Unexpected Windfall

[FIYes]

Teacher Terry, how kind of your friend to remember you. Enjoy your trip. I think that you are following your heart by using some of the windfall for a trip.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Today was the last day of the sale so I checked with my friend that she was available to watch my dogs and booked my trip. I am so very excited! It’s a trip for solo travelers limited to 28 people. I will get to see the Swiss alps, Germany where my great grandfather is from and Prague which everyone says is prettier than krakow. 5 months and counting).

 

[NW-Bound]

Today was the last day of the sale so I checked with my friend that she was available to watch my dogs and booked my trip. I am so very excited! It’s a trip for solo travelers limited to 28 people. I will get to see the Swiss alps, Germany where my great grandfather is from and Prague which everyone says is prettier than krakow. 5 months and counting).

Congrats. An old guy/gal needs something to look forward to.

Life would be too boring if you didn't.

We Fade to Grey

One man on a lonely platform
One case sitting by his side
Two eyes staring cold and silent
Shows fear as he turns to hide

Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)

Feel the rain like an English summer
Hear the notes from a distant song
Stepping out from a back shop poster
Wishing life wouldn't be so long​

 

[Teacher Terry]

This old gal has had a rough 2 years and definitely needed something to look forward to). That’s a weird video.

 

[Chuckanut]

Today was the last day of the sale so I checked with my friend that she was available to watch my dogs and booked my trip. I am so very excited! It’s a trip for solo travelers limited to 28 people. I will get to see the Swiss alps, Germany where my great grandfather is from and Prague which everyone says is prettier than krakow. 5 months and counting).

Prague!!! Make sure you order Svickova na smetane for dinner one night. Very traditional. Very good.

 

[MarieIG]

NW Bound, that’s really sad. I wouldn’t finance a car. I would just decide how much of my savings I want to spend on one if anything happens to mine. I have only owned 2 new cars because generally I find them a waste of money. I have also bought pre-certified used from dealers and cars from a private party.

My favorite car was a 4 year old Volvo from a dealer with only 24k miles. That car was so comfortable and nice to drive. Unfortunately everything cost a fortune to fix and became a money pit. By 178k/ miles it needed 6 k of work after spending 2k each of the previous 2 years. My friend had a similar experience with Volvo on 2 cars.

DH loves his Volvo because it is comfortable for him. He is 6'3". It is comfortable for me too when he drives us long distance. But - it is a money pit. He was crazed to buy me a new Volvo for a while, but I just didn't want it. It would have done nothing for me. I am not driving much anymore, and am fine with an old (but reliable) Honda to drive locally.

 

[NW-Bound]

Prague!!! Make sure you order Svickova na smetane for dinner one night. Very traditional. Very good.

^^^ I have been to Prague, but did not know about the above dish.

I guess I have to go back.

 

[braumeister]

^^^ I have been to Prague, but did not know about the above dish.

I guess I have to go back.

Most assuredly. One of my favorite European cities, despite being rather choked with tourists in the last few years. And the rest of the country is just as pleasant.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Chuck, thanks for the tip on the meal! I am guessing that April should be less busy.

 

[Global Wizzo]

I’d suggest splitting the difference. Plan and take a good trip. Save the rest as the car replacement fund. Keep driving your car until it has to be replaced or you find a deal. Right now deals on cars are few and far between.

 

[tulak]

^^^ I have been to Prague, but did not know about the above dish.

I guess I have to go back.

Definitely worth going back for. Traditionally it’s made with beef tenderloin (svickova means tenderloin in English), but last time I was there I had it with rabbit. It was good.

Glad to hear that you booked the trip TT. Sounds like a fun trip!

 

[Kat07]

Terry, Which tour group do you go with? I’ve been following EF Go Ahead Tours on Facebook and it looks like there are a lot of solo travelers. They are running a bunch of specials now too. So many fun trips, but I dread the actual long flights over to Europe and back! It really is a big thing holding me back! I went to Spain a long time ago and was miserable on the flight over there.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Kat I booked with ef tours. I got 500 off and my 1300 credit. I am taking a solo group trip. In France in 2 years I am going with a good friend.

 

[Hermit]

The two most trouble free cars I have owned were a 1995 Geo Prizm (Made on the Toyota assembly line.) and a 2005 Prius. My kids are still driving both of those cars with close to 200k miles on each and still are pretty trouble free. I would guess that a new car is a want, not a need. That should put it in the same category as international travel. You get to pick whatever you think will make you happy!

 

[imnontrad]

I think the first thing to do is to donate to a charity in memory of your friend.

That amount of money will not buy you a decent car right now. Used prices are high and 20K will not buy you a new one. The used car will probably not have the sensors, etc. that would make driving safer either. And your Corolla is a solid car and should last a lot longer.

I am assuming you already have an emergency fund and your finances figured out. Instead of 3-4 short trips, you might try "slow travel". You can rent an AirBnB somewhere in the world for a month or more a lot cheaper than a hotel. This will allow you to have a month or so vacation each year for several years.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I think the first thing to do is to donate to a charity in memory of your friend.

That amount of money will not buy you a decent car right now. Used prices are high and 20K will not buy you a new one. The used car will probably not have the sensors, etc. that would make driving safer either. And your Corolla is a solid car and should last a lot longer.

I am assuming you already have an emergency fund and your finances figured out. Instead of 3-4 short trips, you might try "slow travel". You can rent an AirBnB somewhere in the world for a month or more a lot cheaper than a hotel. This will allow you to have a month or so vacation each year for several years.

I am now single and don’t want to be gone longer than 2 weeks. I did slow travel when married but we had the RV and took the dogs. I have specific places in Europe I want to see and already booked one trip and the trip with my friend will be booked this summer. I also have to pay for a live in doggie sitter while gone which is expensive. If I had decided on the car I would have put money towards it.

I do a lot of volunteering and donated money when my finances were better. Actually donating wouldn’t make Bill happy as his brother told him to do that with his share and bill chose instead to leave it to me, another friend that helped a lot this past year and his brother.

Bill was very frugal but spent money on travel. He and I used to tell each other about our trips because we had been to different places. I don’t think you read the thread because I made the decision to save half in a IBond and take 2 European trips.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I’m so glad you have booked 2 trips. What fun!
I’m going to check into the company you used. Sounds like a good option for a solo traveler.

I think your friend would have left the money to charity if that’s where he wanted it to go. He wanted you to have it and get some enjoyment from the windfall.
I’m glad that you are able to honor that.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Irish, the company has about 9 trips for solo travelers. If you want to go on a regular trip you pay 300 extra for the private room which I don’t think is bad. The trip I took to Ireland a few people came alone. People were friendly and the single people got invited to hang out with others when we had free time. There’s also optional excursions or free time built in which I like.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

$300 for a private room is totally worth it. I can barely handle sharing a room with someone in my family. A complete stranger is my definition of living hell.
Thanks for the information.

 

[Sunset]

......

I do a lot of volunteering and donated money when my finances were better. Actually donating wouldn’t make Bill happy as his brother told him to do that with his share and bill chose instead to leave it to me, another friend that helped a lot this past year and his brother.

Bill was very frugal but spent money on travel. He and I used to tell each other about our trips because we had been to different places. I don’t think you read the thread because I made the decision to save half in a IBond and take 2 European trips.

+1
Seems with your finances now, donating money would be self defeating.
I see there is a thread about wanting to save some money by switching medicare supplement plans.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Irish, the company doesn’t pair up strangers to share like some companies do. I actually expected the single supplement to be higher. On solo tours there’s no single supplement obviously.

 

[brett]

My response is biased for two reasons.

We have had many Toyota products over the years. Corollas, Celicas, and Camrys. Last Camry had 200K miles on the clock before we gave it to our son. Currently own a 2007 Solara (Camry).

67K miles is absolutely nothing for a well maintained Corolla. You should at at least double your current mileage that if you maintain...fluids, etc. How many years is that for you?

We love to travel. We value experiences and travel in retirement far more that we do replacing our like new 2006 Accord. Or other 'things' for that matter. It only has 130K miles on it and like you we no longer put many miles on our vehicles.

SO....my advice. Keep your car if you like it. Have it serviced...most especially if you have a good private mechanic. And keep it serviced.

Spend you windfall on travel. Our view.....why sit at home looking out the window at a new car (that depreciates) when you could be taking multiple foreign trips and making memories.

How many memories will a new Civic or Corolla make for you?

 

[NW-Bound]

Trips rule! While you still can.

I can spend beaucoup money for travel, but am getting old and tired. Back in my 50s, I used to think 2 foreign trips + 2 domestic trips each year, each trip of 1 to 2 weeks. Then, it went down to 1 foreign trip + 1 domestic trip. Then, it becomes alternating foreign and domestic trips from year to year, both of 1 month long, foreign by fly-and-drive, and domestic by RV.

We were doing the 1 long trip/year for a few years until COVID hit. Just resumed that month-long European trip this year in September, and found ourselves not as gunho as before.

Nope, if you care about travel, you've got to do it while you are still able. There will soon be the time to sit in your porch or veranda, and watch the petunias grow.

 

[Sunset]

My DW's camry has been owned by her for 25 years.

My Toyota is only 7 years old, just a young thing.

I've noticed the increasing reluctance to travel as we have aged. Maybe we are out of practice due to Covid

 

[Teacher Terry]

At 4K miles a year this may very well be my last car. I keep it well maintained. I have been to Europe 5xs and the memories are really priceless. I also enjoyed my 6 cruises and my RV trips. I know many on this board travel more than that but I have been to many more places than most of my friends. However, they all drive big suvs. New cars are nice but it’s never been a big priority.