by Hope
Today begins my kid free two weeks. Sea Cadet left for his job at the summer camp in VA last Monday. And I will drop Gymnast and Princess at summer camp this evening.
This will be the third summer since I had kids that I have downtime like this. I have so many plans. My to do list has grown by leaps and bounds as I have contemplated how to use this time.
Economics of Summer Camp
The cost of the kids’ summer camp has been discussed several times. Now it is here. And the cost is so worth it to me with just the thought of this down time. (Parents of teenagers will be understand this. Teenage angst in full affect in our home these days.)
But I also know that at this point, this will be our last summer of camp. Princess has already started applying for jobs and will be old enough to attend college classes at the local community college next summer. And Gymnast? Well, we are not sure what his immediate future is going to look like.
I am budgeting $50 for my two weeks to give me some fun money. But in reality the weeks are going to save me money.
- No gas costs. I don’t anticipate leaving the house much at all. This is huge, especially when you consider my gas costs has been more than $100 a week for the past year.
- I am continuing to list things for sale – antique cameras, schoolbooks and crafty items. Hopefully, I’ll get some sales with more time to focus on this on-going project.
- Work, work, work! In addition to project work that I’ve picked up. I have a new business opportunity that I will be putting in some time on this week (more on that soon.) Specifically, I will be hitting up local businesses and networking.
Me Time
The daily stress of the last year has been overwhelming, especially the last few months. And while I think we have turned the corner, the burden has been rough. Single motherhood, single income households and big moves are definitely not for everyone.
I am planning on some quality me time this next couple of weeks. And I am doing it for free, these are my plans:
- Giving myself a manicure and pedicure using the stuff I bought a couple of months ago.
- Read, read, read. I LOVE to read. My library card is in working order, and I can check out books online anytime. Or go get some.
- Scrapbooking! I have fallen way behind on the kids’ books. I have had the pics printed for years (literally.) I am determined to get some updates done with the craft supplies I have on hand.
I think all of us need these next two weeks. And I’m grateful the camp is already paid for. I think a break from each other, our crazy schedules and the daily grind will do us all good.
Are you getting a break this summer? Do your kids participate in any summer camps? How do you get some downtime?
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
Enjoy your alone time!