infographic

Steps to Your Perfect Summer Vacation

Steps to the Perfect Summer Vacation #Infographic

May is almost over and many of us are looking forward to our summer vacations. We don’t have a big trip planned this year, but our summer is still jam-packed with activities for the girls, short trips and plenty of beach time. Beyond fun and relaxation, vacations provide plenty of teachable money moments too.

Vacation Money Lessons for Kids

Here are a few ways for you to teach your kids about money during summer vacation.

Since many of you have big plans for the summer, I found this great infographic to help you plan the perfect summer vacation. I encourage you to invite your kids to be a part of the vacation planning process and to take advantage of the teachable moments.

Steps to Your Perfect Vacation #Infographic | www.EatLaughPurr.com
Have a great weekend, everyone!

Shannon

The Heavy Purse Store is now open! My new downloadable Money Club Workbooks are now on sale. Each workbook provides five targeted lessons to help you raise Financially Confident Kids. Please check them out in The Heavy Purse Store.

May 30, 2014  •  28 Comments  •  infographic

Leave a Comment

Comments

  1. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    My son actually recently shared that he wanted to go to Italy one summer on vacation. So we sat down and talked through the costs and the monthly budget it would take to make the vacation a reality. He now knows that Italy is a little longer term than he was hoping and is now more appreciative of the Cape Cod trip we are taking this summer.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Love that you sat down with your son and talked through the costs. It's really important that we do those things with our kids. Now he has an understanding that vacations whether Italy or Cape Cod have a price attached and that Mom and Dad work hard to afford those trips. We do the same with the girls, especially with our big trips, so they understand why we save so diligently for them. They are expensive! But worth the wait and saving for.
  2. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    Neat infographic Shannon! We're planning a trip to San Diego this summer and it has been fun involving the kids in it, especially since our daughter is old enough now to start understanding more about saving and having a goal to work towards, By her getting excited about the trip it just naturally folds in saving now so we can enjoy the trip later. Have a great weekend Shannon!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Thanks, John! Your kids will love San Diego! Love that you're including your kids in the planning process. It does make it a lot easier for them to understand why you can't buy them other things when they understand the family is saving for a big trip. You have a great weekend too, John!
  3. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    I had no idea about the whole cache thing! Very interesting. I'll be around all summer doing the "staycation" thing...but look where we live. :)
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Exactly, Tonya! We really can't complain. Most people would love to staycation where we live! Have a great weekend - it's going to beautiful!
  4. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    My mom always used to give me money on field trips to bring back something from the gift shop. This was actually one of her less than great money lessons. Unless it's something I'll wear regularly, like jewelry or display on my wall, like artwork, it all winds up being clutter I need to eventually get rid of.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      That's definitely one of the tricky parts about trips … if you're not careful you can end up with lots of clutter! I have to say our girls gave us a good lesson last year when were in Spain. We offered to buy them a souvenir and they declined because it wouldn't make them happy long enough for the price. Sometimes it's the kids who are the teachers. :) Have a great weekend, Stefanie!
  5. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    Ahhhh! Summer vacation. Great tips and I'm digging that infographic! Hopefully I'll make it to some sort of beach destination this summer. I could really use at least a week to lay on a beach and relax!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Thanks, Addison! We are definitely beach fans and are looking forward to spending time there this summer. I hope you find a week to soak up the sun and relax at the beach. :) Have a great weekend!
  6. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    We do not have a big vacation planned either, but this makes me anxious to plan (and save!) for one next year. Great info-graph you found. It is a great reminder that a vacation does not mean you have to throw all caution to the wind, but you can still allow for some spontaneous items. (Also, I shared your Money Happiness post today! - loved that one) Thanks for what you do!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Thanks for sharing my post, Stacy! I appreciate it! Yes, you definitely need to allow for a little spontaneity during a vacation … sometimes that is when the best moments happens. Have a great weekend!
  7. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    That's a fun infographic. I think infographics can be overdone but I like the graphics and information on this one. I don't have a Summer vacation planned, but we may be going to LA at the end of August for a couple days for a friends wedding : ) We also are headed to Hawaii in January! We have plenty of time to plan but I definitely want to leave a few days to just hang out on the beach and be a bit spontaneous.

    Hope you have a great weekend!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Yea! Your free trip to Hawaii! And in January - I'm sure you and Victoria will be heartbroken to leave Minnesota for sunny and warm Hawaii. :) We like to have a full agenda when we travel but we also make sure to live some free time for whatever moves us. Have a great weekend, DC!
  8. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    That was a fun infographic. Not sure if we'll be doing much traveling this summer...it seems tough with a little one. He'll probably be a year old. We probably will do some road trips to visit family...always head up to Boston for my grandmother's birthday and might go to Buffalo/Niagara Falls since my brother-in-law lives there.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      When our girls were babies, we cut back our travel too. It's hard when they are that young, unless Mom and Dad can slip away for a few days on their own. :) Sounds like you have some good road trips planned and I'm sure Grandma would love to see her great grandson! Have a great weekend, Andrew!
  9. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    A trick for all those who want to come to Disneyworld this summer- while annoying you can score free tickets to the parks by attending an 1.5hr timeshare showing. You just have to be firm to say NO- the kids normally have a free arcade to play in while the parents get whisked around to look at the property. The salespeople are typically super pushy- but it can save you $400.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Ah yes, the old time-share trick. Like you said, it can be worth a couple hours of your time as long as you can remain strong and say "no". :) Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Julie! Have a great weekend!
  10. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    I think one of the best things I love about Cali is that we live in a vacation spot year round, so staycations are just as much fun as going elsewhere! I agree about exploring local customs to foreign places, as well as trying to see what the exchange rate is and what typical prices are like. We thought Chile would be inexpensive, but found it comparable to SD prices (though at least we maximized our funds in Argentina). I hope you have a wonderful and memorable summer with your family, Shannon!!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      So true, Anna! We are fortunate that staycations are definitely not a punishment here. :) We love exploring new places and I'm so glad the girls feel the same way! Have a great weekend, Anna!
  11. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    Cool infographic and you guys are so lucky to live where you do. Close to so many popular tourist spots like the beach, Disney, Six Flags and Universal Studio - all the things I did when I was there on vacay. Heck if I lived there now I would only do staycations :-)

    And I love the idea of kids saving their money for stuff they would like to buy while on vacation. That is so important.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      I honestly can't complain. There is so much to do and see. You really can't be bored! We are big Disneyland fans and it's a popular destination for us, especially when we have friends visit. Having kids save for their own souvenirs is great. They are typically excited to go so they don't mind saving their money and it's fun to help them figure out how to use it. Have a great weekend!
  12. Friday, May 30th, 2014
    Excellent infographic. My perfect summer vacation is one that I can have over and over again!

    Something I like to do is make one camping/staycation prep trip to Walmart at the beginning of summer. I stock up on hot dogs, smore stuff, replace any gear, and make sure I have some big tote containers. I live in the Seattle area, and can bomb away on a camping trip as soon as I close my computer on Friday afternoon. In fact, it's about that time!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Friday, May 30th, 2014
      Sounds like a great staycation to me, Brenda! Seattle is the perfect place for camping too. Have a great weekend!
  13. Saturday, May 31st, 2014
    I like the idea of sharing your budget with your kids. I think if they see the rationale behind why parents may be cutting back in certain areas in order to have that great summer vacation, kids can connect with that. It also could motivate them to be more frugal as well, especially if they know they can truly contribute to something of interest to them, like a nice summer vacation.

    I remember attempting to fill up my little piggy bank many times when I know there was something I was interested in saving for. Thank you for sharing.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, June 2nd, 2014
      Exactly, Nate. Kids may still not like hearing "no" but at least they now understand there is a valid reason behind the "no". I know for my girls when we would remind of our vacation, it made a huge difference. They would get excited about the trip and it wasn't hard to get them to put the toy back on the shelf without making a fuss. Kids are definitely far more open to saving when they know what they want, which is why we make a big deal about setting goals.
  14. Sunday, June 1st, 2014
    Great advice and cool infographic. Even during the vacation because you have a lot of 1-1 time with your kids is a great way to discuss day-to-day money decisions and slowly let the concepts settle in. Personally, I used to love driving vacations for that matter because there was lots of 'talk time' and otherwise the kids would just sleep.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, June 2nd, 2014
      I agree, Deb. Casual conversations are the way to go and they take in far more than we often realize. And yes, we should take advantage of the "talk time"!
Shannon Ryan SHANNON RYAN, CFP®
  • Meet Shannon

    "As a Certified Financial Planner, it is my passion to help individuals and families build a healthy relationship with money. I look forward to helping you raise financially confident kids.” - Shannon Ryan