You’re sitting at the kitchen table budgeting that family vacation you have been wanting for years.
This year WILL be the year, you tell yourself.
You talk with your significant other and dream up the possibilities:
Disney, Grand Canyon, the Bahamas, a cruise? The list goes on.
Your heart skips a beat. This is the year you’re ACTUALLY going.
You’re tummy is swirling with excitement.
Disney it is.
You make the phone call.
The agent asks how many people, how many days, and when?
As the pause fills the space connecting you two, you’re doing a happy dance.
The agent gets back on the phone and tells you the total for the flights, hotel, and tickets to the park.
You hear the amount and feel your heart sink.
You feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach.
Your shoulders are so tense that they’re up to your ears.
You say okay, but feel like a robot.
You have no idea how you are going to pay for it.
All of the excitement starts to ball up into frustration…a familiar feeling.
I know this scenario all too well, because I’ve been there.
But what if I told you, no matter where you are right-this-minute financially, it is possible?
How would it feel to not only go on that family vacation, but pay cash for it? How would it feel to create memories you will never forget with your family?
Five years ago, I couldn’t even pay my student loan bills, let alone plan a TRIP away. (You can read more about my story HERE.)
But we found a way.
These past five years, we’ve been on multiple mini trips and, even better, paid cash for all of them.
How, you may ask?
We were purposeful about where we put our money.
Some call this a money plan, or a budget.
But to many, the word budget feels yucky, stagnant and dull.
However, Webster simply defines a budget as “the amount of money that is assigned to a particular purpose.”
I want to help you re-frame your relationship with your money.
Budgets are not designed to constrict you.
The purpose of having a budget is to give you clarity on what you value most in your life.
So, let’s talk about that purpose.
I want my daughter to live a different life than I did (especially when it comes to continuing her education.) I want to live simply and have gratitude for the things I have in my life, while providing a variety of experiences for us to do together.
My husband and I want peace of mind without needing to live paycheck to paycheck. We desire to truly live in financial freedom so we can give back to the world.
With an understanding of your values, you can begin to plan your money more efficiently to enjoy the things you desire the most.
Your family vacation IS possible. Here’s how you start preparing for it:
- First Establish: What are your values? What are the things you treasure you the most? When you ask yourself why you’re here on earth, what comes to you? What is the thing you want most in life?
- Then Dream: Where do you want to go?
- Finally Plan: Create a money plan that allows you to set aside the money you want (and need) to go on this trip. Tuck it away. I would suggest a savings account labeled ‘family trip.’
You can do this. I’m cheering you on, Mickey ears and all!
Virtual High Five
