How do you justify spending thousands on one vacation?

[roliepolieoliefan]

DH and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year.
I booked a trip to our favorite resort in jamaica for 8 nights in May. We can fly on points so the trip total may be about $5-6,000.

My dream trip is Bora Bora. Ive priced it out at least 10 times over the years, but we never go because its difficult for me to justify about $12,000 for 1 vacation, plus the flight from PA is LONG!

Im thinking though if we dont go this time I'll never get there.
We have a son who is a high school sophomore so I think I should put the money away for college for him. We also thought about putting a pool in, that would be the end of the pool, at least for this summer.

When we did a DCL on the Fantasy a few years ago , we spent about $10,000 total on that trip but it was a family trip.

We can afford it by giving up other things but as much as I want to go ( DH is on board no matter what) I dont know if yet again I can justify the cost.

 

[eliza61]

DH and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year.
I booked a trip to our favorite resort in jamaica for 8 nights in May. We can fly on points so the trip total may be about $5-6,000.

My dream trip is Bora Bora. Ive priced it out at least 10 times over the years, but we never go because its difficult for me to justify about $12,000 for 1 vacation, plus the flight from PA is LONG!
Im thinking though if we dont go this time I'll never get there.
We have a son who is a high school sophomore so I think I should put the money away for college for him. We also thought about putting a pool in, that would be the end of the pool, at least for this summer.

When we did a DCL on the Fantasy a few years ago , we spent about $10,000 total on that trip but it was a family trip.

We can afford it by giving up other things but as much as I want to go ( DH is on board no matter what) I dont know if yet again I can justify the cost.

Simply justify it by saying it is something I have always wanted to do.

First, there will always be some thing else that you can do with the money. So you have to prioritize and move on.

If you spend the money do you think you'll obsess over it during the vacation? if so you may not be fully on board yet.

my vice is luxury hotels. I absolutely love them. my dream stay is the Hotel Plaza Athenne but at 1700 bucks a night, for right now it's going to stay a dream but I'll get there.

 

[aaarcher86]

Simply justify it by saying it is something I have always wanted to do. First, there will always be some thing else that you can do with the money. So you have to prioritize and move on. If you spend the money do you think you'll obsess over it during the vacation? if so you may not be fully on board yet.

Totally agree.

I don't really justify anything. If I want to do it and I think the price makes sense, I'll spend the money.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

It's simple.

Will you be able to go to Bora Bora when you are old? Will you be able to go to Bora Bora when you are dead? Will you be able to use your "leftover" money when you are dead?

If the answer to these 3 questions is no, then the only sensible answer is to go to Bora Bora now, while you still can.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Congrats! We will also be celebrating our 25th this yr.

I don't know. I keep looking at places to go and right now a large trip is just not in our budget. We can't even do a 6,000 trip unfortunately.

You will have to dig deep and decide if you can live with that expense. Only you can do that.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

It doesn't matter what your financial situation is, everyone has a line in the sand they won't cross. You just have to figure out where yours is. But, the funny thing about sand is that it's constantly shifting with the wind. That line rarely stays in one place.

 

[eliza61]

It doesn't matter what your financial situation is, everyone has a line in the sand they won't cross. You just have to figure out where yours is. But, the funny thing about sand is that it's constantly shifting with the wind. That line rarely stays in one place.

LOL Gumbo, there are have been times when our line was about a mile behind where we were already standing.

Some one should start a "home remodeling" cost thread, talk about cost gone wild

 

[ronandannette]

I'm having exactly the same conflict over going to Europe for a cruise for our 20th this fall (including dreading the long flight). Like you, we have no problem dropping 4 or 5 thousand annually on more mundane vacations but doubling or tripling that amount seems daunting. The idea was super-attractive when it was still in the dream stage and the planning was fun at the beginning. But now that it's getting to be time to actually start putting deposits down I'm getting cold feet. I realize the problem is that I really just don't want it badly enough. We've moved heaven and earth before to accomplish financial goals but for me, his just isn't one of those things. Whether or not we end up going is yet to be seen.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

LOL Gumbo, there are have been times when our line was about a mile behind where we were already standing.

Some one should start a "home remodeling" cost thread, talk about cost gone wild

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I agree with many of the PPs. You have to decide if you can live with the spend and it's something you really want to do!

You mentioned flying to Jamaica on points. Could you is points/miles to lower the cost of going to Bora Bora?

The reality is that getting to the other side of the world for travel is expensive. Some people don't really find its worth it when it all comes down to it?

I don't regret anywhere I've been. I haven't loved everywhere I've travelled (I'm looking at you Finland and Denmark) and wouldn't go back to some of them. Others I've loved and returned to and wouldn't want to have missed for anything, but I'm the type that regrets the stone unturned more than anything else.

 

[Amy]

Another conflicted vacationer here. When I was younger, I always dreamed of visiting Germany and see the castles. DH and I planned to go about 10-11 years ago, but had to cancel when my parents decided they didn't want to watch our boys for the 10 days we'd be gone. I was disappointed, but then I gave up on my Germany dream and focused on other more attainable vacations. Our best vacations have been right here in the USA - South Dakota and Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, and most recently Yellowstone (going back in 2016 - love it there!). New dream vacations for me are Alaska and a grand tour of New England in the fall.

DH and I have been saving up to remodel our kitchen. Have enough saved and we're ready to get some estimates. So what does DH do? He came home with travel brochures for tours to Germany and said "let's use the kitchen money to go to Germany." I'm not excited about it at all, and that worries me: why don't I want to go to Germany, when for years that's all I ever talked about? What's wrong with me that I don't want to visit a place that I dreamed about for so long?

 

[mnrose]

I've spent a lot on vacations over the years. As long as you can "afford it" (being different for every person...for me, it's not going into debt, or mortgaging my future security), you will never regret a vacation to a "dream" destination.

I will give you a "for example"...17 years ago, my husband and I decided to go on a hiking trip to Norway and Sweden. I booked it, and then hemmed and hawed about whether to upgrade from coach to business class (it was an overnight flight from SF to Amsterdam) or not. A friend said "you will remember the feeling of being in business class far longer than you will remember what it cost."

And, she was right. I can recall that flight, and how nice it was. I can't for the life of me remember what it cost. LOL.

Oh, and OP, switch from Bora Bora to Bali and you will be able to take that "dream" trip for far less. The biggest cost is getting to Bali. Once you are there, it is cheap, cheap, cheap. We went for a month (including a stay in Singapore) with my family of 4 for less than $15K, all in. Biggest single expense was airfare. Nice, nice villa rentals available for not very much money. Just an example:https://www.villa-bali.com/en/villa/canggu/villa-asana $140 a night, including breakfast, and private pool. Oh, and you can get a quality hour long massage in a nice place for around $12. I had a massage nearly every day. LOL. Restaurants in Bali are not expensive either. Totally possible for two people to eat out every meal for an entire day for less than $30. We loved Bali, and someday I hope to return.

 

[gwynne]

This is such an individual decision. If you can afford it now, and you're both on board, great!
We did without vacations during the time our kids were in college. It wasn't easy, but no regrets.
Now we're back to vacationing again, hurray!

 

[deedeetoo]

I don't understand why something needs to be justified. If you want it and you can afford it then go ahead. But affording it doesn't mean running up credit cards to their limit or borrowing from your retirement accounts. It sounds like you have the funds for what you are planning to do. If you can do this and still have enough for college when you need it then its just a decision of whether you would rather have the vacation or the pool.

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh man...what a timely subject! I'm currently trying to plan a trip to London with dh this fall! We're celebrating our 25th this spring, so tying the trip to that as well as visiting dd while she is there studying for the semester.
I look at the figures some of you are tossing around and feel silly trying to justify $5000!!!!
This is a once in a lifetime...at least for my dh. He doesn't really like to travel, but wants to go and see our dd.....three months overseas is a long time. I've been to London before, and loved it. I doubt he'll ever cross the Atlantic again! So, perhaps I should stop worrying about the cost so much. I tend to nickel and dime things.....not a good idea.
You're right.....we'll remember the fun we had, not the cost.

 

[NewRVLady]

To ME=a beach is a Beach is a BEACH!!!
The only thing that seems a tad attractive is sleeping on those huts out in the water in Bora Bora

After THAT-what to do?
On of the OC Housewives went there-and it was just swimming, snorkeling...things you can do any nice beach-so that is why I couldt spend $12,000 just to do it at BoraBora

-when you can get gorgeous beaches even in Florida's Emerald Coast VERY reasonable.

AND Jamaica does NOT appeal to me one tiny bit

 

[Mizzoufan]

memories are priceless

 

[TheIncredibles!]

First off - Congratulations. 25 years is an amazing milestone and you SHOULD celebrate. (We will be 19 this year -we plan on doing a Disnry cruise with the kids next year for 20!)

What if you did not go, you put in that pool and saved money for your son's college.... Do you see yourself going on this vacation for your 30th instead? 35th? Bearing in mind 12k now could be 15k in 5 years, 20k in 10. Do you think that this dream vacation you have thought of for years will happen at some point for you if you don't go now?

I think if you can swing it, if it's not going to leave you completely destitute then you absolutely should spend the money and celebrate an amazing milestone in an amazing way with a once in a lifetime vacation that you have been dreaming about.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Another conflicted vacationer here. When I was younger, I always dreamed of visiting Germany and see the castles. DH and I planned to go about 10-11 years ago, but had to cancel when my parents decided they didn't want to watch our boys for the 10 days we'd be gone. I was disappointed, but then I gave up on my Germany dream and focused on other more attainable vacations. Our best vacations have been right here in the USA - South Dakota and Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, and most recently Yellowstone (going back in 2016 - love it there!). New dream vacations for me are Alaska and a grand tour of New England in the fall.

DH and I have been saving up to remodel our kitchen. Have enough saved and we're ready to get some estimates. So what does DH do? He came home with travel brochures for tours to Germany and said "let's use the kitchen money to go to Germany." I'm not excited about it at all, and that worries me: why don't I want to go to Germany, when for years that's all I ever talked about? What's wrong with me that I don't want to visit a place that I dreamed about for so long?

Bucket list items are often scratched off my list without ever having done them. Sometimes, as time passes, that "dream trip" just isn't what you dream about anymore.

I am so with you on that return to Yellowstone though!

 

[MouseMomx2]

I have a couple of rules when I plan vacations...
1. I will not go into debt for any vacation.
2. I will look for the absolute cheapest way possible to do the trip at the quality level I prefer. (No one-star hotels here, but no four-star hotels either...unless I find a GREAT deal.)
3. Provided rule #2 is followed, I will not allow myself buyer's remorse for any travel...especially travel to somewhere I have never been before.

I actively save for vacations on a regular basis. I may not have a specific vacation in mind, but money still goes into the vacation account regularly. That money is earmarked for vacations so I never regret using it for our trips.