Sunday, March 11, 2018

Frugal Mindset and Some Wins

It's official that all five of us are going on the trip. I found the best deal yet for DS, non-sop roundtrip LAX to Charles de Galle for $646. He'll arrive a day later so he can work the full week before. He will have to coordinate his gigs and plan ahead for lost income.  I guess he sort of works self employed so needs to prepay himself vacation pay as bills won't stop. We had a good  discussion about planning ahead, making due, and doing without to make the trip feasible. We're all in it together.

Knowing the end game, it doesn't feel sacrificial to do without. He rarely goes out to bars and clubs, not his scene, as prefers hanging with friends at home or theirs, though will be cutting his alcohol budget-a bit. He wants to fully invest in the French and German liquid experience so will do with less now. Such sacrifice. He admitted he on route to places for work has developed a Starbucks routine. Nipping that will help build his reserves.

Wins for me this week include:

  • We had a cheap take and bake pizza and salad at home Friday instead of going out to a fish fry. We'll save that for Good Friday.
  • Stocked up on loss leaders at store, but will prorate into April's budget.
  • Ate DD2's old, but safe leftovers Thursday for lunch-tasty and saved waste.
  • Sent DD2 with snacks to a friends movie night. She's game for watching pennies too.
  • Found assorted change around the house totalling over $2.00. My change can is growing and will be a little addition to defray travel costs.
  • DD2 and I used Orbitz points from booked air and past hotel stays for a free room tonight for her college visits about 4 hours away. We're leaving soon. I'll drive home tomorrow night but didn't want that drive twice in a day. Breakfast is included in hotel but I'm packing sandwiches and fruit for picnic supper and we'll just eat lunch between visits,  and snacks on drive home. 
I'll continue to find ways to shore up our travel kitty. You all may tire of the topic, but writing about it shores up my accountability.

8 comments:

  1. You are going to Paris as a result! I am wish you, we don't eat out here so we get to go on holidays - well worth it. Someone in my life (a neighbor more than what I would consider a friend) is always jealous that we travel a lot, but she constantly pays for tickets to concerts, eating out and has a huge starbucks habit. We own a nice fully paid for car. They own 4 vehicles and a trailer none of which are paid for.....sometimes getting what you want takes sacrifice and I am ok with tiny sacrifices for the end game.

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    1. My tip, or trick at least to myself, is being in the mindset that my choices are for what I want more.The last thing I think I'll think about memory wise when I am old will be eating out overpriced sandwiches or salads on the go for lunch, coffee in styrofoam cups, or mediocre dinners out becasue I couldn't be bothered cooking. I will remember lunches with my good colleagues in our team room, cups of coffee with my girls and pup on my porch or deck, and importantly vacations with my family.

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  2. Every family sets their priorities. For some it is travel on a regular basis. For some it is special travel times amid years of other spendings. I don't need 4 cars or a trailer but I am ok with whoever does. I don't NEED the lake place but we surely do enjoy it. It will also be fine when we decide to sell it someday. My theory is that you don't keep things just because you have them. When they lose their use or function it is time to sell.
    I just wish the bulk of my travel budget did not have to be trips to see my sons. I love them but cross country travel is just a hair less than European travel, and to be a part of Pip's life requires travel on our part. The same goes for Son2. Oh well! Life is full of choices.

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    1. To each their own. I think Cheaptrick might mean the envy and jealousy is misplaced by her neighbors, but I too don't bedrudge where others put their funds if it doesn;t ipact me. I won't go down that road-I've had a few family members play the "must be nice" game. I have a feeling that once my kids have kids, we too will need to spend our ravle funds getting to them.

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  3. Great news!
    I too look around for coins and place them in the piggy feeling good for my efforts.

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    1. I'm obsessing over travel vlogs on YouTube, and my favorites are the street market and grocery stores as that is my plan for keeping the food budget in check. My efforts of this weeks saved coins eanred me two baguettes or a macaron!

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  4. I wonder how many people fritter their pennies away but wish they could travel. You are doing a good job.

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    1. I won't pretend that we havent also been lucky in the income area. I know of many people who balalnce their spending better than I and still there is not enough for travel-just doing it to make ends meet. I agree though, frittering away funds, then feeling bad about lost opportunities is not a pleasant way to be with money.

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