it as well. Just know that people do sometimes fudge the truth, alter the truth or don't tell the full truth. That's not to say your friend would do this but it does happen.

I say this with kindness it could be that whatever funds you have available to you simply can't afford Disney as a destination no matter what you do to try and save for it. Others have def. given good advice so you can always put pen to a paper and see if any of that can work for you.

Also I'll mention that for some people they are working with things available to them. I absolutely benefited from my husband traveling. Not only the time we had the Companion Pass (where we used it for visiting up in MD in 2016, ski trip to CO in 2017, our 2017 WDW trip, Vegas 2017 trip (work trip extended), NYC trip in 2017 (work trip extended)) but also most recently at the beginning of the month his company paid for my plane ticket (and of course his too) to LA so he could go apartment hunting (as he's about to do a field assignement for 6months+ there) and we squeezed in a 3 day DLR trip. We'll likely be able to sqeeze in another trip there and I'll be using his plane ticket he would normally use to come home and instead I'll go out there.

Well you don't truly know that the friend makes the same amount of money as you UNLESS you were hired at the exact same time and you KNOW it was with the same starting salary AND neither of you have earned raises or bonuses since you were hired. OR you know because your friend told you just how much money they make and you trust they are telling the truth.

I mean this respectfully but you seem to be focusing on the materialistic things your friend has. Looks can be deceiving. For example I have a Michael Kors bag. The bag was like $150. Did I pay that? Nope. I paid something like $30 for it at DSW because it was 80% off. But I guess someone could look at me and think I spent a lot of money for it. I didn't. But truth is even if I paid $150 for it I may have done that for a variety of reasons through a variety of means.

I know a person that goes to Japan for a month sometimes two months each year and just travels around when he's there. I could spend a lot more of my time wondering just how he could do it but honestly? I think it's cool and I get to see some amazing photos he takes with his nicer camera (a lot of long exposure ones too).

Thanks for the input. Great feedback.

 

[wenrob]

As others have mentioned you think you know your friend’s finances but really, you don’t. It’s come to my attention recently that a few people in my life are under the impression that I’m rolling in cash and while my husband makes a decent living that’s not what’s happening here. I’m just really good at saving/managing what we do have. I do not pay full pop for anything. I spend a great deal of time looking for the best deal. I drive a 15 year old truck that I can’t adjust the seats in anymore. With the exception of a new t-shirt or two on occasion I’ve been wearing the same clothes for years. No designer clothes for anyone here. Vacation is saved and paid for before we go.

I have a 22 year old daughter that loves to travel so she makes it work. Her paycheck gets distributed among savings accounts designated for regular savings, travel, IRA and most recently a college fund for her best friend’s baby. Only what she needs to pay her bills/living expenses gets put in her checking, the rest she doesn’t touch. She lives here rent free but she also pays her own college tuition. I do not pay any of her bills, clothes or necessities. She uses a Southwest credit card to earn points for flights (never carries a balance), stays in AirBnBs with friends, splits meals with friends etc. Like her mama she doesn’t pay full price for anything. As far as the time to do it most of these trips are two-three day things. Usually she uses a vacation day in conjunction with her days off.

 

[Iowajes]

Just another example of "you don't know people's situations".

I have a friend who loves to brag that they paid off their entire mortgage in just 15 years while sending their kids to private school. What she neglects to mention is her parents put 50% down on the house when they bought it, and although she and her husband volunteer at church to reduce the private school tuition, her parents actually pay that too!

Well, no wonder I can't afford to do the same thing. My parents aren't paying for my daughter's school nor did they put a HUGE down payment on my house.


My SIL would love for us to do an extravagant disney vacation and cruise. We make a lot more money than they do, but we can't (aka: won't) afford it. She doesn't understand how that's possible: well, my husband and I place a huge priority on retirement and college savings. Nearly 50% of our incomes go automatically to various savings vessels. Plus, we'd also rather do a budget Disney trip and add in a European vacation.
SIL believes in "live in the now"; her family has no savings and lives paycheck to paycheck. They often get in trouble when unexpected emergencies arise. But she prioritizes Disney and buys giftcards every paycheck.

 

[Darcy03231]

I understand that. But I’m specifically looking for answers from those who live far away and fly. I know how people who live close visit often. I used to be that person. But thank you for the insight.

I can tell you how my adult children in their 20's do it. It's a combination of a lot of things, one being that due to the nature of my job I earn tons of airline/hotel points which I give them. Other things they do are:

DS#1 and his wife both have high paying jobs. They own a 3 bedroom/3 bath condo near a college town and they rent out 2 of the bedrooms. For a long time they just had one car, although in the last year they picked up another one. Paid cash so there are no car payments. Also, neither one of them had student loans

DD #2 and her fiancé also both have high paying jobs. Both drive older, paid for cars. DD doesn't have any student loans and her fiancé finished paying his off early. They live well below their means and make travel a priority.

DS#2 lives at home and has no debt. He's saving to buy a house and wants to have 20% down. He also lives well below his means.

They also combine travel with using long weekends and don't take a full week. DD#2 started her job with 5 weeks of PTO and her fiancé is self-employed and only works 4 days per week. Also, he can manage his schedule to take more frequent shorter vacations.

 

[MEM]

Dear OP,
Because this is a judgment-free zone, and fairly anonymous, if you want to post your expenses we can suggest where to trim so you have more money to travel. As others have said, it is about priorities. I have a 22 year old daughter and the only way for her to save for an upcoming cruise is to give money to me every month so I can put yet another deposit on the cruise via my credit card. I don't know that she has the self-discipline to do it herself as there are too many temptations. FWIW, I'm 59 years old and the sole breadwinner and I still can't help comparing myself to friends who seem to have a boatload of spending money for concerts, cruises, two weeks in Aruba every January, dining out up to three times a day, acrylic nails every two weeks, new car every four years, Broadway subscriptions, etc. I have to focus on what $$$ I have and how to make the most of it.

 

[crazelion]

I how can afford to travel in my 20s was family and friends pile into one hotel room. We all pile in one car share gas expanses. Eat cheap fast food off the dollar menu. We look for free things do in the area. Now I get paid to travel.