Sure, paying for traveling expenses with a credit card can be convenient, but should you ever actually do it? Not if you want to keep your future safe. Credit cards are a convenient payment method, and they are often the only way you can pay for things like hotel rooms or rental cars. If you need to cover these expenses with a credit card, by all means do so—but make sure you have the money in the bank to pay off those cards as soon as you get home. Think about the reasons you should avoid paying for your vacation with a credit card or loan before you do some traveling you can’t afford.

1. You Will Enjoy Your Vacation Less

A vacation is a time to relax and get away from the pressures you have every day in your life back home, so why add to the stress by paying for your vacation with borrowed money? If you cover your vacation costs with money you set aside for the occasion, you can let your mind relax and really enjoy your time away from home, because you won’t need to worry about what is waiting for you when you get back. You won’t get away from the stress if you pay for your trip with credit cards or loans, because you will know how much harder you will need to work when you get back to pay for it all.

2. You Won’t Have Any Options for Emergencies

If you use your lines of credit to pay for non-emergencies like vacations, you won’t have the same options available to you if a real emergency happens. What will you do if you lose your job or get into a car accident? How will you pay for your expenses then? If you avoid paying for frivolous items like trips with your available credit card balances or loans from the bank, you will be a lot more likely to have those sources of money available if you really need them.

3. Your Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip Will Be a One-Time Thing

It might be tempting to pay for a vacation with credit if you think you’ll never have the chance again, but think about the amount of interest you will have to pay on your credit card or loan to pay off that once-in-a-lifetime trip. If you pay only the minimum due on your credit cards, you will be paying for that vacation for years to come. Keeping your vacations within your budget so you don’t need to use a loan or credit card will allow you to have these retreats more often.

Loans and other lines of credit should be reserved for emergencies so that you can have the security you deserve. Instead of paying for a lavish trip with credit cards, use your cash savings instead. This will let you enjoy your trip and look forward to having more of the same in the future!

Lance Herron is a finance-savvy freelance blogger, who writes financial advice for others, helping them secure Fast cash in emergencies.