Somewhere on the North Coast
I have been very fortunate over the years to travel to some fantastic spots both in Australia and abroad.
I have just returned from a family holiday on the NSW North Coast. Coming from a surfing background I won’t reveal the exact location of our secret spot but after getting away from the stress of the daily grind I had a light bulb moment. But first let me set the scene.
We were staying at a friend’s fibro beach shack, which was a stone’s throw from the beach. To borrow a line out of the movie Crackerjack… it was still in its original 1972 condition. We spent our days swimming, surfing, exploring, playing cricket, reading books and lazing about. Each day was a routine based around the activities and eating food cooked on the BBQ or out of the Esky.
The light bulb moment came when I got home and I realised that, for possibly one of the best holidays I’ve had, we spent no more money over the 10 days than we would have if we had stayed home. Yes, it definitely helped getting the accommodation for nothing, other than some elbow grease… we did a bit of a spring clean on the last day because my friend’s extended family were spending Christmas there. But that said, we were surrounded by families holidaying in cheap tents with very low daily rates.
It left me thinking, yes it would be amazing to have the money to travel the world and stay in 5 star accommodation everywhere you went but you can still have a cracking holiday in basic digs on a shoestring budget. Enjoy the festive season and spend the money if you have it but if you don’t then think of how you can have just as good a time at a fraction of the cost.
Just by way of finishing off, it’s also good to remember the impact of social media at this time of year. The photos and posts can make it look like everyone is having a much better time than you but you’re not seeing the full picture. Yes, some lucky people will seem to have it all but most will only share the very best moments on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram … five seconds later it could be all going pear shaped and you can bet that photo will never be posted!
Merry Christmas and wishing you all a very happy, safe and prosperous New Year!
Blog post written by James Noone, Head of Sales & Marketing at Financial Advice Matters