Living your desired life despite my budget

Funny how life works….

When growing up I was encouraged to think about and work towards the lifestyle I desired. The funny think about that is, everyone has you thinking your lifestyle will be based upon making a lot of money. And com’ on let’s face it, everybody isn’t going to be a millionaire. So does that mean I can’t experience anything from that lifestyle? The thought of that makes me slightly upset. Especially since I spend way too many hours at my current place of employment.

The end of my marriage has really got me thinking that life is not as guaranteed as it may seem. Everything could be gone at the blank of an eye or a late evening discussion. So maybe, just maybe I should covet my experiences more than my possessions.

But how do I achieve these experiences that make me happy on my budget? I told myself that I was going to have to be a little bit more savvy. Refine some of my rules.

First Tip: It is okay to travel and do things by myself. For a long time I thought I needed a partner. Couple years ago Amaretto and I discussed doing this with baby steps. First the movies, then the café/restaurant, a concert and eventually travel.

Second Tip: Be open to making new friends. Having friends all over experiences so much more memorable. Almost all of my friends went their separate ways after college and as busy as I am I try to keep in touch. Keeping touch with an old friend from way back then always presents an opportunity for a new experience.

Third Tip: Don’t pass up an opportunity because it is not the way you originally envisioned it. I always thought my first trip to Morocco would be my honeymoon with the husband I had not found yet. Silly me, because my ex-husband had no interest in visiting that area of the world. (chuckle) And at the time, tip number one was a no go so I just resigned the thought of ever travelling there. Fast forward, a few years later, I found a artists trip that a budget friendly. Blessing.

Fourth tip: Be generous, courteous and easy going. I try to be generous, courteous and easygoing on my visits. Vacations should be fun and no one wants to feel anything less that happy and excited… that goes for everyone. Stress destroys an experience in a minute. Leave stress at work.

Fifth tip: Be creative and brainstorm to overcome your problems. A big problem for me was my dog. Who is going to watch my little J-diva. It is a little unfair to ask friends and family every time. And paying for her to stay at a kennel that I deem acceptable is WAY too pricy for my budget. So when I heard a studio mate of mine house sits on the regular for her friends as getaway from her room mate. I instantly thought, this could be a win-win for both of us. She could stay at my place and watch Java for half the price of the kennel. So far so good…

Overall I have decided that I am not going to limit my experiences based on my budget. If I want to be an avid traveler, I have got to get in the habit of doing that on a shoestring budget. Making more money should improve my quality level… like from coach to private jet. (chuckle)

Much luv until next week… peace :)