For those of us that purchased homes this year, keep an eye on your mailbox because your tax credit is probably on the way if you have not received it already.  Do you have a plan?  For many of us, getting a check this large ($6,000 – $8,000) isn’t an everyday occurrence.  It would not be wise to start spending without a plan.  The road to financial security is a mapped out path.  So, what’s your plan?  Here are some categories and ideas:

Giving

• Tithe, offering, or other charitable donation

Saving

• Is your emergency fund fully funded?  Your credit can help get you closer to your goal
• Do you have a home maintenance savings account
• Any other type of special savings account using ING Direct or your financial institution of choice

Spending

• Need to do some improvements or maintenance to that new home?
• Energy efficient home improvements
• Pay off debts or make a big dent in them
• Have some fun!

Investing

• Add a little extra to your retirement accounts if they aren’t maxed for the year.  Or start one!
• Consider social lending if you live in a state that allows you to use sites like Lending Club
• Purchase stocks, mutual funds, ETFs or a combination of them all.

Consider speaking with a financial advisor if you’re not sure where to start.

Tips:

1.  Let the money sit in a savings account for a while.  Especially if you’re not used to saving.  Build discipline here.
2.  Don’t plan anything that requires spending the money before you have it.

What about you?  How are you planning to use your credit?  Have you ever received a large payment?  What was your gameplan?

Related posts:

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the New Credit Card Laws But Were Afraid to Ask

Will You Take Advantage of the Homebuyer’s Tax Credit?

Credit Cards: Pros and Cons – Love them or Hate Them

How NOT to Dispute a Credit Card Charge

Dave Ramsey Says I Can Drive Free Retire Rich

7 Actions for Financial Spring Cleaning

How The CARD Act Has Affected Cash Back Credit Cards

Let me just start out by saying I have wonderific friends!  I’m usually pretty organized, but planning a wedding and conference at the same time has me just a little off my game.

A couple weeks ago I went into David’s Bridal to register.  I was told all bridesmaids dresses would have to be ordered that week to arrive within a week of my wedding date.  YIKES!  I had my heart set on this color and style.  The groomsmen have already started to order tuxes with matching vests.  My mind was racing…….could everyone order their dress in time?  Only one way to find out….

I got on the phone and started calling all the ladies.  The conversation went something like this:

Hey ______, I’m standing here in David’s Bridal and I was just told the dresses have to be ordered this weekend in order to arrive on time.  I had no idea they had a minimum 6 weeks to process orders!  Please forgive me for even asking, but is there anyway you can come in this weekend to get measured and place your order?  The dress costs $150 and must by paid in full to place the order.

The response was mostly a light-hearted chuckle, but everyone agreed to order their dress within 72 hours.  No one made me feel bad or guilty for my first wedding faux pas.  I was hoping to give them 3-4 weeks to place their orders.  I assumed a national bridal chain like David’s would have a quicker turn around…..boy was I wrong!

This got me thinking about the cost of being in a wedding party:

• Bridal gowns / tuxes
• Shoes
• Hair styles & Hair cuts
• Travel & Lodging for out of town attendants

There may be other miscellaneous costs such as child care, gifts, etc.

The morale of the story:
Appreciate your wedding party! They are making a sacrifice to be a part of your special day.
Plan in advance!

What about you?  What other costs are associated with being in a wedding?  How do you prepare financially?

Related posts:

I’ve Been Slacking….well, not really!

How Much Does it Cost to Have a Newborn Baby

The Cost of Speeding

7 Cost Effective Things You Can Do Instead of Watching TV

How a FREE Raffle Cost Me $70

What’s Been Going On

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #16: LOST Edition

Any Personal Finance Journey readers still out there???

I’ve been slacking on the updates BIG TIME!  But I have not bee slacking….here’s what’s been going on in my world:

I’m planning a worship arts conference & a wedding within the same time frame!

This week, One Money Design published my contribution on Planning a Frugal wedding.  Hop over there and leave your tips and experience.

I also published an article exposing the hidden costs of event planning.  Part 2 is coming….I promise!

This week has consisted of:

• Consolidating addresses for invitations
• Getting the brides maids dresses ordered (oh, that’s a funny story that deserves it’s own post) -> HERE IT IS!
• Shopping for a wedding cake
• Meeting with the coordinator
• Meeting with a potential decorator
• Selecting music for the program
• Meeting with the officiants
• Creating gift registry lists

Well you get the idea!

I promise I’ll get back to a regular posting schedule….it probably won’t be until November though!

Enjoy the sporadic articles in the meantime.  Look for me over at One Money Design weekly, hanging out with my Yakezie buddies, or on Facebook!

Related posts:

The Cost of Being in a Wedding Party

The Hidden Costs of Event Planning Part 1

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #14: Busy Week Edition

What’s Been Going On

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #18: GRABBBR Edition!

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #6: Celebrating Women’s Heritage Month

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #16: LOST Edition

For the last 4 years I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to host a worship arts conference that continues to grow and amaze me!  One item that I realized early on is that event planning can get expensive if you’re not careful.

Right now, I’m in the thick of wedding planning and conference planning which is why my posts are few and far between.  But I figured I’d take a break from all that to share some things I’ve learned along the way!

Events at Hotels

1.  When planning an event at a hotel that requires a contract…read the fine print! There are some shady sales managers out there that are counting on your ignorance to seal the deal which can cost you a heap out of pocket in the long run.

2.  While reading that contract, if there is something you don’t know…ask!  Here are some terms you should familiarize yourself with if you are looking to host an event at a hotel:

a. F&B:  That is food and beverage.  Hotels make money on the F&B so if you are looking for a block of rooms and / or meeting room space at a discount, normally there is a minimum F&B in the contract.  Notice that word minimum. For example, if you have a minimum F&B of $2,000 that means at least $2,000 must be spent on food.  If you are hosting an event with 100 people and want to serve dinner at $30 per person, you will owe $3,000 F&B thus fulfilling your commitment.  The confusion happens when people think they only owe $2,000 and they can fulfill their order.  It sounds elementary, but those contracts are worded in such a way very intelligent people miss this.

b. Rooms vs Room Nights: When negotiating, hotels typically deal in room nights versus actual rooms.  If you’re event spans 2 nights and you think you’ll night 10 rooms, they are going to block you for 20 room nights. Be sure you and your sales manager are speaking the same language.

c. Attrition: If you are negotiating with a hotel this is one area you need to pay attention to or it may end up costing you big time!  Attrition is the difference between the amount of room nights contracted and those actually booked….you are responsible for the difference!

Example:  You contract for 100 room nights and are obligated to fill out least 80%.  The hotel is allowing for 20% slippage.  Anything less than that 80%, you must pay for!

Let’s say your event is under attended, and only 60 room nights are booked.  You fell short of the attrition cut off of 80 by a difference of 20.  If the rooms are $100/night.  That is $100 x 20 room nights or $2,000 you now owe the hotel.

Lesson:  When blocking hotel rooms use realistic caution not optimistic ambition!

d.  Slippage: This is the difference between the actual and contracted room nights.  Hotels usually allow for some slippage before attrition begins.  Also, be aware that typically slippage occurs once rooms are booked and before the actual events.  Life happens, plans change, people cancel.  So if you are right at your cut off before attrition, it is not time to breathe easy.  Do everything you can to meet or exceed your contracted room block so slippage will not effect you.

e. Concessions: Finally the fun stuff!  The is what the hotel is giving you for bringing your business to them.  Remember, everything is negotiable!  Typical concessions include a free room for the event organizer, free room nights per every set number of rooms booked, discount on food, etc.

Note:  Concessions are dependent on meeting your contracted room night requirement, so if you fall short, not only will you have to pay attrition fees, you may lose some or all of your concessions….not fun!

This has gotten pretty long, so I think I’ll break it up into a series!  The next portion will deal with tools to organize your event!

Related posts:

FHA Insured Loan Costs to Increase

I’ve Been Slacking….well, not really!

Dave Ramsey Training Experience

Save Tons of Money on Family Vacation

Deal or Frill: Travel & Tours Package Deal

Don’t Finance a Vehicle without GAP Insurance

How Much Does it Cost to Have a Newborn Baby

Growing up, I loved to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks. Who would have thought their personalities could be compared to finances!

First, there is Alvin. He is the star of the show and he wants you to know it.  Alvin is charming yet impulsive.  “Alvins” are always trying to come up with a new scheme to reach a goal.  The “Alvins” of the personal finance world are looking to get rich quick.  Not illegal, but definitely not a slow and steady type of person.  The “Alvins” don’t have time to be concerned with budgets and spreadsheets…..BORING!  They live in the moment, take big risks…sometimes they succeed and sometimes they don’t.  But either way they are happy because they tried.

Alvins are all about the bling.  They don’t want to keep up with the Jones’….the want to BE THE JONES’!  Alvins measure success by material things and are driven by a desire to “make it big”.  Alvins find pleasure reading books like Rich Dad / Poor Dad.

Simon balances Alvin out.  He is a the genius of the group.  He is reserved and is a calculated risk taker.  The “Simons” of the personal finance world live by spreadsheets, budgeting software, analysis, research and more research.  Thinking about buying shares in a particular company?  Not without doing your due diligence!

“Simons” weigh choices carefully and will err on the side of caution.  The idea of big risks…big reward mean nothing.  “Simons” are content with what they have, are not persuaded by the Jones’ and find comfort in stability.

Theodore is the baby of the group whose innocence is part of his charm.  He is loving, trusting, but also a bit naive.    The “Theos” of the personal finance world are not actively concerned with tracking their net worth or portfolio.  They have accounts because someone along the line told them it was necessary, but they have no idea what is in their portfolio, how much value it has, nor how to effectively manage it.

“Theos” are idealistic and want everyone to get along and want to please everybody.  Even if this means co-signing for a loan or loaning money to a friend….Theo will do it rather than risk someone being upset with them.  “Theos” have their vices, rather it is a $4/day latte or eating out every night…it’s not hurting anybody and “Theos” aren’t interested in changing.

The Chipmunks make for great Saturday morning entertainment, but I wouldn’t want either to be my financial advisor!

What about you?  Do you see yourself in any of these characters?  Personally, I think I’ve got a little Simon and a little Theodore.

Any characteristics I missed?  List them in the comments!

Related posts:

7 Actions for Financial Spring Cleaning

Road Signs on Your Financial Journey

Taking the First Steps on Your Financial Journey

Comparing Crown Ministries & Financial Peace

The 2nd Dumbest Financial Move I’ve Ever Made

5 Lessons from My Encounter with a Financial Advisor

Thanks to all those who participated in the GRABBBR contest.  Again, GRABBBR is Giveaway Reaching All Bible Based Blog Readers. This was my first time hosting a multi-partnered contest and I’d like to thank all of the awesome partners as well as the participants!  It was fun to “travel the GRABBBR network” and follow the contest to our partners pages to earn points.  What do you think?  Is this something we should do again in the future?

Here are some GRABBBR facts:

• There were nearly 300 entries (287 to be exact)
• There were 29 “GRABBBR” retweets
• A few participants racked up between 30 – 60 points by following the GRABBBR network
• No one took advantage of 20 GRABBBR points by posting a YouTube video

Without any further delay, our winners are:

Greg K.
$100 Cash Prize from Personal Finance Journey

Rachel C.
$50 Cash from Debt Free Adventure

Charity L.
$30 Cash from Gather Little By Little

Richard G.
$20 Cash and 2 Hours of financial consulting by Provident Planning

Mami2jcn
$25 Amazon Gift Card from One Money Design

Kevin
Total Money Makeover book from Personal Finance By the Book

Congratulations again to all winners!  If you are a Bible based personal finance blogger and would like to be a partner in the future, drop me a line!

Related posts:

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #18: GRABBBR Edition!

Welcome to GRABBBR! (Giveaway contest with several prizes)

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #19 ~ Yakezie & GRABBBR Edition

Rank my Banks

Interview with Peter Anderson, founder of Bible Money Matters

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #4 February Recap

Save Tons of Money on Family Vacation

Personal Finance Journey is a partner in GRABBBR, that is Giveaway Reaching All Bible Based Blog Readers.  This is my featured GRABBBR blog post.  By leaving a comment on this post, you will gain 5 ENTRY POINTS and may win cash or prizes.

Discussion is encouraged!  However, only 1 comment per person will be counted towards GRABBBR, so please, no spam.  For more information about GRABBBR, including how to gain additional entry points, visit the official GRABBBR page.

******************************

Whoa!  I have 16 accounts between 4 financial institutions.  Later I’ll revisit why I have so many, are the too many, and can I / should I consolidate.  But for today, I want to talk about my experience with these institutions as I rank my banks:

ING Direct:
Category: Online High Yield Savings Bank

Depending on who you ask, ING may or may not belong in the “high yield” savings category.  The APY is not as competitive as it used to be.  In fact, there are quite a few online banks that can beat ING’s rates.  Also, they are no longer just a savings bank, offering Electric Orange checking with minimal fees, business accounts, home loans, retirement accounts and Sharebuilder for investing.

One of their early claim to fame is the ability to create / name multiple accounts (often mis-labeled sub-accounts).  This allowed you to separate, categorize, and budgetize you savings.  (yeah, I know, I made up budgetize)

The web interface is simple, yet secure.  It’s bright (orange) and not bogged down with extraneous information.  I can always find what I am looking for.

Customer service is their other claim to fame.  The support when calling ING is simply stellar!  Everyone I have talked to has been warm, friendly and went the extra mile.  Even though I don’t chase bank rates, customer service has compelled me to stick around…even if the APY is below others in this category.  It’s worth mentioning that ING’s APY is higher than traditional “brick and mortar” savings banks.

One of the things that is a blessing and curse is the time between transfers.  Expect 2-3 business days to move funds from an ING account to another bank.  I could remedy this with an electric orange account, but I’ve had success keeping my savings isolated.

Customer Service: 9/10
Web Interface: 9/10
Bang for your buck: 7/10
Accessibility: 7/10

Overall  32/40

Scott Credit Union:
Category: “Brick & Mortar” Credit Union

I started an account with SCU a few years ago because I needed a joint account for the dance ministry.  However, since then I’ve also decided to open an additional checking / savings account for myself.

Anyone who is a member of the community can have an account at this credit union.  They have decent rates and are pretty friendly.  They fixed my most recent mix-up without penalty.

They’ve improved their web interface over the years, but it still wasn’t great.  In fact, the reason I didn’t make this my primary account is because years ago I didn’t trust their online banking capabilities.

I’m not very active with this account, but the few times I did call them I’ve been able to get speedy results.  Nothing extraordinary, but not sub par.  There is a credit union on the complex where I work, as well as another branch not to far from my house.

Customer Service: 7/10
Web Interface: 6/10
Bang for your buck: 6/10
Accessibility: 8/10

Overall  27/40

USAA:
Category: Online Credit Union

I started a USAA account when I was an Air Force ROTC cadet.  It was my first introduction to friendly banking. Up until then, the local banks I dealt with were harsh, cold and unfriendly.  I figured all bank reps were like that so USAA was a pleasant surprise.  I loved the web interface, customer service, and even patriotic designs on their debit cards.  Even though it was an online bank, it felt like local banking.

When it was time for me to choose a car insurance, USAA made sense…though that is also when things took a turn for the worse.  During a time when I lost my job, they worked with me to keep my insurance active.  However, something was not documented properly and even though I was making payments I was being flagged as late.

These consecutive late payments resulted in a suspension of my banking web services.  Now, mind you, my banking accounts never defaulted during this time.  I was told I could keep my accounts, but wouldn’t be able to use the web services for a period of 7 years!  HARSH!

I fought this tooth and nail and they wouldn’t budge.  I was forced to find a new car insurance policy and somewhere else that I could do online banking.  I was allowed to keep my accounts, but without web access that rendered the Texas-based bank useless to me.

When I argued that my banking shouldn’t be effected by a misunderstanding with the car insurance…I was told it was the same company.  OK, but they also sent me a premium credit card a week earlier…they couldn’t explain that.

Despite that incident, USAA is still a great bank.  I would recommend them to anyone.  But I would not put all my eggs (insurance, banking, investments etc)  in one basket again.  Who knows…maybe other banks have similar penalties and policies.

Customer Service: 9/10
Web Interface: 9/10
Bang for your buck: 7/10
Accessibility: 1/10 (with suspended service can only bank by phone.)*

Overall  26/40

*When my web service is restored, accessibility will jump to 8/10 giving them an overall score of 33, being the highest scored and my top choice*

Bank of America:
Category: Big Bank

When my web access to USAA was suspended, I needed to make a quick decision on where my direct deposits would go.   I opted for BoA.   The “keep the change” program was enticing, especially since they match your savings for the first month.  The online banking provided everything I was looking for in an automatic payment system.

When calling, there was a very “corporate” feel.  I guess it is a trade-off when dealing with larger organizations.  There were fees for EVERYTHING!   New laws put a leash on the “overdraft” empire and other banking games.  I never understood why transactions didn’t happen in chronological order?!  If I make a cash deposit at the teller window, why isn’t that money not available until the next day?

If you offer me the “courtesy” of suspending my card because you believe it’s been compromised, would you do me the “courtesy” of a phone call?  This has happened a couple times and can be quite embarrassing. (Another reason for the SCU backup account!)

It is nice to have a large network of ATM and branches across the nation.  This means when I travel, I can usually find a BoA.  Also, if someone needs to send me money and doesn’t want to use Paypal or Google Checkout, they can usually find a BoA.  Though they have changed the rules and recently made it more difficult for other people to deposit money into your account.  Sigh.

I got a BoA account out of urgency to fill a need.  I’ve kept it because I haven’t felt like switching.  They don’t bother me, and I don’t bother them.  But I’ll probably look for a better place to store my money soon.

Customer Service: 6/10
Web Interface: 9/10
Bang for your buck: 5/10
Accessibility: 8/10

Overall  28/40

——————————————

So there you have it, my 4 financial institutions of choice.

What about you?  Do you do business with any of these? How would you rank your banks?

******************************

Personal Finance Journey is a partner in GRABBBR, that is Giveaway Reaching All Bible Based Blog Readers. This is my featured GRABBBR blog post. By leaving a comment on this post, you will gain 5 ENTRY POINTS and may win cash or prizes.

Discussion is encouraged! However, only 1 comment per person will be counted towards GRABBBR, so please, no spam. For more information about GRABBBR, including how to gain additional entry points, visit the official GRABBBR page.

Related posts:

My Experience with ING Direct

7 Ways to Prevent Bank Overdraft Fees

How to Get Overdraft Fees Refunded

Automated Payments vs Online Bill Pay

Ugh Overdraft!

7 Actions for Financial Spring Cleaning

Congratulations GRABBBR Winners!

Every Tuesday, I will post a link roundup of articles I’ve found while researching the Internet.

This week, (well July 4th actually) marks the end of Phase 1 of the Yakezie challenge.  The goal of phase 1 was to break below 200,000 in the Alexa ranking.  I came late to the Yakezie party in February with a starting rank of 800,000+.  Today July 6, 2010 my rank is 207,222.

Thanks to the smart developers at Alexa, I can share my current rank with you using the widget banner below.  So in case you are not reading this on July 6, 2010 my current rank is:

I came very close to my goal, and I would have made it except for one thing.  I slacked off tremendously on the posting consistency.  Between the car accident, filing insurance paperwork, and my most recent announcement (smiles)…I simply didn’t have the time to write as consistently as I’d hoped and my stats reflect that.  Oh well, pressing on!!!

Also, I’ve partnered with several other bloggers to bring you GRABBBR, that is Giveaway Reaching All Bible Based Blog Readers.  Prizes include cash, gift certificates, books, consulting and more.  Earn entry points by connecting with our partners.  The contest is running for another week so it’s not too late to join in on the fun.  Visit the official GRABBBR page for all the details.

Enough yammering by me!  On to the round up!

**************************************************

Out of Debt Christian discusses Luggage Boxes as a way to Avoid Airline Fees.  Are the cost effective?  You be the judge.

Punch Debt discusses the financial reality of furnishing a new apartment.  Sounds like Girl Ninja doesn’t want to live on a sofa made out of cardboard boxes.  Can’t say that I blame her!

Congratulations Free From Broke!  They are homeowners! I can relate, I’ll be sharing a series on my recent home buying experience soon.  I understand the excitement and fears that come with such a purchase.

MoneyCrashers reviews CheapOair.  Apparently they stand out from the other travel aggregation sites.

PFJ On the Map

One Money Design Contribution:

The Greatest Inheritance

Round-ups :

Rainy Day Saver

Related posts:

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #7: Yakezie Edition

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #18: GRABBBR Edition!

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #10: Yakezie Guest Post Edition

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #8: Frugal Recipes Edition

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #12: The Link Post Task

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #9: March Recap

Along the Journey Weekly Roundup #11: The Problogger Challenge Edition

It is so important to watch those bank accounts, especially if you have any accounts that you don’t use that often!

Here’s the story:

Part of my car insurance claim from April’s accident includes tax and title reimbursement on a new vehicle purchase.  Since this check came after I moved, I had to relay my new address to the insurance company.  When I called to inquire about the check after not receiving it in the given timeline, I found out they recorded my new mailing address wrong.  They were going to stop payment on that check and issue a 2nd check.

About a week later, I get a check in the mail from the insurance company I cash it, pay some bills and go about my business.

A couple weeks after that, I receive a second check from the insurance company.  I put it aside so I could call the insurance company and give them the tracking number on the 2nd check and they could do stop payment or whatever they do.

It didn’t occur to me that the check I already cashed could have been the stopped one….until this morning….YIKES!  I logged in and my suspicions were confirmed, the check had been stopped  and the activity on the account had been adjusted for….fortunately the only activity is a small car loan with the same bank.  So in a few hours, I’ll head over and hopefully get the whole situation cleared up.  I have the “new” check, so hopefully I can clear this matter up by talking to a branch representative.  I’ve been using the term bank, but it’s actually a credit union.

I’ll post an update later today!

What I did wrong:

• Cashed 1st check without verifying it was the recent one

What I did right:

• Acted immediately once mistake was discovered
• Check less active accounts often

Lessons learned:

Fortunately, this particular account is a sort of alternate account.  There isn’t too much daily activity so there isn’t a trail of overdraft fees, stopped or missed payments.  Accounts that are not used on a regular basis tend to get overlooked.  I prefer to decentralize my finances, but keep all accounts within my scope.  If you have multiple accounts, but sure to check up on them from time to time for unexpected activity.

What about you?  Have you ever overdrafted as a result of a stopped check/payment?  How was it resolved?

Related posts:

How to Get Overdraft Fees Refunded

7 Ways to Prevent Bank Overdraft Fees

Don’t Finance a Vehicle without GAP Insurance

Automated Payments vs Online Bill Pay

Rank my Banks

My Experience with ING Direct

Thinking of Filing a GAP Insurance Claim? Get Your Paperwork Together!

I haven’t posted to the “Deal or Frill” series in a while.  The idea is simple, I’ll post a story and you tell me rather you think the purchase is a Deal: A sale favorable to the buyer; bargain (Informal definition from thefreedictionary.com)

or

Frill: Something that is desirable but not a necessity (Informal definition from thefreedictionary.com).  Though for our purposes, a “frill” will be something that is simply not a deal.

I would love to publish your Deal or Frill story.  Use the contact page to send me your story.  Place “Deal or Frill” in the subject line.

*************************

Every so often I’ll receive a call from a travel / tourism company with what sounds like a great trip for an extremely low price.  Typically, you have to make your decision immediately and pay for the trip before you get off the phone.  I’ve never been in a position to take advantage of these offers, and often wondered if they are really worth it.  That is, until now….

A couple weeks ago I received a call stating a Travel/Tourism company was celebrating there 35th anniversary and I was hand-picked to receive this great promotional package at a 90% discount.  Here is the package:

• 5 days / 4 nights in Orlando, FL at 5-star all inclusive resort
• 2 all day passes to theme park of choice (Universal Studios, Epcot, Magic Kingdom etc)
• 3 days / 2 nights in Daytona Beach
• 4 days / 3 nights Bahamas Cruise and Stay
• 3 days / 2 nights Las Vegas, NV (bonus)

The trip is for up to 4 people, includes meals, and can be broken up.  There are no blackout dates and I have a year to use it.  The only additional fees are port fees for the cruise ($175/person) and traveling to destination.

What’s the catch? They want 90 minutes of my time to “present” their company to me. (Translation: try to sell timeshares).

That is 1 90 minute presentation for the entire package…not 1 per location (I checked!).  It doesn’t sound like a bad trade-off to me.  At least I’ll have something interesting to write about after the presentation

I was told this package would cost over $2,900 (I didn’t verify if this was true or not, but sounds about right).
My cost:  $298

I guess I really won’t know until I experience the trip if this was a good buy.  But based on the cost and what I’m receiving….what do you think….deal or frill?

Have you ever went on a trip like this?  What was your experience?
Which park should we go to?  Universal Studios?  Epcot? etc….

Related posts:

Deal or Frill: Employer’s Coffee Fund

Deal or Frill: The Miche Bag

Deal or Frill: Angel Food Ministries

Welcome Frugal Folks

The Hidden Costs of Event Planning Part 1

How a FREE Raffle Cost Me $70

Ugh Overdraft!