What brings you the most joy in life? What do you love doing?
For my husband and I, our love is travel and adventure. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area where there are thousands of miles of hiking trails and breathtaking beauty in all directions (from Napa, to the redwoods, to Monterrey to the Sierras). We love it all. We used to do most of our exploration and travel via tent camping. This was an affordable way to do what we love.
Then we were blessed with our daughter Bailey. We took her tent camping at 6 months old and it was awesome. Then we went again when she was 2 years old and it was rough. She was so excited about the whole adventure and didn´t sleep which means we all got sick. Plus as my husband and I get older, we are less enthused about sleeping on the ground or an air mattress. So we started using hotels and Airbnbs for a few weekends away but it was expensive for mediocre accommodations. We got kind of stuck.
Until our trip back to Buffalo to visit family in the summer of 2021. Since we didn´t visit during 2020 due to COVID, we went for 3 weeks. For all of my Buffalo readers, you know. This family and friends crew spends all summer camping in massive RVs and trailers. Since we were there for 3 weeks, we got to join in on 2 of their trips. I don´t know why but this sparked something in me. Scott and I could buy a trailer. Not a 55 foot trailer but something just big enough for us to sleep, cook breakfast and have a bathroom.
So we did.
We bought a used 14.5 foot trailer that is small and perfect. Also looks ridiculously tiny next to some of the giants at the campgrounds but has exactly what we need.
This purchase has been the best because it has allowed us to live our dreams of more travel and adventure. Now we go once a month to some of the best travel spots in the Bay Area for a fraction of the cost of a hotel or Airbnb. We have also taken the trailer on longer trips like a week in Joshua Tree and 2 weeks beach camping in San Diego.
The other joy of the trailer is the ability to leave it packed and ready to go. We make sure the trailer is always stocked with the basics so we just have to pack our clothes and a little bit of food. This makes our weekend trips so much easier as it significantly reduces the prep work.
What brings you joy and is there a creative way to make this your reality?
Our dreams are not the same but maybe there is a creative way to start realizing your dreams sooner than you thought. It is worth a thought.
Disclaimer: I am an educator, not your personal financial advisor. Please make sure to do your own research before moving forward with any actions discussed in this newsletter.
Know that all investments involve some form of risk and there is no guarantee that you will be successful in making, saving, or investing money; nor is there any guarantee that you won’t experience any loss when investing. Past performance does not guarantee future performance. Always remember to make smart decisions and do your own research!
