Over the weekend I went to a cabin in riding mountain, Manitoba. It was fantastic.
My family, along with some of our family friends made plans for this trip and travelled together for the weekend. We planned on having dinner at the cabin, going to a concert and having a bonfire later that night. Then going to Clear Lake for the day the following morning.
Naturally I packed a couple of bathing suits because I had anticipated spending a lot of time in water. I budgeted for gas and food for the trip.
When we got to Clear Lake I discovered that we were going to rent boats, paddle boards and kayaks. I had not planned for this. They all cost upwards of $25. I was a little hesitant to accept to do this but everyone else was eager to go so eventually I did too. I enjoyed myself tremendously but there was that little nudge in my heart that would not let it go. I should have planned better for this trip.
Next time when I go on vacation I want to make sure that all our plans are set out clearly. Because unplanned expenses are the reason I struggled with debt to begin with. I am learning to spend only what I have but that does not mean I cannot enjoy my vacations. It just means I need to be a better planner. What I should have done is ask in advance what we were going to do in Clear Lake and budgeted for that accordingly. I probably should have also mentioned to my group that I was traveling on a fixed budget.
When in the company of others it’s easy to get carried away. I am a people pleaser which makes it so much harder for me to say no to things. I am a work in progress.
Note to self; ask more questions, include activities, food and miscellaneous in the budget, be open about how much I am willing to spend and stick to it.
That being said I had an amazing time out there. I thought I should share some pictures.
