Provide what is Priceless

How do you get the important value of vacations without overspending past your budget? You may be thinking about summer vacation plans and feel the pressure to make great family memories. Especially as parents in this era, we can be pressured to create epic memories that have high price tags. This can be due to advertising, social media and societies’ demands.

Think back to the best memories you have had in your life, especially your childhood ones. Did they come with an expensive price tag? If not, why do you feel pressured to do that for your loved ones?

When I was growing up I remember the things that made our family vacations special. It was visiting Grandma’s to see our relatives. She lived in a small fishing village in rural Newfoundland, which had a chilly and windswept yet rugged beauty.  They lived by the ocean and I would go hiking along the cliffs. We would play cards at night; my grandma was very competitive and loved card games. Sometimes I would play marathon monopoly with my cousins. We would eat great home cooked food. I also remember having camp fires on the rocky beach. These are some of my best memories. My family would sit around the campfire telling tales.

These memories are priceless, but the actual financial cost was minimal. If you feel pressured into booking a luxury vacation, remember your great vacation memories. Did they always have a big price tag?

I go into budgeting more in my book. Here are some examples of meaningful memories with loved ones that will not break the budget so you can attain your other goals:

• Cook together instead of going to a restaurant
• Go to your local park (this is my go to)
• Go to a local area to enjoy nature with a hike or a picnic
• Bake cookies (this is my go to as well)
• Have a Netflix movie night at home, or bring out the board games  
• Utilize your library for books and media
• Take a day trip to the beach, lake or river (or whatever is around you).

Your memories with loved ones are invaluable. You don’t need to put pressure on yourself to add a price tag on them. More than anything, they probably just want to spend quality time with you. This is priceless.

What are your priceless vacation memories?

Disclaimer: This article if for educational purposes only and is not personal financial advice.