I want to spend 6 weeks in Paris over the holidays this year.
I have no passport, no savings for this adventure....
Can I afford it?
Nope, unless you get a second job and save the cash. You have time to save. Start working like crazy and see how far you can get. Do you have any debt?
rubytue Given your current savings I'd wait until you can cash flow it. That will just be a few years at your current rate but you don't want to add a new condo plus potential new vehicles and lose a tenant. Me, I'd pay off at least one of the mortgages to start and work on the second before investing in rental or condo property.
Thanks! I will save I'm someone who believes in leveraging and not paying off mortgaged early. So while I know that is a logical strategy, I probably won't pay off either mortgage first. Also, say even $4k extra per month, that's over 100 month pouring everything extra into mortgages to pay off!
Thanks! Starting next month I'll be squirrelling away money. Plus, I will be working while I'm there and hoping to arrange a housing swap of sorts, which will save a lot!!
It might not happen this year, but damn it, I'm going to try. If not, then I'll have a head start on a trip in 2016.
I can afford this, but am debating whether it is worth it.
Data plan on my iPad for summer months, so I can take the iPad with me to our roof or the park. It would only be used on weekend days when the weather is nice enough that I want to be on roof/in park, don't have something else I need to or want to do, and am in relative solitude (if friends are around, I talk to them). And will only entertain me until my battery dies. Also, it is sunny in most of the scenarios I'm envisioning, and iPads aren't great in the sun. Also, apps like crossword puzzles and Candy Crush work even when I'm not corrected to the internet. So we're not talking about a whole lot of use, although I do get annoyed when I'm on the roof/at the park and *can't* connect my iPad to Wifi.
Let's say it would be $20 a month for 5 months (May - September). Does it sound worth the $100 to you?
Note: I spent extra to have an iPad with data capabilities and have never used those data capabilities.
Can you just tether it to your phone?
I have always been under the impression that that's something I would have to pay for. Is there a way to do that without paying? (I have an iPhone 6 and Verizon)
I have always been under the impression that that's something I would have to pay for. Is there a way to do that without paying? (I have an iPhone 6 and Verizon)
Oh that's a good idea! Can you make your phone a hot spot (under settings) and then have your iPad connect to your hotspot? I do this with my work laptop frequently, but I haven't tried with the iPad.
I have always been under the impression that that's something I would have to pay for. Is there a way to do that without paying? (I have an iPhone 6 and Verizon)
Hmm, I'm not sure about Verizon. I have an iPhone 6 and T-Mobile, and it just counts against my data plan.
Another option would be to get a prepaid hotspot ... being able to use the data on any device (not just iPad) and have data to use when you want (not a monthly fee) would make me feel like it was more versatile and worthwhile, even though the cost is probably a wash. Two options:
I have always been under the impression that that's something I would have to pay for. Is there a way to do that without paying? (I have an iPhone 6 and Verizon)
We agonized over financing versus paying cash when we bought a new car two months ago (to replace a 2000 Accord with extensive body damage -- ha!). If you have decent credit, interest rates are really great nowadays so we decided to go the financing route. We put down $5000 -- which is the max the dealer would let us put on a credit card (I wanted as many points as possible), and financed a little under $15,000 at 1.6% for 5 years. Our monthly payment is $260 and we'll only pay something like $620 in interest over the life of the loan. I'm pretty sure we can make much more than that by keeping the money in the market for the next five years so I think we made the right decision.
Long way of saying that I vote that you take out loans
I agree with V, unless by "savings" you mean literally "savings account" - i.e. money just sitting earning nothing. In that case, I'd just pay cash. If you have the money invested, a low interest loan sounds like the way to go!
OR you could invest the money and still take out a loan
Indeed I do mean savings account earning nothing. We also are not going to be buying an expensive car. Probably 10k max. Certainly that money could make some money in the market if we went that route instead, but between the trade off in the interest, I don't think it's really worth it to take out a loan.