You know what I'd be really (irrationally) tempted to do if I had a sum of money I was planning to spend in five years on a trip to a foreign country? Invest just that trip fund in bonds or a savings account or something in that currency. Why is that irrational? Because if you were not planning to do high risk currency speculation anyway, the risk of currency losses potential for currency gains is exactly the same regardless of whether you planned to ultimately make expenditures in that currency. And yet the irrational part of me would saying "you are planning to spend in euros. Invest in euros."

Of course, the danger in the other direction is to plan this thing in such specific and regimented detail that I'm DEVASTATED if some setback alters my plans. But I'm slowly learning to balance my wild swings between under-planning and over-planning.

Susan, from everything I've heard about extended travel in Europe, the single biggest chunk will be the trip over there and back. Once you're there, in most places you can get by quite cheaply day to day. Obviously this isn't quite as true about the bigger cities, like London or Paris, but you're money should be able to go a long way.

As far as setting money aside for it, put away enough to pay for plane fare now, plus that again just in case. That should reasonably cover your flight when the time comes. Then once a year or so between now and then, put in enough for plane fare for the trip again. By the time the trip rolls around, you'll not only be able to pay for the ticket, you'll have quite a bit of spending money while you're there.

Disclaimer: This financial advice is given free of charge. Caveat emptor. I give no guarantees about the US economy kerploding or not kerploding.

Also Susan, wherever possible, err on the side of under-planning your trip. Your planny tendencies will manage to keep enough of the trip planned to give it the structure it needs, and you'll thank yourself for under-planning later, when the vagaries of travel come up and throw a wrench in things.

I'm thinking about taking some of that $600 federal check I get sometime in the next week and possibly sending some to various charities/favorite websites (including here!). It all depends on if I have to take my cat back to the vet next week (she's got a lump on her back that might just be from her shots last week but it's got me worried, so I've made an appointment for payday next week and will keep it if the swelling doesn't go away) and if so, how much it'll cost me for the appointment and if there's anything more serious involved.

I'd like to be able to send even $10-20 to a few different places, but who knows if I can swing it.

ugg. So, free dinner that I was sticking around for. Ya. Not for staff. For "visiting dignitaries and guest artists". Nice. I only work here. I guess the cost of Baja Fresh for an extra 30 people is too much to ask for from this place. : head-desk :

At least I got some paperwork & planning shit done. Maybe I need to play some 1st-person shooter games tonight & this weekend.

That's just shitty o_a.

ya. Just another example of why I need to follow Erin's example and leave this place. The last 2 weeks or so, my apathy has hit new levels.

IanotherCleaningCanKillYouStory - I've been good. I limited what I did today Rest alot so my lungs got to rest and the asthma symptoms stayed low. I had to vacuum. Not good for asthma - but somethings have to be done. Today, the vacuum bag failed. So good to breathe in that extra dust.

I understand the fun in planning, oh yes I do. I just think it's too early to stress over the exact amounts for a day-to-day budget. And what others have said: be careful to consider leisure days in all of your planning. Some of my favorite travel memories are composed of the times when things went "wrong" or during my unplanned time. I mean, I missed the last bus back to London from Stonehenge (printing error on my Salisbury bus schedule) and had to hitchhike with a couple who had driven their car over from the Netherlands. They were originally going to drop me off at the train station but we got on so well that they took me all the way to London (where they were going anyway, but still). I am still friends with them--and that never would have happened if everything had gone "right". So let yourself relax as well as get to all of the sites.

But definitely make sure any credit cards you do have (since you plan to pay off all of your debt with your inheritance, which is awesome!) are earning you reward points of some sort. I have paid for entire vacations (a week in Sydney for one) with the Starpoints earned on my Starwood Amex. I think it's a $30 annual fee, but it's well worth it. I use it every time I am going to use cash, and then I head right home and pay it online!

You're going to have a fantastic time, Susan, and I am excited for you. Plan away! It's fun hearing your enthusiasm.

(I guess I should admit up front that though I am a bit of a planner in my usual home life, when it comes to travel, I'm more of a "ooooh, that's a cheap ticket to Switzerland and I've always wanted to ride the trains" kind of girl. I just buy the cheap ticket and deal with whatever budget I have at the moment. When I head to Argentina/Chile later this month, I have a couple of things scouted out, but mostly I am going to play it by ear. Everyone is different in his or her approach and I respect that.)

My new iPhone was paid for entirely with AmEX points. We use our AmEx like a debit card an earn points for EVERYTHING.