The cruising life? Oh, if only we could afford that!

You guys sailed to the Channel Islands? With your own boat? For ten weeks? Wow guys, that’s really cool! And look at those pictures you took! Amazing.. This is quite different from our holidays. Two weeks in some Spanish beach resort, that’s it. Some people are just so lucky. I gotta admit I’m kinda jealous here.

What? You’re saying that we might do the same? Oh, I wish I could go! If only I had the money…

Yeah, it’s true that we earn a pretty decent income. Indeed, we earn more than you guys did when you left. But the thing is, we also have higher expenses. Take our house, for an instance. A big chunk of my income goes straight to my mortgage. What do you say? Move to a cheaper house? No, that’s not gonna happen. We love this place. Nice and spacious, in a decent neighborhood, within walking distance from the city center. And the wife loves her garden. Don’t think she is willing to move.

Cut our other expenses, you say? Please tell me how! Everything is so expensive these days.. Even with our double salaries it is difficult to make ends meet. Last week, I needed a pair of new jeans. Do you know that any decent jeans will cost you seventy euros? Buy second-hand clothes? No way, José! I am not some kind of bum.

Spend less on furniture and decoration? No. My house is my castle. I go home there every night, so I want it to look nice. Buy second-hand furniture? No, my house is not some college dorm. Yes, our college days were cool. Yes, you are right, we did not suffer from a lack of design furniture at that time. But still, those days are past us.

Save the small amount of money I can miss, and make it a long-term saving goal? No, I am afraid that is a bit unrealistic. That would take us at least ten years or so. And we want to have a family before that.

Postpone starting a family? No, that is not an option for us. We want to raise our children when we are still young and have the energy. Take the children with us? That’s not gonna work for my parents and in-laws, I’m afraid. They have been dying to become grandparents and would hate the idea of missing their grandchildren for a long time. And of course, it would be illegal! Children have to be at school.

Teach our children through some distance-learning program? Isn’t that a terrible hassle? I think that you have to get some kind of special permission, take teacher exams and stuff like that. Way to much trouble.

And besides, I also have my career to think of. The company has been growing like crazy. Interesting opportunities everywhere. If I want to play with the big boys, now is my chance. Taking off on some sailboat now would definitely not be a smart move.

But I am definitely jealous of you guys! You are lucky bastards, you know that? I would love to go on a trip like that.

If only I were able to…

(read more about our sailing trips here)