Tag: budgets

2020 is the Year of the Staycation

It is Funday Monday! The week of July 4th is usually a relaxing time for most families as it is usually a short work week with fireworks, cookouts and maybe a long weekend.

COVID is disrupting normal summer travel plans with many vacation trips being cancelled.  We need look at alternative ways to enjoy the great outdoors this year. Better yet, with some preplanning, you may be able to do it in an inexpensive manner as well.

As with everything that has hit us these last 3-4 months, this week may be a bit subdued. Just because you cannot take your normal vacation does not mean you cannot dream about what you would like to do. Better yet, with some preplanning, you may be able to do it in an inexpensive manner as well.

Do we all agree?  2020 is the Year of the Staycation!

Begin researching what there is to do in your hometown, county, state and region. Even better, look for no-cost or low-cost forms of entertainment.

Since we need to factor in social distancing, I recommend looking at outdoor activities. Alltrails is a great website or app that lets you search by zip code, town, state, etc. I entered my zip code and it gave me a list of 68 places to go take a hike! 68!!!

Not every location will have that many options but it is a start. You can also search for your state or national parks in your areas.

Let’s start brainstorming how you can fit one into your plans. This is a great way to practice some self-care. Focusing on your mental health is so important right now and engaging with nature will help counteract depression and anxiety.

After you pencil in your destination, let’s plan your budget. Food? Housing? Transportation costs? Entry fees? If you can keep it to day trips or one night stays, even better!

Remember that you are not going to go into debt for these mini-trips. Plan your budget and when you have the money in hand to take your trip and can cover all costs, then away you go!

Visit our Resources page https://whoistakingcareofyou.com/resources/ for the Plan Your Trip Activity worksheet to help you begin the planning process.  

Happy Trails!

Woman daydreaming as she looks at a beautiful sunset.

Aligning your financial information

DeStress Your Life With Newfound Financial Literacy

It’s Monday so you know the drill. Eat less meat, go for a walk, practice some selfcare and watch a rerun of your favorite Star Wars episode!
We will need the force to be with us as we move in the direction of exploring the financial side of our lives. Why did I include financial literacy on the Facebook poll? Did you know that financial stress is one of the top reasons that relationships have issues? Financial stress also impacts your personal well being. A few examples are listed below.
  • Anxiety/depression
  • Panic attacks
  • Guilt
  • Weight loss
  • Weight gain which can lead to diabetes
  • Denial
  • Inadequate sleeping patterns
  • Harder to control your blood pressure

Over the last 30 years, I have spoken to so many women who are at a loss when it comes to their own finances. Not because they are being lazy but because they either relied on their partner to ‘take care of all of that’ or they feel overwhelmed about how to get the financial information that they need.  Financial literacy had not been a priority.

Either way, I feel that it is crucial for all of you to become financially literate so that you can take control of your personal finances and have a say in how your money is spent. You need to be in a position so that you can walk away from a toxic work environment or a toxic relationship.

So I have a homework assignment for you for today. Put on your favorite episode of Star Wars and gather all of your banking account information, pay stubs, and all of your bills while you are watching it. Put it all in one stack and we will begin working our way through a simple process so that you can organize the information and make a plan for how to ensure that you fully understand what is in front of you.

“This is a new day, a new beginning.” – Ahsoka Tano