It’s time to change your vacation plans if you see any of these red flags.  And by change your vacation plans I mean – plan a less costly vacation.

These are by no means all of the possible budgeting red flags, but they are common. If you notice that

1. You are unable to pay cash for your vacation – using a credit card is borrowing money.
2. You don’t yet have a minimum of a $1,000 emergency fund.
3. Going on vacation will cause you to stop paying extra on your debt payoff.

Then it’s time to go back to the planning stage so that you can design a vacation that you can truly afford.

I understand that it’s important to rejuvenate by taking time off from work even if you are focused on getting out o debt.  However, ignoring these red flags can make it even harder to get out of debt.

Some of the ways to reduce the cost of your vacation are to:

1. Stay closer to home to reduce the cost of getting there.
2. Reduce the number of days you’ll be away from home.
3. Stay home and be a tourist in your own town.

If you watch for these red flags and adjust accordingly your vacation will be relaxing and fun instead of financially stressful.

Related articles:

• Inexpensive 2-week vacation (mytotalmoneymakeover.com)