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Image via WikipediaWe tend to plan them pretty far out as we have to save up to be able to take them. Even the dog shows are planned out anywhere from a year to a month ahead. Part of the reasoning for that is because of entries closing, but mostly that’s how we are. At the beginning of the year, we block out the shows we want to attend so we can co-ordinate with our respective companies taking vacation and plan which dogs will be entered where. We often have to wait until the premium list comes out (usually about 6 weeks before the show date) to finalize those plans as if the judges don’t suit that particular dog, we have to shift around, but it usually works out OK. Sometimes we plan to attend our National Specialty which is a once a year event and is a week-long one, so that takes some extra planning and coordination.
For our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, my husband and I planned out (and paid for) much of the trip nearly a year ahead of the date. We wanted it to be the perfect celebration for a special date in our lives and it was! We had a great time in Las Vegas!
We’re already thinking about where we want to go and what we want to do for our 30th. I’ve always wanted to go to Europe, England specifically, so think we’re going to go there. While it may be five years off, there’s quite a bit of planning to do! I have to get a passport (something that in this day and age takes a bit of time to accomplish), get visas for the countries we want to visit and decide if we want to just fly over or schedule one of those European cruises. We both enjoyed the Bahamas cruise we took on our 20th anniversary and Ken would like to take another cruise, so that may be just the ticket. I would love input from you guys on things we should see and places we should visit. Right now we’re planning for at least a week long trip.
Most people plan their weddings, but have you planned your funeral? While we’ve certainly discussed this, we have not taken the steps to plan this event out. My mother on the other hand, has hers completely planned and paid for. I’m thinking Ken and I need to get on the stick about this, too. It’s rather comforting to know that when my mom dies, I won’t have to worry about planning and paying for her funeral and burial. It will be sad enough without all that. We need to give that same peace of mind to our kids.
We didn’t plan the birth of our kids, but I’m reading where more and more couples are. I think that’s a good thing up to a point. By planning for a child, you make sure you have the basic expenses covered, and are ready mentally and emotionally for the added responsibility.
Planning for education is pretty common, too. Usually it’s the parent planning for their children, but when you’re my age, and need or want higher education, I have to plan for myself. It’s not quite as easy as it is when you’re a teenager entering college for the first time. Something that struck me when investigating getting a second degree was the return I could expect on my “investment”. The degree course was going to cost over $30,000. I had to ask myself was I going to recoup that cost in the years left to my retirement. Was that a reasonable question to ask?
While we don’t live in a part of the country that is subject to very many natural disasters such as storms, flooding or earthquakes, it still makes sense to have some plans in place in case of the worst. When I lived in Florida, we had staples stored for hurricanes and when I lived in California, having similar things available for earthquakes was taken for granted. Living in South Carolina, I have not planned for any disasters. Am I leaving myself open for trouble?
What other things do you plan for? What’s the furthermost out you planned for something? Are you like me and despite the best planning, still manage to forget something? What do you suggest I do to prevent that?
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Tags: birth, California, death, education, Europe, funeral, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Nevada, planning, South Carolina, United States, vacation
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July 31st, 2008 at 7:00 am
We try to plan ahead as it makes getting everything done efficiently and affordably easier when you have 3 kids. While we don’t have our final wishes paid for yet, we do know what we each want in regards to that. Disaster struck here for the first time, and we learned about a few things we may need to consider planning for….though WI does not usually get severe weather too often.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:51 am
Enjoy your vacation. England would be too expensive…. ANyway, i plan to go back to Asia, but since European nations/locations are so nearby, i guess i take this opportunity first. Greece is my first target.
No much planning for me and lovey. Only luggage. We always go like wanderers but always end up satisfied and thrilled.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:46 am
Mama Bear — with 3 kids, I guess planing for stuff is pretty much second nature! As for the final journey plans, we don’t have them set in stone, but have discussed our wishes with each other.
Webbiestuffs, Hopefully in 4 years, things will be back on a more even keel economy-wise, so won’t be quite so expensive to go to England.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Plan? Is that a real word? Sometimes I know where I want to go and I usually figure out when I can go but I only plan things out when someone else is along who needs to have a plan. I prefer to just go and not even be sure which day I will be back.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:10 am
Laura — it’s a four-letter word just like “work”
Being spontaneous has it’s virtues, too especially when it comes to fun!
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I’d like to plan a year in advance but that seldom happens in reality. I’m an instant gratification kinda gal so most trips need to be booked, planned, and implemented in 4 months or less, on trips like Vegas, a month kinda thing, when I’m in a gambling mood I’m in that mood right now.
My favorite traveling is cruising and we have a 15 night Panama Canal coming up this autumn which I can hardly wait for, that was planned about 6 months in advance.
We cruised from San Diego to Hawaii roundtrip for our 30th wedding anniversary.
I think the next cruise might be to Australia and New Zealand.
We always purchase travel insurance as I’ve personally known a number of people who got screwed out of many thousands of dollars because they had to cancel a cruise.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:20 am
I plan out quite far, too. For my cruise in October, we got the flight and the cruise booked in January. I love to plan and get excited for trips!
As for dog shows… I used to enter a day or two after they opened. But now that I do it a lot more, I tend to wait. And later in the year, as it is now, I enter later and later. I think I’m a bit tired of dog sports… but that’ll all change after the winter break!