Money talk, actual numbers re: month-long vacation

[anna7602]

For my month in France with both kids, I went over what I thought I would spend by roughly 50%, BUT, I'm not sure how to account for straight vacation costs v. regular food/activities/public transportation that I would have spent during a month in NYC anyway, or what I would have spent on camp for DD regardless of whether I spent the month working or not. (DD's local day camp runs about $500/week.) No loss of income was calculated here because I work on a per-project basis and will basically be working my arse off later this month and in Sept & Oct. to make up for my month away from my current project. 

Anyway, the grand total was $7494.64, which breaks down as follows:

R/T airfare JFK-CDG for me and DD, plus a small charge for DS as a lap infant: $2168.64
Eurostar R/T Paris-London for me and DD, DS was free: $345
AirBNB in London for 5 nights: $1081.00
Credit card purchases: $3000.00
Cash withdrawals: $900 

CC purchases include museum entrances, public transportation passes, groceries, meals out, entrance to EuroDisney as well as public transportation to get there and meals inside the park for me, DD, and her friend and friend's father since they were hosting us at their apartment for two weeks, plus lots and lots of random stuff I bought during the big sales, like a fancy purse, toys for DD and DS, and gifts for people back at home, oh AND AN EXTRA SUITCASE TO TRANSPORT ALL THIS STUFF BACK TO THE US. The suitcase alone came to $150. 

Cash w/d's include farmers' market food purchases (for cooking at home), babysitting, a few days of camp for DD in Paris, picnic-type meals, taxi rides, my addiction to French women's magazines and general newsstand items, pastry-shop runs, and carousel rides.

I am not a budget maven, so if you are, feel free to weigh in on whether you count regular grocery store expenses in your vacation budget or just eating out. In general, I think we ate the same combo of at-home meals and restaurant/take-out meals that we do at home (thanks to traveling with an 11-month-old), and the cost for both was roughly the same in Paris as NYC. A fair amount of friends also invited us over for meals, but in return, I stocked up on a lot of food for a party I threw for DS, so maybe those costs cancel each other out? The side-trip to London is what threw all of my costs out of whack. One simple lunch out with DD of a salad & sandwich for me and an egg-based brunch-type dish for her (I had food in a tupperware for DS) came to $50 there. Another night that we went out for pizza came to $44 for the two of us. And just one of my basic grocery runs for things like yogurt, cheese sticks, dry pasta and some fruits and veggies came to $75. Oh, London!

[jinkies]

When I think of say, what my week at the beach cost me, I don't really include groceries, because we would have eaten them anyway.

In your case, I would count airfare, train travel, air bnb costs, museum and Disney fees, and probably the suitcase (ha!). I wouldn't count meals unless you ate super extravagantly and very differently than you would have at home. I also wouldn't count shopping, necessarily, although maybe the souveniers you bought for others?

I don't know. I don't really budget, so you probably shouldn't listen to me. 

[SJ]

Aug 6, 2015 10:03:21 GMT -5 @vicmo said:

In my detailed budget, I usually throw every cost while on vacation to the vacation category, but then my eating out and grocery categories would likely be lower so it balances across the month.

This is what I do. It's under Travel, ie "Travel:Food".

But then HOPEFULLY the normal "food" category will be low to balance.

[SJ]

And I am so jealous of your month away!!

[dulcemariamar]

I am impressed that you know the exact amount that you spent. I never took a month long vacation but I understand your reasoning behind your calculations of what you would have spent in NYC.

Normally we include everything in the total but we usually go for less than 2 weeks.

I end up buying most of DD clothes in Spain so I don't include that number when adding up the expenses.

[anna7602]

Aug 6, 2015 10:03:21 GMT -5 @vicmo said:

In my detailed budget, I usually throw every cost while on vacation to the vacation category, but then my eating out and grocery categories would likely be lower so it balances across the month.

If I was mentally calculating the total cost, I'd definitely give myself a credit for costs I'd have incurred at home anyhow.

Sounds like a great time was had! I hope you ate lots of cheese. Like, an excessive amount.

Ok. DH basically ate at the office all month (as he normally does) and did some cheap take-out on weekends, as we normally do, so I think that means I didn't really spend "extra" except for the few meals out in London (which I could argue were still less than if DH and I got a sitter on a Saturday night and went out to dinner in NY). 

And yes, I ate lots and lots of cheese. And bread. Often together. It was marvelous. 

jinkies, I'm happy to count all the toys and books I got for DS as "birthday boy costs" v. vacation costs (he turned 1 the day after we got back from our trip) and to count the nice things I got for myself as "tired mommy deserves pretty things costs." The stuff I got for DD, however, would not have been purchased had I not needed to entertain her for a month away from home or had I not walked into the gift shops at Disney. 

[anna7602]

Aug 6, 2015 10:11:19 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I am impressed that you know the exact amount that you spent. I never took a month long vacation but I understand your reasoning behind your calculations of what you would have spent in NYC.

Normally we include everything in the total but we usually go for less than 2 weeks.

I end up buying most of DD clothes in Spain so I don't include that number when adding up the expenses.

I did buy DS so much fall clothing at DPAM, something I can't do here. But he would have needed fall clothing anyway. And, as you probably know, DPAM is by no means high-end. 

[anna7602]

Aug 6, 2015 10:07:30 GMT -5 SJ said:

And I am so jealous of your month away!!

Well, I did have both kids in tow all month and no DH! I am fantasizing about a solo vacation now while DH chastises me about having brought home a suitcase full of stuff we didn't need. 

[lilles]

PIP everything you bought!!!

Sounds like a great trip!

[carolinagirl831]

sounds like a great trip, and I don't think that sounds unreasonable for an entire month away in Paris and London.

[anna7602]

lilles, this one's for you!

The bag I bought for myself:



The dress I am going to wear to DS's cowboy-themed birthday party this weekend:



The vintage poster I bought for DH:



Papier Mache Eiffel Tower for DD's room:



Crib-sized pillow for DS (not my first choice pattern because it matches nothing in DS's room, but it's what was left from the sales and I am now negotiating with DD to see if she'll give him the animal-print pillow from the same store that she has had since she was 15 months old):



The Petit Collin doll I bought DS because I am a sucker for fancy dolls:



The airplane that sings in French, also for DS:



Some fun towels (does this mean I have a shopping problem?):


Not pictured: lots and lots of cheese

[lilles]

Aug 6, 2015 19:29:04 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

lilles, this one's for you!

The bag I bought for myself:



The dress I am going to wear to DS's cowboy-themed birthday party this weekend:



The vintage poster I bought for DH:



Papier Mache Eiffel Tower for DD's room:



Crib-sized pillow for DS (not my first choice pattern because it matches nothing in DS's room, but it's what was left from the sales and I am now negotiating with DD to see if she'll give him the animal-print pillow from the same store that she has had since she was 15 months old):



The Petit Collin doll I bought DS because I am a sucker for fancy dolls:



The airplane that sings in French, also for DS:



Some fun towels (does this mean I have a shopping problem?):


Not pictured: lots and lots of cheese

I love it all!!!