Vacation Dilema

[ksgirl38]

I agree with the above posters. I was freaking out about a hotel stay for one night in Boston no way would I do Hawaii.

Pam

Why?

[df04527]

Well, you sound like my dd..... Doesn't understand and refuses to do so. This is not confusing at all. You cannot afford it, you can't afford to pay your bills and are looking to file BK to get out from under that load. You are also refusing to believe that when one opportunity door is closed another won't open. The only reason you have any money saved is because you stopped paying your bills and are running from creditors calling. Why doesn't that weigh heavily on you? Most responsible people can't sleep when they can't pay their obligations and wouldn't think of blowing 1000 bucks on a vacation.

[ksgirl38]

Well, you sound like my dd..... Doesn't understand and refuses to do so. This is not confusing at all. You cannot afford it, you can't afford to pay your bills and are looking to file BK to get out from under that load. You are also refusing to believe that when one opportunity door is closed another won't open. The only reason you have any money saved is because you stopped paying your bills and are running from creditors calling. Why doesn't that weigh heavily on you? Most responsible people can't sleep when they can't pay their obligations and wouldn't think of blowing 1000 bucks on a vacation.

That's the thing, I can afford it. Actually the $3000 I had before I stopped paying the bills.

So are you speaking from jealousy?

[Freddy03]

I have $3000 cash set aside. $2000 of that I've allotted for the attorney. The other $1000 I was hoping to just keep there for emergencies. I know I can replenish that in a couple of months easily, but I was hoping to have it there as more of an emergency fund. I could use it on this trip if I wanted. Ideally this wouldn't have been the vacation of choice or how I would have decided to spend the money, but it was all planned by someone else who invited me last minute.

Why are you looking for answers here? You seem to have it all figured out.

[pamkev]

We took my daughter and nieces up to drop them off at my sisters one day up one day back. I wasn't to sure how the tt would look at that when they saw that on our bank statements. I know our lawyer told us don't do anything that would make the tt look like a trip to Hawaii or Disney as that causes red flags at least here in our state.

You have 3000.00 saved 2 for the attorney and 1 for emergencies for me that is not enough of savings. What if something happens to your cars or the plumbing in your homes goes or the fridge breaks down you won't have anything to pay to get them replaced or fix just a thought
Pam

[ksgirl38]

We took my daughter and nieces up to drop them off at my sisters one day up one day back. I wasn't to sure how the tt would look at that when they saw that on our bank statements. I know our lawyer told us don't do anything that would make the tt look like a trip to Hawaii or Disney as that causes red flags at least here in our state.

You have 3000.00 saved 2 for the attorney and 1 for emergencies for me that is not enough of savings. What if something happens to your cars or the plumbing in your homes goes or the fridge breaks down you won't have anything to pay to get them replaced or fix just a thought
Pam

Car isn't that old and checked out a couple of weeks ago. I'll still have money left over. I rent so no home repairs. Give me a good reason.

[SMinGA2]

You say you can save $1,000 in 2 months. With a DMI of +$500/mo - it doesn't like you're a chapter 7 candidate. If you have not already, be sure and go over your expense list with your attorney to make sure its accurate and everything is accounted for. Don't want surprises at the 341, if/when you file.

Sounds like you've already decided on the trip. Ultimately you have to make the choices for your (financial) life that you feel are best.

[ksgirl38]

Why?

I mean why would you freak out over this?

[GoGoGophers]

df appears to be "speaking from" wisdom, not jealousy. It might be a bit difficult soak that in.

So... YES!!! Oh YES!! Jump on the plane right away. Don't even think about it for another second. Just go and enjoy the crap out of it! No worries about the trustee wondering why you stopped paying bills when you had $3k in your pocket and then bought a plane ticket to Hawaii (good luck with that, btw). Someone on the forum officially says, “Knock yerself out!” Indulge! Binge! Go Wild!

There… now you’ve got what you came for. Absolution from a total stranger. Feel better now, dear?

[ksgirl38]

You say you can save $1,000 in 2 months. With a DMI of +$500/mo - it doesn't like you're a chapter 7 candidate. If you have not already, be sure and go over your expense list with your attorney to make sure its accurate and everything is accounted for. Don't want surprises at the 341, if/when you file.

Sounds like you've already decided on the trip. Ultimately you have to make the choices for your (financial) life that you feel are best.

Thanks. I'm borderline. I've cut back on the overtime this month to see if that helps. I think I was literally withi about $200. Since I stopped making the credit card payments I have about an extra $600 per month now. Although I have been spending more lately stocking up on things for after I file and trying to get rid of cash so if it wasn't for that I would have more savings now. The only large purchase I've made is a new phone and that was only $100 and documented on my bill. My contract was up anyway.

Well, I was presented with 2 opportunities this year. A bunch of friends have been trying to convince me to go on a cruise in November. It sounds fun, but the timing isn't the best. When you add the airfare to the port and additional on board fees I think it would cost me more. Then my brother sprung this Hawaii thing on me and again, timing isn't the best, but when else am I going to get this opportunity? You have to live your life sometime, but at the same time I'm not sure I want to spend the money. I'm just not used to making large purchases. I was hoping to come out with at least $3000 saved up by the time I filed. I know I could postpone filing to August and that would give me a chance to replace the funds, but I realize a trip to Hawaii looks like a huge red flag. I just hate to pass this opportunity up knowing I won't get the chance again. I know people say that I'll get another opportunity, but I seriously doubt that. Plus if I ever did it would cost me much more than just the airline ticket because then I'd have to pay for lodging and food myself where it's provided with this trip. I may give my brother some extra cash to help out with costs, but I'm still getting away much much lower than if I had to book a trip myself. I can't remember the last time I went on a vacation so I'm having a hard time with this. I know it can be budgeted in, but I get nervous making any purchase over $500. I'm really just on the fence on this one. Who wouldn't like to go to Hawaii knowing it was only going to cost you the airline fees.

[ksgirl38]

df appears to be "speaking from" wisdom, not jealousy. It might be a bit difficult soak that in.

So... YES!!! Oh YES!! Jump on the plane right away. Don't even think about it for another second. Just go and enjoy the crap out of it! No worries about the trustee wondering why you stopped paying bills when you had $3k in your pocket and then bought a plane ticket to Hawaii (good luck with that, btw). Someone on the forum officially says, “Knock yerself out!” Indulge! Binge! Go Wild!

There… now you’ve got what you came for. Absolution from a total stranger. Feel better now, dear?

This is why I was considering postponing filing, but didn't know for how long. So how long do I have to wait? I guess this is why you are in your situation because of remarks like this.

[mlsj2009]

In answer to your original question, I think this is preferential payment to a creditor, in this case the air line. If it were me, and I am no lawyer or giving you advice, I would wait at least one year before filing bankruptcy if I felt I had to take the trip. I certainly would be asking my lawyer that I was fixing to spend $2000 on what he or she thinks about the issue at hand.
Obviously, you think you deserve the trip and your existing creditors don't deserve to get paid with the same money, so, OK. Your decision, Hon, but please don't blame a current creditor if they should ever find out you did such and file an AP of some type against you.
Good luck and have fun in Hawaii while you can.

I have $3000 cash set aside. $2000 of that I've allotted for the attorney. The other $1000 I was hoping to just keep there for emergencies. I know I can replenish that in a couple of months easily, but I was hoping to have it there as more of an emergency fund. I could use it on this trip if I wanted. Ideally this wouldn't have been the vacation of choice or how I would have decided to spend the money, but it was all planned by someone else who invited me last minute.

[pamkev]

How about you loose your job you develop medical issues but hey you got a extra thousand and Hawaii is calling so have fun.

The reason I freaked was I didn't want the tt to look at the hotel or in your case a plane ticket that was money that I could use to pay a creditor who legally was entitled to it not for me to go off and have fun

[DaisysMom]

I honestly don't blame you. Time with family is precious...especially in Hawaii. I would want to go too and if I had the $$ and it would be difficult to say "No." If I were you, I would run this by my attorney. He can tell you how the trustee would look at it and discuss you plans of spending your emergency fund. Get your ducks in a row and if you go...HAVE FUN...and if you don't go, just remember, there will be other opportunities. Just from what I have read about you, your new start will be full of adventures. Just remember what you've learned from this experience and don't allow yourself to get sucked back into the black hole of debt again. Good Luck!!

DM

[ksgirl38]

In answer to your original question, I think this is preferential payment to a creditor, in this case the air line. If it were me, and I am no lawyer or giving you advice, I would wait at least one year before filing bankruptcy if I felt I had to take the trip. I certainly would be asking my lawyer that I was fixing to spend $2000 on what he or she thinks about the issue at hand.
Obviously, you think you deserve the trip and your existing creditors don't deserve to get paid with the same money, so, OK. Your decision, Hon, but please don't blame a current creditor if they should ever find out you did such and file an AP of some type against you.
Good luck and have fun in Hawaii while you can.

Thanks. I appreciate your honest answer. $3000 wouldn't make a dent in my credit card bills and I was advised by people on this board to stop paying anyway. If we were past the filing I probably would do it since I know I'd have the money and I know the opportunity isn't going to present itself again. It's just the fact that I haven't filed yet that has me stuck. I don't think I can get a decent rate on a ticket if I wait until July to buy, but I guess that's an option. Anyone ever had good luck with priceline? I'm just torn. I don't want to raise any red flags, but this is an amazing opportunity that I just don't think I'll be offered again.