Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Dissapointed and budgeting for a trip

Last night I started working on Spanish with Rosetta Stone. Turns out they have some pretty strict policies on sharing the program... my mother had bought the program and was told that she could install it on three different computers. I guess its only two and not simultaneously. So if anyone else is running it, I can't, but I may not be able to have it anyway because I would be the third.

I looked at pricing for the program... its cheaper than taking a class, but at least with a class I could get some credits. The program was really easy, fun, interactive. I actually looked forward to the next lesson which I have never felt going to a spanish class.
Sure I have something like 5 friends who speak spanish but I get so embarrassed speaking it and the nice thing about the program is that it seemed really suited to meet the learners needs where as a friend of mine trying to remind me of things would probably just say things that came to their head, not what I might actually need.

I would buy the program, but I am not necessarily on good financial ground right now.
I have three or four big expenses right now that are weighing on me. Still I feel like this might be a really helpful thing before I go to Mexico and I have been wanting to pick up some language skills lately... I feel like it would help my work at school too.

Bills:
Credit cards $431 + recent purchases.
Car Insurance $653
Taxes (Probably go to H&R Block which costs mucho)
Upcoming counseling bills
-something around $2000

So these plus regular stuff...


Rosetta stone costs
approx: $230 -700 depending on which version. The one my mom had costs $409 and seemed pretty basic (I was wondering if I would need another level).

I guess the real question is will this be worth it?
In the long run if I buy a copy of it I can touch up on my skills anytime... I will have enough time to practice a bunch before my trip (so that things sound familiar when I get there).
My total budget for my trip was going to be well over what I spent in Europe for the amount of time because I was spending about 1000 a month there on average, but I am expecting a lot more expenses (even though things will be cheaper in Mexico) I am not planning on bringing much. For instance I was thinking one slightly bigger backpack (but not a backpacker pack) and just buying clothes and things as I need them.
The climate changes will be pretty dramatic, but I assume if it gets cold I can buy a sweatshirt or a small rain jacket. If it gets hot I can strip off clothes.
I just don't want to be worried about my bag, ideally I would like to be able to lose it or have it stolen and other than maybe a guide book (not worry about what I am missing).
Anyway this means more costs than Europe. I also want flexibility with transportation and my route. If I want to go to Guatemala city, then I should go. If I want to spend a week traveling to small villages in Chiapas or Oaxaca then I should. If I want to fly out of Mexico city instead of flying out of Cancun, then I should... but this could all lead to higher costs. So I was thinking that tickets and insurance or whatever included I would budget 3000 for a month. Maybe I was over budgeting and the added expense of rosetta stone could be part of that.... but last year with work I saved exactly $3000 by the end of the summer and since I didn't really get a raise I was expecting about the same this year (only I have had more expenses).
Right now I have saved about 1400, but like I said I have a bunch of bills to pay in the next week or so, so I am guessing much of that will be gone shortly.
As of right now tickets look like they will be around $500 for the round trip (the circular route to and from Cancun). Seems like Rosetta Stone might be a good investment.... maybe not so disappointed.

1 comment:

E. said...

Hello! My name's Elisa, I come from Italy.
I'm starting a blog to learn English, in order to write my thesis about that topic.

Would you like to help me?? :)

Thank youuu!!!
Ely

http://elyproject.blogspot.com/