Quandary

Brilliant idea Moth62. Will update when I've finally decided.

We have decided for you Aveline 😀 You really must go if you can afford it.
Live life to the full, it can be taken away in an instant.

I'm trying to find a cost saving, using which, I can square the trip with my conscience.

Yes, as others have said, go!

If you really want to do it and can afford it, just go ahead.

If you’re looking for a money saving idea before you feel you can go, can I just ask what you are going to do with the saved money?

Pay for the trip? You can do that already. So the saved money will stop you having to use the money that you are already saving - for what?

Not trips obviously 😬

Please go. There may might come a time when a trip to enjoy yourself is no long possible

What you are considering expensive might not even rate as "expensive" in some other peoples books and they wouldnt hesitate.

It is hard after years (make that probably decades) of always having to economise/not having enough money to tell oneself "The money is there now - if I choose to use it" - because being poor has become so ingrained into us that it takes a lot of doing to get over feeling guilty for spending money you know you don't have to/a lot of people still couldnt.

But "You can't take it with you - the Pharaohs tried and they couldnt". Add that you'll regret not going now if at some future point you decide to but your health (or the way Society is) are playing up too much for you to be able to.

There could be World War 3 lurking round the corner - so go now - whilst you can.

Would it help if you told us what the trip is? (I for one am dying to know!)

We promise not to criticise but something that will be quite an experience can only be a good thing surely 😃

Aveline, you have achieved that rare thing - complete consensus on GN!
I'll add my voice to the supporters and urge you to go, enjoy, and let us know how it went. Bon Voyage.

Go for it!

Not selfish at all.

Happy times!

Oh, go Aveline please go!

I had a nasty accident last year and have lost a good deal of my mobility. I'm lucky now if I can get to the hairdresser. But I've got some money in the bank. Which I won't use because I can't go to the places I'd hoped to go to.

Life is honestly too short not to enjoy it when you can.

ferry23

Oh, go Aveline please go!

I had a nasty accident last year and have lost a good deal of my mobility. I'm lucky now if I can get to the hairdresser. But I've got some money in the bank. Which I won't use because I can't go to the places I'd hoped to go to.

Life is honestly too short not to enjoy it when you can.

Quite! There does come a time when many people think "I've got more money than needed for a reasonable level of savings - and so what's the point of keeping it unspent?"

Goodness knows - whilst it's there = it can/might be grabbed for care home/nursing homes. But - when it's gone (apart from a reasonable amount of savings) then it's gone and you've safely used your money as you decide and had value from it.

V3ra

Would it help if you told us what the trip is? (I for one am dying to know!)

We promise not to criticise but something that will be quite an experience can only be a good thing surely 😃

Fly me to the moon? 🎵🎶

I know it'll be a disappointment to you but it's a big thing for me. Happily, I've now found a much better costing for my outing. It's a flight, but it's Business class!! I've always wanted to try it but simply couldn't justify the cost. The destination is South Africa and a specific location. I'm bravely going on my own too.
So that's it. I've booked it at a good enough saving to justify the extravagance. Almost.
Thanks for your universal encouragement.

Enjoy Aveline

Aveline

I know it'll be a disappointment to you but it's a big thing for me. Happily, I've now found a much better costing for my outing. It's a flight, but it's Business class!! I've always wanted to try it but simply couldn't justify the cost. The destination is South Africa and a specific location. I'm bravely going on my own too.
So that's it. I've booked it at a good enough saving to justify the extravagance. Almost.
Thanks for your universal encouragement.

We are dithering over whether to go Business Class on a trip too.

I know people do but it's probably at least a £10,000 difference between Business and Economy for two.
That is a lot of money.

Just off to check the Premium Bonds 😀

Just book it, Aveline!

Thats where I've always wanted to go so that decides it.

The land of Mandela, the very very tip of Africa where ships once sailed around to the East Indies.......
😊

Go!!!!!

Be Under African Skies, visit different cultural peoples.

The only pausefor thought for me would be if there was another destination or activity I'd always wanted and you can only choose one, ie and either/or, in which case, give it a bit more thought (but not too much).

Aveline

First of all I must say that this is a selfish first world problem but I'm struggling as to what to do. I have the opportunity to make a short but expensive trip this summer. It would be quite an experience for me. However, it does seem a lot of money to spend on just myself. Half of me says, go on, you can afford it, go while you're still young but the other half is raging at me for considering such indulgence.
I've said I'll sleep on it but suspect I'm in for a restless night.

The morality of your project depends on what you will be doing , the morality does not depend on how much it costs.

I mean, for example, are you going away to shoot captive animals, or break the back of a small donkey by riding it when one is too heavy for it? I doubt it!

Good on you, Aveline
Hope you enjoy yourself.

So pleased to hear you've bit the bullet Aveline and you won't regret it. I hope this is the start of many new adventures for you. Please update us with your holiday.

Aveline

I know it'll be a disappointment to you but it's a big thing for me. Happily, I've now found a much better costing for my outing. It's a flight, but it's Business class!! I've always wanted to try it but simply couldn't justify the cost. The destination is South Africa and a specific location. I'm bravely going on my own too.
So that's it. I've booked it at a good enough saving to justify the extravagance. Almost.
Thanks for your universal encouragement.

Sounds wonderful!

I don't think it's at all extravagant - it's almost a necessity

I'm sure it will be fabulous and you will savour every moment. I used to travel a lot by myself. Always kept my ereader with me so that I could read anywhere I felt a bit uncomfortable - but honestly, that didn't very often happen.

Look forward to a travelogue from you.

Send us a postcard!!

We flew Business Class when we went to Australia last year.

Probably more than twice the Premium Economy price, but worth it.

After a lifetime of full time jobs, saving, not being extravagant, I have come to the conclusion that when we die, the AC and GC will find plenty of uses for their inheritance, some of it stuff we wouldn’t dream of spending on.

But we won’t be here to fret about it.

So we may as well treat ourselves, and have enough to pay for a decent care home if, heaven forbid, we end up needing it.

I'm another in the "treat yourself " camp!
Do go.
Have a lovely trip!
💃🏿💃🏿💃🏿

I've been following this thread and noted that everyone was encouraging you to go for it. So pleased to read that you have decided to go. Have a fabulous time!