Summer is still far off and everyone is predicting a recession is on the way. I do feel for the American farmers who are not selling their soybeans, and the energy sector workers who have lost their jobs, and the federal employees who had to suffer through a partial government shutdown. I don’t envy anyone being in those positions. But most of us are still earning money even if the majority of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. As a father I have to think about what we’re going to do when the kids get out of school for the summer.
That summer vacation is all important for the whole family. We get to spend quality time together unlike most other times of the year. And we can take a neat trip that is impossible when the kids are in school. My wife and I both work in the “gig economy” now so our time is more flexible. But let’s be honest here: we plan our lives around our children, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Each year brings new challenges on the vacation front. And I don’t mind saying that when you live a freelance lifestyle, you watch your bank account closely. I read a lot of articles about what to do for vacations every year. I liked this article from last year. I found it after we took our trip but I bookmarked it. For Spring Vacation I think we’ll try the “visit local venues” idea. Instead of letting the kids run loose with their friends all day long for a week, we’ll take a mini-stay-at-home vacation and go see some nearby landmarks. I just need to make sure they aren’t scheduled for any school trips this year.
The family vacation is an all-important ritual for modern families. I’m sure some families can’t afford vacations but I hope everyone finds a way to get away from home for a while. We all need a change of scenery. It’s nice to find articles like CNN’s 27 tips for saving money on family vacations. Who doesn’t want to save money while traveling? One day I’ll have the perfect road kit and travel plan. I guess we’ll be retired by then, but I have to work on it a bit more.
And if there’s one thing I know, the kids are always more excited about trips that feel like an adventure. I was thinking about suggesting we take a haunted vacation this year. The Website makes it sound exciting. But I’ve watched enough reality ghost hunting shows to know the kids won’t want to spend all their time on haunted house walking tours. We’ll have to mix in some other venues for variety.
The idea is to get away from theme parks. Yes, everyone loves the rides and candy but theme parks are outrageously expensive. If we have to cut back on our income later this year we’ll have to cross a theme park off our list of places to go and things to do. Sure, we can try to save more money to live on, but there is a limit to what we can put in the bank no matter how hard we work.
And that is why, here at the end of February, I’m thinking about where we’ll take our kids in June. If we don’t have a plan in action by May we’re in trouble. So may all your vacations be fun and your travel be inexpensive. If not, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
