Will life get any better?
By patgalca
@patgalca (18369)
Orangeville, Ontario
October 1, 2012 3:10pm CST
I have been unable to work for the past 15 years due to fibromyalgia. We have been struggling financially all this time. My father passed away 6 years ago and my mother has been doling out inheritance money to us kids a little bit at a time. My husband and I have never had a vacation away alone together. A vacation to him is visiting his family in another province.
Well, I'm going to be 50 this year and decided it's time for me. I have not been able to contribute financially apart from inheritance money and sacrificed so that my kids could participate in sports, school and church activities. So I begged my husband that we go to Hawaii. It has always been my dream and I felt after all these years of sitting on the sidelines and sacrificing it was time for a real treat. He thought it was too expensive and wanted to change the trip to somewhere cheaper, but Hawaii was the dream. At 50 years of age it's, in my opinion, Bucket List time. We will be doing a few things on that Bucket List in Hawaii.
Finances have gotten worse and although this trip is already paid in full, I am feeling guilty about going away at the end of this month. I am afraid I won't be able to enjoy our one and only vacation (we didn't even have a honeymoon). This trip is my 50th birthday present which we will be away for, and a 15th anniversary gift (this past August). We really deserve this but I still feel guilty and can't for the life of me figure out how to help out financially.
This is the biggest splurge of my life. What do you think? Should I have booked this trip when we owe the bank money? Or should I be enjoying this chance in a lifetime trip before I am too old to? I should be getting excited (departure October 27th) but am more nervous and fear I won't be able to enjoy it.
2 people like this
5 responses
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
2 Oct 12
Go while you are still able. Hawaii has never been on the top of my list, but if its already paid for, you would be throwing your money away if you didn't go.
Just put all the responsibility out of your mind for the time you are there. Real life will still be there when you get back.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
1 Oct 12
I know how you feel. I don't have a medical issue as you do. But I do know about just getting by and not wanting to treat yourself to anything because you can't justify the expense. This is why I can't take my hubby shopping with me anywhere he often will say I should get this or that but I can't justify it since I pay the bills I know the debt we are sitting on.
@patgalca (18369)
• Orangeville, Ontario
2 Oct 12
Since I don't have an income, my husband pays the bills. Every month when they come in he complains about how he can't cover them all with his pay. He wants to cut off the house phone or something else but he's not willing to give up his golf or annual trips to visit his family (I haven't gone with him in 7 years). I do the freakin' laundry in the middle of the night to use water and electricity at the cheapest time of day.
You all are helping me feel better about my trip. Keep it up. 
1 person likes this
@blessing2u (496)
• Philippines
2 Oct 12
I appreciate and admire you for telling this here, with heart-felt words being typed on your keyboard. Everybody that is in normal mental state will have a time when they think like you - to enjoy life somewhere without thinking of the price. Money may not be the most important, but it's always affecting those most important to us. I believe that if you have the money you need, you don't need to feel guilty. I always believe that anyone, including you and me have the ability to be wealthy when we want to. You are still young. I have seen many who made a change in their life then went on to become a millionaire in a short time. Probably, it may be a time when you might consider making a huge change in what you think and do. I am for your success and blessing. Enjoy your vacation Madame.
@obe212003 (2299)
• Philippines
2 Oct 12
Go and enjoy your trip. The trip would do you more good as it would rejuvenate you and your husband, and with all the positive change in environment that is enjoying the trip, it would surely refresh yours and your husband's life as a whole. Enjoy, have fun as that you owe it to yourself.
