5 year wedding anniversary coming ....need some insight....

[bell]

kind of in a tight spot and need some ideas/insight....
my 5 year wedding anniversary is coming up at the end of october....
shortly after michelle and I got married we packed our stuff and got the heck out of ohio, it's kind of a long story but things didn't work out for the best financially, our last vacation was our honeymoon basically, we were both working and doing well so paying for it wasn't too big a deal....
money is tight but we're happy together, even though we both sold all our toys and such....
what the heck can I do to top the weeklong dream disney trip I gave her on our honeymoon?
I wish I could give her the world, but it's just not going to happen, work has been unpredictable and although I've been stashing cash over the past year we've had 2 emergencies which ate into it big time.....kinda sucks....
she's down to earth and isn't the type which requires elaborate/expensive things, but it is our 5 year so it's got to be memorable......not a one night stay in a motel somewhere.....

I'm planning on taking a week off for this....
not going to have thousands of dollars so I need something good and ”cheap” that I can suprise her with, we love the beach on the gulf side of florida but hotels are pricey for 4 nights or so.....
was thinking a timeshare on the beach of some sort but am totally in the dark on the most cost effective way to get something that's not a ****hole.....

a cruise could work, but all I hear is that they are mainly filled with drunk partiers and noisy people.....which we don't really like...

I'm working on getting her an upgraded ring/stone.....but that is still in the works....
any thoughts or ideas welcome, I've been stressing over this for a couple months cause time has been flying by....next thing I know the date will be here...

[Por_sha911]

Think romantic instead of pricey. Secluded instead of touristy. Think in terms of a gift to her rather an a trip for the both of you. What would she like to do?

Does she like places like Charleston SC where you can tour the antebellum homes and civil war history? Would she like a getaway cabin in the mountains of TN where you can take walks together? How about dinner at a really classy place and then stay at a Bed and Breakfast for a weekend where you can spend time together.

[bell]

she'd be happy with a weekend trip to disney......but we do that scene regularly......
we really need to” get out of here” for a trip....and I need a freaking vacation......I work 50-60 hours a week and although enjoy what I'm doing am getting simply worn out....

we are beach people...we got married in wilmington n.c. on the beach.....
and my” pricey” comment kinda means I'm scraping by as it is and am not sure how much I'll be able to come up with by then....

everytime I get ahead I get knocked back.....it's very frustrating....

if I could find a nice place on the beach for a few hundred bucks id be all set.....

[aigel]

Sounds stressful. Why not go for a weekend getaway and limit your expenses to a decent hotel room and decent food? Time spent together should trump money spent. If you struggle financially, the last thing that should be on your mind is how to pay for an anniversary, leave alone an upgraded rock.

I'd take the wife camping. Take some good wine and just spend time together on a hike, skinny dip in the lake, warm up at the camp fire and then some quality time in the tent. Do you camp?

G

[bell]

not really into camping, we got that out of out systems growing up lol

the upgraded ring will most likely be a family heirloom.....but my father hasn't exactly been the most reliable person add of late.......(he skipped our wedding for selfish reasons).....but that is an entirely different thread topic....

[vash]

bell..first things first..congrats!!

my five year is coming up too!! i LOVE the camping idea. but OCT would be cold..well not in florida maybe. (mine is jan..and we would freeze!)

go low on expense..big on romance. take a poetry class? write her something.

in general. i love george's advice.

[bell]

no camping on florida.......1 bugs and fire ants.....she hates both...........2 heat and air conditioning ....she loves both.

I keep going back to a cheap beach house our something.....on the gulf side......
and same to you vash:-)

[aigel]

I agree, camping in the South isn't quite the same quality it has in most areas and times of the year in CA. I can't blame you for not going.

Do you have kids?

I don't know about your wife, but mine just likes to have time together. It probably is the most important thing to leave work behind, turn off the phone and spend time with each other. I would not worry about it being memorable from an "event" aspect (amusement park, cruise, special location etc.).

Good Luck and enjoy the festivities!

G

[Oh Haha]

Congrats on 5 years!

Your wife and mine sound alike.

Think in simple terms. What's her favorite restaurant? Is there a place she has wanted to go but hasn't been able to for whatever reason?

No kids in the picture open up the possibilities to do something spontaneous.

[azasadny]

We just went through a very similar thing (25th wedding anniversary in January, money is extremely "tight"), so we went our for a quiet dinner, spent time together and just enjoyed each other's company. When things get better, we'll have some "deferred celebrating" to do. who though at this point in our lives, that we would be living in the "salad days" again? Remember what's really important and celebrate in the appropriate way!

[MotoSook]

Congrats, Bell.

My 5 yr is in a month and half. Me? Why pressure myself into thinking there has to be a big special celebration? It's all retail/commercial driven anyhow. Same goes for the ring upgrade. These are not the things that define your love. If my wife thinks otherwise she can go find a new husband. On our 5 yr anniversary we will probably just leave the kids with my parents, and she and I will go out to dinner and a movie. We'll look back over the five years and enjoy the dinner conversation.

You don't need a week to celebrate the one night that united you. You don't need to spend big for it to be meaningful. If you must go big, start with a creative heart and she will see how much you love her. Go out of your way to make the simple work and she'll appreciate that more than coming home from a week long trip and a credit card bill or depleted bank account.

What ever you do, think about what she wants, not what YOU thinks she wants. It wouldn't hurt to ask her.

Good luck.

[bell]

trust me, I know we don't need to spend a massive amount of cash to have a good time, the past few years we have overly simplified our lives, meaning no credit cards, no frivolous spending, going out to eat, new toys, etc.....
I was finally able to replace her vw (which we let go to the bank a few years ago) with a jeep cherokee with some tax return money, and mainly so she could go back to school and not be stuck at home while i work...with some new tires and stuff to make it safe I have about a grand in it....that is big bucks to me.....
I know this may come across as ” woe is me” and all with the talk of money.....but everything costs something......

[gr8fl4porsche]

Check out SeaSide Florida or the nearby communities on Highway 30A.
I think it fits your requirements perfectly. You can stay in a condo across the road from the beach in SeaGrove (next to SeaSide ) for reasonable money. With a 1bedroom condo you can cook most of your meals and save a ton vs eating in the local restaurants. We always rent thru VRBO.

This part of Florida is beautiful and not as crowded as nearby Destin or Panama City.

[vash]

Bell, sounds like love to me. I bet most old married couples on their 30th anniversary talk about the "lean years". I remember my parents rattling around our first home. We had no furniture. They were giddy in love. My 5th is gonna be on a budget too. I'm thinking of a two person clambake on the beach. Or camping with a clambake. Either way, clams are involved. Hehe

[genrex]

Originally Posted by gr8fl4porsche

You can stay in a condo across the road from the beach in SeaGrove (next to SeaSide ) for reasonable money. With a 1bedroom condo you can cook most of your meals and save a ton vs eating in the local restaurants. We always rent thru VRBO.

I think this might be nice if it's affordable. We did a similar thing by renting a semi-secluded cottage on the beach for two nights, and we'll probably do it again. She likes to walk around naked most of the time while we're there. Nearest neighboring cottage is ~ 100 yards away over a hill. So far no problems, but...

Vash, you are a naughty boy.

_

[DonDavis]

Maybe a jaunt to the US Virgin Islands? St John has places that are quiet and beautiful. I just did a quick search and found nice hotel for a week $1100, Hotwire airfare was 1k for both out of Orlando. I'm certain you can find better rates for both with some leg work. I'm sure there are some Keys off Florida that are very cool.

[Baz]

The Florida Keys can be romantic - has she been there before? If not - it's not bad economically if you get in before the season. Not a bad drive from where you are which also saves $. It's like being in the islands without having to FLY to the islands....







Good luck and best wishes for you both, Bell!

[PorscheGAL]

Since she likes Disney, have you thought of a Disney Cruise? In October the costs are about $1200 for the both of you. We just finished one in April. Very relaxing.

[Seahawk]

22nd anniversary today.

Our daughter left for South Carolina this morning to stay with my sister. My sister's step daughter is leaving for Africa in a few days as a Peace Corps person. Arden is a good friend of the SD and wanted to wish her off in person. I am worried just as any father would about her trip.

My son is on an extended camping trip into North Carolina with friends, driving at 17 with just his pals, in his truck. Day three, all is well. I am worried just as any father would.

We worked outside most of the early day, got in an hour ago for lunch. My wife is taking a nap as I type, wrapped in a comforter I purchased for her years ago. Hot today, not humid...dogs are in, horses are in.

No plans. We danced just a little as I sung "Happy Anniversary...got you on my mind" while making breakfast for Arden.

I'm headed for my shop in a while and will try and figure out how to work on the 1972 3.0CSI I bought last week within the constraints of the shop.

I'll try not to wake up my wife, let her nap.

A good life is everyday, celebrating the ordinary that you each know about each other...the reasons why there will be more anniversaries for you two.

[fxeditor]

What about a Disney cruise? You can call it an extension of your honeymoon! My wife and have done 2 of them, one with our 2 year old daughter and have had a great time both times. There aren't the rowdy drunks you'll get on a Carnival cruise and they have "Adults Only" areas so you don't have to be around screaming kids if you don't want to. 3 or 4 day cruises can be very cheap and since you don't need airfare it might be very cost effective!

Good luck and happy anniversary!
Michael