For the holidays this year we decided to opt out of the consumerism and travel stress and instead have a peaceful week at home. We want to visit family, but we’re saving a ton on plane tickets by traveling before and after the holidays instead of prime travel season. Due to my upcoming mini-retirement, my wife and I have had to be extra budget-conscious recently. Foregoing a paycheck for two years requires some lifestyle changes.
Gifts
My wife and I decided to not give Christmas gifts to each other, instead focusing on spending quality time together. Staying at home for the holidays gives us a chance for one-on-one time before I leave for my multi-month thru hike. For family and friends we focused on homemade gifts, namely wood burned ornaments, herb blends grown in our community garden, and baked goods. Not including postage, we spent a total of about $70 on gifts this year, mostly for the craft and baking supplies. It’s not that we want to be cheapskates; we chose to invest our time into the gifts instead of our money. Mini-retirement means I’m poor in cash, but rich in time. (I personally think that unique handmade gifts are more special anyway).
Cozy evenings at home
This is our first house with a fireplace and we absolutely love it. It makes other activities like reading or playing a board game feel like a real occasion. It also happens to be cheap entertainment. We both love to read on our Kindles in front of the fire, using the library to check out books for free.
Other Low-Cost Entertainment
- Learning to play piano. Last year my parents gifted me our family electric piano. I have rudimentary piano skills and my wife is a complete beginner. We’re both enjoying learning to play. Incidentally, research shows that playing music has a positive impact on both brain health and emotional well-being. As a career musician, sometimes I lose sight of this, but learning a new instrument really activates my brain and is a good challenge. (Cost = Free).
- The beach. It’s not exactly swimming weather, but the beach in the off-season is lovely place to go for a walk and spot dolphins. (Cost = Free).
- The gym. I never before would have considered working out as entertainment, but now that I don’t need to take the Army fitness test for over two years, suddenly it feels like less of a chore. Though you don’t need a gym membership to stay fit, I think my gym membership is one of the best value-added subscriptions I have. In addition to the weights and cardio equipment, I also have access to a pool, hot tub, and sauna. My $33/month membership feels like a steal. Sometimes I go just to use the hot tub. (Cost = $1.10/day).
Intentional Choices
I’ll admit, I’m usually not a fan of the holiday season in general – the unnecessary stress, consumerism, and excess. This year I’m loving a more relaxed approach. Though money is tighter these days, nothing about our Christmas staycation feels like a sacrifice.
I think this lesson applies more broadly as well. When money is tight, you have to make very intentional choices about how to spend it, thus forcing you to reflect carefully on what matters most to you. The work-consume-work cycle is the norm, but there are a number of people who are choosing to take a step back from the vicious cycle, especially in the post-COVID world. There are many ways to do this: you can take a mini-retirement or an early retirement, you can embrace a more minimalist lifestyle, or you can simply cut back on your work hours. Trade some of your money for time, and unlock a more fulfilling life.
Recommended Reading
Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas
by Bill McKibben, 1998