Cole and I just returned from a long weekend in Cashiers, NC. We were visiting my Uncle Gordon and Aunt Jodi. We had a blast. They've done a fantastic job remodeling a log home on a mountain down there. The view is just incredible. The drive up is a bit nauseating if you ask Cole, but totally worth it. It is amazingly silent up there. The stars at night are intense and brilliant. We had a great weekend with them and really enjoyed being away from our everyday grind.
What makes this trip relevant to the conversation is that we did it in cash. We saved up cash for a couple of months and did the whole trip gas, hotels, food and all in cash. I have no fear of a large credit card bill coming because we didn't use it. We left Discover at home. On top of that we budgeted a bit conservatively and have cash left over to apply to our next vacation. It really wasn't that hard to do. We set a side money each week from our usual budget and after a couple months we had it all together and set for our trip.
The trip was a bit of an adventure. We ran into all sorts of foul weather. Tornadoes south Indianapolis the first night. Hail the next day the size of large marbles and golf balls on the second day. Large thunderstorms and fog our first night and morning in Cashiers. The hail beat up the Yaris pretty good. It was hard to avoid it when on the open interstate and all the overpasses were clogged with cars seeking shelter. We survived it all though and had a fantastic weekend. Insurance will cover the damage to the car and we have the emergency fund to cover our deductible. Actually, the left over vaction money will cover the deductible and keep us out of the emergency fund. The Yaris wasn't the most comfortable riding car to run 1500 miles, but it averaged right around 40 miles per gallon and didn't struggle too much with the mountains. All in all the little car did pretty good hauling us and our gear into the Smokies.
Cash vacationing is definately the way to go. Everything is already paid for and it isn't affecting the budget for the next month. Try it the next time you travel. Leave the plastic at home and do it in cash. You'll spend less and it will all be done when you get back. No scary bill coming in the next month to worry about. Use the debit card for hotels or car rentals if needed.
Hey Larry, good to have another post! lol It sounds as if it was a great time. I was unaware of your Uncle and Aunt being in North Carolina. When did they move there? Must have been a while ago as to have renovated a log home by now must have taken some time. I know the area a bit and it is lovely. Cash for the vacation is a great way to go. I am quite sure that we do spend less, or are more aware of our purchases, when we use cash and not credit cards. One can do the credit card route and be responsible, but keeping a sense of "budgeted funds" is more difficult and the temptation to spend beyond the budgeted amount is stronger. Glad you are back safe and sound. I had hail damage once on a Chrysler Concorde that we owned outright. The insurance paid me cash; whether I fixed the car or not, that was up to me. It was $3000 plus. I lived with the dimples on the car ultimately running the car into the ground with vast, post dimple miles. I took the cash and had my driveway, which was falling apart, resurfaced. It was literally money from "heaven." ;)
ReplyDeleteBruce,
ReplyDeleteThey moved up there a couple years ago from South Florida. They did just move into the log home a couple months ago. They've been working on it for a while.
I've been weighing that very thought about taking the cash and leaving the dents. I will depreciate this car very quickly doing 35k miles a year. More if I get to visit Gordon as often as I'd like:)
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