Spending The Stimulus Payments

Steve and I get our 2nd Pfizer shots in less than 2 weeks. That's when we start to really make our plans. It's not that we haven't been talking about how to spend it, and by "it" we're talking about the $600 each from the last time and the proposed $1400 each proposed for this spring. That's $4,000.

We're lucky. Being on SS, our income hasn't changed due to Covid. Our expenses have, however, due both to getting more things shipped and all the purchases related to fighting our bug infestations this last year.

I read a lot of (political) blog commentary from people who say they personally don't need the funds but intend to send them to a struggling family member or local food shelf or pick-your-charity. That's nice for them. I already manage a variety of regular contributions on a modest level, and don't feel guilty about not sending more. Struggling family members do get some assistance, again limited by our own needs. That's not what we plan for the proposed influx of funds.

The money won't be saved beyond the time it takes to devote it to what we are planning, supporting a really struggling portion of the economy: tourism.

We didn't travel at all last summer. Even for only a fast trip to Minnesota, during the three-day dash each way of 1800+ miles, motels, gas stations, and restaurants would have gotten our business. We'd hoped to take longer and see more. Covid and sense kept us home. Our immunizations will free us from that restriction. Another factor is looking at how each is aging and what we're able to do, with how we're less able as each year passes. So this year will be our last year's thwarted plans... on steroids!

The idea is to start earlier, stay longer, visit more places, spend more comfortable nights in slightly to unavoidably-much-more-than-slightly more expensive lodging. Start by traveling with a dog again, cost goes up. Add staying near or in more National Parks, and hike the cost again. Even as economically as we live, this takes a bite. At least the hatchback is economical, still getting 41 mpg on the freeways.

This may be our last big trip. Walking becomes increasingly difficult for Steve, and we both acknowledge the likelyhood of flying him back and forth in the near future. Ultimately, in order to even see our families, we may have to sell here and move back north, something I - we - shudder to contemplate.

To make the most of it we both have pretty decent cameras,  a bunch of SD cards, and lots of space on our laptops to store photos. Rich can help Steve get some needed software on his laptop for working with them, cropping and whatever. We can relive this trip with photo-enhanced memories for the rest of our lives.

That's a pretty good investment for our stimulus, right?

Just a further note: morning national news revealed a survey indicating a huge percentage of Americans are planning much the same thing this year, adding a week to their vacations. We better lock in those reservations quickly, I think. No more seeing which of 3 cheapo motel locations have an opening for the evening, depending on how far we are wiling to drive.