Didn't you retire just a year or two ago? If that was mid sixties you could easily live to mid eighties and not have the cat outlive you.Originally Posted by iris lilies
Didn't you retire just a year or two ago? If that was mid sixties you could easily live to mid eighties and not have the cat outlive you.
And of course it is not just the flights, it's also hotels and other expenses in most cases.
I loved when Amy Dacyczyn ( I had to look up how to spell her name) wrote about frugal vacations. She said even with all her kids she could find family members who would host them.
Random thoughts on vacation judgement:
*on this forum, people regularly blast those who let family impose on them by "asking" to stay while on vacation. Who knows how Amy's relatives REALLY felt about being descended upon by all those kids?
*Nose to the grindstone/no chance of having a vacation to do things one loves, might, just might, add to the despair and hopelessness people seem to be feeling, re the discussion on suicide in another thread. While there may be cheaper ways to travel, you can get some amazing deals on air/hotels in other countries, esp the ones that UL likes to visit. Most likely he is NOT spending nearly as much as you imagine.
*Student loans can't be discharged in bankruptcy, and we, as consumers, cover the costs to BUSINESS - in the form of higher prices- for those who run up credit card or business debt and declare bankruptcy, so I really don't see a huge problem with taxpayers picking up the tab for those who follow the rules for getting a portion of student loans discharged. My taxes go LOTS of places that I am morally opposed to, but this isn't one of them. If it is for you - well, I don't know anyone who doesn't disagree with some of the ways our government spends our money.
*UL is paying what is asked of him for his loans, and following the rules for future discharge of his debt.
When I was on my honeymoon back in 2007 my wife and I stayed in very reasonable hotels in Spain, Portugal, and England.
In Israel and got an Air BnB, which was just a small room in someone's apartment. In Jordan I stayed in a tent in the desert.
Argentina and Uruguay, I got Air BnBs. One was a real luxury -- I splurged. It was an efficiency apartment! One room for everything.
I don't buy souvenirs because I am minimalist. I do eat at restaurants, sometimes for dinner or lunch. These are little mom-and-pop restaurants that sell cheap, ethnic foods.
I usually just have leftovers or a couple pieces of fruit for breakfast when I am on vacation.
Look out, Robin Leach!
Early morning, there are sometimes government bailouts, but for the most part if a business files bankruptcy it only affects me if I choose to purchase its products or services. Taxes are different.
It is a question of ethics for me. Should one person achieve financial simple living at the expense of others? Values obviously differ here, and the fact that some government spending is not prudent seems a poor reason to me to just accept piling on of more corporate or upper middle class welfare. I don't buy the argument that after all, taxes go to lots of bad programs, what's one more?
Yppej:
Try to think of my student loan gravy train like this.
Society and our political representatives sort of acknowledge that education is not affordable and that financial literacy was not properly taught in most public schools. And as a result of this, I was both screwed over and made subsequent mistakes. The solution that came up with to try to rectify this was the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
There, does that make you feel better?
It would be more palatable if you didn't go around saying you are better than other people, proclaiming political views at odds with your reverse Robin Hood behavior, and failing to express any gratitude to those picking up the tab.
Are you better than a guy who routinely beats his wife and kids? This is your chance to prove how humble you are by saying you are no better than a wife beater. Go for it. Do it. Say it.
And now I can firmly say: "Boom, gotcha!"
I am working ten years in a job that I dislike profoundly to serve the public in order to get part of my loans forgiven. Can you not see that I am expressing gratitude with my labor (which in my book speaks louder than mere rhetoric)?
Something else: Our government (of, by, and for the people and whatnot) considers ten years of service to our nation to be as good as paying cash for the loan repayment. So I am paying them off -- through a combination of cash and service.
Another something else: I have done more public service, both formally and informally, than you have and I am a lot younger than you. So perhaps you are the political hypocrite proclaiming political views at odds with your behavior.
You work for a university and say that is serving the public.
If you had worked for the State University of New York Stony Brook would that have been serving the public? What about when it was privatized and became Stony Brook University? Would you still be serving the public?
I don't think most people would consider working at a college a public service or a sacrifice, but I could be mistaken.
Under the PLSF program any government agency (city, county, state, federal) or 501c# non-profit counts as public service. Working for a private university might not count, unless it is a 501c3. Is Stony Brook a 501c3? Look it up and let me know.
You are asserting that most people don't consider working for a public school to be public service? Really?
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