Need a break, don't have the cash - Would you put $3k on credit card for vacation?

[Anonymous]

Air and hotel packages often provide discounted rates if you book at the last minute and are willing to travel super early with a connecting flight.

[Anonymous]

I personally don't. I pay off my CC every month. But depending on your HHI and discipline, you should be able to pull it off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:don't do it. can you find a cheap flight now fora flight that leaves later in the year or early next year? Then next month or the month after book your accommodations, then within a couple of months your two biggest expenses are paid for and you don't have debt. A month or two after your accommodations are booked, book your entertainment (city pass, museum tickets, whatever.) Then that's paid for. Then the next couple of months set aside money for food, bus/train tickets and incidentals. By the time you leave your trip will be paid for and no debt. I live on a small income and this is how I travel. I don't travel fancy but I always have a great time and I don't have debt. I also generally travel with a carry on rather than checked bag which makes it really easy not to shop since there's not enough room for random souvenirs. Sometimes I send myself post cards which is fun to come home to.

Delta is rocking some excellent flight prices to Spain right now. Check out who has cheap flights.

Yes! Great strategy, like old-fashioned lay-a-way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I would never charge that. I'd love to sit by a pool for a week and relax, but we can't this year due to house repairs and childcare costs. So, we are driving to Philadelphia and exploring that city for 4 days. I booked a hotel with my rewards points and made sure it had a pool and hot tub. I'm hoping the whole vacation costs about $600 total.

Don't be foolish, op.

That doesn't sound like a trip. I would rather stay home.

But, if PP had said that they were flying to London for four days and exploring the city---and spending $2400 on flight costs for her family and $2000 on other expenses for a family of four, I bet you would have said "great"!

Yes
That would be a proper vacation.

[Anonymous]

I value my mental health over money. So if I needed a vacation I would put it on credit card. $3000 is pocket change anyway.

[Anonymous]

I am the OP. I really appreciate everyone's feedback, both the yay sand the nays.you all have given me really great food for thought.

The naysayers have talked sense into me You are right that I don't want to come back from this trip stressed about the debt, nor do I want this travel debt to snowball somehow into bigger debt.

I'm no millionaire, but I'm pretty disciplined with the modest $$$ I do have and make. I try to make the most of what I have. I am a single mom of an upper elementary age kid, and invest a lot into doing what I can to set him up for success in life.

My resolution this year is to focus more on me and getting back on track to my goals. Over the years, I've kinda lost myself a bit, and found that I willingly do a lot for others while neglecting my own needs and well being. So this year I've resolved to recalibrate, cut out the extras I do for others, and focus on me for a change.

So this is where the big trip comes into play. It's a trip I've wanted to take for the past 5 years, but every summer some thing comes up and I don't do it. So I said this year I will do it, for me, and stop putting it off. But alas, it's not quite in the budget, so I will once again put it off, however with you all's help, I now have a plan in place to ensure I take my big trip next summer, without any $$ worries.

I really appreciated the idea of paying for different things throughout the year, as I get the extra funds. That is brilliant, and what I will be doing. Don't know why I didn't think of that before. Instead I tend to save the whole chunk, then plan and pay for everything at once, to get it done with.

Everyone's advice was so helpful, even the in-your-face tough love comments saying how stupid it is to put the trip on a cc. I needed to hear that. Thanks guys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll break with the crowd, OP.

Yes, I would. I have done this before. Sometimes, you do not have the cash on hand to buy the tickets when you need them. If you have a plan to pay them off over a relatively short period of time, and you are truly at the end of your rope, go for it.

+1 to this. Life is short. $3k in the course of things is not that much.

If you can find a less expensive trip and use some of the money set aside for other things to pay for it, that's better. But $3k in debt is not the end of the world (and certainly isn't the mark of entitlement - that would be putting up a GoFundMe or something).

[Anonymous]

Are you a fed? You can do a vacation using the AFGE purchasing power website - you pay over 12 months.

Or, go camping. Shenandoah is great in the spring. I would Camp somewhere, hike, site see. Winery visits out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you a fed? You can do a vacation using the AFGE purchasing power website - you pay over 12 months.

Or, go camping. Shenandoah is great in the spring. I would Camp somewhere, hike, site see. Winery visits out there.

I'm not a fed (but have thought about it!), but we do have Purchasing Power thru my job as well. I will look into that, thanks!