I'd like to go to Germany this summer, but am not sure I should spend that much!
By Pixiegrl25
@Pixiegrl25 (143)
United States
February 4, 2007 8:32pm CST
My best friend and I travel at least once a year together, every single year. So far we have traveled to Paris, Disneyworld, New York City, Mexico, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Washington DC among other places. Currently her sister and brother-in-law are stationed in Germany, and have invited her to come and stay with them for as long as she would like this summer. She is also allowed to bring me.
The problem is that her other sister has offered to pay for her plane ticket. She lives with her other sister rent-free while she is getting her college degree, and is able to babysit on occasion to build up her spending allowance for the trip. I work full time, but I am a first year teacher and spend more monthly on student loans than I do on my half of my mortgage. (I split my house with another friend.)
If I do go to Germany, it will cost me close to a thousand dollars just for the plane ticket, let alone spending money, food money, and hotel money when we do travel to places in Germany where her sister does not live. She is also excited about the possibility of catching some cheaper flights while we are there for a weekend in Paris, or London, or my dream: Rome.
I want to go so badly! But I am just not sure I should be spendin that kind of money on a vacation when I have two credit cards, four student loans, and a car that will probably need to be replaced within the next year or two! Advice, please??
2 responses
@Pixiegrl25 (143)
• United States
15 Feb 07
I know I would have a wonderful time. It would be a trip I might not ever have the chance to make again. And while over there, I would have the opportunity to go to other places too like Italy or Spain or the UK. They have really cheap flights over there!
BUT - that money could be used to pay off my credit cards. Or put down on my student loans... I just feel like it would be almost a waste of money, ESPECIALLY if I could only afford it thanks to my credit card!
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
This needs deep considerations. You may talk this out with your friend and explain everything why you are considering backing out from the planned vacation. I say backing out, because I can feel that you consider the expenses you'll incur in the trip to be such a heavy load on your budget. Now, your friend does not suffer from this same dilemma making it a wiser move if you'd show your friend the whole picture.
@Pixiegrl25 (143)
• United States
5 Feb 07
You are right. She would totally understand, but I also know that she would totally go without me, and that would kind of bother me because we've always done the travel out the country thing together before. . . and now she has a new boyfriend (who I'm thinking she's going to marry) who will probably go with her if I can't go. Once they marry, it'll be them and me whenever we do anything together. . . not sure if that makes any sense at all.
(She lives in another state, so we ONLY see each other once or twice a year on vacations. That probably explains even more why I'm worried about the whole "being replaced by her new husband" thing.)
