No cruise until debt free... how to cope?

[ebandive]

[quote name='elliekate']You must be a Dave Ramsey follower! I wish we had listened to someone like that when we were in our 20's or 30's! We are in our late 50's and have always lived frugally, but he has some great advice! Good luck with your goal![/quote]

Yep, you got it! I got the book on a whim and read the whole thing in 3 days. I was hooked! Step 1 is checked off ($1000 emergency fund)... this step 2 is a doozy though! It completely revolutionized how I look at money. :D Thankyou everyone for the encouragement to keep going. I can't wait until 2010!

[ebandive]

[quote name='TexCruise371']Congratulations on a great decision :D We made the same decision in 2001 and we've accomplished it...completely debt free now.

We did it with the snowball plan (Dave Ramsey type plan). We started with the smallest first, that way when you get one paid off you'll feel some success quickly....which builds momentum. The others will go quickly when you get to snowballing your payments.

One of the greatest feelings we have ever had is to pay that last one off! Good Luck and we're wishing you the best![/quote]

Anyone game for a "CC Dave Ramsey Fan Club"? :p ;) I LOVE that snowball feeling! (it might even be better than that going-on-a-cruise feeling!) I'm so excited for everyone that has already payed off debt!! Thanks for inspiring me!

[TexCruise371]

[quote name='ebandive']Anyone game for a "CC Dave Ramsey Fan Club"? :p ;) I LOVE that snowball feeling! (it might even be better than that going-on-a-cruise feeling!) I'm so excited for everyone that has already payed off debt!! Thanks for inspiring me![/quote]

I think that would be a great idea!:D

[dfa1]

I used credit to pay for the last 3 cruises and most of the expenses on board. We basically got sick of the payments, and decided it was time to make a big change. A buddy of mine pointed me to Dave Ramsey, and I listen everyday online. We have made great progress since starting, and are really looking forward to paying CASH for our next cruise.

In the process of snowballing, friends & relatives have been giving our kids money for birthdays, Christmas, etc, and we have been putting that back for their next cruise in a savings account, but other than that, every spare penny is going on debt. It's amazing how quickly it can go away, even on a very average income, when you really get focused and decide to cut back your lifestyle TEMPORARILY, so that later, you can do the things you want without the hassle of interest & payments.

I encourage everybody that has made the decision to become debt free to stick with it. Our family can already see the benefits of living only within your means.

And though we have to wait, it is a great motivator to know that the cruises will come...

[cruisePRN]

[quote name='ebandive']I went on my first two cruises in 2007 and was instantly (of course) addicted. However, my DH and I have wised up and have made the decision to not spend any more money until we are out of debt. This will take us at least 2 years... sharing a vehicle and doing absolutely everything imaginable to save money. And then will be time to have kids. But every day my mind is on cruising and I find myself lurking on these boards. Is it better to just stay off and not feed my addiction? I'm afraid I might become terribly depressed if I try to stop thinking about cruising altogether. My husband is sick of me talking about cruising all the time, because he enjoys it too but doesn't want to talk about it because we can't afford it right now.... HELP!!! Has anyone else found themselves in this situation lately with the economy? WHY DID WE BUY THAT HOUSE!?!?! It's worth 1/2 of what we bought it for. What to do? I know that you all will feel my pain... :([/quote]

Good for you, you are financialy responcible which is better then most people.

[lady_cruiser]

[quote name='ebandive']I went on my first two cruises in 2007 and was instantly (of course) addicted. However, my DH and I have wised up and have made the decision to not spend any more money until we are out of debt. This will take us at least 2 years... sharing a vehicle and doing absolutely everything imaginable to save money. And then will be time to have kids. But every day my mind is on cruising and I find myself lurking on these boards. Is it better to just stay off and not feed my addiction? I'm afraid I might become terribly depressed if I try to stop thinking about cruising altogether. My husband is sick of me talking about cruising all the time, because he enjoys it too but doesn't want to talk about it because we can't afford it right now.... HELP!!! Has anyone else found themselves in this situation lately with the economy? WHY DID WE BUY THAT HOUSE!?!?! It's worth 1/2 of what we bought it for. What to do? I know that you all will feel my pain... :([/quote]

OK - TAKE A DEEP BREATH - HOLD IT - COUNT TO 4 - 1--2--3--4 NOW EXHALE.

First - that house you bought will double in about 5 or so years.

Second - is it possible to take a 3 day cruise to nowhere - that is when you leave the port - stay at sea one day and then return to port the next day?

[TahoeBob]

[quote name='ebandive']I went on my first two cruises in 2007 and was instantly (of course) addicted. However, my DH and I have wised up and have made the decision to not spend any more money until we are out of debt. This will take us at least 2 years... sharing a vehicle and doing absolutely everything imaginable to save money. And then will be time to have kids. But every day my mind is on cruising and I find myself lurking on these boards. Is it better to just stay off and not feed my addiction? I'm afraid I might become terribly depressed if I try to stop thinking about cruising altogether. My husband is sick of me talking about cruising all the time, because he enjoys it too but doesn't want to talk about it because we can't afford it right now.... HELP!!! Has anyone else found themselves in this situation lately with the economy? WHY DID WE BUY THAT HOUSE!?!?! It's worth 1/2 of what we bought it for. What to do? I know that you all will feel my pain... :([/quote] I have only been on three cruises, I have only about $4500.00 of debt total. What I do is save enough money to pay for the cruise before I even book it. when I finally do go the cruise everything is paid for before hand. Iy is a very nice feeling to get from a great vacation and not have to worry about how am I going to pay for it.

I also sell things on Ebay to help pay for the cruises, The past 6 years I have made over $10,000, something like that can help you pay down debt and get you back you out there sooner.

[rummenroman]

I would also like to add a big ole thank you to Congress and GWB (its about the only thing they have done worth while, but thats another story.)

Their stimulus check went to paying off the computer I am sitting at. With that extra $100 a month i will have three department store cards paid off by the end of the year. With that extra $220 i will pay off one credit card by the end of 2010. With that extra $340, i will pay off another card around the middle of 2011. With that extra $550 plus a car that will be paid off and student loans that will be paid off gives me a total of almost $1000 extra a month to pay on my mortgage i think i will be completly debt free within 5-6 years. And if everything stays as it is (jobs ect) i will have around $1500 a month, and 6 weeks vacation by then. I think i will be taking 4-5 cruises a year!!!

At that point will i start to stimulate the ecomony. That was not what ole GWB had in mind, but if i can give him a big up yours, and help me at the same time....well i guess thats what i will have to do!!!

[scopewest]

[quote name='NancyIL']I have found that I spend a LOT less money and I want far fewer things when I don't read the weekly sale flyers, don't window shop at the mall, and don't pour over catalogs. I think the same is true for travel. When I look at cruiseline web sites, read their glossy brochures, and read about others' great deals - it makes me WANT to go somewhere. That's great when you are ready to plan a trip and you have the money to pay for it. But if someone is trying to break their obsession with going on another cruise - then I wouldn't do as you suggest until the OP is closer to her goal.[/QUOTE]

I agree with your philosophy re buying items, but I find that reading about cruising and watching videos doesn't make me eager to sign and sail, so to speak, since let's face it, most cruises are a major purchase, unlike a new blouse or a cup of coffee. It's up to the OP to decide what to do, but this is what I do between cruises, and we usually can only afford one a year. I think a lot of people will agree that the anticipation is half the fun. If not, these boards would be a lot quieter!

[loveysbydesign]

[quote name='esbie11']Yeah I know what you mean about having kids once your debt is paid off (thus having to put off cruising longer). We are getting married next April and originally were planning on having children right away. Then, we thought about it more and decided to go on another "anniversary" cruise before starting a family. I know that sounds selfish to choose a cruise over children, but it is better to be selfish BEFORE having children than after:D[/quote]

My best friend did that and ended up not being able to have children.:(
She waited until she had done college and gotten married with a good job and then they told her that she had no EGGS left...[I]at age 31 she was in menopause!!!! [/I]I feel so bad for her and she feels like it's all her own faultand has many regrets because she chose to do what she thought she was supposed to do! Her dh wanted kids before they got married and she said no....little did she know that she may have been able to get pregnant then, but can't now. Now she has to adopt or use and egg donor. I on the other hand only did 2 yrs. of college (A.A.S in ECE) got married at 21 and am still happily married with 3 beautiful children that I thank god for everyday. I try to be there for her but it's so hard as she has a hard time seeing me with my kids...and we've been friends since 9th grade!
I say do what your heart tells you...that being said we are in debt (mortgage, student loans etc-we do not use cc's) as well but feel that me staying home with our kids is what's most important and when they're all in school full-time I will go back to work and we will pay it all off. (Right now our family of 5 lives on less then $50,000 a year in Lehigh Valley, PA) [I]That being said I'm the frugalist of my friends and can pinch a penny so hard you can hear it scream for miles![/I]

[ebandive]

[quote name='loveysbydesign'][I]That being said I'm the frugalist of my friends and can pinch a penny so hard you can hear it scream for miles![/I][/quote]
:eek: That is hilarious! I'll have to use it when my friends just don't understand why I won't go out to a nice dinner with them! :D

Interesting responses in whether I should stay on cruise critic or stay clear of it. I think at this point I agree with the posters who said that it doesn't harm anything and that it just increases my motivatin to get out of debt!

[goodml]

[quote name='loveysbydesign'] [I]That being said I'm the frugalist of my friends and can pinch a penny so hard you can hear it scream for miles![/I][/QUOTE]

What a great expression!:D

[TexCruise371]

[quote name='ebandive']:eek: That is hilarious! I'll have to use it when my friends just don't understand why I won't go out to a nice dinner with them! :D

Interesting responses in whether I should stay on cruise critic or stay clear of it. I think at this point I agree with the posters who said that it doesn't harm anything and that it just increases my motivatin to get out of debt![/quote]

We had to have a goal to shoot for...debt free was it.....BUT we had to dream of what we wanted after that ..... we used to "dreambuild" of things we wanted to do when we hit our goal.

Write it down and talk about it. If wanting to cruise and have children are your goal then shoot for it. Stick up a picture of a ship on your fridge.

[sandytoes03]

[quote name='loveysbydesign']My best friend did that and ended up not being able to have children.:(
She waited until she had done college and gotten married with a good job and then they told her that she had no EGGS left...[I]at age 31 she was in menopause!!!! [/I]I feel so bad for her and she feels like it's all her own faultand has many regrets because she chose to do what she thought she was supposed to do! Her dh wanted kids before they got married and she said no....little did she know that she may have been able to get pregnant then, but can't now. Now she has to adopt or use and egg donor. I on the other hand only did 2 yrs. of college (A.A.S in ECE) got married at 21 and am still happily married with 3 beautiful children that I thank god for everyday. I try to be there for her but it's so hard as she has a hard time seeing me with my kids...and we've been friends since 9th grade!
I say do what your heart tells you...that being said we are in debt (mortgage, student loans etc-we do not use cc's) as well but feel that me staying home with our kids is what's most important and when they're all in school full-time I will go back to work and we will pay it all off. (Right now our family of 5 lives on less then $50,000 a year in Lehigh Valley, PA) [I]That being said I'm the frugalist of my friends and can pinch a penny so hard you can hear it scream for miles![/I][/quote]

Sorry to hear about your friend, but you have to admit, going into menopause at 31 is pretty rare . . .:confused:

[msraye]

In ten years you will be amazed at how cheaply you got your house.