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This has been a bit hard for me to decide whether to write this or not. For those of you who have been following the blog for 5 years now, thank you! It has been so wonderful to share our adventures with you. The blog has morphed from a kind of travel diary to sharing tips, strategies, and general life lessons. It's been very cathartic at times to share the good and the not so good here in the cyber world.
The last 8 months or so, Happy Travelers has grown quite a lot. We went from a couple hundred page views a month to nearly 30,000! I don't know where all of those are coming from, but it's been amazing and humbling. It's also been great to have joined forces with Liz and to share all her stories and tips with you. During all that, life has been one happy whirlwind. I've been feeling a bit of internal pressure to keep up with a few posts a week, which I've been more successful with some weeks and not so much other weeks. As a result, I've been thinking of dialing things back a bit. I wanted to get some reader input though. I'll still post from time to time, because I love writing the blog. I'd like it to just go back to more of a hobby and less of a second job that pays nothing. So, with that, a few questions for you guys, (you can answer in the comment section below): 1. Are there any posts that you'd like to see in the future, or have been particularly helpful? On the other side of that coin, are there any topics or posts that are not very helpful or interesting? 2. General feedback please...There are tons of travel blogs out there and I'd love your feedback on this one and what you'd like to see in the future, if anything. Thank you for your support. It has made me so happy when I've received comments about a post being helpful. I really love inspiring people to travel and to pursue their dreams. And if nothing else I hope you've been able to laugh at some of my misadventures. Cheers and happy travels, Skeeter
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In case you haven't noticed all of the prematurely placed holiday items in the store...Christmas is coming! I love Christmas. I love getting gifts for people, and love finding beautiful wrapping paper and just making it as special as possible, and I know that I'm not alone.
I've posted before about"10 Tips to Save Serious Money" but that can get a little tougher around the holidays. There's the desire to do all you can for those you love, and the need to still be financially realistic about our means. I wouldn't be the first to say that the commercialism of Christmas has gotten a little out of control. For me it isn't about the money I spend or having other people think "wow, she must have spent a lot on this". For me, I just love people receiving a gift that they love, really wanted, and for them to feel loved and special. So! How can we all accomplish our goals of making our loved ones feel that holiday cheer and still save some money this year? Well, here are a few tips to help you through it without feeling like a Scrooge. 1. Make handmade gifts. Instead of spending $30 at the Gap on a scarf, spend $5 on some yarn and make one yourself. Don't fret if you're not the crafty type, there's seriously so many great ideas for heartfelt gifts that don't cost much. How about getting a special picture printed and framed? You can usually find frames for not much and the prints are pretty affordable. Or customizing a mug a la Pinterest. I know I've always been touched by the effort and beauty that goes into a handmade gift. 2. Divide and Conquer. If you have a large family, suggest drawing names for gift giving, rather than getting every person their own gift. That way everyone has a bit more they can spend on that one person they pick rather than spreading funds across 10 people. That means you and everyone is more likely to get one awesome gift rather than 10 ok gifts. This idea can be a hard sell to those who love to get gifts for everyone, but it so practical money wise and cuts down on a lot of stress finding lots of different presents. 3. Have holiday dinners be potluck style. This not only cuts down on the cost of planning a dinner for a dozen people, but also the time and logistics of making it all happen. I think a lot of people are happy to share their own special recipe for pumpkin pie or mashed potatoes anyways. It's nice to be able to all share in having a nice dinner. I often feel a little guilty when I'm over for a big dinner where the host does it all. Let people pitch in, it's a win-win-win. 4. Plan ahead. It's a little late this year, but it's never to late for next year. Plan ahead. If money is really tight, sock away a little each month/week (whatever works for you) to be able to do the holidays your way. This can just be a revolving holiday/party/wedding/birthday slush fund. That way when you find out that your best friend is having a baby you won't struggle to find a few bucks for the gift. Don't let the lack of money turn a joyous occasion into a depressing one. 5. Only spend what you have. Do NOT under any circumstances take out pay day loans or max out your credit cards for Christmas. The money it will cost you to do this is astronomical. Christmas is special and magical, but do NOT make it an excuse to be hit with crazy amounts of interest if you can't afford it. 6. Buy what you need. New tires may not seem super exciting or magical, but if you need them, consider making that your Christmas present. Think about what you NEED vs. what you WANT. It won't seem like fun at the time, but it will be a relief that that one thing is finally taken care of. 7. Make a budget and stick to it. Pick a dollar amount that you can afford. If that's say $100, and you've got 4 people to buy for, then start brainstorming $20 gifts. No, I'm not that bad at math...4 X $20= $80. This leaves you money for wrapping paper, bows, and for that few extra dollars that always seems to creep up. Give yourself room for a buffer so you don't accidentally go over. I'd also recommend getting cash and using that if you're not great about sticking to the budget. That way, once the cash is gone, it's gone. 8. Don't stress. Remember that the people in your life love you for you, not for the gifts you give them. Sacrificing your family's future stability for a big Christmas isn't what they'd want for you. You can have an amazingly happy holiday just by snuggling up together watching the Christmas Story, playing board games and drinking cocoa. If that sounds pretty amazing, then you only have 62 more days to go! Here's to having a happy holiday season and happy travels! Skeeter It would not be an exaggeration to say that I'm a bit of a cheap skate. I hate spending money, especially on things that I don't see as fun. I'd happily spend a lot of money on a trip somewhere amazing, but things like curtains seem like the worst way to spend money. Not that having curtains or furniture isn't nice, or even in some cases a necessity, but I do wish I didn't have to buy them. I blame this on wanderlust, which is defined as "A strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world." Each time I go to buy something I think to myself, "what would I rather spend this on" or "How much?! I could buy a ticket to Spain for that much!" Here are a few signs that would indicate that you're also afflicted with the most wonderful of burdens: 1. If you could, you'd spend every penny on travel. Anytime you're tempted to spend $5 on take out coffee, you think I'd rather spend that on bus fare in Rome. Or when your friends are spending a fortune buying a new car, you think, for $300 a month I could rent an apartment in Argentina. Your currency exchange rate is based on what you'd rather spend your money on. 2. You love meeting fellow travelers. You want to hear all about their adventures, swap notes, and talk future plans for your next destination. They get you, you get them, and it's a great feeling to meet people with your same passion. 3. You can't imagine living in the same place your whole life. If you could go back in time and live another life, it would be as an explorer. Staying put is not in your DNA. You want to experience as many different places as you can, and not just as a tourist but as a resident. You want to soak it up. 4. No destination is off limits. Making a bucket list is silly because it's just too long, and you're too busy making actual plans. You're up for going anywhere, and trying anything and everything. You're not just dreaming it, you're doing it.
5. Surfing the internet consists of checking for cheap plane tickets. You'll just check real quick and see if there are any cheap fares anywhere, oh wait, 3 hours has passed and you've planed a whole 3 months in Europe...sound familiar? 6. You know exactly where your passport is. You could pack up in 30 minutes and be out the door just in case #5 works out and there's a last minute deal to Peru and you know the quickest way to the airport. You're not leaving this to chance, you're prepared for all travel scenarios. 7. You'd rather get more vacation time than a raise. Most Americans have unused vacation time...not you! You've considered moving to Europe just for superior time off standards. 5 days of vacation a year, that's no way to live! 8. You're a pro at packing. You could manage two weeks anywhere with just a carry-on. You've got to be free to roam and not chained to 60 pounds of luggage. Need to hop on a bus, a train, a scooter? No problem you've got this! 9. You don't understand people who don't like to travel. It's like not liking dessert or rainbows. How could anyone not love traveling? Your brain can't compute it and you treat them with a bit of suspicion. 10. You wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, it consumes a lot of your time and money, and you couldn't even start to make a 5 year plan, and that's exactly the way you like it! Happy Travels! Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
December 2016
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