There are many people who are gazelle intense with their debt reduction plan. They consider it outrageous to even consider taking a vacation during the process. Others, however, think that having a vacation is rejuvenating and it will help them to stay on the course for eliminating their debt.

Is it possible to have a fun vacation if you’re in debt and very little spare cash? Can you plan a staycation that rocks and helps you stay on course? Is there a best choice for you to take? I’ll look at both sides of the coins to find out.

Why Are You in Debt?

I think the first thing you should  ask yourself is what got you into this predicament. Have you considered that you’re in debt because of the lifestyle, you’ve led (including vacations)? If you were to look at your bills would you notice that you’re still in debt because a past vacation? How much was it?

First off, you should examine your end goal and the plan of attack that you currently have. Some families choose to go it alone and craft a strategy on eliminating debt; others subscribe to a program to give them some guidelines. If you’re on the Dave Ramsey baby steps, for example, you should already have a baby emergency fund in place while you’re tackling the debt.

Staycations Are Your New Best Friend

If you’re stumped for ideas on what to do, check out the web. There are a ton of sites that can offer some great ideas for your next staycation.

• Trip Advisor
• Virtual Tourist
• Budget Travel

It’s fun to see your city or town through the eyes of a tourist. You’ll get to discover some interesting places that you’ve overlooked all these years.

Vacations- Necessary Whether In Debt or Not

Some people need to take a break, even when they are intensely focused on getting out of debt. They’ve been doing the rice and beans rountine for a awhile and have seen some great progress. What if you saved a bit of your debt reduction money each money and used that to fund your entire vacation? Would that make you feel better?

There are ways to prepare and save when you’re taking a vacation. You don’t always have to rely on a credit card to take care of it.

1. Save up for the trip. If you’ve already have a small emergency fund, continue the deposits, but save it for the vacation now. Debt free vacations are a lot less stressful.
2. Go for a road trip. Unless you can get a great deal on flights (sometimes you can), save some money and do a road trip.
3. Split a trip. Maybe you can split costs with your roommate, a friends, or family member that you get along with. It’ll make the vacation more enjoyable and reduce the costs.
4. Don’t overbook yourself. A vacation is about relaxing and enjoying yourself. Plan a few things to do – you won’t be living by a clock and you’ll appreciate the activities you will be doing.

Thoughts on Finding Balance While Reducing Debt

In the end, only you can decide what’s right for you personally and financially. What are your thoughts in it? Do you think there’s a good reason to be gazelle intense? Do you think debt reduction can have some spending in it?

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