Changing our vacation plans to help resolve debt

Getting out of debt means making some difficult choices. Hubby and I have been trying to tighten our belts. At the same time we've been saving and planning on a Walt Disney World vacation. We booked this before our debts were added up. After looking at the bills we weren't sure if we were going to be able to make the trip. But, with some hard work and perseverance we are going to get to take the vacation.

Gayle and John Disney 2007

We've been working toward a WDW vacation for two years. There are three main reasons why we decided to keep it even though we're working on getting out of debt. One is that we really, really need to get away.

Another factor is that the package we have includes meals so it's an all inclusive trip. We're staying in a budget room. The cost per night for the room is less than I recently paid for a work related trip. The longer you stay at WDW the lower the tickets price is per day.

That all helps make it affordable but being able to pay for it meant making some adjustments. After looking at our bills we decided to shorten our stay by two days. Another cost cutting measure is to drive to Florida in one day. This saves the cost of one night out plus meals.

We wanted to take our time on the way back and do some extra sightseeing. This now means camping instead of using a motel. If we can figure out what to do with it when we're at the park the camper is going with us. Otherwise, we'll throw a tent and a few things in the car.


Combining trips to town, using coupons, skipping eating out and carrying drinks in the car are helpful ways that reduce our general costs.  By making these adjustments we were able to pay for the getaway and pay off a couple of smaller bills.

Another reason for keeping the getaway is to write. For me, this is now a working trip instead of a real vacation. I'm ok with that. The articles will help with gas and other expenses. If I'm lucky it may even pay for my portion of the vacation costs.

Getting out of debt is causing me to decide what's important and what isn't. Online writing has helped us cover the trip costs and still pay off a couple of other bills. We're making progress and learning to live within our means. It's not easy but it's worth it.