Mental Health Matters: Spend wisely this summer

By Amy Becker on July 13, 2019.

abecker@cmha-aser.ca

How many of us want to get away, go camping, or see the sightss? Most people do but they need to budget to enjoy the little extras in life. If you are one of those people, and want to be economical, there are many ways to do so.

To start, you can begin with a financial plan or budget for you, while you are away. This plan might be for one event or the complete trip, it just depends on how prepared you would like to be for your vacation. You can begin by planning any meals you may have while you are out. How many days will you be gone? What types of activities are you going to be doing while you are there? Are there any free activities that can help your budget? Be sure to plan a trip or vacation that interests you and your family.

Researching your summer plans is a great way to be financially responsible when planning a vacation. You can look at renting a space versus a hotel, find a place with a kitchenette so you can buy food and cook at home, instead of eating out everywhere you go. Creating your activities and using the space around you can also be a great way to enjoy your trip. Be spontaneous, an example could be, set out a map of your local area, close your eyes, point, and go. Make a trip out of the area you chose from the map.

If you can price the trip, you would give yourself or your family an idea of how much to save for the trip. Make sure to account for some money for pre-spending for items such as a passport, if leaving the country, travel insurance and or any seasonal items you may need like a bathing suit or different footwear.

Be prepared and have a budget in mind. If people don’t plan or budget for their trip, they typically over spend and use credit cards or debt to ensure they can still go on their vacation. If you are planning to use credit or a loan to take a vacation, remember to have a strategy for when you return to begin paying off the debt. Remember to try to have fun, take something away from the experience, and to create lasting memories that you and your loved ones will cherish for years to come.

If you are interested in learning more about budgeting, please call me at Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Southeast Region office at 403-504-1811 ext. 101 or email abecker@cmha-aser.ca or visit us at 204, 1865 Dunmore Rd. SE, or online at http://www.cmha-aser.ca.

Amy Becker is the financial administrator with the Financial Administrator program at Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Southeast Region, located at #204, 1865 Dunmore Road SE, Medicine Hat.

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