When I first started working in the late 70's, I was able to save some money and take a vacation at least once a year or two. Back then I was working as nursing home dietary aide, and I didn't have a whole lot of financial responsibility. I was able to take trips to California, to Canada, and even to New York.

However, after I came back from Los Angeles in 1983, I didn't go anywhere for 15 years, except for day trips down to Atlantic City. I had a lot of these part-time, temporary, and low-paying contract jobs; and I was out of work a lot.

In February of '98, my father, my oldest brother, and I went down to Florida for the weekend. My other brother was living down there at the time, and I was not going to wait another 15 years to take another trip.

Even though it was only for a day, this past July, my parents, my brothers, my uncle, my cousin, and I all went down to Arlington, Virginia for my uncle's funeral, and it was just a memorable day.

But otherwise, I just can't afford to take yearly trips like I used to. Like everybody else, I have financial obligations and problems, job commitments, and of course, I was out of work a lot. I keep saying that I'm going to save up, but it's not that easy. After all, I am not Donald Trump, Oprah, J Lo, Bill Gates, or any of these super-rich celebrities who can afford to hop on a plane to either Hawaii, the Carribbean, or Europe. I don't want to sound negative, but I am too poor to travel right now. Having a roof over my head, food in my stomach, clothes on my back, and my utilities on are for more important than staying at luxury hotel.

After Los Angeles, I always wanted to go to Hawaii. I was first going to go there in 1980, but I had just started a job as a dietary aide at a Catholic nursing home (the same one where my mother is today), and I wasn't there long enough to take a vacation. The weekend that I had originally planned to go, I had spent down in Atlantic City instead. I tried again in '89, but then I lost my job as a telephone rep when the company that I worked for had lost its lease, and I could not get to the main office because I don't drive. Then I tried again in the winter of '93-'94, but then that previous August (1993), I lost my job as a dietary aide when the hospital that I had worked for had shut down due to ongoing financial problems and they filed bankruptcy. Also, it was the most terrible winter that I ever experienced in Philadelphia, and of course, Los Angeles got hit by that terrrible earthquake (I had planned to, and still plan to, stop off in Los Angeles on my way back.

I couldn't even afford to stay at the hotels that I used to stay at. For example; the Holiday Inn in Santa Monica, where I stayed at '78, now costs about $169 a night. And I don't think I could trust those websites where you can get some great deals.

I still would like to go away, but I just don't have the money right now. When I'm able to get the money, I'll go.

Learn more about this author, Lisa Fagan.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about How to decide when to travel?
We want to hear your view. Write now!