Tag Archives: vacation

Penny Spa

11 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by in Fun, Health and Food

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Earlier this week my wife and I celebrated our thirteenth wedding anniversary – with a stay vacation all week! Yep, a whole week off work with no wasted time traveling, crowds or traffic, seedy motel rooms, or bad food. Our town is already like a vacation destination and has tons of great food establishments. Plus, our house is very cozy and just right for hanging out. We are close by to parks, trails, and a short walk to downtown.

A definite highlight of our week was our “penny spa” on Saturday, thanks to our nine year old daughter. I don’t know how or why she came up with this idea, but she warned us a few days beforehand that she was going to do a spa on Saturday for us. Then, the night before as we were tucking her into bed she said, “just twelve more hours until your spa!”

img_0312Saturday morning she had everything ready to go; soothing “rain forest” music from the internet, a gooey rub-on mask for facials (smelled like glue!), cucumbers for our eyes, treats (from a paper menu), foot massages, back massages with karate chops, neck massages, hair brushing, and our favorite magazines. My wife got forty-five minutes worth and me, a half hour. I told our daughter that I would tip her and she asked, “why?” She only wanted a penny. Pretty sweet, huh! We’re living the good life for sure.

At lunch time it only seemed fitting that we take her to our favorite gourmet pizza place. Then we went to our favorite French pastry shop. We topped it off with some impromptu shopping and found some bargain deals on a few of her favorite toys.

It was one of those “smelling the roses” kind of days that don’t come around often enough and, when they do, go by all too quickly. Come to think of it, the entire week went by way too fast! That seems to be life these days – weeks, months, and even years slipping by faster and faster. But so glad we got this sweet moment!  In fact, a mystery is this: If we were immortal with nothing but endless time, we might long for it to be limited for a while so that we might better savor the moment. Penny spa is that wish come true.

The majority of the world’s best thinkers, leaders, servers, fighters, and artists throughout history are mostly forgotten. Yes there are ruins, writings, and now the internet as if to reach eternity. But there is no vast remembrance of innumerous real greats from ages gone by. Still, the effect of so many of them continues, showing that our magnificent efforts in life are not just about our one short blip in time. Let’s make it count beyond us.

Nothing Like a Thrift Store

09 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Debt, Growing Wealth, saving money

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So many stories from people who have actually gone from rags to riches can be summed up with this simple truth:  They don’t have to use thrift stores because they use thrift stores.

my millionBut it’s easy to think, “If I were rich, I’d do this and buy that and travel there…”  But would you really?

Oh yes, if you suddenly won the lottery and or came into a surprise inheritance you probably would spend it like there’s no tomorrow.  That is what usually happens with “easy come” money.  It’s becomes “easy go.”  The reason for this has to do with one’s behavior with money.  If your behavior with money has kept you broke, then even if a pile of money is thrown at you, you’ll soon return to being broke.  A wise proverb says “A dog returns to its own vomit.”

On the other hand, if you actually scrimped and saved and planned your way from rags to riches, then the money choices you made along the way will likely stick as part of your character and remain even after you get there.  Why would you go through all the trouble to become wealthy, having learned the tricks to do it, only to blow it all away carelessly?  You wouldn’t, because the tricks become engrained.  The actions become you.

What actions?  Well for starters, things like this:it's paid for

Check for bargains at the thrift store, yard sales, want ads and Craigslist even though you can afford to buy new.

Drive an older paid for car even though you can afford to buy any new car.

Take more modest local vacations even though you can afford to fly to Hawaii or anywhere else.  Better yet, throw in some stay home vacations.

Refuse to buy anything on credit, with the exception of your home (and only then if you have at least a twenty percent down payment).

When you go out to eat, go out for lunch instead of dinner.

Rent a home instead of buying until you’re sure you can afford it easily on one income.

Rent stuff that you don’t use frequently (like that pickup truck to haul an occasional load, tools you only need once in a while).

Don’t collect stuff.  Instead, downsize and sell off everything not used on a daily basis.

diversifySave as much money as you can, and invest it in diverse things.

Read books on how to win with money.

Take diligent care of your health.  It will save you a bundle when you’re older.