Bachelor/ette party update

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Bachelor/ette party update
9
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 9:17am

After discussing with my husband for days the pro's and major cons of going on these trips, we both heartily agreed that it was ridiculous for us to think we could afford a $1400 dollar trip that didn't even include each other or our kids! So I did a really hard thing and I declined. At first I got a kind of frazzled email back from the bride and she complained that I was letting her know so late after I had already said I could go. The only problem with that and I think she's seen the error of her ways, is that I only declined after she gave me the final numbers for the trip. I later found out that she was so frazzled because quite a few people were backing out on her and it was affecting the price of the trip for everyone. She was even thinking about canceling it! I felt bad! But I talked with one of her bridesmaids that I'm close with and she said that something had to be done because if the price of the trip was raised on her, then she was going to have to think about backing out. So she called the bride and admitted that this was going to be a lot of money for some people. She actually got the bride to back down and admit that maybe it was too expensive. She canceled the whole bachelorette package and now the trip is down to just hotel, gas and passport. Everything else, clubs, drinks, outings, food is up to each person individually. SO I think that I may actually be able to go now! It's going to be $150 for the hotel and the gas. I'm going to spend $100 on the passport which I'll hopefully use someday anyway and then I'm going to take about $100 to spend. $350 is much better than $600.

After DH declined to go to Las Vegas, we decided to do some searching on our own for a better way to get there for him. We've decided to get one of our timeshares and he's going to split the cost with another guy that would like to go on the trip for a better price as well. Then we're going to search for the cheapest plane ticket we can find. He's already found one for $250 which is great! So the Las Vegas trip is looking like it could cost about 4-500 instead of 7-800.

We're not a definite yet but I think we've made it more doable for ourselves. Now I know that a lot of you said that you would never spend the money on this kind of trip, but our group of friends are more like family to us than just friends. It's something that is important enough to us that we have to at least try our hardest to see if it's reasonably possible to make happen. We'll see.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2003
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 9:40am

Hi Abbie,


How long are you planning to be in Montreal for? The reason I ask is because $100 for spending money may be setting yourself up for failure. Montral isn't the cheapest City in the world (I live about 1.5 hours from there and have been there a lot). $150 for a hotel and gas also seems low. Keep in mind Canada Quebec especially) taxes pretty much everything at 13% , there is a hotel tax of 3% as well. Gas in Quebec is heavily taxed and as of yesterday it was something like $1.06/L


Bex -

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 10:29am

We are getting there at 11 o'clock on Friday night and leaving on monday morning. My plan is to bring snacks and fruit so I don't have to buy breakfast, to eat as cheaply as I can (pick the cheapest thing on the menu and get water), pay the covers but I don't drink much, plus I was thinking about buying some alcohol at the tax-free stop across the border so I won't have to drink at the clubs. I'll probably have 1 drink when I go out. And once I run out of money, I run out! They are also planning on going to some underground mall and a famous church or something. I may have to up my spending money to $150, but that would be my limit. I won't be buying any souvenirs. The hotel is being split between 4 people and one of our friends is getting some kind of big discount at the Downtown Marriot. As far as the gas goes, the hotel is supposedly going to cost 90 dollars per person for 3 nights and the rest of the $150 is being put towards gas. With 17 people going, we should need 4 cars and it's about a 5 hour trip (261 miles) from where we live.

I'm not a live it large type of person. I think I should be able to do it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2010
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 10:44am

*some underground mall* plan on spending some $ there or having some serious, serious self-resttraint. I don't even like clothes and the outlets, the deals, I couldn't resist when we were there last summer.
Of all the places we went from western canada into Quebec, Montreal is the city that undid our budget (of course it might have had something do with DH's obsession with their hockey team....).

But it is absolutely beautiful, the church is awesome, and it will be a trip to remember. All in all, sounds like you've got your budget pretty well laid out, good to hear the bride became a little more reasonable about the whole thing so that you can go!

Melissa
~ Mom to 5 ~
~ Melissa ~ ‎"We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us, if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity." - Barbara de Angelis
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 10:51am
Believe me, I have the self-restraint of a sainted nun! I actually hate shopping so it's pretty easy for me! I can never find anything for myself. The only problem I have with spending is on kids clothes.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 11:45am


The only major suggestion I have for you is that if you are going with a group and you plan to eat cheaply and drink water - make sure you clear the bill with the group BEFORE heading out.

Often times when eating with a group the tab is expected to be split evenly. If you are not drinking and eating cheaply and the bill is still split evenly you will be spending a lot more than planned.

Just a FYI.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-1998
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 4:02pm

Abbie

If the hotel you are at is the downtown Residence Inn by Marriot they have
"All guests enjoy a complimentary daily buffet breakfast"
I copied and pasted that from the website. So if your breakfast is taken care of just make it a bigger meal than you would normally and you can eat less at lunch. That will help your budget a little.
DH & I always try to stay at hotels that have the complimentary breakfasts it saves us about $15-20 a day.



iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 5:15pm

Abbie, I have absolute faith that you can pull this off.

Kate


empty purse

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2009
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 9:42pm

I understand what you mean about your weakness being spending money on the babies. It gets me everytime also:) Have a fun trip, I am glad that you could make it work!


Liz

Liz

student loan paid off 2010

Bathroom remodel loan paid off 2013

Pending Car loan to be paid by the end of 2014!!!!!

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2006
Tue, 01-26-2010 - 10:18pm

I just wanted to say good for you - for sticking to what is reasonable and comfortable for you. It has taken me a long time but I am learning that the short term discomfort/awkwardness of saying no or declining is much easier to bear than the long term remorse of paying down even more debt!

Bring a camera and take a lot of photos everyone loves them afterwards and they can go a long way in a creative gift down the road!