In this new day and age of budget-consciousness and money-under-the-mattress scenarios, many people are ruing past purchases. Did I really need that mink coat? Did I really need to add that $50,000 game room to my house? With apologies to our struggling U.S. automakers, did I really need to purchase a Hummer when a Honda would have been sufficient, not to mention more energy efficient?
Now, Jane, being the cautious type, has bought none of the above. Jane, you see, is not an accumulator of stuff, but rather of experiences. While she rarely spends her hard-earned money lavishly, when she does so, she does so on travel.
As you, dear reader, ponder your list of past shopping regrets, let Jane pose a question. Have you ever regretted money spent on travel? Would you trade those memories of hiking the Cinque Terre or taking the kids to New York City for the first time for the money it cost to obtain said memories? With 20/20 hindsight, would you ever want a refund on the money and memories that went with that romantic trip to Paris or that wild rafting trip down the Colorado River?
That's the thing about money spent on travel. While you may have nothing tangible from a trip at the end of the day except for a few tacky souvenirs, Jane would say the intangibles that stay with you--the fun you had, the bonding that took place with your travel partner(s), new perspectives gained on the world and your place on it, most often make travel money well spent.
So, as you set your budget for the upcoming months, don't automatically consider your summer vacation as an item with which to dispense. Sure, you may need to shorten the number of days you go away. Or you may need to stay within the borders of the U.S. instead of going overseas. You may need to drive instead of fly. But especially now, we all need a little break from the depressing reality that is the economy. So, turn off the television, shut down the computer and take that vacation this summer. You'll be building equity in memories, which is of far more value than the pay-off from any other investment you will make during the next six months.
