My favorite day.....

Friday has become my new favorite day of the week.  Not for the typical reasons like start of the weekend, summer hours (for all you lucky folks out there), etc. etc.  But Fridays now signify something a little more special and exciting to me.  A few weeks back I decided that my lunch was getting a little too expensive.  I had started going to an absolutely wonderful place called Chop't.  The salads are amazing and as a result I actually started losing weight!  It was the great kind of weight loss too because I didn't even feel like I was making an effort.  The only downside - It is expensive!  I'm not saying it isn't worth it - it totally is.  The ingredients are as fresh as they can be, the portion is the perfect amount, and the quality is outstanding.  Plus it is all organic, and they care about recycling!  How can you go wrong?  My bill would end up being about 11.00, and that was just a lot to spend on lunch every day.  Especially when my particularly frugal husband would go down to Mamouns and spend 2.50 for lunch.  One could argue that it all evens out, and I did that for a while, but then I had an idea.  A perfectly brilliant idea!  In earlier posts I had mentioned a plan for going to Disney.  I mentioned the Annual Passes and how that could save a good amount of money.  I also left you with a cliff hanger.  I know you have been sitting on the edge of your seat, haven't you?  Ok, so then I decided...How could I possibly sit with an AP in my pocket for a year and not take a little side trip?  That is just not possible!  So then I decided to take a look...Hmmm, Katie's birthday would be on a Saturday while we have our AP.  What if I picked her up from school on Friday and surprised her with a trip to Disney!  Just her and I?  How fun would that be?!?!?!  Well, it gets better.  Then I saw that AP holders get a pretty steep discount on hotels during certain times of the year.  I started with staying at a Value but then I thought about it.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity here.  I think we should live it up and stay at the Grand Floridian.  I have always wanted to stay there, and I need to seize the opportunity.  Plus, it is 40% off...Who can say no to that?  NOT ME!  But, there was a guilt cloud hanging over me.  Why do I get to do this while we leave the boys at home.  Why do I get to choose to stay at a super luxury resort, while the boys are stuck back in Jersey?  So I decided to do something to offset the cost of our girls extravaganza trip (this will include spa visits, yummy meals, tea parties, and I'm sure a good deal of shopping).  SO, I decided that I would start bringing my lunch to work.  For every day I brought my lunch to work, I would deposit 10.00 into a separate savings account.  This is done on Fridays (I even have a reminder in my Outlook although I don't think it is needed!).  This has also had a bit of a domino effect.  Guess who else is having a homemade lunch with me?  Yep, my dear hubby.  I then allow 5.00 per day that he also eats in house.  So that is a potential 75.00 a week that is saved into the vacation account.  I know what you are saying...I am taking his money for my trip.  No, no, no.  This money is for anyone to go on vacation.  I did the math and by the time Ms. K and I go on our trip we will have double what we need!  All from bringing a lunch!  That can then go towards another vacation for the whole family!  I love it, I love it, I love it!  If for nothing else, it has prompted me to start doing something I should have been doing all along, and that is making yummy, healthy lunches for me and the hubs, and saving money to boot!

But the plans have changed a bit (I believe for the better)...Last year we went to the Christmas party, which happens to be going on during K's birthday.  It was really great.  If you have never done it I highly recommend doing it at least once.  I have heard some scuttle that the Halloween party is even better...Sooooo, I checked out the calendar, and looked and found that Columbus weekend would actually be better for us girls to go.  For a couple of reasons...

1. That is the first Friday of the month, and as I am learning, that means half day in the land of school. This means we leave Thursday night or first thing Friday.
2. Monday will be no school because of said holiday.  Extra day!
3. This one is for hubs - Daycare is open and work is closed on Monday.
4. Food and Wine is going on (YIPPEE!), AND the Halloween party - Fun times!

Sounds like a party to me!  And to answer the question that is on your mind...I don't know how I plan this far in advance, I just do.  I have always been this way, and when it comes to Disney planning is half the fun!