Am I the only one whose extended stay at home has lead to some unusual choices?
We have a firm screen time rule in the B house. Screen time must be earned. It can be earned through cleaning, reading, or helping with the baby. We’ve managed to keep this rule pretty intact these last four weeks (four weeks??). But we’re only a few days in and this week is insane. Mr. B is working 10-12 hours a day and my 16 month old seems pretty determined to destroy as much as she possibly can in the shortest amount of time. So this morning, I caved. “Hey girls, who wants to watch a movie while we clean the playroom?”
Of course I am the only one cleaning. They’re just watching a movie. And you know what? Cool. One of the biggest things I am learning during this season is that sometimes we (and by we I surely mean I) need to be okay with things being what they are, not what we’d like them to be. That doesn’t mean giving up on best practices as much as it means being attuned to the fact that best practices may change from day to day.
I’ve been learning that lesson big this week: in my fitness routine, in my grocery shopping, and in my Disney saving.
Because yes, I am still Disney saving. I made a compelling argument for myself to stay on this path, and what can I say, I am very convincing. I had to agree with myself that I made some very good points in this post.
But just like with everything else, maybe making adjustments daily as needs arise is the way moving forward.
Last post I talked about how I cashed out on the fly during an emergency Target run. Like a lot of folks right now, my grocery budget is taking a hit without the usual coupons and savings to rely on. Having that gift card at my fingertips was such a relief.
So why mess with a good thing?
This week I cashed out for gift cards that I immediately used for household/food needs. And instead of immediately transferring the money from the appropriate budget to the Disney Fund, we made a note in the budget that we owe the Disney Fund $30. Because we don’t know what the budgets will look like by the end of the month. Let’s be real, we don’t know what the world will look like tomorrow, let alone by the end of the month.
With the cancellation of the remaining months of the school year, the Frying Pan’s preschool has refunded us April and May’s tuition. That money is definitely needed to plug holes that have sprung up elsewhere, the inevitable situation when cheese suddenly shoots up in price. However. We are fairly certain that by the end of the month, we’ll still have money in that surplus to shift over to the Disney Fund. But we’re going to take it one day at a time, and revisit at the end of the month to make the transfer. And if you think on the positive side, it’s kind of like getting to celebrate money earned for Disney twice! Once when you earn it, and once when you actually get to transfer it. Get ready for a whole lotta celebrating on these posts!
2021 Family Trip
Goal: $8000
After Last Deposit: $6363.46
Total Deposit: $30
$20, Target Gift Card from Dabbl
$10, Target Gift Card from Fetch Rewards
Still Need: $6333.46
We’re still saving for Disney, but we’re making some adjustments so we can meet our immediate needs as well as plan for the future.
How has your saving for Disney been tweaked or adjusted during this season? I would love to hear all about it in the comments!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!