The Family Nest Egg by Laura Meier

Author:Laura Meier
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2020-12-03T00:00:00+00:00

Vacations and Special Occasions

Life is meant to be enjoyed. As a busy parent myself, I sometimes forget that.

We’ve all heard the expression that we should stop and smell the roses. But as we get more and more focused on reaching our If Life Were Perfect goals, we should not forget to enjoy the journey. There should be a sweet spot between money flying out of our hands and holding it too tightly while racing toward the finish line. That’s where budgeting for those fun things in life, like vacations and special occasions, comes in, along with enjoying those simple everyday moments.

My clients Ben* and Sumina* are in their late thirties and have already hit some big financial milestones. They do not have credit card debt, they paid off their cars, they paid off their student loans, and they are paying down the fifteen-year mortgage on their home. They left their desk jobs and are both self-employed, providing them the flexibility they longed for to spend more time with their growing kids. So why were they at odds when we sat down to discuss their finances? Sumina wanted to take a vacation and Ben thought it was a waste of money. She not only felt hurt but wanted to understand what the point of working so hard was if you couldn’t enjoy any of it.

How many of us have argued with our spouse over how much to spend on a vacation or special occasion, or to have one at all? How many of us feel guilty inside when we splurge on vacations and special occasions, even when we are financially on track? There always seems to be an expense or investment for which money could be better spent. I think of my client who was strictly focused on building wealth and securing his family’s future, only to have his wife pass away in her fifties before enjoying the vacations and special occasions they intended to enjoy one day.

While some of us feel that vacations are a waste of money, research shows that they are imperative to our overall health and success. Taking a break can lower your stress, lessen the risk of heart disease and other health problems, boost your mental health by providing you a better outlook on life, and improve your relationships. Surprisingly, taking a vacation results in your feeling more motivation to achieve your If Life Were Perfect goals!32 It’s no different than refueling your car, or recharging your body by getting a good night’s sleep. You can accomplish far more when you stop to enjoy these well needed breaks.

Planning and enjoying a special occasion can also bring health benefits. It can foster a sense of gratitude as we celebrate the special people we love. From birthdays, to holidays, to graduations, to anniversary and weddings, all these occasions can remind us how blessed we really are. We deserve to celebrate ourselves, too.

We parents should have something to look forward to, especially when our days are long. Research shows that planning a trip can bring you more joy than the actual trip itself.

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