Spring Break: how can we make the most of it without draining
our budget?
In short
- Even if you don’t have the budget to go skiing or take a trip to Cuba, you don’t have to feel bad. You have the right to respect your budget and save up for your summer vacation. Explain your point of view to the children and make sure to emphasize the importance of saving.
- Additionally, all the specialists will tell you, you don’t have to spend a lot to have fun. What’s essential is spending time together and breaking away from the routine. Often, doing too many activities can cause stress. Spring Break is all about taking a break!
- Happy times are often created from simple things like eating marshmallows while watching a movie, or sharing a good laugh while playing a board game.
- Also, many outings are affordable or even free. Do your research!
You find out that the cousins are going skiing for a week in the Laurentians while your best friends are flying to Cuba for an all-inclusive. This is pretty frustrating when your budget can’t offer the same kind of thing. Even if the pressure is on and your kids are asking why you can’t go away too, don’t feel guilty. We don’t have to go away for all of the vacations. Instead, take this opportunity to have a family meeting and explain why you prefer to save up for the summer vacation. After all, we can’t have everything in life!
And especially, make them see why it isn’t always necessary to go far away and spend a lot of money to have a good time. What counts is to break out of the routine and pause the frantic pace of everyday life.
Time, not money
As parents, we often tend to want to organize tons of activities for our kids. But a full agenda is pretty much always synonymous with stress and huge expenses. Why not just stay put and learn how to not do anything? Give yourself some time to rest by planning a few activities, but not too many. What’s important is not to do ten thousand things, but to spend time together. So, learn how to…take a break! After all, that’s what Spring Break is all about!
Family memories are created by simple pleasures like earing marshmallows and enjoying a hot chocolate after an afternoon of tobogganing or skating; or even, by watching movies all snuggled up on the sofa all evening long, then camping out in a tent in the living room. The older kids will also like playing cards or board games late into the night. Because that’s what vacations are all about: no more routine, going to bed and getting up when we want, forgetting about homework and obligations, and lazing around all day if we want. This is especially the case for kids, but it works for parents too.
Properly choosing outings
As for outings, there’s no need to blow your budget. Many are inexpensive or even free. Skiing or snowshoeing, a surprise snowball fight, going to the local pool, exploring a nature park and mountains nearby will please everyone. If it’s too cold to be out, museums and interpretation centres can also be a great outing. All have original and fulfilling activity ideas for children of all ages at low prices or even for free.
And if the kids get bored from time to time, it’s not the end of the world. On the contrary! They will learn to develop their imagination. You could also plan on going away for a few days instead of the whole week or do day trips. It’s up to you to find the right formula that will not break your budget!
In all cases, we wish you all a happy Spring Break, well within your budget!
Online budget
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