Take the long-awaited (brief) vacation, or save for the uncertain future?

Question

So, our family made it through a hard time, lots of challenges, my husband finished his MA dissertation, we were going to take some time to celebrate--like just a weekend away at a nice place by the beach, total cost $500 for the 3 of us. I'd been putting away savings in preparation for this. But now we've learned we're getting a 20% cut in our net salary starting next month. So, should I hold onto the savings until our income is back up and postpone the vacation? Or for the sake of our mental health, should we take the risk and spend some relaxed family time?

Forgot to mention: we haven't gone anywhere together as a family just for relaxation (like overnight) for several years...

Answer 1

$500 isn't enough to keep your family afloat for more than a week, giving up this celebratory time will stay with you forever and you will feel as if you spent your life in drudgery.
Enjoy the hell out of your vacation, take pictures, laugh a lot.
Then buckle down refreshed when you get back, bring lunch, switch to a higher deductible on your car insurance. Don't buy anything on a credit card. Consolidate your debt and don't add new.
Do what you have to do to cut back 20%, but you will always have the beach.

Answer 2

I would take a vacation but since you know theres a cut.
I would take a less expensive one. Because yea you might ease your mental health for a weekend but when they cut your salary and your trying to fight off bills your mental health may get worse. Unless you think you can cover the bills and go on the vacation with your new salary. But remember always count on less than what your getting just to be safe. And if not the beach, maybe just take the time to relax,go out to eat or watch a movie.

Answer 3

Take the holiday, you deserve it and have been waiting and saving especially for it, not going would probably just make you miserable.
Family is too important and it's just a week-end, so enjoy it as much as you can with no guilty feelings!

But you should still think of a way to cut back expenses or make more money for the future, I hope you get some great ideas while you're on holiday. Have fun!

Answer 4

You should take the vacation, if you have extra money in saving for a just in case scenario. If not maybe you could find something else a bit cheaper or just stay one less night. You should go ahead and redo your budget now to take in account the lost income.

The bad situation is you can't take it with you when you are dead but you never know when a rainy day is coming.

Answer 5

Take the vacation. I spent way too many years of my life saving for that rainy day and/or retirement and in the meantime, I didn't live my life.

Now I live every day of my life as if it were my last. Yup, I am deep in debt but I couldn't be happier.

Answer 6

lmao. for 3 days and a couple of nights in a cardboard container out on my deck. you might have a important front room chair and get admission to to my grill, and there's a huge tree the place you ought to use because of the fact the bathing room. i will throw in a 12 %. of beer and a couple of packs of warm canines and a radio. i will even go away the easy on for ya.

Answer 7

can you do something a little less expensive? my fiance and i don't have a lot of money, but we just had a fabulous weekend for our 2-year anniversary and we kept it under $250. then you can save the rest. get the best of both worlds!

Answer 8

I would take out a loan to take the vacation, if that's what it took to get away.

Answer 9

Take the vacation. You've earned it. You'll find a way to get by.

Answer 10

if you had this planned ,go for it=you can always start saving again for the future=we only have one life to live =enjoy it