Ok, here is my "dilemma"......

I have a lot of vacation time I need to use before the end of the summer...about a 160 hours. I cannot cash it out, or hold onto it...I use the time or I lose it.

I want to visit (again) London and maybe another country. I am on a tight budget, though....around 1400 bucks....and maybe I could charge a couple hundred more for odds and ends.

I am torn because part of me wants to go to London and spend a longer amount of time there, at least 5 days, since I didn't visit very long the last time I was there. But I also have this fear that I will grow bored, so I want to visit another country as well. I have already visited Paris previously and don't desire to visit it again so soon.

I am not sure what to do......I could always use the money to pay down my credit card instead. But I do want to travel...I am not sure when I will get the chance to go again.

I think you shouldn't be going to London if you have credit card debt to pay off.

I also think London is not a good destination on a budget - it's too expensive in comparison to other European destinations (that is, assuming you're from the USA).

What about London, including some day trips to Hampton Court, Windsor, Oxford, and some of the other things that people have mentioned in this forum recently? Though depending on where you live, $1400 doesn't seem like a lot of money ... my May airfare to London alone is costing me $800 (I live near Denver), and I have found staying in London fairly expensive (and I try to travel cheaply).

Personally, I couldn't enjoy spending money if I had credit card debt hanging over my head. It makes me queasy.

Pay off your credit card, read a few travel books to decide where you really would enjoy going, and next time you'll be going without a worry .

You say you're not sure when you'll get the chance to travel again. If you've got 4 weeks of use-or-lose, won't you still be earning a reasonable amount of vacation time in the future?

As somebody who postponed major travel until all my debts (student loans from undergraduate and grad school) were safely out of the way, I must say that I'd rather be untravelled than over-extended in debt, especially credit card debt. I'm old-fashioned that way.

I agree with Abram.

Maybe instead of considering a big travel trip to London, perhaps you can find some places within the US to enjoy that will cost less. Just getting to these places is pretty pricey for summer travel. Then, take some of that money and pay down your credit cards.

I am not of the same belief to only pay off your card -- because there is a time and place to also enjoy life. BUT, there is a balance and maybe that balance is closer than going across the Pond. Good luck in whatever you do.

Exchange rate is AWFUL. When I had to pay 20 US Dollars for a big mac meal I said to myself London is the last place I would ever visit again. That said, u only live once so go wherever you wish because you don't want to be like my grandfather who was very greedy with his money, saved it all "over $250K" and died without ever living life.

venusfan, my grandfather who came to the US from Ulm, Germany when he was just 18 years of age never went home.

Two World Wars and raising a family kept him from doing that. But for years, a good part of his life, the Wars were over and the children were grown and on their own.

A few weeks before he died we were talking and his big regret was he had never gone back to Europe. When I asked him why he said "because I never felt I could afford it". Well the dear man died and let me tell you he could have afforded a trip to Europe every year. To this day his decision makes me sad although I understand..he went through the depression etc. and wanted to make sure I would imagine that he would always have "enough money to live on". But I sure wish he had taken trips back to Germany at least.

Now milliondollarbbw...you can take your vacation time...you just don't have to add to your credit card debt by going to London or even Europe. I would take that 160 hours and take vacation time. Either enjoy places around where you live, figure out somewhere to go near you that you can afford and would enjoy or even just enjoy your residence and spend time doing things that you normally don't do because of working.

Paying off your credit card debt is a very good idea IMHO. Have you ever read how long it takes to pay off credit card debt when one makes just a small payment each month, especially with the interest rates that the credit card companies charge?

Why do you think you will not get a chance to travel again?

Best wishes to you that you make a good decision that works for you.

If you live in the US, you might think about travel in Canada or Mexico. I don't know about Mexico, but I do enjoy traveling to Canada very much.

Vancouver BC is a fabulous city, and the Anthropological Museum of British Columbia is one of the best museums I've ever been in, and I've been in a lot.

If you can easily get to Canada or Mexico, you might have a less expensive but truly enjoyable vacation.

BTW, far be it from me to tell you what to do with your money; in the course of my life, I've certainly spent money on much more stupid things than a trip to Europe.

tuscanfeedlift, I think that is a great idea.
The exchange rates won't hurt as much, that is for sure!
We used to go to Montreal in August, it is quite fun and all that French food and friendly people..plenty to do and see.
And yes, then there is Mexico
Fun dilemma!