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<p>OK…this has been bothering me all night. Dad II…are you saying that you have spent (recently) $300 on a dinner for 2 with a good bottle of wine? </p>
<p>I would view this as discretionary spending for those with significant financial need…but then that’s my opinion. It would also be discretionary spending for those trying to save money or pay for college expenses.</p>
<p>Thumper, don’t take the bait!</p>
<p>We track expenses on Quicken – which is why we were appalled when we realized that S1’s meal plan costs more than we spent for all four of us for eight months. (Groceries: ~$125/wk.) Dining services is making a mint off all the food S1 doesn’t eat.</p>
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<p>Sadly, I find that I’m doing both these days.</p>
<p><<i find=“” something=“” i=“” like=“” at=“” a=“” reasonable=“” price,=“” buy=“” it=“” in=“” every=“” color.=“”>></i></p><i find=“” something=“” i=“” like=“” at=“” a=“” reasonable=“” price,=“” buy=“” it=“” in=“” every=“” color.=“”>
<p>You are breaking their rule, NO multiples.</p>
<p>I do it too!</p>
<p>My incentive to not gain weight is that I would need all new clothes. And I’m not willing to do that. I have jeans from 10+ years ago. yes, I really do belong on What not to wear!</p>
<p>My S’s meal plan cost $125 last year. This year he’s off the plan (in NYC, lives next to trader joe’s in Union Square) and I’m giving him $150 a week to ‘live’ on. He’s scraping by and augments with his work study money. </p>
<p>He had sushi last night. I don’t ask what it cost… My leftover spaghetti with ground chicken was fine.</p>
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<p>I’m not sure how much we spend on groceries. It varies week to week and, fortunately, we’re at a point in our lives where we don’t need to keep close track of it. I remember early in our marriage where we’d go shopping and my H would use a calculator as we went up one aisle and down the next so that we’d make sure to know approximately what the total would be when we got up to the cashier. Pretty embarrassing if you didn’t have enough cash with you, and those were the days before grocery stores accepted credit cards. </p>
<p>I’m with MOWC. Although our shopping, in general, has been reduced in recent months, we still buy what we need and most of what we want. Those of us who are able to spend, should be doing so, in an attempt to stimulate the economy, and I say that in all seriousness. If I’m not giving business to our local shopkeepers, they’re suffering even more.</p>
<p>As for the OP’s original question, I think, as many have mentioned, that a few of the #s are a bit off. We have certainly gone on many vacations where we’ve spent $10,000 but it wasn’t the case in our early years of marriage, nor when we were earning $125,000/yr. which I think is what the OP’s original earnings were.</p>
<p>hmom5…I tried to send you a PM but your box is full.</p>
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<p>Hmmm…I thought the OP was a college student.</p>
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<p>thumper, he/she posted this in post#6. Whether it’s real or theoretical, it appears to be the basis for the original question.</p>
<p>I believe his whole OP was “theoretical”. I believe this OP is a college student aspiring to be a doctor. </p>
<p>However, in reality…if you want to have $50K of cash flow…you would likely need to have a salary of almost double that amount.</p>
<p><<we have=“” certainly=“” gone=“” on=“” many=“” vacations=“” where=“” we’ve=“” spent=“” $10,000=“” but=“” it=“” wasn’t=“” the=“” case=“” in=“” our=“” early=“” years=“” of=“” marriage,=“” nor=“” when=“” we=“” were=“” earning=“” $125,000=“”>></we></p>
<p>I can’t wait until I can make a statement like the one above… I think that if my child is ever financially independent I will have that thing people talk about but I never have had, disposable income…</p>
<p>All the vacations I have gone on the last 20 years have been less than $5000 (total, all together). I will never earn a 6 figure income… </p>
<p>My parents took a month long cruise (their cruise ship was shot at by pirates if you saw that in the news last month). One of their vacations is more than my EFC. And they have been going 2x a year for a while.</p>
<p>Okay, OP here. I do agree that 10k for vacations is probably expensive. I have never been on one so I didnt really know how much they costs. I guess 5k would be more appropriate. And yes, I am aspiring to be a doctor and hope that I earn over 50k (or whatever amount is needed to net that).</p>
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Have you beat. Trim my own, don’t color it, etc.<br>
and pyles is still in high school. ;)</p>
<p>I do wear used clothes, but since my H was a costumer, they were usually only used once or twice on camera. I was just reminded of this while I was on the computer my television watching H just screamed----“look honey its your sweater!”
And a money saving idea Ive passed on to other parents of HS daughters. Rent your formal from a studio or a motion picture costume house. Senior Prom D wore a green silk “goddess” gown designed for Deborah Kerr that was to die for. Cost for a nights rental $50.</p>
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<p>Isn’t that the truth. There are only two salons that I frequent here, Toni&Guy and Frederic Fakkai. I get mine cut every 30-45 days, and it sure isn’t cheap but it’s well worth it in the end.</p>
<p>^^ You might want to try Avalon Salon in Snider Plaza. It’s excellent, although the guy I liked when I lived in TX is now the head stylist at their Victory Park location.</p>
<p>We had a dinner at Morton’s. My lobster alone was $126!!!</p>
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<p>I hope you enjoyed it. Morton’s is fantastic.</p>
<p>Its a good thing we no longer take your stuff seriously, DadII.</p>
<p>** I had a lobster dinner a week or so ago- it was on special if you ate at the bar (nice restaurant, no problem with that) and ordered one of their signature drinks (also on special). Dinner for 3 (2 were the 1 lb lobsters), 2 drinks, tax and tip was about $80.</p>
<p>I prefer to have lobster at home (half the price), and have dishes I wouldn’t normally have (or know how to cook) at restaurants. It’s like buying a diamond ring at the Tiffany, you could get the same ring at half the price from your jeweler. </p>
<p>No, you can’t take Dad II too seriously. Not when he was belly aching about the cost of visiting his daughter for parents weekend. Of course, he could have been out on the company’s dime.</p>