by Beks
We really enjoyed our time off the grid last year. We got to disconnect, support local, feel some semblance of normal. As we head into the anniversary of the pandemic, we’re going a little stir crazy again. I just received notice that working from home will be extended so we’ve decided to head out for the summer.
My sister’s family has a cabin in the Great Lakes area where they spend the summers and they’ve invited us to stay with them – bonus, it has stable WIFI. Other than gas (and some added truck maintenance) and travel food, our budget won’t take a big hit. My nephew has been struggling financially from losing his job due to the pandemic and needs somewhere to stay for the short term. We asked him if he’d be interested in staying at our house while we are away. He’s got his head on straight and goes full-time to college so I have zero qualms about him staying at our place. It will be nice having someone take care of the house and he needs somewhere to stay so it’s a win-win. Plus, we have cameras all over the exterior of the house so it’d be pretty darn tough for him to throw a party without us knowing immediately.
Before we paid off our debt, we’d think of something and just do it. Go to Hawaii? Sure! Pull out the credit card! Go to Mexico? Why not!? Pull out the credit card! We’d deal with the financial fallout when we returned. We have to flip the script now that we are debt-free. If we want to take a special trip, we have to plan for it and set a budget. If we don’t, we don’t go.
My husband has been taking on a lot of day labor jobs to earn extra money in addition to his part-time night job. We’re thinking of taking our time coming home and spending some time in Voyager National Park as well as Rocky Mountain National Park. If he can’t make enough, we’ll modify our plans to fit what he was able to pull together. Living debt-free isn’t all sunshine and rainbows but it’s so much better coming home to a mailbox devoid of credit card bills.
We’re getting into that season. As you start planning for your summer vacations this year, I hope you flip your script. Budget, earn enough to pay for it, then travel. Happy planning.
Beks is a full-time government employee who enjoys blogging late into the night after her four kids have gone to sleep. She’s been married to Chris, her college sweetheart, for 15 years. In 2017, after 3 long years working the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, they paid off more than $70K and became debt free. When she’s not working or blogging, she’s exploring the great outdoors.
Any update on a possible Texas move?
Yes. I’m going to try to update next week. There have been changes to plans.