Dollar Jane

Hi Guys,

Well, my 2-week vacation to Italy coincided with my 3-month vacation from this blog.  This may have something to do with the guilt that I felt about spending so much money on a vacation. Let’s review the damage:

Airfare: $1,200

Train Fare: $170

Lodging & Food: $1,319

Clothes for me: $716

Gifts and Souvenirs: $540

Grand Total: $3,945

Yes, that’s right. I spent FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS on a vacation. I am normally a sensible person who is mindful of money, yet somehow I managed to spend nearly twice what I thought I might spend. Here’s a few reasons why I think this happened.

1) The weak dollar. By far, my biggest mistake was thinking about euros like they’re dollars. They’re not. One euro is about 1.6 dollars right now. So that 12 euro train ticket was actually $20. This quickly gets expensive if you’re not constantly converting in your head.

2) Feeling Blue. The friend I went to visit promptly ditched me the first night I was there, to spend the entirety of my visit locking lips with an Australian she just met. She also forgot my birthday, which I ended up spending alone in Florence. I was so bummed about getting ditched by my host that I became susceptible to the “I can buy happiness” syndrome. Well, at least now I know that a $100 dinner alone will not make me nearly as happy as a $10 dinner with friends.

3) Once in a Lifetime. I have to buy this leather jacket, because when am I coming back to Italy? My mother will just love these linens, sure, they’re $60, but when am I coming back to Italy? True, the trip probably was once-in-a-lifetime, but I used the excuse to myself so many times in my head that the phrase became meaningless.

4) No Budget no rules. I didn’t think about all the souvenirs I wanted to buy for my family, friends and co-workers, and how that would fit into my vacation budget. I spent way more than I intended! Luckily, since I bought several nice gifts, I’m keeping some in a gift stash to give as presents for upcoming birthdays and holidays.

I don’t regret the vacation, and I am lucky enough that I actually could afford it. I used my savings and put some purchases on a credit card, which I paid off when I returned. Still, I can’t help but think about all the other things I might do with $4,000. I won’t be taking any more vacations for a long time, I think.