Vacation allowed

[Keithh1632]

Will have our 341 meeting in June. I think it is possible to save enough money with careful budgeting to take a vacation next year. Nothing to fancy or elaborate. Will this be frowned upon? Good prices for basic cruises to bahamas for example.

[Flamingo]

After going through a Chapter 13, any money you are able to save should be put toward things that would need major repairs (i.e., vehicles, house, etc.) because you will not have a credit card to fall back on to pay for any repairs and any bills/debt incurred after your filing date are your own responsibility. Major vacations can come after your discharge when you are really able to somewhat get back on your feet again. While Chapter 13 is not a death sentence, you will find out it is better to keep any vacation plans close to home or weekends here and there as you can afford them. All it will take will be one major car repair or the water heater blowing for you to understand what I am trying to tell you.

Best of luck to you.

[Universal]

Even careful planning will probably not allow you to save enough for a 'cruise vacation' until after your bk is completely over. Not to bring you down when you are apparently very optimistic, but you will probably find that things like 'cruise vacations' and the lack thereof, are going to be a part of your lifestyle change. If you are able to put back enough somehow, I would not make that public knowledge.

[momofthree]

If you are claiming all the full IRS standards for your budget and you are extremely frugal with your money, then yes, I believe you could afford to take an inexpensive vacation next year.

For example, we are a family of 5. Per IRS standards, we would be allowed to claim $1633 a month as our food/clothing/misc expense. In reality, we spend approx $535/mo. If we had the means to claim the full amount of IRS standards, we could save $1100 a month, which is approx $13000 in 1 year's time. Of that, spending $1000 on a vacation would be no big deal as we'd still have money in case of emergency. However, we are in a ch.13 to strip our 2nd and cannot afford to claim the full IRS standards, and therefore have listed our actual expenditures of $535 on schedule J, so we don't have much leeway for savings...

[debtinohio]

It's all about what you manage to save and what your comfortable with. The trustee doesn't outlaw vacations. If you manage to save $1500 above your emergency fund then go on the vacation.

[andy158]

Vacations? I wasn't able to take vacations for about five years before bk. Paying down and then charging up cc's for daily living expenses would not allow for extra vacation money. Our "vacation" this year will be my company picnic at a local amusement park. Total cost - $65 Woo Woo!

Like Flamingo said, get your financial house in order before making any vacation plans. Your emergency fund should take first priority.

[indebt00]

I was very optimistic that we would be able to still take small trips and save for them....

then as the BK budget becomes a way of life you start to realize that it is really hard to part with hard earned savings. Cash is a LOT harder to spend than credit.

this coming from a travel addict...it's doable but once you start to be able to save and a pool repair, dryer repair, car registration....comes along and you have to pay CASH for those and your savings goes down..and you can't charge them....well...then...

you realize the vacation is harder to spend on than you thought

its just a way of thinking that changes and the need to hoarde cash

[forgotten]

I was very optimistic that we would be able to still take small trips and save for them....

then as the BK budget becomes a way of life you start to realize that it is really hard to part with hard earned savings. Cash is a LOT harder to spend than credit.

this coming from a travel addict...it's doable but once you start to be able to save and a pool repair, dryer repair, car registration....comes along and you have to pay CASH for those and your savings goes down..and you can't charge them....well...then...

you realize the vacation is harder to spend on than you thought

its just a way of thinking that changes and the need to hoarde cash

You said it... I was lucky to start my CH13 with $10k in the bank. Unexpected registration taxes on surrendered vehicle along with several things that have needed repair and some expenses higher than anticipated have taken it down to $7500 (was down to $6000, working on getting it back to the 10k).

It is much harder to swallow pulling out $1500 to go on vacation than it was charging $1500 on a credit card to go.

[HappyCatNC]

You can take vacations as long as you don't incur major debt to do so.

(In my district no debt over 7,500, but I don't know if that is a national or local figure.

Your vacations are none of the trustee's business, as long as you are making your payments.

[debtinohio]

(In my district no debt over 7,500, but I don't know if that is a national or local figure.

Most are $1000

[indebt00]

It is much harder to swallow pulling out $1500 to go on vacation than it was charging $1500 on a credit card to go.

that is exactly what I was saying

[LadyInTheRed]

It is much harder to swallow pulling out $1500 to go on vacation than it was charging $1500 on a credit card to go.

So true! I can still hear myself: "I work hard. I deserve a nice vacation! I won't even notice the increase in monthly payment." Now it's more like "What? They want $25 a night to tent camp in the state park?! Let's go for a day hike and then come home and BBQ in the back yard. We can get real nice steaks for $25!"

[jenbow]

Mom of three.. what do you mean if you strip a second you cannot claim full irs standards? thanks!

[momofthree]

Mom of three.. what do you mean if you strip a second you cannot claim full irs standards? thanks!

The two are not connected, we personally were not able to afford full IRS standards as our income isn't high enough. Most people who file ch.13 have income sufficient to allow full IRS standards to be claimed, and if they learn to live frugally (like those of us that HAVE to), then they'd be able to save quite a chunk of change each month by living far below those standards.

[frustrated51]

For example, we are a family of 5. Per IRS standards, we would be allowed to claim $1633 a month as our food/clothing/misc expense. In reality, we spend approx $535/mo.

Can you please share your menus? Are your children really young? I have teenagers and they eat a lot and my spouse is a diabetic and I am a vegetarian and I spend wayy too much on food.