Tempted to do something you can't afford?

Sometimes it is hard to say No to a fun event just because it's not in your budget. I love to bicycle and ten of my fellow cyclists are flying to Paris and then bicycling in France for a week. It sounded so wonderful, I immediately signed on.

But then...the cost of the trip began to go up. Air fare, the euro-dollar exchange rate, hotels in Paris...pretty soon it the cost was $1200 more than originally quoted. Part of me said, "Do it anyway! This chance won't come again!" Another part of me said, "You'll be broke afterward. It will take all your cushion."

So here's what I decided: I turned down the trip to France AND immediately signed up instead for a week-long bicycle ride in Wisconsin with some other bike buddies. The cost is one-tenth of the European trip

Okay, so I won't have Paris...but I'll always have Milwaukee. And Milwaukee is a lovely city with an outstanding art museum

Point being: If we stay flexible in our thinking, we can find ways to enjoy ourselves...and do it in an affordable way. There is always more than one answer. Instead of whining about what can't be done, follow my lead. Figure out what you can do.