Years and years ago when my wife was still my girlfriend, we wanted to get out of town for the night. Our main headwind was that we didn’t have a ton of money, which left us few options. After a few days of searching, my girlfriend found “The Get Away Package.” It was an overnight deal at a 200 year old historic Inn about 30 minutes from where we lived. Not exactly the out of town we wanted, but for $75, you got to spend the night, a $30 gift certificate to dinner and a continental breakfast. SSSold!
Fast forward to our getaway…the dinner was delicious, the floor of the room was perfectly slanted and the continental breakfast was the leftover muffins from the buffet the night before. We were not just the only guests that night, but the only living souls in the entire Inn to sleep there! So many stories, laughs and memories came from the glamorous Get Away Package that we went back every year for years.
This story, to me, represents what makes money so difficult. In some situations, it’s the amount of money that makes a decision wise or unwise. Even though the price tag was right, spending only $75 on a big trip out town could have ended up being a regrettable mistake. In other situations, it’s the timing of when you’re spending it. Finally, what I believe to be the most important lesson is that in the best situations (get ready for the corny ending) it’s not how much money you spent or when you spent it, but who you spent it with 🙂
Spend wisely with friends and family this weekend. Happy Friday!