friends/family constantly tell me to spend money "you have plenty" but I argue I have 'plenty' because I don't spend willy/nilly.
I took my kids on a roadtrip type vacation last summer (driving to florida, seeing ocean, universal studios, over to new orleans for gators and du monde and gumbo) and spent ~3K and it was their first vacation EVER...first time seeing ocean, first real theme park. etc.
A great time was had by all. I realized how old my kids were and limited time to do fun vacations. my kiddos just turned 12 and 15. I've found an option for a 5 day cruise that'll work with school/visitation for ex schedules for about 3300 bucks. I'm not much into the whole cruise thing but my kids will LOVE it I feel sure. teenage boys with all you can eat food and pool time? sold. lol.
talk sense into me. lately i've had some unplanned expenses so my savings growth has slowed down a bit the last 18m or so. (paying off 20% of the 80/20 loan we bought the house with, new water heater, rebuilding fireplace, the 2nd car, fence repair, bedroom renovations....etc) and I need to do a stud out reno of both my bathrooms pretty badly and plan to do first one this summer when kids are gone with ex for extended period of time. expecting 15K ish expense.
But I already regret not doing more "vacation" trips with kids when they were littler.... in 3 years my oldest will be heading out into the world :(
Should I bite the bullet and do the cruise?
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150k - investment account
60k - savings
5-6k - tax return (waiting on investment docs released 2/15)
6k - child support owed (ex stopped paying)
taxes paid (4500 in property tax)
lawyer retainer paid (3500 - may end up paying more. supposedly ex should be ordered to pay)
3K a month expenses
6.5k a month pay (I cover kids insurance, and do 401K matching %)
539 - child support (not being paid hence lawyer)
1 car paid outright
2nd car almost paid (300/mth car payment-2K remaining)
90K remaining on home (paid 20% loan off 2 years ago in full)
0 additional debts
Submitted February 06, 2019 at 10:58AM by basylica http://bit.ly/2BhtmDB
