This time of the year many North Americans celebrate Thanksgiving and take part in many family activities including a caribbean vacation cruise. Canadians celebrate their brand of thanksgiving this weekend while those in the U.S.A. have to wait a few more weeks before they can give thanks for all the things they take for granted.
Some of you may decide to stay close to where you live or entertain your friends or families at home with an extravagant dinner of vegetable delights. Others may head to a local attraction or restaurant to celebrate a meal with close ones. Yet others may decide that going on a cruise will give them the time to share their thoughts with loved ones or recharge their batteries for a tough few months ahead.
No matter what you decide to do on Thanksgiving you will have many other people doing the same thing. The recent financial meltdown in the U.S. has put a damper on some plans for vacations. But I would argue that in tough times you need to first plan a vacation to St. Lucia or another holiday island to get your thoughts in focus. A clear head is essential to dealing with troubled circumstances.
Of course, the price of fuel these days would put anyone off from doing something that is fun and inspiring. After all, you can only spend so much money (the amount you earn) unless you decide to use your plastic card and hope for the best.
But buying anything other than your vacation expenses with your credit card is not a good idea now. Pay cash for your airline ticket, car rental, hotel, and those expenses which require you to use a major credit card for assurance. This means you should take cash out of the bank to pay for meals and attractions at your holiday destination.
Paying cash means you have to prepare a budget and stick to it for the time you are beach hopping in the tropical islands. Having a budget will let you know before you travel how much you can afford to spend so you don’t overextend your financial reach.
