New York City on a Budget

This past week, a friend of ours in a similar financial position (family of 5 also living on a Resident's meager salary) asked how we were possibly able to afford our recent trip to New York City.  Though we didn't do anything 'special', she couldn't believe we had spent so little, so I promised to account for every dime we spent and show her.  So this post is mainly for her. :)

On our budget, we are only able to save $50 per month toward travel.  As of February, we had $300 in our 'travel' fund.  We (especially the Mr.!!!) really wanted to visit New York City for February vacation, so we decided that, if we could do it for $300 or under, we would go!  After doing some research, we decided we could spend 3 days and 2 nights there and come in right at budget.

Here's our cost breakdown:

~Transportation - $176
         ~Gas (we drove 5 1/2 hours each way): $120
         ~Tolls: $27
         $10 on the Maine Turnpike ($5 each way)
         $5 in random tolls ($3 for a bridge, .75 another spot)
         Lincoln Tunnel $12 (we first went to the Holland tunnel and, upon learning it was $12 to cross, changed our route and headed (far out of the way) to the Lincoln tunnel, only to learn that it, too, was $12!  Some costs are inevitable!)
         ~Public Transportation: $29
         Staten Island Ferry - FREE
         PATH train $2 per adult each way when purchasing card in advance ($8 per day for our family)
         Bus $5 ($2.50 per adult - we took the bus one day when we were going from the PATHs station to the 911 Memorial - a couple of miles that we didn't want to walk)


~Lodging: $140 (We stayed (2 nights) in a hotel in Jersey City, just a short (8 min) train ride away from Manhattan.  It was only $70 per night (including taxes and fees!), and included free parking and a continental breakfast.  It was certainly not the Four Seasons, but it was safe, clean, and only for 2 nights!)

~Food: $38
         Breakfast - continental breakfast was included in our hotel (it was meager, but it was only for 2 days!)
         Lunch - $10 (We were driving there during lunch time the first day, so we ate a picnic lunch that we had packed that day.  Our second and 3rd days, we purchased 5 hot dogs / pretzels from stands on the street at $1 each and ate fruits and veggies we had brought with us.)
         Dinner - $10 (We ate a picnic dinner that we brought with us the first 2 nights - chicken sandwiches, salad, and fresh fruit.  The third night, we splurged on Pizza and salad at COSTCO - 3 slices at $2 ea plus a $4 salad - we wanted to get their delicious chocolate almond ice cream bar for dessert but they were sold out!)
         Other - $18 - a small bag of M & Ms at the M & M Store (HUGE splurge - we didn't realize it would be this much when we were getting them, but we didn't feel honest about not purchasing M & Ms we had poured into the bag!)

~Entertainment: $18
         $18 - 4 tickets ($4.50 each) for the ToysRUs Ferris Wheel
         Central Park Playground with huge slide FREE
         Central Park Hike FREE
         Central Park rock climbing FREE
         Seeing Statue of Liberty from Jersey Shore Park - FREE
         Brooklyn Children's Museum FREE with our Children's Museum Pass  (There were at least 8 museums in NYC we could have visited for free with our Children's museum pass, but ran out of time!)
         ToysRUS with lots to see / toys to play with / play house to visit FREE
         FAOSchwarz with a giant piano to run and play on / toys to play with / lots to see FREE
         M & M store with games to play and free samples FREE

Grand Total: $372 for a 3 day trip to NYC

So, as you can see, we came out $72 over budget, but we took $38 out of our monthly food budget for the food, and $34 out of our monthly gas budget, because we eat and drive even when we are home, so we would have spent money on gas and food regardless of whether or not we were travelling.


     

Together

Today has been full of frustration and disappointment on the "home front". We began the day by accepting the homeowner's offer and signing papers to 'seal' the contract. Assuming we were under contract, we began looking through the pictures we had taken, measuring out where we planned to place furniture, etc. Shortly thereafter, our realtor called with the bad news; the seller had retracted her offer. We made two additional counter offers, the final one offering the amount she had originally asked for, but she refused and has now withdrawn her home from the market.

We had loved the home and it's location and had easily imagined our family there from the first time we walked through it. So this news was somewhat discouraging. But we had seen several other houses we had also really liked, so we decided to put an offer on our second choice. Moments later we received the call: our second choice was already under contract (after 3 offers!). Not to be discouraged, we moved on to our third....also under contract after 3 offers. Apparently we know a good deal when we see one! Our fourth choice was - you guessed it - under contract. (Interestingly, three of these four had been on the market for several weeks - some even months - before we saw them last weekend! So we hadn't felt much pressure to make any immediate offers, and didn't realize they were such hot properties!)

At this point, I broke down in despair. We had returned home from Maine feeling blessed that we'd been able to view so many great options, all of which were in our price range, and all of which we felt would be great places for our family to live (and we are fairly particular, so this is saying something!) We have really felt impressed that buying a home rather than renting would be a wise investment, as we were able to get an outstanding interest rate, some great prices on homes (cheaper than rent!), and we were hoping to cash in on the $8000 first time homebuyer tax credit.

My patient and loving husband held me as I sobbed and, as we stood there in the kitchen in one another's arms, I suddenly realized: Wherever we are together, that is home. If we didn't find the perfect home - or any home at all, for that matter, as long as we have each other, we will be happy wherever we are. We have spent the last several years in old and crowded apartments, but these have been some of the best days of our lives. Our children don't notice the cinderblock walls or the tacky carpet; they remember the time we spend together and love we share. Perhaps we aren't building equity or itemizing deductions....but we are making memories which are more precious and will last far longer than anything money can buy.

(Match Day, March 18th, 2010)

Our search for homes is far from over. We still have several more properties on our list which, though slightly less desirable than our first four, would suit our family just fine for a few years. And I am sure we will be happy wherever we end up. But fortunately, I am learning to let go of the stress and disappointment and, instead, expend my energy on "being together" as a family.

(Post edit: This song has been running through my head since I wrote this. If you aren't familiar with it, click the link below to listen; it's a beautiful song!)

"Home Can Be a Heaven On Earth" (LDS Hymn #298)

"Home can be a heav’n on earth

When we are filled with love, Bringing happiness and joy, Rich blessings from above— Warmth and kindness, charity, Safety and security— Making home a part of heaven, Where we want to be.

Drawing fam’ly near each week, We’ll keep love burning bright. Serving Him with cheerful hearts, We’ll grow in truth and light. Parents teach and lead the way, Children honor and obey, Reaching for our home in heaven, Where we want to stay.

Praying daily in our home, We’ll feel His love divine; Searching scriptures faithfully, We’ll nourish heart and mind. Singing hymns of thanks, we’ll say, “Father, help us find the way Leading to our home in heaven, Where we long to stay.”

Text: Carolyn Hamilton Klopfer, b. 1936. © 1985 IRI

Music: W. Herbert Klopfer, b. 1936. © 1985 IRI

Our American Express Christmas

Fortunately for us, we budgeted $300 for Christmas this year. Unfortunately for us, that's not really gonna cut it due to several unexpected expenses which just happened to pop up:

$1035 - The kids medical bills (medicine, equipment and visits) over the last month (several trips to the pediatrician, no insurance)
$311 - Jon's Dr. bill
$115 - 2 new tires
$110 - an unexpected cell phone bill
$25 - fee for not having cash at a toll booth in San Francisco
$15 - fee for somehow losing a CD we borrowed from the library
Knowing (hoping!) that this is the LAST year we'll be living on an income of $0.............priceless!

***Please do not take this as a complanatory post...while all the facts are, sadly, true, we find that making light of our destitute situation actually makes us laugh, and offers us hope for a brighter financial future..... :)