This is a guest post from Sierra Black, a long-time GRS reader and the author of ChildWild, a blog where she writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale. Previously at Get Rich Slowly, Black told us about sweating the big stuff and the pitfalls of buying in bulk.
My mother’s family is Catholic. They’re working class people from Buffalo: nurses, drugstore clerks, steel mill workers. Even though they never had a lot of dollars, they always gave 10% of what they had to the church. Like taxes, that 10% was just something they paid out before spending a dime on themselves.
As an adult I became the first college graduate in my family and adopted the position most of my educated, liberal peers seemed to hold toward charity: give a little, when you can, and feel guilty about not doing it most of the year.
For most of my 20s, I was living beyond my means. With every dollar being spent before it was earned, giving even a few dollars felt like a huge pinch in my messy budget. I was haphazard and frankly not very generous with my giving.
Overall, liberals tend to give less to charity than conservatives. Religious people like the ones I grew up with give more than my secular humanist friends. The working poor are, as a class, the most generous group in America, reliably giving away 4.5% of their income. The middle class are the least generous, giving just 2.5% on average.
In addition to making me and my friends look bad in the conservative press, statistics like that are, as George Will put it, “hostile witnesses” to the idea that “bleeding-heart liberals” actually care more about the poor and disadvantaged than our conservative counterparts.
According to the American Enterprise Institute, the single biggest predictor of a person’s charitable giving is religion. People who go to church every week give more money, more consistently.
I think it’s time to make secular tithing a middle-class trend. Those of us who don’t go to church every Sunday may not have the easy, deeply ingrained tradition of giving my great-grandmother had when she put her little envelope in the offering plate each week. That’s no excuse for not giving our share. It’s not right for the affluent and secure to let responsibility for maintaining the social safety net rest on the backs of those most likely to need it.
Last year, when I got serious about straightening out my spending habits, I wanted to make charitable giving, like saving, a key part of my financial future.
I adopted something akin to the “balanced money formula”. Instead of allocating 30% to wants, though, I drew up my formula like this: 50% for needs, 10% for charity, 20% for savings and 20% for wants.
My money is not balanced. I’m working hard to repay a pile of credit card debt and continuing to fine tune a frugal lifestyle. My needs and debts suck up most of our income. Because all the “extra” money goes into savings and debt repayment, I’m still living as if we were on the edge financially. Giving hurts. I do it anyway. Every week.
I’m not tithing yet, but I am moving towards it. Here’s how:
As our income increases, I spend the new money in a “balanced” way. A year ago, my husband and I were living on one salary — his. As I’ve added income to our household with my freelance work, I’ve allocated 10% of those dollars toward charitable giving, 20% to savings, 20% wants and 50% to needs.
As our debts decrease, I’m beginning to split our debt snowball. Snowballing debts is great. I’ve seen some people argue for splitting the money that’s freed up when a debt is paid off between paying down the next debt and adding to an emergency fund. I’m doing this with giving too. This month, I pay off a credit card that had a $35/month payment. I’ll put $3.50 into my charity fund, $7 into savings and the rest toward the next debt I’m attacking. I do this with frugal changes too: split the saved money between charity, savings and debt reduction.
I make the giving automatic. Remembering to do stuff is not my strong suit. To stay consistent with my giving, I’ve signed up for recurring automatic withdrawals from my bank account. There are organizations, like Just Give, that will help you coordinate automated or one time gifts to many different organizations.
I’m teaching my kids to give. My kids use jars to split their allowance into categories for giving, saving and spending. They’re too young to tell yet what lasting impact that might have, but I’m hoping it will get them into the habit of giving some of their money away every time they get paid. A habit it took me 30 years to grow into.
Giving small counts big. Charities can use their membership rolls and total numbers of donors to solicit large grants from individuals and foundations, and to earn matching grants. Because of this, the difference between giving $10 to a charity and giving them nothing is a lot bigger than the difference between $10 and $20. I make a lot of small donations to different organizations I like, to spread out my impact.
There are many good organizations doing vital work in the world that depend on charitable gifts to run their operations. These range from the Red Cross to the World Food Program to local groups.
The end of the year is often a time charities need dollars most. To encourage holiday season giving, many have created fun holiday gift programs. My favorite is Heifer International’s famous gift catalog, which lets you “give” a cow or a beehive or another livestock animal to a family in the developing world. In reality, of course, what you give them is the money to run their organization, which then distributes livestock to needy families at a local level. It’s fun to read their catalog though, and Heifer has one of the lowest overhead ratios of all the large charities.
In closing, a note: Expressing concern about what a charity is going to do with your money is a terrible excuse for not giving. Very few charities are outright frauds, and even the inefficient ones will put more of your dollars toward a good cause than your bank will. If you want to be sure you’re getting the most bang for your charitable buck, though, you can investigate organizations at a charity watchdog site before giving.
Note: Get Rich Slowly does not take a stand on religious or political issues. Respectful discussion of these topics is fine; please keep the comments up to their usual high-quality standards.
This is a guest post from Spencer, a GRS reader in New York.
As a guy who just finished paying off $14,000 in credit card debt, I wanted to share one tip that helped me get over the bad debt hump. I allocate my spending money on a per diem system. At the beginning of each cycle of my monthly budget, I set aside funds for:
Every fixed expense that I have (rent, cable/internet, groceries, power)
Any unique expenses (a plane ticket, for example)
And, of course, my savings (about 8 percent of my after-tax, after-401k income)
After allocating this money, I go to the bank, withdraw the remaining funds in cash, and divide it among envelopes for each day of the month. Each day, I open an envelope and add the day’s cash to my wallet. For me, the physical parceling of the cash is an important psychological step.
I tried just having the cash on hand and doling out the right amount each day, but I kept dipping into it whenever I was in a pinch. By investing a small amount of work in the division of the cash, dipping into my reserves makes me feel like I am undoing work instead of just taking an advance.
My all-cash diet keeps me honest about my spending habits. When I started, I allocated one amount for Monday through Thursday, and double that amount for weekends and holidays. I have more leeway in my cash flow after paying off my credit cards, so now I just have one flat rate for each day.
Here’s why I like my system:
Because my budget takes account for my necessities and savings, I never have to feel guilty about spending money. My per diem is meant to be “walking around” money — the whole point of having it is to spend it.
Spending only cash stops me from treating my finances as out-of-sight, out-of-mind. I know darn well how much I can spend because it’s right there in front of me.
Although my per diem is meant to be spent, I usually save a little every day. After a while, it’s easy to build up a nice $200 cushion in my wallet that is regularly replenished. And if I want to splurge on a night out, I can. In the morning, I will just be back to normal, not in the hole. Now I always feel like I have money in my pocket (because I do), even though I am actually on a strict budget.
The most important thing I have discovered using a per diem system is to be honest about your actual monthly expenses. It’s better to add an item to you monthly budget and reduce your per diem than to try to shoehorn in a recurring expense. For example, smokers should budget for cigarettes and not pay for them out of the per diem. The per diem is meant to only pay for expenses that you cannot otherwise predict.
It’s better to have a low per diem (when I started I could only afford $12 on weekdays) than to regularly wipe out your per diem with recurring charges. In the long run, that will just frustrate you and make you feel perpetually broke.
J.D.’s note: Each of us has our own unique approaches to money management. We develop our own tricks — or money hacks — to circumvent our personal weaknesses and to help us meet our goals. If you have a personal money hack you’d like to share with GRS readers, please drop me a line. Photo by chrisdlugosz.
I’m a fan of unusual homes. From tiny homes to recycled homes, I’m fascinated by unconventional ways one can build houses that save on construction costs and future utility bills.
Our own house plans are for plastered walls with straw bale infill, and we’re close to breaking ground. But when I picked up the latest issue of granola crunchy Mother Earth News, for a minute I considered scrapping our plans. To live in a grain bin.
You really have to click that last link and check out the photos to see how architects and builders are taking the big round structures pictured above and turning them into stunning homes. I had never heard of such a thing as a grain bin house, but I was intrigued.
Low Cost, Low Impact
You might be wondering, as any rational person would, what would possibly drive someone to turn a grain silo into a house. Turns out there are quite a few reasons grain bin inhabitants chose the structure. Consider the following features:
Eco-friendly. Many builders buy used bins, and they can be recycled. Mother Earth News suggests finding used bins by placing an ad in farm magazines or on your local farm co-op bulletin board, through a local bin dealer or erector, or surprisingly, even on Craigslist and eBay.
Low maintenance. Not fond of painting your house? That’s no longer a task on the to-do list with a grain bin house. The shiny metal will dull to gray, but you’ll never have to pick up a paintbrush.
Cost effective. Bins cost $30 per square foot or less (not including slab or assembly costs). You can get smaller bins for an office or workshop for a few hundred dollars, or sometimes for free.
Visual appeal. Mother Earth News interviewed Mark Clipsham, an architect from Iowa, who says, “…curved forms are used in either the most expensive and prestigious buildings or the most utilitarian and primitive ones. These forms have evolved out of use because of changes in available materials, labor costs and prevailing building methods. But why not use something utilitarian and affordable — a grain bin — to build what is otherwise in the realm of the expensive and exclusive?”
Bells and Whistles
Earl Stein’s 1,800-square foot grain bin home in Woodland, Utah, uses high-tech systems and solar heat gain to use less energy. The house, called Monte-Silo, was designed by Gigaplex Architects out of two linked corrugated metal grain silos, arranged to enjoy a view of the Provo River. The home features the following:
Rubber-covered concrete floors heated by sunlight that pours through the windows
Radiant heat in the floors (Stein says even with the indulgence, his heating bills are far below the average for houses of the same size in Utah.)
Heat retained with computer-controlled drapes
Propane-burning stove
Metal grating and guard rail of the second level deck provide shade in the great room during the summer
Another beautiful example of a high-end grain silo home is M. J. Gladstone’s 450-square-foot, octagonal living room and bedroom combo with and attached angular shed that holds the kitchen, dining area, home office, bathroom, and a closet. Both Gladstone’s and Stein’s homes cost about $200 per square foot.
A Simple, Owner-Built Home
On the other end of the spectrum is an owner-built grain bin home constructed with mostly locally sourced materials. A 3,000-bushel grain bin was converted into two one-room apartments with plenty of cost-saving features, such as the following:
Used grain bin with walls, a roof, and a concrete floor
Straw bale insulation
Double-paned glass windows and doors placed to maximize solar heat gain
Doors, windows, and straw bales purchased locally
Reclaimed wood from a nearby barn
24-watt solar electric system
The owners chose a grain silo home because it could be inhabitable in about three months (before winter). In fact, the speed of assembly makes these structures ideal for emergency situations in areas hit by natural disaster. Final cost wasn’t listed for this home, but it’s fair to say it’s at the low end of costs for a grain bin home.
Grain bins aren’t just being converted into homes, either. People have made offices, workshops, playhouses, storage buildings, and guest apartments out of them. Considering expense, strength, and maintenance, they’re an ideal building material. Unusual? Most definitely. But when you start to think outside the box, they make a lot of sense, too.
What do you think about unconventional homes like these? Would you ever live in one? What about building a workshop or office out of a grain bin?
This guest post from Nicole is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — or failure. These stories feature folks from all levels of financial maturity and with all sorts of incomes. Nicole is an active GRS commenter. She’s also half of the blog Grumpy Rumblings of the Untenured, where she and her partner-in-crime write about personal finance, novels, academia, and cats — among other things.
Four years ago, in November, my husband and I had one car (a tiny Hyundai Accent), a house that was too big, and not enough money to furnish the house. It was our first year with real jobs since leaving graduate school and we hadn’t quite caught up yet, especially with all the unexpected expenses that come when you buy a house. But that’s another story.
On top of that, I was hugely pregnant with our first child. We knew we were going to need a second car once our son was born because, on any given day either one of us could be called to use the car in case of emergency. With no parental leave (FMLA doesn’t cover first-year employees…that’s also another story), we wouldn’t be able to make commuting and baby care work with just one car. At the rate we were saving, we would have enough by January (just in time for our son) to buy a fancy new Honda Civic Hybrid so long as we didn’t bother to furnish any of the empty rooms.
Sidenote: We know and knew that the Hybrid would not pay for itself in gas savings. And, no, we’re only moderately tree-huggers. However, my husband is an engineer and he likes fancy technology. In terms of new vs. used, at the time, new Civic hybrids cost about the same as used Civic hybrids. Plus my economics background suggests that at least for the non-luxury car market, buying a new car is about equivalent to buying a used car once you factor in the probability of getting a lemon. (There’s a really famous paper on it, but that’s the subject of a different post, probably one designed to get 200+ comments at GRS.)
A Catalyst
We weren’t expecting to have to buy a car prior to the birth of our child. We weren’t expecting it in the same way we weren’t expecting an F150 in front of us to make a sudden unexpected stop on a 70 mph highway. Turns out the F150 has much better brakes than the Hyundai Accent. With physics being what it is, we ended up with a crumpled smoking front, and, since we had the minimum insurance we were on our own for repair and rental expenses.
All of a sudden, we were in the market for a car earlier than we had expected. (The F150 drove away completely unscathed.) After a few days in a dreadful rental PT Cruiser, we decided we were ready for a new car right away.
NOT Nicole’s motorcrash — just a stock photo for illustrative purposes…
Learning From Past Mistakes
Our first car-buying experience — several years before — had been miserable. The Hyundai salesman tried every trick in the book to wear down my poor husband and succeeded at adding $300 in additional fees (we got away easy!). They also got us to accept zero for our trade-in, a 5-year-old Accent that drove perfectly well, but needed body work that would cost more than the value of the car to get an inspection sticker.
In their defense, we couldn’t get anybody to take the old car as a donation, so maybe it was worth zero. Happily, my husband didn’t allow them to up-sell him a fancier car, even when they pretended the car he wanted suddenly wasn’t in stock and walked him by the ones with fancy power windows. (As he made to leave, they “found” the missing car.) We wanted to avoid that kind of experience this time.
So, we were prepared. We’d found the Motley Fool car-buying guide, and with a little updating, we were able to use their methodology to our advantage.
Step One: Finding Financing
We couldn’t pay in cash this time without completely liquidating our emergency fund. We debated getting a cheaper car that we could pay cash for, but since we would have the cash in a couple of months, we decided to take out a loan, even for a depreciating asset. Using Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book, we had a general idea of what people were paying for the car we wanted. We decided to finance about $6,000 worth of the car.
Our first stop was at our local credit union to get pre-qualified for a loan. A day after we went in to apply, we found that we’d been qualified for a 5% loan. The same credit union was offering Term Shares (like CDs) for 5.05%, and our online savings account was also offering a little more. (Now it’s hard to remember those days when interest rates were more than 1%!)
If we’d known in advance, we would have financed more of the car! We’d been planning to pay the loan off early, but instead we put the money away in online savings until interest rates dropped below 5%. In the end, the dealership admitted there was no way they could beat that interest rate no matter how good our credit was.
Step Two: Negotiation
The next stop was negotiation. I’m much better at negotiating than my husband is, mainly because it doesn’t give me a stomach ache. But, there’s hard evidence that car dealers offer worse initial deals to woman than they do to men. In fact, women are often advised to just bring a guy with them — even an unrelated one — when car shopping. Luckily, the Motley Fool method allows a way around that.
Using my husband’s junk hotmail account, I impersonated him — with his permission. That Friday, I emailed every Honda dealership within 100 miles. I told them we were in the market for a new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid, no navigation, and that we were emailing every dealership in the area and were planning on buying one that Saturday from whoever gave us the best deal. Color and other details did not matter. I asked for a walk-away price.
Return emails trickled, then flooded in. Almost all were reluctant to give a price. Most suggested that I give my phone number so they could talk over the phone. I politely emailed back to say I would prefer to keep the transactions via email. Finally someone sent me a price. Jackpot.
With that price, I emailed all of the dealerships that had responded to the first round of emails. I told them I had gotten that offer as a price and could any of them beat it? Yes, many of them could. Some places offered navigation upgrades for more money, to which I politely responded I was only interested in the upgrade if it were the same price as the one I’d quoted. At least one dealership offered me what I wanted for $3,000 less. So I did a third round with the new price. The dealerships in the expensive city two hours away dropped out at that point — they couldn’t beat that price. Several other dealerships offered to match. The offers got closer with each round of negotiation.
If you buy a car Nicole’s way, you don’t have to deal with this…
Step Three: Closing the Deal
Finally, I emailed the local dealership in town and told them the best offer I’d received was in a city an hour-and-a-half away and quite a bit less than what they had offered me. It was worth $50 to me not to have to drive that far on Saturday. Could they give me the lowest price offered plus $50?
The local salesperson countered with how wonderful it is to have a relationship with a local dealership (note: not much of an incentive given its reputation for service). I emailed back saying that if they were willing to take the price I had named, I would buy the car that night instead of Saturday. The salesperson emailed back, “Let me talk to the manager,” as if we were actually negotiating in person.
Eventually, the salesperson agreed, and with the sun setting and ten minutes left before closing time, we shook hands and did a test drive. We came back the next day to finish the paperwork and actually get the car. In all, we spent less than 30 minutes at the dealership. The email negotiation did take most of the day, but I was able to get some work done in between emails, and during that time I was in control, not the dealership. Much more pleasant than our first car-buying experience.
Lessons Learned
Based on that experience, here are my suggestions for buying a new car:
If you’re going to get financing, get it before playing with the dealership. Credit Unions are awesome.
Decide exactly what you want. Put a price item on any potential upgrades you might consider. Do not waiver from that unless they are willing to give you the additional benefits for free. This makes it easier to compare.
When you start emailing dealerships, use a junk email address. Four years and many unsubscribes later, we’re still getting junk mail from various dealerships.
In your emails, ask for the “walk-away price.” Dealerships will try to confuse you with prices that cannot be compared because they will add on different fees. Some of these fees are the same for all dealerships, but some of them are imaginary and dealer-specific. Asking for the walk-away price cuts through the garbage and gives you something you can understand.
Don’t let them get you on the phone. The tricks they try sound much less convincing in email than they do spoken.
Once you get a price, keep pushing for matches until you get tired of emailing or everyone has settled on one price.
Use their tricks against them — tell them you have a specific deadline that they have to meet or they won’t get your sale. It also doesn’t hurt to make them feel like they’re getting a deal.
By the way, we love our Honda Civic Hybrid. I have to admit that after having spent most of my life with the cheapest model Ford or Hyundai, (and a good portion of my childhood in an ancient Volkswagen Beetle with holes rusted through the floor) I felt a little guilty having such a luxurious car. Intellectually, I know there are fancier cars out there, but they’re beyond my ability to imagine.
My husband loved all the fancy electronic gee-gaws even more than he had expected to, though after the initial fascination he started finding them distracting and has since turned them off. I hope that we get many more years out of it and my (repaired) Accent before we have to go through the car-buying process again. But when we do, we’ll be prepared.
This is a guest-post from Tim Ellis, author of Seattle Bubble, a blog and forum dedicated to discussing real estate market conditions in the Seattle area. Tim is a long-time GRS reader. During my last trip to Europe, he shared a controversial article on renting vs. buying.
Given the fact that loses twenty percent of its value the moment you drive it off the lot. Buying a home (used or new) is similar. Even if home prices begin to appreciate regularly again, agent fees, excise taxes, staging, seller concessions, and other random costs add up quickly when you try to sell your home, sucking away about ten percent of the sale price.
There really is no way to know what neighborhood will work best for you until you’ve spent a good amount of time actually living in the area. Consider all the variables at play:
What’s the commute like to your work?
How convenient is shopping?
Is there enough entertainment nearby?
Does the neighborhood feel safe?
Do you like the neighborhood vibe?
Are there sources of noise at odd hours?
Wouldn’t you prefer to rent for a while and learn the area rather than buy right away only to learn after a few months that you’d rather live across town, but you’re stuck for at least a few years (or worse, like Ben) until the value of your home rises enough to offset the selling costs?
Give Yourself Time to Find Out What Works For You
Don’t be tempted to take shortcuts when it comes to a decision as important as where you will live. You might think that you can do sufficient research online or get advice from people who do live in an area so you can make an informed decision from afar. Think again.
Above is a little map I made based on a recent forum thread on LinkedIn started by a simple question:
I have some friends who are relocating to the Seattle area. They will be working in downtown Seattle, have kids and about a $650K housing budget. Looking for thoughts on best cities to live in the Seattle area for education, school districts, quality of life, etc. Any ideas would be appreciated!
Each pin on the map represents an answer to this question that was offered by one of the commenters. Believe it or not, the Seattle area is somewhere under that mass of purple. Good luck making any sort of informed decision based on that mess!
The only person that can really know if you’ll like living in a given neighborhood is you. Buying a home is a major financial commitment, and rushing into a purchase before you’ve had time to get to know the area is a recipe for disaster. If you find yourself planning a major move, find a nice rental and take your time learning the ups and downs of your new hometown before you buy a new home. You’ll be glad you did.
This is a guest post for Earth Day from Beth H., who writes about saving time, money, and the environment at Smart Family Tips.
Going “green” has a bit of a bad rap. As soon as marketers realized it was profitable to be green, suddenly all sorts of products flooded the marketplace with eco-friendly claims. It can be overwhelming. Is it really necessary to buy all this “stuff” to be green? Are these products really as green as they say they are? We’re in a recession — I can’t go into debt to save the planet!
The good news: At its most fundamental, being “green” is nothing new. It’s actually built around a very old philosophy of consuming less, buying only what you need, using things until they’re worn out, and wasting not. Unsurprisingly, frugality and green-living are closely tied. You don’t have to buy expensive “green” products in order to be environmentally friendly. The real goal is to mind your consumption, and that’s good for your wallet and the planet.
Where to start?
Reduce Consumption
Think of all the things you consume in a given day — or a given week. What can you use less of? I’m not talking about self-denial. As J.D. mentioned in a prior post, it may not really be necessary to use two tablespoons of cocoa instead of three. But on a larger scale, can you use less or use things in a different way to avoid waste? Some areas to consider:
Fewer Disposables. Try using fewer paper towels and paper napkins. I picked up a package of 50 terry cloth shop towels at Costco for the same price as a mega-pack of Bounty paper towels. The shop towels are the perfect size for a paper towel replacement (and more absorbent), and that one-time purchase will last indefinitely. I can’t say that I never use a paper towel for anything, but I use far fewer now than before. We’ve also started using basic cotton cloth napkins almost exclusively. They’re just as easy as paper napkins and far less expensive in the long run.
No more bottled water. Consider buying a reusable, BPA-Free bottle and fill it with tap water. Most bottled water is tap water anyway. If you don’t like the taste of the water that comes out of your tap, consider an inexpensive filter. Depending on how much bottled water you and your family drink, you could see tremendous savings here — not to mention the positive impact on the environment when you reduce the number of plastic bottles coming out of your home.
Conserve
When you conserve resources, you’re not only helping to ensure there will be resources left for future generations, you’re saving money, too.
Water. Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. If you have children, teach them to do this as well. Install low-flow shower heads. The newer models don’t sacrifice water pressure like the older ones used to. Wash full loads of clothes and dishes. Consider a rain barrel if you have a garden. The benefit: lower water bills and a happier planet.
Energy. Turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees. Set your hot water heater temperature to no more than 120 degrees. Arrange errands so that you drive less.
Food. Plan meals so you waste less food and make fewer trips back and forth to the store. Grow your own. J.D. and Kris have written a lot about their garden project. Having your own garden not only saves you money on food, but conserves resources — your food doesn’t haven’t to travel long distances to make it to your table.
Remember that most of the time, being frugal is being green. Reuse what you can, and try to wear things out. When you do buy new products, try to purchase items that are more efficient and have the least packaging. And of course, recycle. Happy Earth Day!
J.D.’s note: For more on this subject, check out this article from the archives: Want to save the environment? Buy less stuff.
Believe it or not, you can go to Disneyland when it’s not crowded.
If you’ve been there, this may not seem possible — especially if you’ve visited only on the weekend or during summer. But there are ebbs and flows to crowds at Disney parks. Depending on how you like to travel, whom you’re traveling with and what your budget is, the best time to go to Disneyland will differ.
Let’s look at when’s best for you, no matter your travel situation.
For first-timers
As you may expect, Disneyland Park is the original; it opened in 1955. The park contains Sleeping Beauty Castle and fan favorites such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain and Haunted Mansion.
Disney California Adventure Park, meanwhile, opened in 2001. Originally modeled after the various landscapes you’d find within California, the park has since seen significant retheming and now contains a land dedicated to the “Cars” movie, one focused on Marvel movies and a pier based on Pixar’s films.
If this is your first visit, you’ll want to do your best to experience everything. We recommend a minimum of two days: one for each park.
You’ll want to consider nonpeak periods when the resort is less crowded to maximize your time. Generally, Disney is extra busy and crowded during the following periods:
Spring break: typically late March and April.
Holiday weekends: Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Summer: mid-June to the end of August.
Halloween and weekends in October.
Thanksgiving week.
Winter break: second half of December through New Year’s Day.
Though you may find periods that are busy outside these windows, these are the big ones you’ll want to avoid. It will be difficult to deal with the crowds, and you’ll probably pay a premium for hotels and accommodations.
For families
If your children are school age, you may be limited as to when you can visit Disneyland. This means you may end up at the parks during peak periods.
Though it’s not possible to avoid crowds, there are still times that can be better than others.
This is thanks to some of the special events Disneyland puts on. These include Princess Nite and the Oogie Boogie Bash, both of which take place after the park closes (the park closes early to accommodate these parties).
The Oogie Boogie Bash is especially popular for kids because of the unlimited trick-or-treating. There are also character meet-and-greets, a special parade and the ability to ride all the standard rides.
For crowd-haters
Listen, we dislike crowds, too. There’s a reason entire websites are dedicated to figuring out when Disneyland will be crowded. If this is you, do yourself a favor and visit only during the offseason.
Though it isn’t often that you’ll find hardly anyone at the Disneyland Resort, there are some times when it will be as close to empty as possible.
This includes many weekdays throughout the year, especially during January, February and March.
It’s also relatively empty at the end of August before Labor Day weekend brings huge crowds. September as a whole is also empty, as is the two-week period after Thanksgiving before winter break starts.
For the frugal traveler
A visit to Disneyland can be pricey, especially if you need to travel in from out of town. Disneyland operates a dynamic pricing structure that’ll charge you from $104 to $179 for a one-day ticket.
To find the cheapest days, you’ll want to check out the price calendar. Typically, periods of least demand — those with the lowest ticket prices — also coincide with the lowest cash prices for flights and hotels.
You may also want to consider using points and miles to keep costs down. Several chain hotels are within walking distance of Disneyland, including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and IHG, which makes redeeming your points easy.
Disneyland is near six airports in Southern California, making it easier to find flights on all major airlines. With so many options, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a way to redeem your miles.
For adults
Disneyland isn’t just for children. Though many of its attractions are meant to appeal to little ones, Disneyland also has adult-oriented activities. Disney California Adventure is a great example, with refined eateries and plenty of different drinks to sample.
The park also offers a rotating selection of festivals throughout the year, featuring pop-up pavilions. These pavilions provide limited-time food and drink offerings and are popular with adult parties.
Disneyland also offers nighttime events that are great for adults, including Sweethearts’ Nite, Throwback Nite, Pride Nite and Star Wars Nite.
The best time to visit Disneyland, recapped
The best time to visit Disneyland will depend on whom you’re traveling with, your preferred travel style and your budget. After all, you’re not going to be looking for the same entertainment options with your adult friends as you would if you’re traveling with your children.
No matter when you decide to travel to Disneyland, you’ll be in good company. Just don’t forget to grab yourself a churro.
(Top photo courtesy of Disneyland Resort)
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Many friends and family members often ask me if airline and hotel cobranded cards are worth it. The short answer is that they often are — especially if you’re a semi-frequent customer of a given travel provider. But in some cases, you may actually want to have multiple cards associated with a single loyalty program.
That’s exactly the situation I’m in with Marriott Bonvoy. In fact, I currently have three active Marriott credit cards — and together, I pay $1,225 in annual fees to keep them open.
That may seem like a steep price, but I easily recoup that value (and then some) each and every year.
Here’s why I have these cards — and why you may want to consider a similar strategy.
Overview of Marriott credit cards
Let’s start with a quick overview of the portfolio of Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. Right now, there are six available to new applicants. Three are from American Express, and the other three are from Chase, and most feature limited-time, elevated welcome bonuses:
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 150,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership. Plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends Aug. 9.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card: Earn 125,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership. Plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends Aug. 9.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership.
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit Card: Earn 85,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first three months from your account opening.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first six months from your account opening. Plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends Aug. 10.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first six months from your account opening. Plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends Aug. 10.
Beyond these six cards, there are still some legacy products from before the integration of Marriott, Starwood Preferred Guest and Ritz-Carlton — including the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card, which isn’t available to new applicants but may be an option for a product change.
The information for the Bonvoy Bountiful card and Ritz-Carlton card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
My three Marriott cards
From this list, I have the Bonvoy Brilliant Amex with a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees), the Bonvoy Business Amex with a $125 annual fee (see rates and fees) and the Ritz-Carlton card with a $450 annual fee.
In addition, it’s worth noting that none of these are new. The two Amex cards were originally SPG-branded, and I got the Ritz-Carlton card in 2018, just days before it closed to new applicants.
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When you add those fees together, I fork over $1,225 per year just to keep the cards open. And I do so happily.
Here’s why.
Earning elite status
I travel a decent amount during the year but like to keep my options open. That’s why I love how these cards make it easy to not only enjoy Marriott Bonvoy elite status but also unlock even more perks.
In September 2022, the Bonvoy Brilliant underwent a significant overhaul, including an upgrade to the card’s automatic status. Cardmembers now enjoy Marriott Platinum status instead of Gold. This includes perks like complimentary breakfast and space-available room upgrades.
However, it doesn’t come with the Marriott Choice Benefit selection that’s granted for reaching 50 nights in a calendar year — which is why the other status-related benefits on these cards are so valuable to me.
In addition to automatic Platinum status, the Bonvoy Brilliant comes with 25 elite night credits every year. Meanwhile, the Bonvoy Business Amex comes with 15 — and you can stack credits from a personal and business card. That means I start every year with 40 elite nights, just with these two cards. (The Ritz-Carlton card also includes 15 nights, but those don’t stack with other personal cards.)
In other words, after just 10 nights in Marriott properties during a calendar year, I reach Platinum status the “hard way” and can select a Choice Benefit — which for me is almost always five Suite Night Awards. And with just 35 nights, I can reach Titanium status and unlock another Choice Benefit.
In essence, these cards offer a shortcut to unlocking higher tiers of status, more elite perks or both.
Related: Here’s why you need both a personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit card
Redeeming free nights
But it’s not just elite status that keeps these cards in my wallet. The main value I get yearly comes from their annual free night certificates.
On both the Bonvoy Brilliant and Ritz-Carlton cards, I receive a free-night award valid for up to 85,000 points every year when I renew my card. Meanwhile, the Bonvoy Business Amex includes a free night valid for up 35,000 points upon renewal, and I also have the chance to earn a second by spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year.
In 2022, Marriott even added the ability to top up these certificates with up to 15,000 additional points — offering even more flexibility to book high-end properties.
Over the next year, I have reservations booked using these certificates at the following properties:
St. Regis Bal Harbour: A standard room on the date I’m traveling was $984 (excluding the $55 resort fee), and my 85,000-point certificate covered the entire stay.
Sheraton Miami Airport: A standard room on the date I’m traveling (with a late-night flight arrival) was $231, and my 35,000-point certificate covered the entire stay.
I will have another two 85,000-point certificates by this fall after my cards renew — and I’m looking forward to planning another luxury stay (or two) with them.
Other perks
Finally, each of these cards features at least one other perk that makes them worth keeping:
$25 monthly dining credit on the Bonvoy Brilliant: While this isn’t as easy to use as the $300 annual Marriott credit it replaced, it nevertheless gets me $25 off restaurant purchases every month. I try to use it on inexpensive, fast-casual meals or for a round of pre-dinner drinks to get as close to $25 as possible since I prefer earning 4 points per dollar on dining purchases with my American Express® Gold Card.
$300 airline incidental credit on the Ritz-Carlton card: Every year, I enjoy $300 off qualifying airline incidental purchases — including in-light Wi-Fi, snacks, drinks or seat assignment fees.
Discounted room rate on the Bonvoy Business Amex: As a Bonvoy Business cardholder, I can enjoy 7% off standard room rates at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide. While I’ve sometimes found that AAA rates are slightly cheaper, I’ve used this twice in the past year to save a total of ~$50 off paid stays.
Finally, I can add authorized users to my Ritz-Carlton card for no additional annual fee — which I’ve done with my wife. This grants her an individual Priority Pass Select membership but also unlocks primary car rental coverage when renting a car in her name.
Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access
Bottom line
It may be shocking to hear that I’m paying over $1,200 per year in annual fees just for three Marriott Bonvoy credit cards — but as you can see from the above, I get a ton of value. Whether leveraging the elite status perks, saving hundreds of dollars with free-night certificates or utilizing other perks on the cards, I have very little trouble justifying this out-of-pocket expense. And I’ll be keeping these three cards in my wallet for years to come.
With multiple Marriott cards currently offering lucrative welcome bonuses and summer travel prices remaining high, now could be a great time to unlock some of the above perks by adding a new Marriott credit card to your wallet.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex, click here.
When I was a boy, my father used to buy Mother Earth News from the grocery store. The magazine was filled with stories about self-sufficient country living, the sort of thing my dad aspired to. I’d read the magazine after he was finished, but never really understood the appeal of building your own greenhouse or raising goats. Now, as an adult, it makes a little more sense.
Kris and I are not radically self-sufficient, but we do enjoy growing our own food. (And she recently agreed that we could get chickens!) The content at GRS reflects my interest in the DIY lifestyle. Besides frequent articles on gardening, in the past I’ve shared stories like these:
Though our own adventures in self-sufficiency are limited, they’re edifying, and I admire those who do even more. I’m a strong advocate of the DIY ethic. I believe there’s real value in traditional skills, such as gardening and sewing, canning and carpentry. As a bonus, most of these practices save money.
After spending last Saturday planting peas and pruning fruit trees — and contemplating where to put a chicken coop — I took some time to research the current state of homesteading magazines. Turns out there are half a dozen that seem interesting. Most of them have a companion website with excellent information:
Mother Earth News
Mother Earth News is “the original guide to living wisely”. Its content leans left, and includes articles on subjects such as renewable energy, green homes, organic gardening, green transportation, and sustainable farming.
The Mother Earth News website is polished and filled with content, with stories on:
BackHome
BackHome is “your hands-on guide to sustainable living”. It covers topics like owner-built homes, backyard livestock, rural heritage, green building, and country skills.
The BackHome website isn’t very useful, but it does offer a taste of the magazine. You can see the table of contents from the most recent issue, and view PDF versions of articles like:
Backwoods Home
Backwoods Home, is like the first two publications in this list — but with guns. Backwoods Home leans right (or libertarian), and offers “practical ideas for self-reliant living”. Like BackHome, it offers how-to articles on owner-built housing, independent energy, self-employment, and country living. And there’s a regular column on gun ownership.
The Backwoods Home website is fantastic, packed with great stuff, including articles on:
I am not a libertarian, and I’m ambivalent about guns, but after looking at the website, I think I’m going to subscribe to Backwoods Home. This magazine looks awesome.
Small Farm Today
Small Farm Today is “the original how-to magazine of alternative and traditional crops and livestock”. According to Amazon, this publication discusses “alternative and traditional crops, livestock, and direct marketing, designed to help make small and family farmers profitable and sustainable”.
The Small Farm Today website doesn’t provide much useful content, and offers no glimpse of what a typical issue features. It does provide farm links, an events calendar, and online classified ads, but I’d rather see some past articles so that I could know if I’d find it useful.
Hobby Farms
Hobby Farms is a magazine about “rural living for pleasure and profit”. Its marketing copy says that it “embraces the growing segment of population that is returning to farm life in search of a more meaningful existence”.
The Hobby Farms website includes plenty of useful stuff, including:
Countryside
Countryside & Small Stock Journal is “the magazine of modern homesteading”. It features articles on constructing a homestead, the homestead as a business, the country kitchen, and self-reliance and survival.
The Countryside website includes two blogs, only one of which is actually updated. It also offers many past articles from the magazine, including:
Here’s a long list of past Countryside articles for future reading.
Looking at the contents of these magazines makes me dream of things I can build and grow. I don’t subscribe to any of them right now, but may have to begin picking up a few. Or maybe I’ll just start checking out their websites regularly. Do you read any of the these? Do you know of other magazines for people who want to practice self-sufficiency? What about books? I’d love to build a small library devoted to the subject.
True to its brand, Virgin Voyages does things a little differently than other cruise lines, and this ethos extends to its accommodations. Virgin Voyages’ cabins sport a minimalist look with futuristic touches, and its suites exude a rock-n-roll vibe with in-room turntables and peekaboo showers.
While these cruise rooms may be unique in the cruise industry, you won’t have trouble choosing your cabin or suite. Virgin offers a reasonable three styles of standard cabin and eight categories of suites, so your choice will be guided by your requirements around space, price and light.
Virgin also does not use standard cruise industry lingo to refer to its rooms. Inside cabins are Insider rooms, ocean views are Sea Views, and balconies are Sea Terrace cabins. Suites are RockStar Quarters. Many rooms can accommodate one to four guests, often in slightly unusual bed layouts, so pay attention if you’re traveling in a pack and looking to save a few bucks on your cruise fare.
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Whether this is your first cruise ever or your first with this cruise line, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with Virgin Voyages’ cabins and suites before you make that booking. Here’s everything you need to know.
A Virgin Voyages cabin primer
Virgin Voyages sails three identical ships, with one more on the way by the end of 2023. Cabin categories and design are standard across the fleet, so if you’re familiar with one ship, you’re familiar with them all.
Here is a breakdown of the cabin types on Scarlet Lady, which should be the same across all the sister ships:
Insider inside cabins: 105 (8%)
Sea view outside cabins: 96 (7%)
Sea Terrace balcony cabins: 1,051 (79%)
RockStar Quarters suites: 78 (6%)
The cruise line caters to adults only; all passengers must be 18 years old. That means you won’t find any family-focused accommodations. However, you will find Insider and Sea View cabins designed for solo passengers, with a 3/4 size bed (larger than a twin but smaller than a full.)
Other cabins and suites in all categories can sleep three or four guests. Groups who don’t want to squeeze four into a room (and we wouldn’t recommend it, given Virgin’s tiny bathrooms and limited storage) can take advantage of connecting rooms.
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Balcony cabins are designated either regular, extra-large, centrally located or limited-view, and your cruise fare will change depending on which you choose. Cheeky Corner and Suite Aft Suites are also divided into Pretty Big Terrace, Even Bigger Terrace and Biggest Terrace classes.
Related: The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
Accessible cabins are available in Insider, Sea View, Central Sea Terrace, Extra-Large Sea Terrace and Seriously Suite categories.
All Virgin Voyages cabins mix a hip yet minimalist design (think IKEA or micro hotel) with tech-forward accessories (such as an iPad that controls the A/C, curtains and mood lighting). The look is more spare than you’ll find on other cruise lines that feature thick mattresses, fluffy duvets and faux-wood cabinetry in their cabins.
In standard cabins, the bed is modular – not only transforming from a queen bed to twins but also turning from a bed into an L-shaped lounging couch. In some quad layouts, a queen bed and an extra twin share the same headboard with a bunk overhead. The mattresses are rearranged on a long platform to form various arrangements; any uncovered portion of the platform serves as a nightstand or low table.
A triangular-with-rounded-edges odd-shaped white table serves as a desk and vanity in most standard cabins, with a round vegan leather stool beneath. It partially overlaps the shelving unit beneath that houses a mini-fridge and small shelves. Above is a round mirror and a shelf holding the room-controlling tablet.
Sea View and Sea Terrace cabins trade out the typical cruise ship cabin couch or love seat for a spare director’s style chair with a faux leather partial back and a padded seat.
Virgin also skips a full wardrobe for a more minimalist closet area where a hanging rod and a two-shelf luggage rack with storage baskets are hidden behind a curtain. A narrow floor-to-ceiling wardrobe contains four slim drawers, shelves housing the safe, life jackets and extra linens and a full-length mirror.
It’s not a lot of storage space — perfect for one, manageable for two and likely impossible for three or four.
Standard bathrooms are also tiny and lacking in storage space. The shower has one measly shelf and pump bottles of Red Flower shampoo, conditioner and body wash. It offers both a rain shower head and a wand. The rest of the tiny bathroom features a bowl sink and a small vanity where you can store toiletries if you move the hand towels somewhere else (possibly the shelf below with the garbage can).
The entire space is tight, even for average-sized people. If you need spacious loos, you will need to book a suite.
Virgin Voyages ships have eight types of suites, ranging from 352-square-foot Seriously Suites (which are essentially extra-spacious regular cabins with slightly nicer furnishings and a much larger bathroom) to the 2,147-square-foot Massive Suite with separate living and sleeping areas, a music room, and a gigantic terrace with a dining table (with steps up in case you want to pull a Richard Branson and dance on it) and hot tub.
Related: Why you should splurge for a suite on your next cruise
Suites are split into two categories — RockStar Quarters and Mega RockStar Quarters — which determine which additional perks come with your booking.
Virgin claims that 86% of its cabins feature private balconies, and if you can, you want to book one of these. Why? Because each Sea Terrace comes with a sustainably sourced hammock that is extremely comfortable and unusual in the cruise industry — and for us, was the best part of the entire Virgin accommodation experience.
Inside cabins on Virgin Voyages cruise ships
Insider cabins are Virgin’s name for windowless interior rooms. They measure 105 to 177 square feet and can sleep one (Solo Insiders) to four people (Social Insiders). As we mentioned above, the Solo Insiders have a 3/4-sized bed. The four-person arrangement is two twin beds arranged in an L shape head to head, with two bunkbeds also in L shape right above. The intent is for the lower beds to be made up as couches during the day and transformed into beds at night.
The room is laid out like a standard Scarlet Lady cabin, but on the far wall, where a window would be, there’s a red, round art piece evocative of a porthole.
Ocean-view cabins on Virgin Voyages cruise ships
Sea View cabins are slightly bigger at 130 to 190 square feet and can sleep one to three people, with one pull-down bunk and beds that convert from a queen to two twins. They are arranged identically to the Insider cabins, except they have a large round porthole window with a window seat on the exterior wall.
Some Sea View cabins come in slightly different configurations, especially the rooms located where the ship’s superstructure juts out at an angle. We toured one of these practically V-shaped rooms, which had one rectangular window rather than a full porthole. The window was on the same wall as the bed and chair, and the opposite wall had the desk, mini-fridge and mirror. The converging angle of the two walls made it a tight squeeze between the bed and the desk.
Related: Inside vs. outside cabin: Which affordable cruise room is best for you?
The bottom of the V, if you will, had a tall wardrobe and full-length mirror. The top of the V was the wall with the entry door, the bathroom and the closet hidden away in a tight corner by the window.
Balcony cabins on Virgin Voyages cruise ships
Virgin calls its balcony cabins Sea Terraces. They measure 185 to 225 square feet, including the 45-square-foot terrace. They can sleep two to four people, but there’s only one bunkbed. To sleep four, two people will need to share a bed, the third bed will be perpendicular in an L shape (so three heads in close proximity) and the fourth is a bunk flush with the cabin wall above.
Sea Terraces share the layout of the other standard cabins. Note that cabins numbers on the port or A side of the ship have the beds by the bathroom and the desk by the balcony, and cabin numbers on the starboard or Z side of the ship have the reverse layout, with beds by the balcony and desks by the bathroom.
Balconies are outfitted with two upright not-that-comfortable metal chairs and a circular drinks table just big enough for two glasses. The real attraction here is the full-size red hammock hung from the ceiling. A grown adult can easily lay out or simply sit and swing in the hammock. Be prepared to come to blows with your cabinmate over who gets the hammock first and for how long.
Related: Why it pays to upgrade your cruise ship cabin
If you love your hammock so much you can’t live without it, you can buy one on board. The custom-designed hammocks are handwoven by women in rural Thailand and sold by Yellow Leaf, an organization focused on community transformation and female empowerment.
Suites on Virgin Voyages cruise ships
Virgin Voyages’ 78 RockStar Quarters are broken down as follows (based on Scarlet Lady’s deck plans):
Two Massive Suites
Two Fab Suites
Two Posh Suites
nine Gorgeous Suites
18 Brilliant Suites
14 Cheeky Corner Suites (six Biggest Terrace, four Even Bigger Terrace and four Pretty Big Terrace suites)
24 Seriously Suites
Seven Sweet Aft Suites (three Biggest Terrace, two Even Bigger Terrace and two Pretty Big Terrace suites)
The Sweet Aft, Seriously, Cheeky Corner and Brilliant suites are considered RockStar Quarters. They come with the following perks:
Access to Richard’s Rooftop sun deck with hot tubs and a bar
Complimentary in-room bar setup (no refills)
Priority access to dinner and event reservations, plus shore excursion signups
RockStar agents (i.e. concierges) who can help you 24/7
Priority embarkation
Gorgeous, Posh, Fab and Massive Suites are considered Mega RockStar Quarters. They come with all the RockStar perks plus additional benefits:
A daily bar tab for complimentary drinks and bottles of wine throughout the ship
Complimentary Thermal Suite access at the Redemption Spa
Private transfers to the ship or free parking (depending on the departure port)
A personal RockStar Agent
Limitless in-room bar
Premium Wi-Fi on Caribbean cruises, allowing streaming on up to two devices
The suite that’s right for you will depend on your budget, the perks you value and where on the ship you wish to stay.
Related: How to snag cruise ship suites for less
Among the RockStar Quarters, the Seriously Suite is the most common suite type on board. It measures 352 square feet, including the balcony. It features a European king bed facing the floor-to-ceiling glass balcony doors, tall closet wardrobes, a brass vanity, a shelving unit with a turntable and bar setup and a window behind the bed looking into the extra-large shower. The bathroom is spacious with a marble tile look, and the terrace is only slightly larger than a standard one, with the same furnishings.
The Sweet Aft Suite ranges in size from 416 to 661 square feet, depending on the deck and the size of the balcony. The higher the deck, the bigger the suite and terrace. There’s one Sweet Aft Suite on each deck between decks 8 and 14, and each is located smack in the center of the back of each deck.
These suites also have a bed facing the windows, but the bathroom is to the side with a shower porthole looking onto the oversized balcony. In addition to the standard hammock, the terrace features two padded lounge chairs, a couch and a round metal table (meant for Champagne) and chairs.
The Brilliant Suite measures 482 square feet and looks like an expanded version of the Seriously Suite. The extra space allows for a modular couch that can double as a bed; this suite can sleep up to four. Its balcony is slightly longer than the Seriously Suite’s, meaning it can offer the larger Champagne table of the Brilliant Suite.
The Cheeky Corner Suite also comes in a range of sizes, 615 to 857 square feet, based on deck and balcony size. The 14 suites are at the back corners of the ship on decks 8 – 14, on either side of the Sweet Aft Suites.
Balconies wrap around the back and sides of the ships, and offer the same furnishings as the Sweet Afts but with the hammock tucked away in the side corner. Inside, the room has a corner sofa area and a large wardrobe.
Related: What not to do on a cruise balcony
All of the Mega RockStar Quarters are on Deck 15, directly beneath Richard’s Rooftop, for easy access.
The Gorgeous Suite is the smallest at 570 square feet, and can sleep up to four. Its interior is similar to the Brilliant Suite, but the difference is in the balcony. The suite has a double-depth balcony with an outdoor shower and lounge chairs.
The Posh Suite measures 833 square feet, with living and sleeping areas divided by a wall. It can sleep four (the living room sofa can convert to a bed) and has a bath and a half (the master with a peekaboo shower looking into the bedroom and out the balcony doors beyond). The balcony is similar to the other suite terraces with lounge chairs, a hammock, Champagne table and chairs and a small couch.
The Fab Suite, at 950 square feet, is essentially an oversized version of the Posh Suite. The extra space allows for additional seating areas in both the living room and bedroom. It can also sleep four.
All the way forward on Deck 15, each of the two Massive Suites lives up to its name, coming in at a whopping 2,147 square feet. You enter the main living area with a circular couch seating area and a full bar. To one side is the music room, which can double as an extra bedroom; the suite sleeps up to four — that is if you don’t stay up rocking out on the provided guitars all night. An adjacent guest bathroom is ideal for hosting parties.
On the other side, the master bedroom has privacy behind sliding doors and floor-to-ceiling windows. Just behind, the marble-tiled dressing area features two closets and a soaking tub; turn the corner to find the rest of the bathroom, complete with the signature windowed shower.
The also-massive terrace is your own private backyard with a hot tub, outdoor shower, dining table for six, two hammocks, circular couch seating and padded lounge chairs.
Bottom line
Virgin Voyages’ cabins get the job done. However, its standard rooms won’t keep you inside when the real fun is found in the ships’ public areas. Their best feature is the hammock on every balcony.
For more spacious bathrooms, tricked-out terraces, lounge and seating spaces, and extra perks, upgrade to the RockStar Quarters. While you might want to bring the after-party back to your social living quarters, you miss out if you hide out in your upper-deck digs rather than immerse yourself in the entertainment and cozy hangouts found around Virgin Voyages’ ships.