HELP!! I ONLY HAVE 7 DAYS. To save the Christmas gift for my parents.  I hate to say it but I think I bit off a little more than I could chew by booking this trip. Let me give you a little back story...

I Started a new job in August of 2023. It is the best job that I (40 m) have ever had in my life. I'm making great money and enjoy the work that I do. My parents have been my rock throughout my life and have been there for me whenever I needed them, even if I didn't deserve it. After starting this new job I decided that I wanted to do something special for my parents. Something that I've never been able to do before and take them on a cruise.

We've never been on a cruise before. My parents aren't rich people they live a very modest life, retired and working in the cafeterias of the local school district. Growing up things were difficult and money was always an issue and to be expected when you're raising 6 kids. My parents adopted three of my sisters and sadly that caused so much mental and emotional damage to us all, the things that these girls put my parents through; some of it being completely unforgivable, isn't what any of us would have expected. We still communicate but unfortunately there are some things that can not be unsaid. So, Believe me when I say that my parents have been through it. I really mean that.

Now my parents are in their late 60's and not the best of health. Since I am single with no children, I have stepped up to be the one that is going to be there for my parents. Their house is falling apart and I'm trying to figure out what I can do about that? I don't have the help of any of my sisters and I'm fine with that.

Because I feel like this trip is something that I will probably never have this opportunity ever again to take them on a dream vacation. After seeing their reactions to the videos of the cruise ship we'll be on and the pure joy they had is something that will stick with me forever. It made me feel proud that I was able to do this for them. After having to change the dates for a 3rd time because of scheduling conflicts. Our cruise has become more expensive than I was expecting. I've paid over $7000 already but with current bills and coming up bills and a dry spell on my commissions for the last two months I'm terrified that I'm not going to be able to get the remaining $2500 to pay our trip off by the 7th of April, 2024. Even if I did, that would put me in a bad situation with my other debts. It would be amazing to book some excursions and experience the best of it all with my parents but I'm also not even sure how I'm going to be able to get the round trip flights to get us there and back.

I've never done anything like this before and have also never been the type of person to ask for a handout but I am currently in a place of desperation because I don't know how I would tell my parents that this trip they're beyond excited for is unfortunately not going to happen. I'm prepared to have to break the bad news but if there's any way to save me from having to do that, I'm here for it. Thanks for reading my sob story. I know this is a luxury item and there are far more deserving fundraisers out there. But if I can cash in some of this good karma that I've been building up that would be great.