SHOW NOTES
This “Money With Mak and G” podcast episode, Mak & G look at how we managed to travel while avoiding high flight prices, ways we can save money during Easter, and the average amount people receive from doing their taxes.
On average people spend over 200 dollars during Easter even though there are so many free ways to enjoy the holiday just as much.
This episode, Mak & G explain how we can save money during Easter, the emergence of free Easter Egg hunts, and with tax season coming how much people get back from doing their taxes…
“Thinking about different options is key, do your homework!” – Mak and G
“If you don’t respect money, you don’t deserve to keep it.” – Mak and G
Time Stamps:
00:25 – How to make Disney World affordable and make the most of your time there.
02:01 – How much flight delays cost airlines.
02:30 – What caused so many flights to be delayed.
03:03 – How we saved money by renting a car.
03:44 – Free Easter Egg hunts you can join and how to save money at Easter.
05:14 – How much people get from tax credits and what to do with the extra money.
06:18 – Different things we use taxes for.
06:36 – Strange facts about taxes.
Connect with Ben Jones:
TRANSCRIPT
MAK: Welcome back to Money with Mak & G! We’re back baby. It’s been several weeks because things have been insane and a little messed up.
GRANT: You got that right. I haven’t been here in a month. I missed you guys. I got sick then we were in DC, back home, rest, then Florida, back home and rest.
MAK: Wasn’t DC awesome? So much to see, and just a great time. Three solid days, starting at 3 am the first day and ending on the last day at 1 am. Then Florida….
GRANT: Yep, the weather wasn’t supposed to be great, but it cut down on people going to the parks. We literally burned through Infinity falls at Sea World about 5 times in an HOUR.
MAK: It was amazing. I loved the end of the ride when you take that elevator thing up, and then you come flying down that hill and get drenched. It was great. The annual pass was a big winner.
GRANT: You got that right. There are so many combinations of a day pass, two-park tickets, all-day dining, and flexibility day passes. It seems to all come out at about $100+ a day.
MAK: The key is knowing what you want and then doing your homework!! They even have a 14-day pass for four parks, like SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, and Adventure island for only $200
GRANT: That’s a great price if you know you want to go for several days and hit several parks. If you go just 5 days, you’ll save close to $300, and get parking for free each time which is $30 per day.
MAK: Plus, if you’re willing to walk, you can leave the park, and get fast food near Sea World, which will cut costs. However, it can be much more complicated at Disney World.
GRANT: Agree. The dining option can save you money too. So, you’re right, it’s all about doing your homework. I thought it was all done after you leave school, but doing homework is a part of life.
MAK: After the floor dropped out from underneath me on Ihu’s Breakaway Falls at Aquatica, I’m glad to be home and get a break. But, talk about another long day, last Tuesday was brutal.
GRANT: After our flight got canceled Monday night, we didn’t have a way to get home for 3 days. There were over 3,500 canceled flights, with around 300 seats per flight…….
MAK: That’s almost 1.1 million people affected, and we got caught up in that problem. I know a ticket was averaging over $350, so that’s a potential loss of revenue of over 350 million smackeroos.
GRANT: That’s a huge number. Doesn’t sound like Spring Break was much fun for the airlines. They were dealing with several issues that hit all at once, like:
MAK: Weather
GRANT: Computer glitches
MAK: Pilot and staff shortages
GRANT: Increased travel demands
MAK: When you have higher demand, that means higher prices. I saw an estimate that there will be a shortage of 19,000 pilots by the end of the year. It will grow to over 60,000 by the end of 2029. That will cut down supply since there will be fewer flights. That pushes prices higher too!
GRANT: Plus, people want to get out after 2 years of COVID. Lots of empty airports, but now they’re full.
MAK: So, when our flight was canceled for unknown reasons on Spirit. Yes, I had to say that. Dad rented a car and we drove 16 hours on Tuesday. Even with gas prices, it was less than $200.
GRANT: That’s the rental car, one-way and gas. Insane. But it didn’t include all the Cheetos, Cokes, Slim Jim’s, Pringles, Reese’s and other stuff. My stomach was definitely making noise.
MAK: I know, I sat by you. If we bought a ticket for Tuesday, it was at least $500 per person. That’s $1,500.
GRANT: Talk about savings, IF you have the time. Something to think about. Once you get to your destination, Uber can then be your best friend. Thinking about different options is key.
MAK/GRANT: Do your homework!!
MAK: So, the Easter bunny is coming and there are some fun things happening. There are lots of great Easter Egg hunts out there. Some are already over. Did you find any?
GRANT: Absolutely. Just in our areas, there is the
MAK: Breakfast with Bunnysaurus Rex
GRANT: Moonlight Madness Egg Hunt
MAK: Easter Egg Hunt at the Zoo
GRANT: EggNormous Egg hunt with a twist in Zionsville
MAK: The great part is that many are free, so you don’ have to do your own. If you do, you probably need 15-20 eggs per person. Real eggs cost money, plus coloring, time and effort.
GRANT: It adds up. The average Easter spend is pushing $200 per person. That doesn’t count what I love getting. It’s not the plastic green grass, but the green paper stuff!!! I think that’s eggs–celent.
MAK: Me too. It’s a perfect opportunity to save when you find it in a plastic egg or card from friends or family. Take care of that money, and keep it safe. You know what dad does when he finds money lying around…
GRANT: Yes, he’ll take it. He’ll always say the same thing:
MAK/GRANT: If you don’t respect money, you don’t deserve to keep it.
MAK: I know, it’s a little brutal, but I learned my lesson when that $20 disappeared after our bday.
GRANT: These are eggs-actly the opportunities to meet future goals, like:
MAK: New Clothes
GRANT: Video games
MAK: A bike
GRANT: Buying a car.
MAK: Great goal, can I drive? A little delayed gratification today will mean a much bigger benefit in the future.
GRANT: Plus, there are only so many chocolate bunnies you can eat and I always feel guilty biting off their ears.
MAK: Good to know. Buy fewer bunnies and save more. Hey, you know it’s tax season which means calculating what you owe for last year. It’s normally due on April 15th, but with Emancipation Day on the 16th, taxes are due on Monday, April 18th.
GRANT: A little extra time to finish them up. It could possibly mean getting some cash extra cash like Easter.
MAK: This is the perfect time to:
GRANT/MAK: Save that money!!
GRANT: If you can, tuck it away and invest it, it will grow and help pay for future goals. Dad’s taking our refund and saving for his retirement. Check out his YouTube videos. You can too, or save it for:
MAK: Your Emergency Fund
GRANT: A vacation
MAK: A house
GRANT: College
MAK: The average refund is over $3,000 this year. It’s higher than last year because there are extra tax benefits for 2021. This could really help get a goal moving forward, like paying off high-interest credit cards.
GRANT: Good point, but do you really like when dad calls us his “Adorable Tax Credits”?
MAK: You know he does love the free money that he gets from a tax credit and it’s thousands of dollars.
GRANT: Good point. So he probably means that in the most loving money kind of way.
MAK: I’m sure he does. You know I found some interesting facts on taxes. We know we pay taxes to cover things we couldn’t do on our own, like build roads, pay for the police or protect ourselves with a military.
GRANT: Together if we all pay some taxes, we can cover those things. How about we name some weird facts on taxes.
MAK: Ok, in 1705, Russian Emperor Peter the Great taxed beards
GRANT: England taxes televisions, with color televisions, taxed more
MAK: 1 million accountants are hired each year, like dad, to help do taxes
GRANT: Lady Godiva rode a horse without clothes to protest taxes
MAK: William Tell had to shoot the apple off his son’s head as punishment for tax resistance
GRANT: Wow, those are all a little bizarre. Any last words before we go..
MAK: The entrance to the building in DC where the Internal Revenue Service who collects taxes has a quote that says “Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society. I’ll leave it at that.
GRANT: Nice way to end things.
GRANT/MAK: Happy Easter and see you next week for more Money with Mak & G. Bye!
