Financial Planning for the Dream Vacation
December 29, 2010Recently I booked a surprise vacation for my wife and me. It’s been ten years since we’ve taken a vacation by ourselves, and I thought it was about time for the two of us to get reacquainted. Now there are a couple of reasons why I’m doing this as a surprise. The first is simply because I enjoy surprising my wife, and who doesn’t like surprising someone they love. The second reason I’m surprising her with this trip is because she has trouble spending money on herself. She spends money every day on the stuff we need, such as food, clothing, and medical bills, but when it comes to spending money on luxury items like a vacation, she just doesn’t have a mind for it.
Of course I appreciate this, and for anyone who has read any of my previous blogs you know how I feel about spending money on non-essentials, but what’s the point of working so hard if you don’t set aside a little time and a little money to have fun? So if you know someone like this, someone who’s always spending money on others but never willing to spend money on themselves, here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Figure out what they enjoy most
Susan and I honeymooned in the Cayman Islands. Ten years ago we took a trip without the kids to Hawaii. When it comes to enjoyment, she likes sitting on the beach reading a book. That’s why I’ve decided to book a trip to Aruba. I’ve never been there, but I’m sure we can find plenty of warm sand for her to sit on.
If you don’t already know what that special someone in your life really enjoys, think back to those times when they seemed most happy. Where were they? What were they doing? Who were they with? Sometimes it’s just being in the right place with the right people that means the most.
Step 2: Figure out what you can afford
Just because you think they are worth a million doesn’t mean you have to spend a million. In fact, if they think you spent too much on them, they may feel bad about the special treatment you give them. Be considerate about their sensitivity to spending money, and remember that not everything they enjoy has to cost money. In his book The 5 Love Languages®, Dr. Gary Chapman describes the different ways we show and respond to signs of affection: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.
Susan’s love language is quality time, so while I know she will appreciate our time alone while on vacation, just getting a babysitter and taking her out to dinner means a lot to her too.
Step 3: Save before you spend
If your plans do call for a cash outlay, do yourself (and your spendthrift loved one) a favor and save up for the special occasion. To keep my gift a secret, I set up an online savings account and had some money deducted from my paycheck each month over the course of a year. By the time Susan and I are ready to fly off to paradise, we’ll enjoy it even more knowing that it is already paid for.