News Disney modifies monthly payment structure for Annual Passes

[Vegas Disney Fan]

It doesn’t apply to me at all…but have you had a mortgage? A car loan? A tuition bill?

Now I am unequivocally….1000% against financing vacations

That bacon doesn’t stick with you long enough to warrant interest payments

But…and I may be having a mid to late life crisis…my stance on “superior” and “inferior” types of debt is softening

Two things I seem to be realizing:
1. You don’t have nearly as much time as you were lead to believe
2. This planet…and the dominant species…doesn’t really make it easy on you. Half the specimens are trying to exploit/overwork you…the other half are searching for angles to rip you off. Give or take a few % points

I still wouldn’t go into debt for a vacation but my “balance” of enjoying life now vs saving for retirement has drastically changed over the last couple years due to some of my own health issues, a friend passing to cancer, and another being diagnosed with ALS.

I don’t know which is worse… living so long you run out of money or not living long enough to spend your retirement savings.

I’m relatively young at 51, and fortunately should survive a couple more decades even with my health issues, but the idea we’ll all live to see 80 or more now feels very naive.

I give everyone the same advice now, go enjoy life while you can, but do it responsibly so you don’t regret it later, the way we’re living now we won’t have a lavish retirement but we’ll have a roof over our heads and food on the table and that’s good enough. We planned to travel the world after we retired, we’re just doing it 15 years earlier than expected in case we’re not healthy enough to do it later.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I still wouldn’t go into debt for a vacation but my “balance” of enjoying life now vs saving for retirement has drastically changed over the last couple years due to some of my own health issues, a friend passing to cancer, and another being diagnosed with ALS.

I don’t know which is worse… living so long you run out of money or not living long enough to spend your retirement savings.

I’m relatively young at 51, and fortunately should survive a couple more decades even with my health issues, but the idea we’ll all live to see 80 or more now feels very naive.

I’m in your boat…as I’ve said a few times over the past year

Sorry to hear about the cancer and ALS…just brutal

It’s not that we won’t have many, many more years…it’s that not everyone we know will…and people change as time goes on and you want to capture the things you enjoy about them as much as you can when you can

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I still wouldn’t go into debt for a vacation but my “balance” of enjoying life now vs saving for retirement has drastically changed over the last couple years due to some of my own health issues, a friend passing to cancer, and another being diagnosed with ALS.

I don’t know which is worse… living so long you run out of money or not living long enough to spend your retirement savings.

I’m relatively young at 51, and fortunately should survive a couple more decades even with my health issues, but the idea we’ll all live to see 80 or more now feels very naive.

I give everyone the same advice now, go enjoy life while you can, but do it responsibly so you don’t regret it later, the way we’re living now we won’t have a lavish retirement but we’ll have a roof over our heads and food on the table and that’s good enough. We planned to travel the world after we retired, we’re just doing it 15 years earlier than expected in case we’re not healthy enough to do it later.

I can relate to this post.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Going to catch flak for this one but if you can't pay for a pass outright without dipping into savings then you should probably not be purchasing an annual pass. I guess its 0% so there is no downside of doing it, but they would only bother offering it if there is a decent market of people who wouldn't but unless it was on a payment plan which is crazy to me.

To me it's fine because it's similar to paying for a monthly gym pass. It's something you're using regularly.

It's different than taking a one off vacation or buying a new TV you don't need, and then making payments for months afterward.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

To me it's fine because it's similar to paying for a monthly gym pass. It's something you're using regularly.

It's different than taking a one off vacation or buying a new TV you don't need, and then making payments for months afterward.

And that’s OK, too. Make payments on whatever you need to make payments on. Is it ideal? No. But then there’s reality.

 

[SamusAranX]

Well there's always Levy County...you can rent a single wide for around a thousand a month in Chiefland.

My old job required weekly visits, twice a week, to Chiefland. Needless to say I do NOT miss that

 

[networkpro]

My old job required weekly visits, twice a week, to Chiefland. Needless to say I do NOT miss that

There are reasons why its inexpensive (in comparison to a lot of other places) to live in that county.

 

[Tha Realest]

I’m in your boat…as I’ve said a few times over the past year

Sorry to hear about the cancer and ALS…just brutal

It’s not that we won’t have many, many more years…it’s that not everyone we know will…and people change as time goes on and you want to capture the things you enjoy about them as much as you can when you can

Sorry to hear @Vegas Disney Fan. And I appreciate your perspectives too @Sirwalterraleigh and @Tony the Tigger.

We were touching base with our financial advisor/retirement consultant and they stopped us midsentence and said, “Take. The. Trip.” Her children are now graduating high school, and they’ve suddenly realized that their time as a cohesive family is about over (college spring breaks don’t necessarily align across the board or with high schools). I also suspect this comes from having multiple clients that amassed wealth or delayed gratification for Golden Years which never came.

No day is promised to us, and everything seems to become more unsettling and uncertain than the day before it. I’ve thankfully escaped any major personal health issues but have friends and loved ones of friends that were not as lucky. Beliefs and promises of growing old together that just went away due to sudden death, prolonged health issues, divorce, or loss of a child.

Two years ago one of the mom’s of my son’s friends finally relented and went to see a doctor over spring break (mid March) for some bowel distress she had been experiencing. She made it until early June.

Take. The. Trip.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Two years ago one of the mom’s of my son’s friends finally relented and went to see a doctor over spring break (mid March) for some bowel distress she had been experiencing. She made it until early June.

That “it’s probably nothing” self destructive “instinct” in humans is one of the hardest to shake

Have another recent story. Found out in late May (in Epcot…actually) that an old Boss of mine from years ago passed.

He wasn’t a bad guy…but was a nut for no reason (filter blocked)…but that doesn’t bother me. What bothered me is he always talked about “balance” and proceeded to sit infront of the computer for 10 hours every day and nitpick details and stare at the Books…while trying to convince you it wasn’t his life. Got up at like 4 am and sent emails at 11pm almost Daily

So the cover story from his outfit was “he was semi retired”…or even better “he actually retired May 1st”

The truth? Was there all day on May 21st and found at 8 at night ok slumped over onto the dining room floor by his wife and oldest daughter. 65

Knew he had some heart ailments for two years prior at least.

Never thought for a second he wouldn’t “die at the desk”…which only didn’t happen on a technicality.

Long story? Never be that guy. Actually lead a balanced life. Pay YOURSELF forward.