Paris
Pro’s
Really dig into the Parisian culture
Pastries
Cycling around the city
Only 5 days of vacation
Time spent with an old friend
Con’s
Not a new vacation
$3000 max (much better than Australia…and I am not sure if this should be a Pro or a Con)
Australia/New Zealand
Pro’s
Kangaroos
The Great Barrier Reef
Surfing
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| This could be me in 2011 |
Guided
Business Visits
Great company
New New New
Con’s
$5500 or more….
10 days of vacation at once
Every time I look at the lists my natural inclination is to say F*uck it and go to Australia. But the really big problem is the money. I have been making some progress with my finances this year and I have been working my way out of credit card debt. This kind of trip could set me back. I have thought though a plan to pay for this trip with cash but it doesn’t quite cover it. It would require me to be disciplined, and let’s face it that isn’t my strongest asset. I would have to take every penny that the roommate gives me and diligently pay down my credit card each month. This gains me about $4000 by the time of the trip. So I would also need to keep up the discipline for several months after the trip as well as mentally committing to keeping the roommate for at least another year. Is living alone again worth skipping a super awesome trip? IDK…
I have been to Paris twice in the last ten years and just like NYC it garners multiple visits. I am sure that the city has many things that I haven’t seen and experienced. Taking a full week there would immerse me in the culture and allow me to really feel the city. The friend who wants to go is fluent in French and she has lived there on multiple occasions. We travel well together and have very similar ideas about what makes a great vacation. This would be a nice alternative to going to Australia and it would be significantly cheaper. It would take me much less discipline to pay for this trip with cash and I know I would enjoy the time with my friend and the time in the great city.
Honestly, I am really leaning towards Australia and I guess I am trying to decide if I want to be boring and responsible with my money or live a little reckless on the financial side.
4 comments:
If I may emerge from my glass house for a moment ... I will suggest a third alternative.
Neither trip.
Keep working out of credit card debt. Keep putting money aside so that you can eventually reclaim your house. (That might be a good idea anyway. Do you really trust your roommate to be alone with the cats? Especially with the kitten? How old will Jadzia be when these trips come along?)
Paris and Australia will be there next year, and the year after that, and the year after that ... but speaking from experience, the deeper you dig the hole, the longer it takes you to climb out of it, especially if unexpected things happen.
As difficult as it might be to do, I would pass on both for now.
When I turned 30, I took what I knew was going to be my last big trip for a while. I am now 32 and I'll give you two guesses who is still paying off her "last big trip."
Okay, I'm probably not still paying off the trip...I'm probably now working on the interest, but still. You get the picture.
Now, here's where I'm not sure I'm on Dave's side. Do I hate hate HATE having to pay on a credit card that I haven't used in about two years? Yes. Absolutely. Do I regret going on that trip? Not in the slightest.
So it's a difficult thing to decide. I will say that the credit card from that trip is the only debt that I have, so there is that. You say you already have CC debt? Maybe wait until you pay down your existing debt before you create some more?
So I guess I have no advice. That's just my experience. Good luck deciding! And Dave does have one valid point - Australia and Paris will both still be there when you decide to go. There will always be other opportunities. After all, Australia is on my life list too :-)
Candy, I agree with your other friend that said wait. I don’t think it makes sense for you to take this trip now. If you can come up with 4K you should put that towards getting you out of credit card debt and then start saving up to take the trip.
You were in the depths of despair only a few months ago about money and you don’t seem to remember that. What if your roommate all of the sudden just moves out. You have $500 extra right now from her that seems to already worked into your budget and not allocated toward debt reduction. As your friend said, you need to stop digging the hole deeper and start climbing out. You have the rest of your life to take trips…there is no rush to do it now.
Lou
As we discussed in detail, unless taking the trip will cause you to starve, debtors to take your residence and your vehicle...go to Australia. I told you the story about the trip to Italy I had planned for a significant birthday, and then an opportunity for work came along that involved travel. I made the responsible choice for my career. I have a much different job now (so that opportunity was of little benefit) and I still haven't been to Italy. I know you are not me and probably would have rescheduled...but why take the chance? We never know what curve ball life will throw us. Go while you can...while you have your youth, your enthusiasm and your freedom (no pesky attachments).
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