My advice is to wait. Coming home from vacation is a bit of a drag as it is. How much worse is it to come home to a bunch of bills that you admit that you don't have the money for right now. Sure you'll pay it off but don't you HATE paying interest. Personally, paying interest on anything but our mortgage or car payment rankles me and I refuse to do it except for genuine emergencies. It seems like such a waste of your HARD-EARNED money. Trust me, I'm a total believer in getting away for your own sanity but I don't think taking on unnecessary debt is good for anyone's mental health.
I agree with the folks who suggested taking an inexpensive long weekend instead. Just recharge for a couple of days and come back feeling good that you haven't sacrificed your financial well-being.

When I got my grad degree and was looking for a job we needed a new roof on our house. We borrowed the money for the roof then went to Disneyworld with the money instead (I can't wait to be attacked by the Disney haters for this LOL). It was a super vacation. Got a job a couple of weeks after we came back and moved half way across the country. Sold the house as is with the old roof. It was a very memorable vacation and we still laugh about it 13 years later. Our families thought we were insane. Of course we knew that eventually I would get a good paying job and hubby had one already.

I think that taking a camping-type vacation would be ideal - actual camping or staying in a cabin. It would be relatively inexpensive and give you the break that you need so badly. You don't have to spend a lot to get away. I'm not familiar with Michigan, but I imagine there are some nice wilderness areas within a few hours drive or short plane flight. Charge some of your vacation if you need to, just make sure you don't go overboard.

Go For it - My Husband & I have been in the same boat before. You can charge the large items (Hotel, transportation,..)& get by with cash for small things. Even 2 - 3 days away from the "daily grind" helps. We plan on short day trips or long weekends when the $$ are slim or lack of vacation time.

go to your local hollidome for the evening. swim, have dinner, hot tub.... it may go a long way w/o cramping your wallet

Hey S.C
Party!! Party!! Party!!! Have a blast. I'm 27 yrs old and would just say Let's go head for those hilly valleys!!!
Go for it and Have a blast!!

Billy,
A lot of those people you see pulling out their charge cards have the cash to pay for their purchases. I use my Amex card constantly for everything - gas, groceries, etc. because it's convenient and earns FF miles, then I pay it off each month and essentially had a 25 day interest free 'loan'.

S.C.,
I'm very spoiled too and it would kill me to not go anywhere all year. My suggestion would be to look at some inexpensive options. Camping is a great idea if it's feasible where you are that time of year. Some of our most memorable vacations have been ones where we've spent very little money. Don't go into debt for a vacation. Once you start charging things that you don't have the cash to pay for, it's very easy to just keep doing it.

Yes S.C., by all means charge, charge, charge away! Hey, why not take Collette with you? Her husband may not even have a job but what the hell, live it up, dig yourselves deeper into debt. That $2000 you spend on vacation may only end up costing you $10,000 with interest by the time you pay it all off. I'm sure it will be worth it though.

Of course you do realize your golden
years may be spent bagging groceries and eating cat food, but at least you enjoyed yourself now.

Morons.

Sometimes when I feel like you're describing, I go for an hour massage and it feels like a vacation! That's one option I haven't seen anyone mention.

Also, I find that if I go for a day trip someplace I haven't been before in my area, that too can "feel like a vacation." Especially a long hike in the woods with my dog.

Good luck!

I really, really understand your situation. I'm feeling the same way myself. Only you know your financial situation. If you charge a short, inexpensive vacation and know that you can pay off the credit card in a short period of time, then do it! (On the down side, if you're credit card already carries a balance or if you don't have a cushion of any kind, then maybe wait a while).

I bet that most of the people who say "don't do it" have car loans (or a lease) on vehicles that are brand new large SUV's or vans that they pay around $400-$500 a month for when they could save some money by buying less expensive, used vehicles. Some people pay interest on cars, some on vacations. Go for it (sparingly) if you know you can handle it afterwards.

I guess I should've been more specific. I'm fortunate enough not to have a house payment, but I do have a car note and I'm not in credit card debt (yipee). Just wondering if it's worth risking my good standing for a vacation. So tempting. DH is more realistic... I'm ready to plan and pack!! Decisions, Decisions!!!

What the heck, Go for it!! After seeing all this 9/11 stuff lately, I come to realize Life is too short.

I know a couple on my street that are in their forties. They wanted to retire debt free before fifty and have 1 million dollars in stocks. They never did anything. Ever! Guess what? They lost $900,000 in the stock market last year and they were in very good stocks. NOw they have a new attitude. Live the best you can today. If you keep putting things off until everything is just right it may never be. My gondola ride in Venice this June is worth the six months it is taking me to pay it off!!

Guess what Karen, that couple still has a good chance of recovering their investment if their stocks are indeed "good" (I assume you mean blue chip). You on the other hand, will be working long past fifty.

Oh go on a vacation. Take a trip around the world. See America the Beautiful. Proud and Wonderful.. I'm sure glad to be an AMERICAN!!

I am in the mortgage business and see people's finances all day long. The last thing I would do is charge a vacation, it is WAY too hard to pay it off. Save what you can, and book a last minute super saver fare, usually a cruise is super cheap this time of year. As for the above comments, I have actually done a loan for a retiree that was bagging groceries because of decisions like charging a vacation! (not kidding!) Don't do it!

I agree with the above poster. It is tooo easy and risky to charge a vacation. Imagine the timeframe paying it off. Besides, you'll want to go on another vacation and 2 wrongs don't always make it right. That could add up on the charge especially with the holidays around the corner. Think long and hard about it before you do it!!