Do you feel guilty about taking vacations?

[bavaria]

No, I don't feel guilty. I take a lot of mini vacations plus about 4 regular vacations a year. I am fortunate to work in an industry which allows me to take great vacations at relatively low cost.

In Germany, four weeks vacation was always the starting point, unlike the one-two weeks of vacation a year in North America when one enters the job market. In addition, I am fortunate that my grandparents set the tone by taking trips yearly (Germany-Canada-Hawaii). I have wonderful memories of taking road trips with them through Europe as a child. My parents paid $7,000 in the early 1960's for their honeymoon by buying, renovating, and flipping houses. We all worked very hard in order to take these trips, and decided that they took priority over new cars, etc.

My sister is a teacher, and vacations differently - she chooses to go to Europe every other year for an extended period, and stays at high end hotels. As a result, she doesn't vacation as often, but her trips are probably as special to her as my frequent trips are to me.

It's all about priorities - my choice is to travel and see the world. That may mean that I don't spend as much money on other things, but it's my decision and I won't let anyone make me feel bad about that choice.

 

[tinksgirl]

No guilt here! I find that every family spends their money differently,we have good friends who have been one 1 vacation in 22 years, everytime i tell her we are going away again she rolls her eyes,Her family eats out a few times a week they do movies,they have a beautiful backyard pond,bridge,arbor,plants ect...my backyard has a deck and patio set.Her DH buys lottery tickets about everyday.They to could vacation as much as us they just spend their money other ways.I am taking their 15 year old DD with us on our june trip no reason she should miss out on the magic

 

[Laura24]

No guilt....life is too short to not take advantage of traveling. There is to much to see and too much to do in too short a time. Some folks just don't have a clear picture on how to help themselves spiritually,emotionally or financially and are always needy. ENJOY the gifts you have been given, share when you can.

 

[Boo]

No guilt here. Not since DH explained to me what vacations mean to him. He told me that our DVC vacations and other trips we take to Europe are his gift to me and the kids every year. DH's dad died when he and his siblings were still very young so there weren't too many family vacations in his childhood. It means everything to him to take our family to nice places and stay in the type of accomodations that DVC allows. We use our DVC for exchanges too- and have been to places that some people dream about. It means a lot to us that when our children see the commercials of WDW on TV and say, can we please go back, we just say sure. It makes him feel wonderful to be able to also provide opportunities for his sisters' families to join us and see places they couldn't afford to on their own.

But then again, our cars are not new, we have a very small house and don't have a lot of electronic "toys". Since I stay home with the kids, and we choose to pay to send our children to parochial schools there isn't a whole lot $$$ left over. We choose to spend our discretionary income on travel experiences- 'cause as my DH knows from first hand experience- life is short and you never know when you won't have loved ones around.

 

[MagikMom]

R U kidding?!!! No guilt here. DH and I work very hard ( I'm a Pedi RN & DH is a firefighter/EMT) We spend our work days taking care of others, not to mention our own 2 kids. We NEED our Disney fix. We love to get away from it all and enjoy our family time in the happiest place in the world!

 

[Rash]

Guilt is something you feel when you've done something wrong. In order to be able to afford and share DVC with my family and friends, I must have done something right. So, no, I don't feel guilt, I feel pride.

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Sometimes I feel bad that others are not as fortunate, but I never feel guilty about going to WDW as many times as I can afford. I've gone as much as 5 times in one year, but generally I go 3 times. I agree wholeheartedly with Laura. Life is too short not to do what you enjoy doing most. I lost two loved ones in the past 2 years to fatal illnesses, I know firsthand how life can change in an instant. No one knows how long he or she has on the planet, HAVE FUN WHILE YOU CAN!!

Mar'

 

[shelleyz]

I posted earlier that I felt guilty but as I was thinking about it after another person said feeling guilty is when you do something wrong, I didn't feel guilty. I feel bad for them that they cant go. My husband works really hard, has been at his job for 15 years and worked his way up to a manager, so he deserves to do whatever he wants. If my SIL and family didnt eat out what seems like 5 or more times a week and didn't buy things she thinks she needs then they could probably save some money for a vacation. So its not guilt its just feeling bad for them.

 

[FreeTime]

WOW! Thanks again everyone for sharing your thoughts! I am going to work really hard on not feeling guilty. I know that I haven't done anything wrong and I have been trying to stop thinking about what others could do to be able to do more. I need to, as someone else said, enjoy what we can, appreciate our fortune, and share when we can.

 

[sm4987]

I don't feel guilty. I used too when my mom complained about how much I was leaving. But then I realized that life is too short and we had better enjoy it while we can, so I am!