We have a Sony DVD camcroder and we solved the DVD cost issue by using Re-Writable DVDs. Shoot your movie, transfer it to the PC, then erase the DVD.

We bought a single 10 disk spindle of mini-DVDs when we bought the camcorder…some years ago. We’ve so far used the top 3 or so of the DVDs and have never had any problems. Six or so of the DVDs we have never even touched.

Once on the PC we edit the movies and burn to low cost standard size DVD-Rs and ship to the relatives.

Simple, cheap, and very effective.

Now for the Disneyland or England trips…we simply do not take vacation. We have a 2 year and a new born at home and most days it is all we can muster just to take care of grocery and other essential shopping. Weekends are filled with much the same, just keeping up with the essentials.

We figure we’ll be ready to take a decent vacation to some place other than the shopping mall in about 20 years. By that time the economy may have recovered enough that we’ll actually have $5 to spend on non-essentials.