Planning my Trip

Elegant design featuring a clock gear and a vintage crystal in a wonderful barrel shape.

I don't have another show until July 22th, so now I finally have a few minutes to rub together I need to spend time planning the family vacation.  Nothing huge this year, just going to St Louis for a few days to relax, antique, and try what apparently is one of St. Louis's delicacies.. butter gooey cake.

Hotels are booked ( all on points yeah!!!!) and now I'm planning out activities.  I have friends ( Hi Cathie ! Hi Sue!! ) that make fun of my planning style , but my family loves it.   Our ideal trips incorporate hotels booked in advanced and 1 to 3 planned activities daily, with lots of time left unplanned to have some spontaneity - or just relax in the hotel if we are all feeling low energy.

I budget the trips, but I do so in a way that no one else has to worry about the $$ but me, and I always build in a healthy cushion just in case something kewl shows up.   I also save up money through the year, so when vacation time rolls around, I don't have to scramble for dollars.

 I have a total dollar amount that can be spent each day, and as long as we don't go over that, we can spend as much as we want to.

We have 1 hard rule when the BarronMiller's go vacationing.. we always know where we need to  be at the end of the day to sleep.

This means I usually spreadsheet the $ and the activities and print it out for the trip, though the last trip I just used my cell phone to track everything, and that worked great.

That way everyone has fun, I don't have to worry about over spending, and I always have a pillow for my head at the end of the day.  And I don't have to worry about a huge credit card bill when we get home.

I don't understand why anyone would want to take trips and not plan !!!!!