Some think of vacations as picture picturesque beaches, endless coastlines and blue waters. Others see a hefty price tag and think “maybe next year”. We are entering the prime summer months when travel and vacations run abundant. A recent study found that Americans spend over $200 Billion a year on summer vacations alone.
To put this into perspective. The US population today stands at around 342 million. That is around $600 per person living in America. Surely not everyone is taking vacations, so those that do are spending quite a bit.
So is this wasteful spending or do vacations enrich our lives and help in achieving our financial goals? It depends on how we look at it. Let’s break it down.
Why do we like summer vacations?
Weather – What would you prefer? Going on a walk on a warm, sunny day with clear blue skies, or on a blistery cold winter morning with sub zero temperatures? Seasonal depression is an actual thing! People feel emotionally connected to weather.
Time Away – Sometimes we just need a break. We need to get away from the daily 9 to 5 grind and clear our minds. Have you ever taken a week long trip away putting our OOO message in your work email. How did that week feel? For most people it is stress relieving!
Quality Time With Family – School is out. Kids are home. They may only be in your home for a number of years so maximize this time. Memories shared with family are priceless.
Enriching Life Experiences – We tend to remember our experiences not necessarily a place. So, think about unique experiences that can be turned into a vacation. The best part is that if we look around experiences are a abundant. They can range from going camping to visiting amusement parks, to spending time volunteering in another country!
Sparking Creativity – In order to think outside the box, sometimes we need to give our minds room to breathe. If we constantly bombard it with work, tasks, responsibilities, it can never spark the next genius idea. Work and responsibilities are important, but sometimes we need to take a break to allow our minds the to think creatively.
It is quite clear that vacations add more value to our lives than can be measured by any dollar amount. However, we still have to pay the bill at the end of the day so how do we enrich our lives on a tight budget? Here are five tips to to help stretch that dollar.
- Use Cards with Travel Perks
- Plan trips months in advance.
- Find experiences that add value to you. Don’t fall for marketing schemes.
- Plan group trips to split the costs.
- Compare prices on multiple travel sites. Often booking hotels and flights separately will be more cost effective.
These days vacations do come with a hefty price tag. But that doesn’t mean that we swear off of them, and just trapped in our everyday grind. Vacations add value to our lives. They provide a means of relaxation which on the long run probably extends our lives, as we are relieving stress. They create memories with family which cannot be priced with monetary value. They allow us a opportunity to take a break, reflect and slow down for even a short moment. As a result with vacations, we have more to gain than lose. So tell me where will you be going next?