Just blew my stimulus $

[GoodSense]

Hehe -- just returned from 4 days in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It was so beautiful, and the timing couldn't be better because we avoided a major snowstorm at home.

Even better, it was all within the $600/person stimulus package that we will hopefully get in a couple of weeks. (I know, shouldn't count on money that isn't in my pocket yet)

per person breakdown:
Airfare: $308
Hostel: $12/night (tolerable quality)
Theme park entrance: $65
Transportation by bus: $30
Food and other expenses: roughly $60
Total = $511/person

Had a great time despite the obvious [-]cheap[/-] frugal choices of hotel and food. Snorkeling and beautiful beaches are free once you get there.

Anyway, care to share how you will spend your stimulus money, if you don't make too much money to disqualify?

 

[bots2019]

Sounds like a fun (late) winter getaway.

Had to laugh that a lot of your stimulus payment went to the Mexican economy. That's about as unpatriotic as ER!

 

[Texarkandy]

Did you by chance fly Mexicana?

 

[Goonie]

Anyway, care to share how you will spend your stimulus money, if you don't make too much money to disqualify?

I'm putting mine together along with my Fed tax refund to pay for us to go to Savannah, GA and Nashville, TN for 8 days at the end of this month. Plus a couple of day trips to Chicago with the our community college. One this week is "For the Love of Chocolate".....the title says it all! And the other trip is an architectural tour by boat on the Chicago River, along with a little bit of a walking tour. All of the trips include some very awesome food!!!

 

[Notmuchlonger]

My stimulus went to the Obama campaign fund

Great pics!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I want one of whatever that thing in the last picture is. Providing its over 129lbs and good at home protection. Looks like a baby polar bear with a bushy tail.

 

[GoodSense]

Had to laugh that a lot of your stimulus payment went to the Mexican economy. That's about as unpatriotic as ER!

Yup, but most of the consumer products in the US are made overseas anyway. At least I flew an American airline (which is apparently going out of business by the end of the month)

 

[Texarkandy]

Haven't got mine yet - waited till the last minute to pay the $1300 to the IRS - now I'll wait to get the $1500 stimulus

 

[GoodSense]

Did you by chance fly Mexicana?

No, we flew Champion Air, which is a charter airline just for vacation travels. The ticket was a last-minute sale price. I heard rumors they are going out of business, but don't know for sure. The flight was on time both ways and no complaints.

 

[GoodSense]

I'm putting mine together along with my Fed tax refund to pay for us to go to Savannah, GA and Nashville, TN for 8 days at the end of this month. Plus a couple of day trips to Chicago with the our community college. One this week is "For the Love of Chocolate".....the title says it all! And the other trip is an architectural tour by boat on the Chicago River, along with a little bit of a walking tour. All of the trips include some very awesome food!!!

Sounds like you will have a great time [-]blowing [/-] strategically spending your money as well. Cheers!

 

[GoodSense]

I want one of whatever that thing in the last picture is. Providing its over 129lbs and good at home protection. Looks like a baby polar bear with a bushy tail.

It's a coati and seems to be a hybrid between a polar bear, a monkey, a dog, and a racoon.

Why 129lbs? Is that the average weight of burglars?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Seems I'm overcrossing threads.

Hmm, I remember some sort of beast called a coatamundi, I'll have to see if they're the same thing. That one looks a little more robust than I remember them being.

 

[kumquat]

Damn, I hate being a Canadian. Nobody sends me money. Enjoy!

 

[Texarkandy]

Damn, I hate being a Canadian. Nobody sends me money. Enjoy!

But you got all that free health care !!!!

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Anyway, care to share how you will spend your stimulus money, if you don't make too much money to disqualify?

I'd rather have the salary that disqualifies me from getting the stimulus $, but since I'm not, my $600 is going towards

-new motorcycle boots
-new leather motorcycle pants
-passport
-the Retired Gypsy's Never Enough Savings Fund


I think the boots and pants I want both come from Europe...so much for helping the American economy there.

 

[GoodSense]

I'd rather have the salary that disqualifies me from getting the stimulus $, but since I'm not, my $600 is going towards

-new motorcycle boots
-new leather motorcycle pants
-passport
-the Retired Gypsy's Never Enough Savings Fund


I think the boots and pants I want both come from Europe...so much for helping the American economy there.

Sounds like fun! As long as you don't have to travel t o Europe to get there...that might crash the budget.

 

[haha]

Anyway, care to share how you will spend your stimulus money, if you don't make too much money to disqualify?

No stimulus for me- thus continuing my perfect record of one way cash flows between me and the US Government.

Ha

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Sounds like fun! As long as you don't have to travel t o Europe to get there...that might crash the budget.

I think for the price they want for a bit of cowhide, they should fly me out for a week's tour of the countryside.

 

[Walt34]

We were going to bank it, but DW decided to take a summer class in - get this - Business Ethics. Too bad they don't teach more of that. When she's done with that class, two more to go and she graduates with her BA.

There WILL be a party!

 

[simple girl]

Looking to spend it on a last minute cruise out of NOLA or Mobile (since we can drive there). Only thing holding us back is DH is so busy at w*rk right now! It really stinks when you've got the money but not the time. FIRE seems so far away right now!

 

[simple girl]

Hehe -- just returned from 4 days in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Hostel: $12/night (tolerable quality)

Your pics are awesome! What was it like staying in a hostel? I've never done that before. Have any pics of it?

 

[GoodSense]

Hostel Pictures

Your pics are awesome! What was it like staying in a hostel? I've never done that before. Have any pics of it?

The hostel was fine. It was in a great location, 1.5 blocks from the beach. Our room had 2 bunk beds, a little balcony, and an attached bathroom. The pictures below are of our room, view from the balcony, and the hallway.

I've stayed at many hostels. It's really a hit-and-miss experience. Hostel Booker's website has some reviews that are helpful. Also check Tripadvisor.

 

[simple girl]

The hostel was fine. It was in a great location, 1.5 blocks from the beach. Our room had 2 bunk beds, a little balcony, and an attached bathroom. The pictures below are of our room, view from the balcony, and the hallway.

I've stayed at many hostels. It's really a hit-and-miss experience. Hostel Booker's website has some reviews that are helpful. Also check Tripadvisor.

Wow that's really cool. So, do you have to share the room with other people?

 

[GoodSense]

Wow that's really cool. So, do you have to share the room with other people?

Yes. A lot of times you have options of mixed gender or just one gender. (for example, if you're travelling with friends of the opposite sex) In this case there were 4 beds, but in large cities like Geneva, San Francisco or Washington DC, I've slept in dorms with 8-10 beds. In less touristic areas in Central America, a private room in a low-key hotel would cost just about $10 - 15, so it's not really worth staying in a dorm in a hostel. You generally get lockers, but if you have a lot of valuables, it may be better to stay in a private room.

At the dorms, you do meet interesting people, if that's your thing. One of my roommates in this case (the person in the picture, sort of) was a 55-year-old woman travelling alone. She was from Mexico City and was very sweet.

 

[brewer12345]

I'm buying as much meth as I can with the money and distributing it at the local magnet school (along with copies of my book "Strangers Have The Best Candy"), since I am apparently such a wonderful human being.




(I'm not getting squat this year, just like Ha).