Optimal Finance Daily · Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Paying off debt doesn't mean you can't take a vacation, according to Laurie Sepulveda with Women Who Money. She emphasizes that planning and budgeting are key, suggesting that a vacation can serve as motivation to continue debt repayment. Sepulveda advises being honest about one's debt payoff stage and prioritizing high-interest debt before planning a trip.
“Are you in the middle of paying down debt? Great job. Starting is the hardest part. Once you've decided to pay off your debt, it may feel like you want to put every spare penny towards your goal. But paying down debt can take a while, especially if you have a lot to pay. So it's important to allow yourself some fun so you don't get burned out.”
“Even though it can slow down your debt repayment, spending a small amount of money on a vacation while paying down debt might just be the mental motivation you need to push through and pay everything off. The crucial steps are budgeting for it and paying cash for it.”
“First, be honest about where you are in your debt payoff journey. Have you just started tackling your high-interest credit card debt? If so, now's probably not the time to plan a trip. Once you've got your high-interest debt paid off, generally 10% interest and above would be considered high-interest loans. And you're just working on paying off lower-interest student loan or car debt, then it's probably okay to start planning a trip.”