HELP! Would you be this irresponsible? :)

[PhoenixCruiser]

Amy, instead of posting your question on a message board, you should have sent your question to Susie Orman :D

 

Susie would have said DEEEE NIEDDDDD :eek:

 

At 43, I really hope you have a substantial retirement account and are just kidding about not having health insurance. Do you have car insurance?

 

###

[alwayshappytocruise]

AmyBeth....again, I ask you what have you decided to do? Sounds like you have a ball when you cruise, piano bar etc. Sounds like you are a performer, but luvvy duvvy, it also sounds like you haven't met your career match.

Lynda

[Tranquil Waters]

Amy, instead of posting your question on a message board, you should have sent your question to Susie Orman :D

 

Susie would have said DEEEE NIEDDDDD :eek:

 

At 43, I really hope you have a substantial retirement account and are just kidding about not having health insurance. Do you have car insurance?

 

###

 

Too funny, that is exactly what I thought after I logged off last night! :D

[Tranquil Waters]

I think what makes me giggle in this post of yours is how the 7K is just mad money, and if it were gone you'd still have "some" left. I certainly hope that your "some" is in the tens of thousands......

 

And here I was thinking hundreds of thousands plus at age 43. I plan to have a lot of fun in retirement. ;):D

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Wow, some harsh comments on here.:confused:

 

I would say, only you know if you should do it or not, only you will know if you are able to get a job very soon and will not need to use your savings.

As an impulsive person myself, I make rash decisions and sometimes it works out sometimes I wish I had waited a while.

After my cruise, I was keen to book another right away and felt frustrated when my OH said to wait a while. But now after being back a while, I am glad we waited, there are other things in life I want to do first, before another cruise. I would wait a while, its hard when a vacation is finished and might make you make a rash decision.:)

[mojitodiva]

Remember if you get sick and need to be hospitalized the Docs and Hospital will drain the "Mad Money" and the "Then Some". They don't take old compasses and old seapass cards as a form of payment. :p

 

Hospitals cost over $1,000. per day that is for the bed and some meds no surgery. :eek:

 

I would not want to be without healthcare not even for 1 minute.

 

Anyone can get sick and end up in the hospital at any given time.

 

Top priority is getting healthcare and a job and having funds ready to buy a car in the future. Then start some mad savings so you can have down the road a nice Mad retirement fund. :)

 

You can always cruise at another time. Good deals will always be around.

 

I'm surprised in your situation that you are even looking at cruise prices. :confused:

 

Good luck to you.

I hope in the future you can post on the boards that you have a job, heathcare, been saving money and booked a cruise!!! :cool:

[green eyed lady]

I only read part of this thread but I say go and have fun! You only live once! :D

[amybeth4]

Which sailing on the Explorer?

 

Dec 11-20

 

Might have been nice if you had mentioned all of this in the original post. But again, you asked for opinions after giving very little info. Now 4 pages later you're ready to add more details in order to justify spending the money.

 

Well seriously, I wasn't gonna type out my entire life story and financial situation and bore the crap out of everyone. I gave what I thought was necessary until I saw it wasn't quite enough.

 

So you're a little put off by some harsh responses? My view is that you opened yourself up to them by posting the question in the first place and then coming back with a few more parts of the story in the hope that everyone would just say 'go'.

 

Seems to me that you really know the responsible thing to do. Now do it.

 

I'm put off by some of the anger towards me and, especially, the assumptions that I have $4 in my bank account and plan on charging the whole thing and then blaming society when I end up $1200 in the hole. (I AM talking $1200 here, including shipboard expenses...not $12,000.)

 

Do we really think she's going to base her decision solely on the thoughts of strangers on the internet? Do you read her posts? Clearly she's pretty self-aware and self-deprecating and knew that she'd get grief from people when she posted this. But she came back and is taking it. Again, I probably wouldn't do it, but I'm pretty conservative and no fun, and wish I had the guts to travel by myself and be spontaneous.

 

You're right, Blue. I'm certainly not gonna go, "Well 75% of the people said I should go for it, so if that's what they say, I'm gonna do it!" I was just looking for opinions. The same way we all ask friends and family for opinions. I thought I'd post it here because you people understand the love of cruising more than most. I was also looking for possibly, "Go for it because single occupancy rates are NEVER EVER this low," OR "Don't do it...you can get this price every December." And I doubt you're "no fun." :)

 

Amy, instead of posting your question on a message board, you should have sent your question to Susie Orman

 

Susie would have said DEEEE NIEDDDDD

 

At 43, I really hope you have a substantial retirement account and are just kidding about not having health insurance. Do you have car insurance?

 

lol on the DEEENIEDDDDD. Why do you think I didn't ask her? ;) And of course I have car insurance.

 

PS to the rest...I have a 401(k) but I will admit it's worth HALF of what it used to be worth and is in the tens, not hundreds of thousands.

 

Where I stand today is I've asked a cruising friend to do the Explorer with me. It would be $695 per person INCLUDING gratuities, and no flying expenses since she's out of NJ. She's a teacher so there's a 99.9% chance she'll say no. I can't really justify the $1000 it would cost me to sail solo on the Explorer, nor the $1000 the Navigator would cost me including the airfare.

 

So based on my friend the teacher, the chances of taking the irresponsible solo route is at about 10%. As usual, I'll probably end up not listening to the devil on my shoulder. Sigh.

 

What I keep telling myself over and over is once a vacation is over, it's like you never left. Your life goes back to normal and you have nothing to show for it but pictures, memories, tighter clothes and a thinner wallet. In the moment it's AMAZING, but it comes to an end and you're right back where you started from.

 

Now...who thinks I should blow $2500 and finally get the LASIK surgery I've always wanted? LOL. (At least that would LAST, unlike a cruise.)

[marci22]

Now...who thinks I should blow $2500 and finally get the LASIK surgery I've always wanted? LOL. (At least that would LAST, unlike a cruise.)

 

Before you do it I would read up on results in people over 40. I've heard it makes your up close vision worse if you are older, to the point that you may have to wear reading glasses for reading/computers, etc. all the time.

[amybeth4]

Before you do it I would read up on results in people over 40. I've heard it makes your up close vision worse if you are older, to the point that you may have to wear reading glasses for reading/computers, etc. all the time.

 

I KNEW I should've been irresponsible 10 years ago!!! Well, I'd still rather wear reading glasses than these fakakta contact lenses!

[spongerob]

I KNEW I should've been irresponsible 10 years ago!!! Well, I'd still rather wear reading glasses than these fakakta contact lenses!

You weren't irresponsible??? What about that pack of kids...?

 

:)

[amybeth4]

You weren't irresponsible??? What about that pack of kids...?

 

:)

 

I, of course, take no responsibility for the brats. It wasn't MY fault I was fertile. It was the alcohol and the sweet talk.

[spongerob]

ROFL. I think I want to party with you. Let's not tell the wife, tho. :)

 

I think you'll be fine. No matter what you decide.

[RetireeWannabee]

CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW JOB!!

 

I hope it's something you want to keep vs something For Now.

 

Do I read it right, that you are in Southeast Indiana? Fellow Hoosier here. I can confirm that jobs are VERY hard to find here.

 

CONGRATS!

 

The ONLY reason I'm jumping in with these thoughts is that I just found a job last week...after looking for 18 months and 1 week. With my work experience and degree, I never thought I'd be out of work that long. Heck, I even applied for a job that only required a HS diploma and they only interviewed the folks who applied with Masters Degrees because they got so many apps...and had over 2 dozen Masters degreed folks in the app pool! :eek:

 

...Sorry to give a bit of a different take than some of the other posters have. Not trying to be a downer...just reporting from the side of the fence that has had to deal with extended unemployment long beyond my wildest imagination.

 

Whatever you decide, feel good about your decision. And keep that wonderful sense of humor!

[houlacruiser]

I'll apologize in advance for not helping you talk that devil off your shoulder, but tell your NJ teacher friend there is a residency rate discount for that sailing... $499/pp!!! :eek: :D That's why I asked which sailing b/c I was looking at that one's rate drops. ;)

[amybeth4]

I'll apologize in advance for not helping you talk that devil off your shoulder, but tell your NJ teacher friend there is a residency rate discount for that sailing... $499/pp!!! :eek: :D That's why I asked which sailing b/c I was looking at that one's rate drops. ;)

 

The residency rate is the same for NY (we're both in NY...not NJ) and I went with the $504 cabin. But if you add taxes and gratuities, it's $695. Still a steal considering ships from NY-area ports are way more $$$ than FL ports. Then again, you're giving up four days at sea to sit by the pool because it'll be too cold!

[Tranquil Waters]

Now...who thinks I should blow $2500 and finally get the LASIK surgery I've always wanted? LOL. (At least that would LAST, unlike a cruise.)

 

Actually, you would get me on board (a little cruising talk here) with the LASIK over the cruising. Although I would still wait til the job came along. ;):D. At least you would have something long term to show for your $$$.

 

I love my LASIK. I can now go to the bathroom at night without grabbing glasses off the nightstand! :eek:

 

I had one eye corrected for long vision and one corrected for near vision. That way no readers and I am closer to 60 than 50......

[RetireeWannabee]

And here I was thinking hundreds of thousands plus at age 43. I plan to have a lot of fun in retirement. ;):D

HOLY CRAP.

 

I haven't quite cracked 6 digits in my retirement plan (when the market comes back, when the market comes back ...) You must have a huge income to have amassed hundreds of thousands by early 40s. Looking to adopt?? ;)

[Beach4me]

CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW JOB!!

 

I hope it's something you want to keep vs something For Now.

 

Do I read it right, that you are in Southeast Indiana? Fellow Hoosier here. I can confirm that jobs are VERY hard to find here.

 

CONGRATS!

 

Thank you!! My first day is tomorrow and I'm SO excited! Yep - it's a keeper.

 

LOL! I've confused many folks with my location. I need to see if I can italicize the IN and make it lower case. It's a take on Jimmy Buffett's "southeast of disorder"...I live in the southeast (South Carolina) and this state always seems to be in disorder...as I'm sure the whole country is aware of. ;)

 

However, I was born and raised just outside of Chicago and spent many a weekend in Indiana with friends! So we were neighbors once! :)

 

Thanks again for your post and kind thoughts!

[amybeth4]

I love my LASIK. I can now go to the bathroom at night without grabbing glasses off the nightstand! :eek:

 

I hear ya!!

 

I had one eye corrected for long vision and one corrected for near vision. That way no readers and I am closer to 60 than 50......

 

I'd be afraid everything would look warped that way. I couldn't possibly live with one eye corrected for distance and the other not. It's bad enough when a glob of gunk gets on one contact and one eye sees fuzzy! :)

 

Thank you!! My first day is tomorrow and I'm SO excited! Yep - it's a keeper.

 

Break a leg tomorrow!

[ruffs]

I can't wait to hear what you decide, though for sure by the time I check in it will be eight pages in. If you could, please start a new post call 'AmyBeth decided' ... so I can find it easily. Please remember - it's all about me..... jk.

[RetireeWannabee]

Thank you!! My first day is tomorrow and I'm SO excited! Yep - it's a keeper.

 

LOL! I've confused many folks with my location. I need to see if I can italicize the IN and make it lower case. It's a take on Jimmy Buffett's "southeast of disorder"...I live in the southeast (South Carolina) and this state always seems to be in disorder...as I'm sure the whole country is aware of. ;)

 

However, I was born and raised just outside of Chicago and spent many a weekend in Indiana with friends! So we were neighbors once! :)

 

Thanks again for your post and kind thoughts!

I'm so glad you found a job you actually Want! Have a FABULOUS first day!

 

I have a lot of family from/in the Carolinas (Mom's side) - hadn't known about the "disorder", that's funny!

[amybeth4]

I can't wait to hear what you decide, though for sure by the time I check in it will be eight pages in. If you could, please start a new post call 'AmyBeth decided' ... so I can find it easily. Please remember - it's all about me..... jk.

 

You got it!