Talk about money before vacationing with friends — or regret it later

Hey, remember that Palm Springs trip your friends always talk about taking but never put on the calendar? It's actually happening. And while that upscale hotel sounded divine over 1 a.m. nachos, some people are worried for their wallets now that trip planning has truly begun.

Varying expectations kill weekend trips. Different income levels, spontaneous add-on activities and not budgeting add stress to what's supposed to be a fun getaway. Yet we tend to avoid financial conversations with friends because they're uncomfortable, even though they'd make everyone more comfortable in the long run.

"We really can't talk about money without talking about the emotions of money," says Becky White, founder and chief executive of . "A lot of people aren't used to being upfront about where they're at and