Setting a Budget for our European Adventure

Well, this is always the hard part for me but it definitely needs to be done in order to prevent coming home to my own personal major debt crisis.  Thankfully, we have some savings and some investments that we will most likely have to sell in order to do this but we are coming back to jobs already lined up, and our mortgage is being paid, as we have rented our home.  I think we are doing okay and not being completely irresponsible, okay maybe only a little, but to be able to experience this with our kids when we are still relatively young just seems to make sense.  Yes, we are going to have to be careful but I am hoping to be so inspired that my design business will flourish once we return. I do not think one can put a price on the time that we will be able to spend together, priceless I think!

So now to the details, our plan is to spend approximately $4,000 a month. This money will have to cover housing, food, cell phones, gas and special events (museums, soccer games, festivals, The French Open, tours).  No, sadly, this is not going to be a shopping trip but I think I can get over that.  Some countries will be more expensive than others so we are looking into staying in the less expensive countries for the majority of the time while going on special trips to the more expensive countries.  We also have costs not included in our $4000 budget which are our flights, leasing a car in Europe and all of our expenses back home storage costs, car loans (which can be deferred for two months) health care costs and insurance costs.

So with this in mind it is time to begin planning the itinerary.  I am sure adjustments will be made and there are always those unexpected costs that can really throw things off but at least this is a start.  Okay, now that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed…just keep swimming, that is all I can do!