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Take a few MOMENTS to relax and read.
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MONEY TIP
Vacations don’t have to include Disney World or an expensive Caribbean cruise. I actually came up with 25 affordable vacation spots that include locations in all parts of the states and even the rest of the world. If you plan well, and well in advance, you can travel to some nice places without going broke doing it. And go during off-season. This is a common and obvious point, but we often forget it when planning. Off-season means something different, depending on where you’re going. The summertime is generally the busiest and most expensive time to travel unless you go somewhere that’s in off-season during the summer, like Colorado. Likewise, you could plan a beach trip to Florida just before or just after summer when the water is still warm enough to swim, but the prices and crowds have dwindled. I also wrote a guide on how to save for a vacation.
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OPPORTUNITY
To go along with the travel theme of this issue of MOMENTS, here are some tools to remember when booking travel:
- Skyscanner. Find cheap flights, hotels, and car rentals with flexible date and location options.
- Google Flights. Compare airline prices, track fare changes, and discover the cheapest travel dates.
- Going. Alerts for mistake fares and discounted flights.
- Hopper. Predicts flight and hotel prices to help you book at the right time.
- Airbnb & Vrbo. Save on accommodations by booking vacation rentals instead of hotels.
- Couchsurfing. Stay with locals for free and experience destinations authentically.
- Rome2Rio. Compare different transportation options (flights, trains, buses, ferries) to find the cheapest routes.
- The Points Guy. Learn how to maximize credit card points and airline miles for free or discounted travel.
- Nomadic Matt. A travel blog with budget travel tips, destination guides, and money-saving hacks.
- Workaway & WWOOF. Exchange work for free accommodation and meals while traveling.
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MINIMALISM TIP
This tip goes along with the money tip above. The most meaningful family moments often come from the simplest experiences—picnics at the park, game nights, beach walks, or homemade movie nights. These low-cost activities create deeper connections than expensive trips or gadgets ever could. Minimalism reminds us that quality time isn’t about how much we spend but how present we are with each other.
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ESSENTIAL READING
While you’re on vacation—sitting on the beach or on the top of a mountain—you’ll need a book to read. The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton is a fun, light, and informative book on finances. It’s a complete financial overview on all topics and it’s solid information.
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NOTION
When I first decided to climb out of the mountain of debt I had accumulated, I worked every waking hour of every day to do so. I worked full-time nights as a restaurant manager, full-time days at an auto body shop, all-day construction jobs on the weekends, and ran a paper route from 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. every morning. I still remember one of my mentors telling me that it wasn’t worth the time I was losing with my family, but I was stubborn. How many of us have had this same experience? We look back to realize that we missed much, if not most, of our children’s lives because we were workaholics. Maybe you still are. What if we teach our kids work/life balance before they graduate high school? That’s a thought, right? I get that this is often a lesson that has to be learned firsthand, but it’s also something we could teach before the cycle begins. If my mentor hadn’t sat me down and told me how he used to work too much and why it was a mistake, then I may still be working myself to death.
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TRAVEL TIP
With all of this travel talk, let’s talk about something that helps when traveling with young children. Pack a “surprise bag” filled with small, individually wrapped toys, stickers, or snacks and hand them out strategically during long flights, road trips, or delays. The novelty keeps kids entertained, and the excitement of unwrapping something new helps break up travel monotony. Choose lightweight, mess-free items like fidget toys, reusable sticker books, or mini puzzles to keep little hands busy without creating extra cleanup.
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SCRIPTURE
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Thessalonians 5:18
Closing Question
Where is somewhere you have always wanted to go but haven’t been yet? Is it time to start planning that trip?
