I wouldn't want to go on vacation if I couldn't eat out. Eating out doesn't have to be expensive.

since I am bored enough to still be reading this - she meant not to eat out or go to starbucks while she is still at home saving for the trip. do I have to explain everything? :D

Well, with the clarification you have given, it doesn't sound as though you're endangering your financial state or giving up time home with the baby after it's born, so in that case I would definitely go!

Home improvements can be done later. Our bedroom could really use new carpeting. My son and his friend were offering to install it, but I said I didn't have money right now for carpet. He said, well, you can afford to go to Italy. I replied, yes, that's why I can't afford the carpet! His comeback was that the carpet would last for years, but the trip would be over in a couple of weeks. I said, and the memories will last a lifetime. :-d

(He couldn't argue with that!)

Interesting thead bradshawgirl.

As a mother and grandmother and someone who is rather conservative when it comes to money here are my thoughts.

When you own a residence there is always work that needs to be done. Some work is necessary (replacing the heater that no longer works, replacing the old roof that is leaking and beyond repair, replacing the stove or refrigerator that has gone out etc). Other work is what we would like such as remodeling the bathroom, a new patio etc. When you own a house or condo you will always have your "wish list" but unless it is work that needs to be done to keep the property in good shape it can wait IF getting away on a trip is important to you.

Personally I, like some others here, feel that taking trips is important for ones mental and physical health, IF the trip can be taken without running up credit card debt that canNOT be paid in full when one returns home. And in your case that sounds like the situation.

Having special time alone with your husband is very good for the health of your marriage also. Unless you have a husband that just absolutely does not want to travel (there are a few spouses like that) and will resent and grumble about the money being spent on the trip. That is another whole problem of course.

Normally after one has a child or children they do take trips and children IMO can be a joy and really add to the journey. There is nothing like seeing the world through a childs eye. And in most cases married couples are also able to get off by themselves from time to time without the children thanks to grandparents, aunts and uncles, close friends etc.

I personally would, with the information that you have shared, take the trip with your husband be it for 10 days or hopefully two weeks. Assuming of course your husband is happy or at least agreeable to this trip.

I just read a saying yesterday which made me think of your situation. It read "Life is like a book. If you never travel you have only read one page of the book".

Best wishes to you and your husband with your decision.

Want a short lecture on Future Value?

If you put the money into the house now, and continue to buy, upgrade, and sell houses, by the time you're 50, you can live in Tuscany every summer and Arizona every winter. If you spend it now, well...it's not going to work for you ever again.

Fact: it you put $2000 into a self-directed brokerage IRA every year and your investment return is 13%, you will be a millionaire at the end of the 35th year. If you can manage 15% RoI, it's the 31st year. Deferred gratification is better than the instant kind.

And if your investment return is 50%, or if it's 100%, or if it's a bazillion %.

Just to add my two cents..

Go to Italy, enjoy yourself, build up fabulous memories, this way when you become a newMom and the baby crying drive you bananas, you can always relive the happy carefree times..

Memories last forever, while a new patio may fall apart after few years.

Life is way too Fragile and too short, dont wait for tomorrow, we dont know if tomorrow bring us happiness or sorrow.

Buon Viaggio and enjoy yourself.

I have so enjoyed reading the responses that you've all been nice enough to write in for me. I posted this thread to get a wide variety of feedback, things like "Well, I didn't go, and I regretted it," or "I did go, and I wish I hadn't," or "Here's why you should (or shouldn't) do it." I thank you all for taking the time to post with your thoughts.

In the 5 years we have been married, my husband and I have traveled alot, and I guess that part of me is worried that once the kids come, that will have to stop. But, as some of you have pointed out, having kids doesn't mean never traveling again. (Although I think it will probably be a little more difficult to save/budget for travel once we have children.)

I think earlier posters are right - everyone has different priorities. And while I definitely value putting money into the house, I think that this trip must be important to me, too. Otherwise, I wouldn't keep dreaming about it like I have been.

I think that the two week trip may be my best option, because it will allow us to have a bit of both - we can still finish up a couple of projects around the house, even though we are taking a trip to Europe.

And, if I have to miss some of the cities on my "dream itinerary," I will just add them to the list for my next trip to Italy . . . whenever that may be!

Again, thank you all so much! I have really been impressed with the advice you've given me!!

Go.

You are not deciding whether to make a house payment or take a trip. You are deciding what to do with some money that you are going to save. Trip or renovate. You are not planning on going into debt to go. I can't believe some of the comments people are making.

It is true. A child will change your life. Take this dream trip now while you can. You can't see into the future. You may not be able to go for many years after a child. You might not be able to afford it, you may not want the time away from your child. By the time your child (children) are older, you don't know what may be happening with you or your husband. One of you may have a health problem and be unable to travel. Go now while you have both the funds and the good health to do it.

This is not a terrible idea. Throwing it all on a credit card is a terrible idea. Planning in advance to take some time for yourselves in advance of starting a family and saving for months to do it is a responsible and... well... deliciously wonderful idea!!

Yes, if you live long enough (not everyone does) and if you don't have health problems that preclude you from travelling 35 years from now. Everything in moderation is my theory on life. Pay the bills on time, never pay interest on anything except for a mortgage, never pay an annual fee for a credit card, don't throw money away on junk and just stuff, save for emergencies and retirement. And also enjoy life. There is no guarantee about the future. The people that I have known that have never given themselves what their heart desired because they saved every cent they could "for the future" have grown into sad and disheartened people. And I have know many that waited until retirement to travel and never did due to serious health problems or dying. The people that have "blown" all their money are constant worrywarts and very negative about life. The people that have known how to balance being finanically conservative along with enjoying life are happy and serene. Even those that can no longer travel due to health problems as they have their memories and consequently feel that they had a "good life". But each of us must decide how we want to handle our life of course. What works for one person will not work for another.

I am thankful that I am happy with the decisions I have made. Now if someone would just drop a nice large check in the mail to me I sure would enjoy more trips, LOL.

"by the time you're 50, you can live in Tuscany every summer and Arizona every winter.."

Or you could die of a heart attack at 49. I bought my first house at age 32 and started my series of Europe adventures two years later. Perhaps I would have been much richer monetarily by now if I had waited until 50 to travel, but my life has been much richer for traveling these past 21 years!
((H))

Robespierre,

Where are you getting 13% on you IRA?

I had a feeling this would polarize into grasshoppers <i>v.</i> ants, and sure enough. I'm not saying that one should wait to travel until one is rich, only that it is better to find that magical balance between spending and saving.

Neither of the extremes is particularly desirable. If every penny is spent the instant the check is deposited (or, much worse, <u>before</u> it's earned), then you will have lots of happy memories to look back on from your trailer in Bullhead City. If you don't spend it until much later - it may be too late.

I only proposed the 30-35 year time frame to point out that a dollar you don't spend now is worth a lot of dollars soon enough. Obviously, we're going to spend on travel before we retire, but the issue is one of <i>how much how soon?</i>

kureiff - disinterestedbystanderatmaildotcom

Peeky,

I agree with Starbucks, but I really don't think dining out is a &quot;frivolous&quot; event. To me, frivolous spending is the money I am losing in my college football bowl pools.
((H))

When I said to cut down on eating out, I did mean before you go on the trip. It would be a pretty depressing to never eat out on vacation lol.

Thanks, Peeky, for helping clear this up before I had a chance to check the thread.

I hope everyone has a wonderful new year.

Thanks,
Jennifer

Sorry,

I meant &quot;It would be pretty depressing to never eat out on vacation lol.&quot;

On and btw, everyone has their frivolous expenses. I was just giving a couple of examples.

Take the shorter trip with your husband, and travel smart, on a budget. You don't want to kick yourself later thinking about what you never did.

Your NOT crazy. Italy was a dream of mine and I finally got there and it was all that and a bolonga sandwich. Nothing can prepare You for Rome. it more than I ever expected.

You will always have time to be an adult with a job and daily blah blah blah, but the chance of a lifetime is within reach, you have to GO FOR IT!

Just go!! LOL!!

Since I was a child my dream was to go to Paris. Yeah most kids want to be a rock star or actor but I just wanted to go to Paris. The past few years have not be great for me. I got divorced on Sept. 28, 2004 and I was struggling with that as some people do. I wanted to turn that negative into a positive. Then it hit me, I have the chance to fulfill my dream and I am going to do it!! So on Sept. 28 2005 I flew to Paris. I am so glad I did. I look back on that date not as a date of sadness but one of sheer joy!! It was probably one of the best things I have ever done for myself!! It renewed my soul and heart. I fell in love with the city and left the negativity way in the past.

And for those who say one cannot predict the future. Totally agree!! Since then I have had some medical problems. Thank God they are not life threatening but, I might need surgery and need to take some time off of work so if I waited, I probably wouldn't have afforded the trip or been able to go due to my health. So when they wheel me into the ER I will be clutching my fave picture of Paris and not having one single regret for going!!

I would have to put myself in the minority and vote for doing the longer trip as it will be a long, long time if you do start a family before you can take time off like this to travel. Would vote for October, possibly even late October or November instead of September to decrease your costs. Consider one week in Rome in an apartment, cutting out Siena which can be easily reached from Florence, and add the Amalfi coast and the Lakes.
Finances are always an issue for many people and as this is a travel board we might value our travel experiences as opposed to material goods more than most people. It is really a question of balance for on one hand you do not wish to be wealthy and old having lived a meager life, nor old and poor but with lots of memories and a great past life.
There are long term and short term issues in one's finances, and I do caution you that having children really takes tremendous bites out of your financial means. Obviously none of us can evaluate your financial status and future but if taking another two weeks off is not a major financial issue you can, I think do the longer trip without much more money than a shorter trip by traveling off season and using apartments, small hotels and being prudent with food. Remember that you have already paid the cost of travel to Italy so another week or two need not be that expensive. If your evaluation of your financial issues allow you to go, I would do the long trip as it need not be that much more expensive than a 10 day trip. You will otherwise need to decide whether you want to start a family now or go on a trip to Europe. Your age may be a factor here.
I know that everything I have said is just a recapitualation of other comments but if you can go without going into debt I would.