What am I missing?

[Neostarwcc]

First of all, I know I'm going bankrupt I'm not planning this this year or next. I need to get back on my feet again first but when that happens I want to surprise my wife with a honeymoon to Israel.

I've just been wanting to surprise my wife with a honeymoon to Israel since we got married. Things always came up or some event happened in my wife's family that I had to pay for. So the honeymoon has been delayed over and over and over again. So my wife and I have never had a honeymoon ever.

Not anymore I want to go on my honeymoon so I'm just curious. If airfare is $800 each way and food and things to do for a week are a couple thousand what costs am I missing? I've never really planned a vacation before and being on a plane for the first time is going to be really....exciting. Also Israel is a war torn country so would I have to set something up? I'm just wondering if anyone here has been to Israel before. If I can't go to Israel, maybe I'll take her to Sweden. We've both wanted to attend Dreamhack for a long time. Just never really had the money or drive to go. Just.,, wondering what options I have for when I could plan a 4-5k trip.

 

[Sabertooth]

...but when that happens I want to surprise my wife with a honeymoon to Israel.

If you go to Israel before you can truly afford to, you will be back here again.

Instead of continuing to wait for the "perfect" honeymoon, you should consider options that you can actually afford.

Money is one of the constraints that God uses in our lives.

 

[Neostarwcc]

If you go to Israel before you can truly afford to, you will be back here again.

Instead of continuing to wait for the "perfect" honeymoon, you should consider options that you can actually afford.

Money is one of the constraints that God uses in our lives.

Like I said not talking about this year, or next year, or even within 5 years. There will come a point where I have the money to go. Especially if I don't waste money on my wife's family matters and my own personal matters. That's where a majority of my money goes that isn't devoted to God.

I went bankrupt because I charged over $13,000 in 3 weeks time. Never making that mistake again. Ever.

 

[spiritfilledjm]

Like I said not talking about this year, or next year, or even within 5 years. There will come a point where I have the money to go. Especially if I don't waste money on my wife's family matters and my own personal matters. That's where a majority of my money goes that isn't devoted to God.

I went bankrupt because I charged over $13,000 in 3 weeks time. Never making that mistake again. Ever.

While I do love your intention, I have to say, I wouldn't even be thinking about a honeymoon at this point. Not just because of your finances, though saving where you can is almost always a good idea, but also because of how rocky your marriage is right now. If things work out, and I pray they do, a trip would definitely be a good idea however with the pending bankruptcy and how tumultuous your marriage is right now, planning a honeymoon down the road, while not a bad idea overall, just shouldn't happen right now. I also wouldn't start saving anything until after the bankruptcy is complete.

 

[PloverWing]

I've never really planned a vacation before and being on a plane for the first time is going to be really....exciting.

Trip planning is a skill in itself that one learns through practice. If you've never planned a trip before, how about starting small? Find a city or cultural event or state park or historical site (whatever you're into) that's a couple hours away from you, that you've never been to before, and plan a weekend. Book a hotel or airBnB for a night or two. Google where the local restaurants are. Google transportation options: Are you going to walk, or bike, or rent a car, or use public transportation? Are there multiple sites or events you want to visit while you're there? Find out what's there, and how much each thing costs, and plan how you're going to get there.

So, when your finances are stable again, I recommend taking a small, local trip, then maybe a longer trip or two within the US. After that, look at international travel. Note that international travel involves some extra effort: passports, local currency, some knowledge of the local language, possible vaccines depending on the country. You'll have to wait until COVID is done, of course; Israel has a high number of cases right now (Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC), as does the US, and travel to/from high-COVID countries is discouraged.

 

[Sketcher]

With the credit card issues you recently reported, I do not recommend going deeper into debt to take this trip. Does your wife know how bad the situation is with that yet?