All this talk about how to afford an epic family vacation and saving money and spending money…

What even is an epic vacation?

No two of us are the same. Maybe you’re not comfortable with camping. Maybe camping in the backyard is the only vacation you’ve ever known. Your idea of a vacation might be riding in the car with your kids across the country. Your idea of a vacation might be going on a 7 day cruise out in the middle of the ocean with all of your extended family. Actually, if you have kids, let’s not call any of those vacations. Let’s call them trips. CAN I GET AN AMEN? But, regardless of the terms we use, each one of us has our own ideas and visions and dreams. Our own budgets. Our own sacrifices.

Ultimately, what are you willing to sacrifice for an experience?

The Buffs? We value experiences over comfort. We’re minimizing our expenses for maximum experiences. But, you know what? YOU DO YOU.

A sacrifice could mean camping at a state park instead of getting a hotel room and eating PB&J for a week straight. Or being out of your comfort zone could mean booking a room on Priceline rather than staying at the Ritz Carlton. Or flying coach instead of first class.

Some of the best experiences we’ve ever had have come from being outside of our comfort zone. While it certainly can, a lavish lifestyle doesn’t necessarily equate to long-lasting, wonderful memories. Things and stuff don’t connect with people. People connect with people. People, together, have experiences and make memories. People make a difference.

So, whether you’re flying first class or coach, driving 20 minutes down the road, or 12 hours…what’s important is time well spent and memories well made.

Do what you can with what you have where you are (There goes that Roosevelt again, creepin’ up in my writing). Grab your tent and sleeping bags and head to your local state park for the night. Take an afternoon and step outside in the sunshine. Go to the park. Hike a mountain. Spend an afternoon at the aquarium or a museum. Stay inside, out of the cold and build the most epic fort. Make cupcakes. Have a craft day. Start planning a summer road trip or a spring break getaway. You don’t need a ton of money to enjoy this life. But, you must have time. You must make time.

Missed something? Need to catch up? Read How to Afford an Epic Vacation Part 1 and Part 2!

xo | Brooke