Last night I had a grown up moment. A breakthrough.
I found out a few days ago that some friends from across the country would be in Vegas this week. They invited me to come hang out with them, stay for free with them in their suite. I waffled a minute and then checked flights - some good deals available. I was 5 seconds away from clicking the "purchase" button on the Southwest.com website.
But I paused. Something didn't feel right.
Could I swing the trip financially? Sure. Take a little from here and there. Would it be better to put that money towards eliminating my debt, upgrading my house or fixing my car? YES.
It's not that I'm never spontaneous. In fact, all 2008 my focus was on doing things that made me happy since I had been an unhappy person. I went on trips, happy hours, dinners out, and bought whatever I wanted. Now, a year later, I'm dealing with credit card debt that I haven't had in YEARS.
Thing that I have to remember is that Vegas isn't going anywhere. Would I like to hang out with my friends? Sure, we'd have fun. But would I feel guilty about not spending the money I spent on my flight on a new battery for my car? Yes, I would. And I should. I am less than 4 months away from being 31. As Carrie said on "King of Queens" last night, "When you're in your 30s, being broke is not cute anymore."
This also brings me to my New Orleans trip . . . I've been giving that some thought. Especially in light of my mounting bills, my failing car and my desire to be free of debt. New Orleans isn't going anywhere - even after Hurricane Katrina, it's still standing. And the Essence festival happens every year. Plus, I'm not super duper excited about seeing Beyonce . . .
So I made some decisions. No traveling this year. I need to focus on eliminating debt and those practical things in my life that I sometimes ignore because of the potential for fun.
As sad as I will be to miss Vegas this week and New Orleans in July, the idea of one less thing I have to save or pay for is such a relief . . .
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
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