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vacation vs car fix & emergency fund

January 13th, 2006 at 01:00 am

Ok, this is a no-brainer for all the smart, frugal people who visit this site, but SO and I have been talking about taking a vacation next month to Mexico for a week to celebrate our birthdays. It would be great if we could find an awesome deal and not spend much. I'd like to see the sun again, get some sand between my toes, and watch the gray whales. I haven't had a real vacation in 3.5 years.

HOWEVER.

This doesn't jive with my $1000 emergency fund plan, or my need to fix my car. I should really spend the money on those things instead.

The problem is, I don't want to. I have three weeks of vacation this year. I'm going stir crazy in the frozen north. Winter is depressing. But the emergency fund and car fix are more important financial issues, right?

*sigh* "You only live once," SO tells me. Yes, but....

5 Responses to “vacation vs car fix & emergency fund”

  1. Anonymous Says:
    1137118744

    Oh, that is a tough decision...I'm not even going to give an opinion. My Dh would say that's the first time ever!

  2. Anonymous Says:
    1137126167

    Kashi,
    Is it possible for you and SO to each find ONE thing to give up for a month (maybe 2) and then put that money aside into a vacation fund? Also, in your budget do you have a place for "fun" money, or money to spend without being accountable for it? If so, perhaps you and SO could try to put part of that money towards a vacation fund.
    This way you still would be funding your emergency fund, and you would still be able to get your car fixed, AND you would be able to look forward to a nice getaway from the land of 10,000 frozen lakes. Smile

  3. Anonymous Says:
    1137129291

    Well, one's things for certain...its a lot harder to save money if you are depressed, and perhaps hard if you are manic. Smile. I'd say vacation, but I'd hate to see you come back from vacation tanned, rested, and not saving.

  4. Anonymous Says:
    1137161971

    I vote for the vacation. Saving money is like being on a diet...you can't abstain from all the good stuff forever! You can probably get a pretty good deal to Mexico (relative to other places in the Caribbean), and if it puts you in a good frame of mind, it will make saving easier. Otherwise, you'll resent the cost cutting moves you're making. Good luck...

  5. Anonymous Says:
    1137177294

    I think I would get my car fixed.

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