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Clicky poll: International vacation vs. renovating kitchen?
DH and I are trying to decide to take a nice international vacation or renovating our kitchen.
Here is some info on us: We are in early 30s, happy being child-free, and our kitchen is fine (nothing broken, standard appliances purchased about 5 years ago). Definitely needs/wants updating though since we cook a lot.
Travel will be around $10k. Kitchen will cost b/w $15-$18k (contractor, new everything including appliances). We do have the $10k budgeted for 2013 for travel. We have the kitchen renovation tagged for 2017 (we have other home renos tagged in between). We have the extra $5k-$8k to cover the kitchen should we not go on the international vacation.
The next international vacation can't be taken until 2016 since we have family trip commitments in 2014 and 2015 (we plan to take smaller weekend getaways since our benefit time will be taken to aforementioned family trips).
[Poll]
Re: Clicky poll: International vacation vs. renovating kitchen?
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How long would the trip be for? Do you lose your vacation days if you don't lose them?
Is your house your "permanent" house; or do you think you'd sell anytime soon?
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Trip for 10-14 days. We do lose our vaca days if we don't use them. Our house is our "forever home".
I know, I know... maybe I'm biased posting on here b/c I maybe really do want to go on a trip more
If you also have $10k slated for travel in 2013, renovate the kitchen now and travel next year.
As great as a trip would be, a pleasant kitchen is something that you can enjoy every day. I would also try to work in little weekend getaways to make the wait until 2013 bearable. Plus, when they first start to renovate, I would bail and stay at a hotel. You won't want to spend the weekend looking at the destruction.
from your post alone (and the fact that you posted this on the travel board - but really from your post), it sounds like you don't need the kitchen reno now and you want to travel.
I'm in a flipped situation. Our kitchen is so abysmal I can barely stand it. So I'm unfortunately putting off travel until we get this kitchen done.
But yours is adequate/tolerable/boring and you can do it in the future. So based on your post and what I'm feeling from you, I say travel now.
Yes, if we don't go on vacation, we'd use that $10k and just re-do our kitche next year instead of 2017.
Since it sounds like your kitchen is entirely serviceable and it's not like you can't stand the daily sight of it, I voted vacation. Four more years is a long time to wait for a big trip, at least in my book.
If you hated your kitchen I'd say do that first since it's something that affects your daily life, but since that's not the case I say go for the great life experience.
Where are you going with family 2013 and 2014?
If I understand right, you could redo kitchen in 2012, vacation with family 2013 and 2014 and then afford to go on an international vacation 2015?
When is the last time you did went on a trip or did international travel together?
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Honestly, I'd do the kitchen remodel. You mentioned that you're happy being child free - is this a long-term plan? If so, then you've got the rest of your life to travel wherever you want (though I realize you can do that with children, it becomes more expensive), and I'd do the kitchen now (assuming you plan to stay in your home, which it sounds like you do).
It isn't as fun as an international trip, but then again - you don't have to go international to find great stuff, so maybe do a few smaller trips around the US and then enjoy your kitchen, knowing you've got family trips to look forward to in 2013 / 2014. Also, aren't you going on a cruise later this year (I think you were the one asking about waterproof cameras)? That's not probably as exotic as an international trip, but it's still a vacation so you're still getting a nice vacation in.
We have (2) family graduations to go to (DH's brother and sister from college) in 2014 and 2015- 2 years in a row, which is going to be followed up by a graduation party sometime mid-week and then a family vacation to celebrate the graduation... 2 years in a row. DH's family lives in TX so we don't see them much, and since DH just got a new job, he only has 2 weeks of vaca time (+ 1 week sick pay).
We did a 3-week trip to Japan in 2011. It was fabulous. This year, we're heading to E. Caribbean.
Thus, it's either kitchen reno or large vaca in 2013.
Yes, we don't plan on having kids. And yes, we are heading to E. Caribbean cruise later this year. We just love traveling and I feel like I want to do it... now!
lol, yeah, you're not asking an unbiased group. But I am a reg on D&R, so I'll try to offer thoughts.
We definitely play the balancing game between travel and home improvements (and student loan payoff - we each have six figures from law school). In 2011, I went to Ireland with my mom, and Calvin & I went to Italy. It was obviously a travel year. This year is largely a student loan payoff year.
We've spent some money on the house -- big ticket items include a fence, 6 or so new major appliances in the last 3 years, new flooring in 2 rooms -- but we've spent a lot more time and effort than money. I've found ways to make the house feel like mine with paint and inexpensive changes instead of ripping out and doing all new. For example, my kitchen went from:
to
Whether or not the changes are your particular brand of vodka, it is certainly different.
My FIL is a kitchen & bath designer, and I know that he'd love to get his hands on the layout (which kind of sucks -- our full bath upstairs has a crap layout too). He'd do a great job. And I'd love solid surface counter tops. An island. The fridge moved. Better use of the corner cabinets. But what I've done, which in the grand scheme of things was not expensive, is fine for now. It looks less dated, and it looks more like mine.
I don't want the perfect kitchen badly enough to forgo the experiences that I've had traveling, or the financial security of paying off some of those SLs. Someday, but not yet.
This is kind of what I did when I first moved into DH's home. I didn't paint the cabinets, but did replace all the brass handles with brushed nickel, and we added a granite island/kitchen cart. We painted the inside of our large pantry too. It doesn't look bad, certainly functions, but just not updated to where I want it to be. I think b/c I know I have it scheduled in the next 5 years I'm ok with holding off on the kitchen reno, but then I flip and think... well, we could use that money and just finish up the kitchen next year.... (sigh). I guess the MM-side of me is coming out...
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Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
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So if I understand correctly, it's travel now and renovate next year, or renovate now and travel next year?
Can you compromise - do a big trip this year but spend less than $10k and put the difference towards some of the renovations or buying new appliances and then next year finish the renovations and take another moderate trip? There are a lot of international destinations you can easily visit for 10-14 days with $5k.
We have a trip and home reno (basement) planned for this year. So, it's either travel in 2013 and then hold off renovating until 2017, or don't travel in 2013 and do the kitchen reno instead.
Just out of curiosity, what trips would be international that is around $5k?
Good point! BTW, I love the pic of you and your H biking- is that in Maui? I want to bike along the coastline!
Thanks! That's actually in Kauai, along the Coconut Coast path (Kapa'a), we loved it! We did bike in Maui as well and plan on a bigger bike trip when we go back this September.
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Our kitchen is actually 15yo old now (H bought is when it was only 10yo). Not abysmal by any means, but definitely outdated in style IMHO. But... then again, nothing is broken, and everything works well and looks ok.
Italy & Greek isles- we are thinking of taking an E. Med cruise next year. Are you cruising or doing land sightseeing?
This. We encountered the same dillema a few years ago when considering going to Africa or renovating our kitchen. We chose Africa and have never regretted our decision. trip of a life-time. We've worked on the kitchen since, looks great and we are now in the process of selling our home anyway....
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I would always travel over anything. You only live once and you don't want to hear, "I always meant to go to ______ but something always came up"
Remember, Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the places and moments that take your breath away. (A renovated kitchen would not fall in the places and moments part for me - nice sure but I would wait)
Which cruiseline are you taking?