Turning 35, or Starting the Back 9

[SoloAJ]

NHLNut, Most of my long posts take a while because I want to articulate my thoughts as clearly as possible. However, some of them go quick if I'm just rifling out the words.


Okay, onto my question. This could probably be a thread of its own, but this thread should serve as well.

All right all you old people*, I have a question. You all talk about how the person you were at 21 is so different than who you are now (Fish, lookin at you in particular, but others please respond)...

I like going on vacations once or twice a year that probably run me $400-600. I thoroughly enjoy them for the relaxation and the travel aspects. I am not at all a partier (I don't even drink alcohol). In some ways, I feel like it is an amazing thing that I should do while I have the free and clear opportunity. At the same time, I'm a college student with $20,000 of debt (and growing to ~25k by the time I graduate).

I was just wondering if you guys think that I will regret having taken these vacations that may make it tougher on me in the next couple years financially, or if you think that it is generally a good idea since I so thoroughly enjoy it?

(FWIW, I have about $11,000 cash to my name and my parents 'may' be helping out with my loan debt....so it isn't like these vacations strap me for cash at the moment).


*I hope by now I've expressed that one of my greatest respects is for my elders and that I value life experience wayyyy more than your average person, so I just mean this in jest. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[hyde]

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All right all you old people*,

I like going on vacations once or twice a year that probably run me $400-600. I thoroughly enjoy them for the relaxation and the travel aspects.

I was just wondering if you guys think that I will regret having taken these vacations that may make it tougher on me in the next couple years financially, or if you think that it is generally a good idea since I so thoroughly enjoy it?

(FWIW, I have about $11,000 cash to my name and my parents 'may' be helping out with my loan debt....so it isn't like these vacations strap me for cash at the moment).


*I hope by now I've expressed that one of my greatest respects is for my elders and that I value life experience wayyyy more than your average person, so I just mean this in jest. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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This old person thinks you should take more vacations. Your style of travel is frugal, you are in fine financial shape, the few extra dollars a year will hardly make a difference on your after graduation debt level. Go!

[katyseagull]

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This old person thinks you should take more vacations. Your style of travel is frugal, you are in fine financial shape, the few extra dollars a year will hardly make a difference on your after graduation debt level. Go!

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I agree. Take the vacations Solo and go have some fun in your life. You will never regret it.

[SoloAJ]

Thanks gents and lady. I assumed that was the general sentiment and it's a big reason I can get over my frugality and say "screw it, I'm goin."

I'm not taking tons of wasteful trips or anything, but I mean my mom loves Vegas and so do I. This upcoming May will be the 3rd time in a little over 2 years that we've gone together. I teeter on spending the cash because it will "in theory" put me in that tight belt spot later on, but in the end I think of how people tend to say they wished they'd done more when they were younger.

Blarg, I have great parents. While my mother can't help me financially, my father and stepmother can. They know I'm responsible with my money and I'm pretty sure they would never consider me to be someone to blow money. They have tried to sort of leave me mostly independent, which is probably PART of the reason they're not helping me with money stuff too much. That said, I don't think that me vacationing will affect their view of how I spend money. They both know I'm pretty cheap because I won't even let my stepmother buy me new clothes unless they're on sale. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I definitely appreciate the feedback hyde, Blarg and katy.

[Blarg]

A few thousand is trivial over the course of a lifetime, but fun memories are pretty good at the time and to look back on later. Don't mess yourself up long term for fun, but if having a little fun means you later have to have a tight belt for a while, it's not the worst thing in the world. Heck,it's even kind of poetic.

Might be harder to get the parents to help you with your debt when it's not school-related though. Be sure they know you appreciate what they're doing and you're not just taking it as a license to blow cash.

[Fishwhenican]

Old People, Elders. You're makin me feel real good here! Now I am going to have to go out and get some of that hair coloring stuff to take the grey out of my beard! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

I would encourage taking vacations because as you get older and have more responsabilities it is harder to do some of those things. Well, actually it was always hard for me. It is one of the things I wish I had done more of when I was younger. But I was too busy working, going to school, working, getting married, working, having a kids, working getting divorced, working more and paying child support, getting married, working more and going to school again, having more kids and working even more. All right you get the idea.

As to how much I am different now than I was at 21 goes... When I was younger I was playing in bands, having fun partying all the while working my ass off still. Life was more about just me then about caring about other people. Now, ,y life is more about other people. everyone else seems to come before me and while I do not really mind that it does wear on a person sometimes. I am far more laid back then I ever was when I was young. I drink a hell of a lot less. I find myself saying things and doing things that make me realize that even though I never thought it would happen I turned into my Dad!

[SoloAJ]

Haha, no play for Mr. Gray!

Seriously though, I'm glad to hear what you're saying. In some ways it makes me feel like I'm ahead of the curve. I'm sure there are plenty of ways that I'm not, but it's nice to hear that the things I respect and appreciate are things that many of you didn't necessarily enjoy as much as you would now with you had. I don't know.

I think it's fascinating what you say about how your life is more about other people now. That is the type of thing that I wish I could say was absolutely true with me, but I don't think it is right now if I'm being honest. I bend over backwards and sometimes get taken advantage of trying to help and care for others. But, in reality, except for the closest people, I think it would be erroneous of me to say that I always "put others first." Certainly something I hope to improve on in the future (that and the general concept of being nice instead of mocking sometimes).

Tired rant over.

[Myrtle]

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Haha, no play for Mr. Gray!

Seriously though, I'm glad to hear what you're saying. In some ways it makes me feel like I'm ahead of the curve. I'm sure there are plenty of ways that I'm not, but it's nice to hear that the things I respect and appreciate are things that many of you didn't necessarily enjoy as much as you would now with you had. I don't know.

I think it's fascinating what you say about how your life is more about other people now. That is the type of thing that I wish I could say was absolutely true with me, but I don't think it is right now if I'm being honest. I bend over backwards and sometimes get taken advantage of trying to help and care for others. But, in reality, except for the closest people, I think it would be erroneous of me to say that I always "put others first." Certainly something I hope to improve on in the future (that and the general concept of being nice instead of mocking sometimes).

Tired rant over.

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I'll throw my 2 cents in here.....

I think what fish is saying is that as he grows older that he realizes how important it is in life to have more consideration for others than for oneself.

When we're young, most of us are full of piss & vinegar, and can't get out of the blocks fast enough to make our way in the "new" world.

We readily engage in whatever 'rat-race' that happens to be in our reality, because that is our only perspective.

Hey...it is what it is, but it don't make it right!

[img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[Fishwhenican]

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Haha, no play for Mr. Gray!


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I hope you had a good laugh with that. What happened to that whole respect your elders thing! Damn Kids. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Solo, I have not doubt you are "ahead of the curve" with a lot of things. One thing I guess I would add would be that I think it is OK to be young and do things that young people do, like party and be a bit wild. Some of that is part of being young and only needing to really answer to yourself. Ya, a person may have to answer to mom and dad, I am talking about a wife or kids to answer to.

I guess that is what I am talking about too as far as others before me as I got older. I am really talking about other people I am responsible for. I used to only have to answer to me if I screwed up. Now it effects my family (wife and kids). Here is an example. I got into a bit of trouble a few years ago. Nothing big or really horrible but it meant that the sherrif had to come to my house and ask me to come down to the station to talk. I remember the look in my boys eyes after I got home. He was 8 at the time and really frightened. Later, I had to promise him that I would never ever do anything to make him worry like that again. I want to clairfy this this was a hunting thing and it was really just the fish cops I was in trouble with, not real cops. It was also over something I didn't even do myself but got sucked into a friends mess.

Anyway, that is really what I mean but putting others first. Kids need shoes so they get new shoes and I do not get something I want and would have bought if the kids didn't need shoes. That sort of thing.

I do also care more about other in general as well but that really wasn't what I was getting at. I have always cared about my fellow man and all of that but it wasn't really what I was shooting for.