Someone talk me down!

[RachelsMommie]

Wow, I hadn't even thought of restaurants.com for the trip! Thanks for the tip!

 

[TNKBELL]

Thanks, everyone! Yes, it's been a stress-filled year and my DD5 told me she wants to go to the beach. She LOVES Disney, but she said she really just wants to go have fun on the beach and swim. The resort I found is beautiful and has 4 pools and private beach access, and the condo is 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms so my DH and I won't have to go to bed at 8pm like we have to in a hotel room. I negotiated a really great rate of $99/night for 5 nights plus tax and cleaning fee. Just got the contract and I just want to feel comfortable with my decision.

I love Dave, but my justification is that it's not impacting our debt-free plan, plus it is WAY cheaper than therapy. I just need to hear that it's okay to do this and I'm not making a terrible financial decision. I know, it's not a lot of money, but it's DR-guilt.

AMEN!!! Vacation is definitely therapy!! We are in the beginning stages of DR, but I can't live without our yearly vacations. There was a study done about the positive health benefits of planning vacations...you read me right, Planning vacations lowers blood pressure and many other positive side effects!! So call it therapy or alternative medicine for stress, but this country does not get enough R&R! Happy Vacation to you!!

I just looked at your vacation condo, that is beautiful!! I'll have to consider this for a vacation next year, we go to Florida every other year and Texas or somewhere else closer to home the other year.
Have a great time!!

 

[tink2dw]

Dh and I never really concerned vacations, we thought we would take them in our Later Years. It was 5 years after we were married before we were Blessed with Dd!! it was then that I wanted her to see Disney Parks, I never had. We managed 2 trips to WDW and many more to DL!! But 2003 was my iffy year. They said I had a Brain Tumor, That scared us all! It wasn't all the years of working hard that I wanted to share with Dd it was memories of fun times!!

I'm a Brain Tumor Survivor and a medical miracle the tumor a glioma was not operable But after tests they found out it is calcified. All but one little spot that lites up in MRI but has not grown in 7 years. It has left me with seizures, but the Dr's just have to keep tweaking the seizure meds. Alot better than what they originally thought!!!

So now I appreciate Vacations even more!!!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Dh and I never really concerned vacations, we thought we would take them in our Later Years. It was 5 years after we were married before we were Blessed with Dd!! it was then that I wanted her to see Disney Parks, I never had. We managed 2 trips to WDW and many more to DL!! But 2003 was my iffy year. They said I had a Brain Tumor, That scared us all! It wasn't all the years of working hard that I wanted to share with Dd it was memories of fun times!!

I'm a Brain Tumor Survivor and a medical miracle the tumor a glioma was not operable But after tests they found out it is calcified. All but one little spot that lites up in MRI but has not grown in 7 years. It has left me with seizures, but the Dr's just have to keep tweaking the seizure meds. Alot better than what they originally thought!!!

So now I appreciate Vacations even more!!!

WOW! Congrats on surviving! That is just amazing!

My dear great aunt told my DH and I years ago that she and her DH had scrimped and saved their working lives and promised each other that when they retired they would travel the world. Well, at 65 it was time to start. Her DH died at 67. She is now over 100 and said she had gone on several trips, but wishes that they had made time to do things together when they were still young.

Her advice was to save money for retirement, certainly, but treasure the time you have together and do things that are fun as well and not put them off, because you never know how long you will have each other.

So DH and I have certain things that we budget for and consider every ounce as important as paying off our mortgage early. People first.

 

[lisajl]

Suze Orman's key phrase is "people first, then money, then things".

Love this quote!

 

[tinkarooni]

I uderstand that OP made her decision to take the vacation so my post probably isn't needed, however.....

I understand both sides, I just want to point out that one of the best stress relievers of our lives was getting out of debt. It completely blew any trip out of the water. That being said I also agree with making memories and people first. Last summer we stayed home, we took a week off, did some things around the house, went out to dinner, went swimming and hit some local attractions, amusements parks. The cost was minor and it was one of the best "vacations" we ever had. No packing, no traveling, no putting the dog in the kennel, we got up in the morning, decided what we wanted to do, didn't answer the phone. It was great.

So for anybody trying to skip a year to pay off a bill I will say it was a great time for us, even the kids had a great time having the four of us just hang out all week. The bonus was the $$$ we saved. Good Luck!

 

[GoofyFairie]

OP-Life is short. You never know how long you have and children grow up fast. Be penny wise-which you are, but take the vacation. Family time is important and so is your marriage. Make time for both of them- they are priceless! Have a great time!

 

[horseshowmom]

Wow, I hadn't even thought of restaurants.com for the trip! Thanks for the tip!

Be sure to google for any codes that may be out there right now (restaurant.com code).

I think you're making the right decision too. As you said yourself, this isn't taking away from your debt reduction plans. Have a great trip!

WOW! Congrats on surviving! That is just amazing!

My dear great aunt told my DH and I years ago that she and her DH had scrimped and saved their working lives and promised each other that when they retired they would travel the world. Well, at 65 it was time to start. Her DH died at 67. She is now over 100 and said she had gone on several trips, but wishes that they had made time to do things together when they were still young.

Her advice was to save money for retirement, certainly, but treasure the time you have together and do things that are fun as well and not put them off, because you never know how long you will have each other.

So DH and I have certain things that we budget for and consider every ounce as important as paying off our mortgage early. People first.

I had an aunt and uncle with a similar situation. Right after he retired, he suffered a massive heart attack and died. He had been POW in Germany during WWII and had some lifelong health problems relating to it.

They had scrimped and saved all their lives. After he died, my aunt said that my uncle had always wished he could have just one brand new car, and he never got it. Looking back, she wished they had bought one (that said, I don't personally think that buying brand new cars is a good investment and don't do that myself, but I understood exactly what she meant).

This $800 isn't going to change anything in the grand scheme of things. Have a GREAT time, OP!

 

[Rantybaby]

Suze Orman's key phrase is "people first, then money, then things".

Plus an 8 month emergency fund!!

 

[TheDisneyWorldFan]

By reading your post, it sounds like you need this vacation. Please put your mental health before anything. I am not a doctor but I know that getting overstressed can cause you to get really sick. In my opinion the trip would be good for you, it would be better for you and your family to go on the trip, as 1 it releases the stress and two gets you more family time while having fun.

 

[tink2dw]

Plus I think the stress this vacation will take away, will keep you on the right path to being Debt that much easier!!! in the long run!!

 

[tink2dw]

snarlingcoyote - Thank-you!!!

 

[NMW]

Take the vacation. Life has to be more than sacrifice and stress.

 

[tlbwriter]

I understand both sides, I just want to point out that one of the best stress relievers of our lives was getting out of debt.

True, but the OP has paid off a $33K mortgage in one year. That's a huge accomplishment.

 

[macsmom09]

I have to agree with taking the vacation as well. We are doing something similar...DH is currently 12 hours away (until May) for training with his new job and DS and I have been at home without him since October. He has a 10 day break at the end of this month and we are going to spen 4 days at Disney. I told him all I wanted for Christmas was a vacation, mainly because I need the break, but I wanted us to spend some quality time together without the rest of our family and friends interrupting. The time together as a family and making these memories before a big move is more important than anything else right now. And yes, we do have about 5 months of expenses in savings and this trip is coming from Xmas money, reimbursements for travel and what we have been able to save on top of our regular savings.

OP, at the end of May we will be relocating to the Dallas area and McKinney is one of the areas we are looking at. Can you tell me a little more about it??

 

[tinkarooni]

True, but the OP has paid off a $33K mortgage in one year. That's a huge accomplishment.

Yes, I don't disagree, I don't even necessarily think that she shouldn't go. I just wanted to point out that making memories and enjoying your family do not need to be expensive. I was so surprised at what a really,. really nice time we had. I just put this out there for folks struggling over affording a trip, don't struggle, just enjoy your life a different way.