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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To want to spend £20k on holidays and nice things?

123 replies

mosschops30 · 28/08/2011 21:47

well almost!

I want to put 4k aside for a family trip to florida
Split the remaining £16k between me and dh
Leaving me with £8k to spend.
Want to take dd and me to hong kong and dubai, two places i have always wanted to go but could never a) go because of flying phobia and b) afford it. That about £4k.
Then a trip to vegas, grand canyon and california for me and dh. Bout 2k i reckon which leaves me with 2k, which i will probably use as spendng money.

So AIBU to just want to blow it on nice things? We have a fairly small and cheap mortgage, and i have a minimal amount on my card.

OP posts:

MissVerinder · 28/08/2011 21:49

Do it, but the cheapest you possibly can, and pay your card off and a bit off your mortgage if you can.

worraliberty · 28/08/2011 21:49

If you and your family are happy with that, does it matter if anyone else thinks you're being unreasonable?

Serenitysutton · 28/08/2011 21:49

Why on earth would it be unreasonable to do whatever you like with your own money? I don't know why you're even asking a load of strangers. Sounds fabulous btw

emsyj · 28/08/2011 21:50

Is it an inheritance or something?

I think I would always want to have a bit put by 'just in case' - you know, in case the roof caves in, or the boiler breaks down, or the car just conks out - but otherwise, spending your money on travel and creating lifelong memories sounds very valid and reasonable to me.

A1980 · 28/08/2011 21:50

YABU to think that a trip to Vegas, Grand Canyon and California will cost only £2k for the two of you. I'd almost double that.

Why not just have one nice holiday and pay off your debt?

Tchootnika · 28/08/2011 21:50

ERm depends on your circumstances, I suppose.
Why are you asking a bunch of disparate strangers about your finances?

lockets · 28/08/2011 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rhondajean · 28/08/2011 21:52

You sound financially sensible, stop feeling guilty (which i am guessing is why you are asking us!) and go do it.

Sounds brilliant.

And just think of what your dd will learn on the trips.

Original poster

mosschops30 · 28/08/2011 21:53

But i dont want to do it cheaply, i want to stay in fab hotels i could never normally afford. The card will be cleared in a month or so, so not even an issue (bout £400 on it atm).

We are very close to settling my claim, i will know within a month, but the liklehood is it will settle out of court. Of course it might not but after 18 months i am beyond excited that we are this close.

OP posts:

limetrees · 28/08/2011 21:53

If you have £20k, it's reasonable for you to choose how to spend it.

However I think you should take into account your DH/DP's views as the pair of you are joint heads of the family unit.

Personally, I would not blow that amount of money - I would pay the majority of it off the mortgage and I would choose one trip to go on.

I suppose it depends where it came from as well. If it is an inheritance from a family member who loved travelling and would really approve of the use of the money, then I would say it helps your argument.

worraliberty · 28/08/2011 21:53

Tchootnika

I can't believe it but for the first time ever I think I'm about to use that well known MN phrase 'stealth boast'

Someone help me please. If I use that phrase today...but tomorrow I'll be telling everyone they have a sense of entitlement and then it's all downhill from there!

whackamole · 28/08/2011 21:55

I agree with A1980 I think you have seriously underestimated about a trip to America!

But, if it's your money and this is what you want to do with it, then do it.

Artichokes · 28/08/2011 21:56

I think you are being a bit over optimistic about costs. The USA trip will cost double what you estimate without even staying in really amazing places. Enjoy your money but do careful research before deciding how to spend it.

thewrongstuff · 28/08/2011 21:57

You could do those trips but only spend a fraction of your estimates. If you have debts it's daft not to pay them off first.

Original poster

mosschops30 · 28/08/2011 21:59

Erm im asking for the same reason that people ask strangers:
Is my dh cheating?
Are sausage rolls the devils food?
Does bottle feeding make me an evil mum?
Can disabled people park in patent and child spaces?

Surely thats what MN is for?

DH is getting half, once the big Florida trip has been put aside, he can spend it on what he likes (unless its a lapdancer lol)
We have 12 yrs on our mortgage, its tiny.

Unfortunately i see waay too much crap in my job that makes me want to not play it safe and wait to do these things when the house is paid, i may never get there

OP posts:

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 28/08/2011 21:59

Spend it how you want to, but please pay off your credit cards first. And stick some into an account as an emergency savings fund. Then go nuts. It would be pretty shitty to spend it all on fun stuff and then have a big bill and resent it all instead of enjoying the memories.

AnnoyingOrange · 28/08/2011 22:00

book one of the trips and go on it.

see how you feel after

what's the claim over?

cantspel · 28/08/2011 22:01

How are you going to do these trips if you have a flying phobia ?

It is an awful lot of money to spend on a series of holidays. But if you are financially secure then why not spend it.

marriedinwhite · 28/08/2011 22:01

It's your money to spend as you please. TBH, I would probably have one special family holiday and put the rest aside for a rainy day or invest in a static caravan in a really nice place and rent it to others for some of the time to fund lovely holidays abroad and have a bit of fun in it a couple of times a year. They are supposed to offer one of the highest returns on investment.

BimboNo5 · 28/08/2011 22:01

Is this just an excuse to say 'ooh look at me and all my money' or do you ACTUALLY care less what others think about what you spend?

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 28/08/2011 22:01

Not that I know
No, mint Matchmakers
No, but if you FF and have minions and a secret underground lair...
Yes.

MissVerinder · 28/08/2011 22:02

Stay in the Bellagio in Vegas then ;)

Bloody fabulous!

Original poster

mosschops30 · 28/08/2011 22:02

I have priced up the hong kong/dubai trip, its £3600 with v. Nice hotels.
My friend just did a week driving thru vegas/canyon etc for £1200 so i dobt think its massively out. Only talking bout 9 and 7 nights.

Anyway thts beside the point, not sure why im bickering bout my holiday prices

OP posts:

TheMagnificentBathykolpian · 28/08/2011 22:02

Try to think - in 5 years time, where will you be? What will you wish you had done?

If you think that you'll be looking back at the great time you had spending - do that.

If you think you'll be crippled by debt that you could have paid off, and will have a lower standard of living long term than you could have done - then you know what to do.

queenmaeve · 28/08/2011 22:02

Did someone seriously just ask the op why was she asking a bunch of strangers what they thought? is that not what EVERYBODY is doing on here?
Why is it a stealth boast? So let me get this right you can come on here and ask for help and advice, but not if it might imply that you have a nice life.

Op I would go on an amazing trip but would try and keep some to pay off debt.

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