We just got back from a week of visiting friends and family in Indiana, and we’re ready to pick up blogging again! The vacation was a big financial burden. The majority of the spending felt unavoidable. Unexpected expenses kept popping up along here and there, and i could feel the costs adding up in the back of my mind. the spending even felt kind of manic at times. I hate that out of control feeling! Even if money meant nothing to me, I would still hate spending $100 on airport parking and 15$ on crappy airport food. These are the kinds of things that push me right over the edge!
That said, it was a truly refreshing trip. I had been working around the clock billing clients and trying to finishing up as many projects as I could before we left and not realizing the incredible toll it was having on my overall wellness and my relationships. That sounds cliche, but it’s inescapably true. Over the week of vacation, I could feel my whole body and mind relax for the first time in a LONG time. On the last day, I was finally able to set aside the insistent budget thoughts, kick back, and enjoy time with my family.
It was not only relaxing, but eye-opening to spend time with our friends and family. Although they are all busy, each person was incredibly generous with their time and resources. The important people in our lives have every level of income, from $12,000 a year to millions. All were welcoming, shared their homes and lives, shared food and games and money and clothing and exchanged support for the challenges we are facing. Their generosity showed me that it is not about income or debt, rather, its a willingness to share what you have. When I feel overwhelmed by our budget or our debt looming overhead, I start hoarding money and time. I start feeling sorry for myself. its easy for me to forget that giving and sharing isn’t about money.
I think having debt and being on a budget makes me more grateful for the things we have and the things we ARE able to do. I see how easy it would be to think too much about what we DON’T have, and what we aren’t able to do… but it is much more rewarding to think about all the things we CAN do with our little bit of green. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work and make a living in Texas. There are many people that don’t have that blessing. I am also feeling very grateful that we were able to travel at all. I never want to take that for granted! Did you have a good holiday weekend? Are you feeling stressed about how much money you spent?
*Quick blog update* We plan to share our debt this week, and also share a bit more about budgeting and debt repayment as a team.
Welcome! Looking forward to reading through your plan and seeing your numbers! We are near the end of our journey – about 8 months till our snowball is paid off!
I agree that having a budget help ease some of the worries about money and missing out. We know that within our budget savings/401k, bills and some family fun are all included. We are thankful for the things we have and know that there are a lot of people out there with a lot less. $100 on parking is a little too much for me I would had one of my friends drop us off. And airport food is just as expensive as movie theater food. They really make their profits.
The parking wasn’t quite $100. But we booked out of Dallas instead of Austin because tickets were $150 cheaper. But by the time you include gas, extra meals, an extra hotel night, and airport parking, we think we didn’t actually save much.
I feel your pain! We have a small airport here in Augusta, GA that charges much more for straight fare tickets than if we fly fron Charlotte, NC or Atlanta. Usually, the increased fare is worth not driving 2 + hours either direction.
Once, when I was younger and dumber, I took my first trip to England. It was also my first solo trip abroad. This was before banks began charging exchange rate fees on ATM withdrawals and purchases made abroad, and the f/x rates were supposedly better than what you’d get at the money exchanges. So I decided to wait until I landed in London to get cash from the ATM.
Oops.
It turns out that when I had made a change to my accounts a week before I left that the primary account tied to my ATM card became NOT my main checking account, which had the larger balance, a much, much smaller checking account that had $10 in it. (Long story on that – a result of bank mergers and moving around.) So I got an “insufficient funds” message when I tried to get cash. And because it wasn’t my bank’s ATM, I couldn’t pick a different account.
So…. In London, with no cash, I ended up committing a personal finance sin. I took a cash withdrawal on my *gulp* credit card.
OUCH.
Since then I make sure I have enough USD on me to exchange either at Boston Logan Airport or wherever I’m landing.
Traveling definitely racks up the expenses.
Airport food, luggage, etc.. I live in San Diego and NY, but all my family is in NY. We go to visit family a few times a year from CA. I have to pay for the dog, my baby, and wife. It costs several thousand every trip, but at the end of the day it is worth it because I get to visit family.
I could skip the entire trip and save the money, but then I cannot see my family as much.
At the end of the day I work more hours and extra hard at my business. If you want to live a life where you can take trips, have fun, and spend money, you just have to work harder than the average person.
Plus taking nice trips and spending time with family is a tension break. Rest allows you to work harder and smarter, making more money in the end. So take the trips because they are well worth it.