The calendar says summer, though in the midwest it is wet, foggy and cold. I have polar fleece and wool socks on, for real! The temperature doesn’t feel like summer but the spending does! It’s week 2 of being home with my daughter, and things feel a little more financially disorganized than usual. Exhibit A: unplanned trip to Michaels Crafts today = 15.00. Now, on one hand, I am happy to do it as my daughter has been working tirelessly in her room on “world crafts.” On the other hand, too many days of living it up will show up in the ol’ budget at the end of the week.
Last summer I had the purse-strings cinched a little tighter as we had an expensive vacation to Santa Fe and the need to save for our exterior renovation project. This year we have many smaller items we are budgeting for, but nothing forcing us to really push hard and save like mad. Honestly, we have spent so many years pushing hard on big goals, that it feels kind of strange to be without them. So this summer I am trying to find that balance between spending money on worthwhile, fun outings while not getting to the point of ‘I forgot to make a meal plan so we have to go out to eat…’
Last summer I also struggled a bit in the transition to being home full-time. See ‘Summer Time, Is the Living too Easy?’ Curiously, I wrote that almost a year ago exactly! This confusing state seems part and parcel of adapting to summer vacation. For today, I have my crafting kid singing away in her bedroom (with a sack of feathers and beads from Michaels…) and I am off to prepare dinner at home using ingredients on hand. That’s the balance we strike for today.