Prioritizing trips through intelligent financial planning
Straight-up, I've always been a wandering spirit, longing for adventure and new experiences. But, as life gets messier, travel seems like a luxury that becomes harder and harder to afford. I used to manage just fine with a few grand saved from my humble pizza-slinging days, but now, managing a mortgage, pet bills, and other adult responsibilities, it feels like I'm drowning in a sea of expenses.
That's why the concept of "intuitive budgeting" caught my eye. I mean, spreadsheets and rigid plans scare the daylights out of me. I'm more of a "go with the flow" kind of girl, and I wondered if I was already, in a small way, intuitively budgeting. I reached out to my pal, Celia Roberts Hughes, a financial therapist who helps her clients understand their spending habits and align them with their values.
Intuitive budgeting is all about being in tune with your money, understanding that life isn't always predictable, and that expenses ebb and flow just like everything else. It's not about plugging numbers into a spreadsheet every month, but about being attuned to your spending patterns. You need to know your big ticket items, how much they eat up your budget, and when the little extras start adding up.
With intuitive budgeting, you learn to make space in your life and your wallet for the things that truly matter. And for me, that means prioritizing travel. Celia helped me define what travel means to me, identifying it as a meaning-maker in my life. For many of us, travel is a crucial part of our identity – a way to connect with others, embrace new experiences, and find inspiration.
By understanding the value travel holds for me, I've been able to make travel choices that align with my budget and my life situation. Last fall, we took a family road trip to Champagne-Urbana, Illinois – a far cry from sticky-floored hostels and cheap meals, but a trip that offered just the right balance of connection, adventure, and novelty.
Celia also offered some tips for managing spending on the road, emphasizing the importance of being clear about the value of the trip and the amount you're comfortable spending. She suggested being mindful of your choices while on the trip and checking in with yourself to ensure you're not overspending or making decisions that don't align with your values.
Intuitive budgeting has made it easier for me to plan and budget for travel without feeling like I'm trapped in a spreadsheet. It's given me the flexibility to make choices that honor my values, while still staying within my budget. So now, instead of stressing about big trips that seem out of reach, I dream about a year of travel – some years filled with exotic adventures, and others with cozy road trips to quaint little towns. Travel will always be a part of my life, and intuitive budgeting helps me make it a reality, without feeling like I'm sacrificing my freedom or financial stability.
- After struggling to afford travel due to increasing expenses, the concept of intuitive budgeting, which aligns spending with values, caught the author's interest.
- Recognizing travel as a significant aspect of her lifestyle, the author consulted her friend, Celia Roberts Hughes, a financial therapist, for advice on prioritizing travel inclusively in her personal-finance plan.
- Celia advised the author to understand the value of travel, make informed decisions on the road, and check her spending habits to ensure they align with her budget and personal values.
- Using intuitive budgeting, the author reevaluated travel choices, opting for a family road trip to Champagne-Urbana, Illinois, that resonated with her values of connection, adventure, and novelty, without jeopardizing her financial stability.
