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Why We Chose to Skip a Trip to Save Money

December 18, 2024 Over the past year, my family has been making deliberate choices to save money and focus on our financial goals. One of those decisions recently involved my (Cory) sister’s graduation in Chicago. It was a big milestone for her, and while we would have loved to celebrate in person, we had to weigh the costs and logistics.For context, my family only has one vehicle. While this setup works for our day-to-day lives, it poses challenges for longer trips, especially when one of us still needs transportation at home. For a trip like this, we would have needed to rent a car—an added expense on top of gas, meals and possibly a hotel stay. After running the numbers, it was clear that the cost could easily spiral into the hundreds, if not more.Instead, we opted for a more budget-conscious solution. We sent a thoughtful gift and heartfelt congratulations, ensuring my sister still felt loved and celebrated. While it wasn’t the same as being there in person, it allowed us to show support without derailing our financial progress.This decision wasn’t easy. Family milestones are important, and there’s always a pang of guilt when you choose to sit one out. But at the end of the day, we’re working toward larger goals—paying off debt, building savings and creating a secure future for ourselves. Skipping the trip also gave us peace of mind, knowing we avoided the potential hassle of coordinating transportation and juggling costs.Saving money often means making tough choices, but they don’t have to feel like sacrifices when they align with your priorities. By sticking to our goals, we’ve learned that it’s okay to say no to things that don’t fit the bigger picture. My sister’s graduation may have been one trip we missed, but it’s another step toward the financial freedom we’re striving for. You might also be interested in As we wrap up our Project Money experience, we want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come—emotionally and financially—and share our journey... This past week, our family participated in a door and patio decorating contest hosted by our apartment management company. The grand prize? A $200 gift... Over the past year, my family has been making deliberate choices to save money and focus on our financial goals. One of those decisions recently involved... As we approach the end of our journey with the Project Money program, Cory and I (Je’Lisa) took some time to reflect on how we can apply the financial... Every now and then, life throws a financial curveball—in this case, it was a pleasant surprise. We received a refund from our gap insurance since our car... This week, we faced an unexpected hiccup with our insurance: A doctor charged us for a 2023 appointment because they had outdated information. It was frustrating... Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, family and of course, a feast. But let’s be honest, hosting a traditional Thanksgiving can come with a hefty price... This weekend, we decided to take a quick overnight trip to Minnesota. It was to record some music and spend time with friends, but we were determined to... This month marked a milestone for our family: It was our first month without a car payment after refinancing our vehicle through Summit Credit Union. With...
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