Thumbing your nose at the recession and jet-setting anyway -- Career Center Blog

April 24, 2009

Thumbing your nose at the recession and jet-setting anyway

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By Michelle Goodman
NWjobs

Speaking of vacations, I was surprised by this recent article Salon ran on taking a "last hurrah" vacation. What's a last hurrah vacation, you ask? According to writer Robert Lanham, it's sneaking off on a pricy trip you can't afford before hunkering down for the long penny-pinching recessionary haul.

(Warning to those reading this from work or easily offended by adult language: Lanham drops more than a few f-bombs in his article.)

Despite the imminent layoffs and dwindling savings in Lanham's world, he and the people he interviewed for his article felt compelled to drop thousands of dollars or run up their credit cards one last time, all in the name of needing to get far, far away, preferably to a tropical setting with an abundance of umbrella-garnished cocktails.

As Lanham writes, "There'd be plenty of time for boiling raccoon bones into soup broth, I rationalized, should a full-fledged depression hit, but for now I was going to enjoy my drink and watch the azure waves crest into gold. I was on a beach in the lovely town of Tulum, Mexico. And I was relaxed."

A few thoughts come to mind: Obviously these people are just now catching wind of the financial hardships much of the country has been dealing with for months on end. They don't know anyone who's put any big purchases, home repairs, or health procedures on hold, let alone anyone who's lost their job. They haven't begun growing their own food, selling off their personal belongings on eBay, or applying for minimum-wage jobs. More important, they haven't given an iota of rational thought to what they will do if they suddenly find their income dead and gone.

Call me a killjoy, but whatever happened to taking a road trip or vacationing in your backyard until better financial times? I fail to see the sense in racking up more debt at a time like this, unless you have no choice -- say, if you're chronically ill and can't afford the health care bills.

Readers, what do you think? When you've gotta go (relax), you've gotta go far, far away, no matter what the financial damage? Or is this the very mentality that got us into this economic fix in the first place?

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

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6 Comments

Ross on April 26, 2009 4:41 PM | Reply

A vacation has never been fun and relaxing to me if I had to run up a bill on my credit card that I knew would be a long time paying back. I would spend the whole time worrying about the bills! My own philosophy is to to live at least reasonably close to my means and that goes for vacations too.

Sharon on April 27, 2009 5:33 AM | Reply

I am all for thumbing my nose at NOT PARTICIPATING in the recession. My best suggestion ~ is to fire up the Margarita Maker & invite your neighbors over. No doubt that the conversation WILL turn to the "times." This is the perfect opportunity to start an "I'll help you with your home project ~ You help me with mine." I can save the $$$ on a plane ticket, and complaints on the hotel room. Saving the credit cards for REAL EMERGENCIES!

LynnRadford on April 27, 2009 6:59 AM | Reply

What kind of sense does it really make to go into debt under the guise of some much deserved relaxation only to pay for it later via the stress and anxiety that will plague you when the piper comes calling? If you ask me, there's enough of that to go around now.
My husband and I have taken to staying home and working on our 7 acre piece of heaven, whipping it into shape, realizing some of our dreams and then after a hard days work, enjoying a nice drink in the evening around the firepit. There's some satisfaction in that. And I guarantee I'm not inviting the bill collectors to harass me.

SomeIdiot on April 27, 2009 9:14 AM | Reply

It is your patriotic duty to weigh yourself down with debt and to carry that load for the rest of your days.

unless, of course, you are a corporation (too big to fail)

when are people gonna figure out how to separate the unhealthy media messages from the healthy ones?

Margery Sharp on April 27, 2009 2:29 PM | Reply

This is the kind of thinking that got us in trouble in the first place. Play now, pay later. It's okay for him, he can sell an article to pay for the trip? Guess Salon pays pretty good? I'm shocked at Salon for perpetuating this kind of thinking...it's in poor taste. I am dead broke, have 4 payday loans out, my dishwasher and vacuum cleaner died and I can't afford to replace them and I haven't had a vacation to ANYWHERE much less the freaking Oregon coast for 10 years. Must be nice.

Rob M on April 29, 2009 11:33 AM | Reply

Some people give no real thought to tomorrow, none at all. What's in it for 'me' now?

The Salon piece is a prime example of that type of thinking, in some ways it mirrors the USA thinking 2000-2008.

Thumbing your nose at the recession and jet-setting anyway

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