My recent emergency trip to Juneau was less than ideal. I like to savor travel! I want to plan it far enough ahead that I can anticipate it, and take full advantage of the opportunity. Short notice leads to waste.
We had no particular need for a trip to Juneau, other than to have my eyes examined for possible injury. We weren’t short on any goods that are unavailable locally; we had no must-see theater movies, no terminally ill friends or family. Conversely, I guess if I had to travel, this was the time.
I shopped enough to find most of a very short list. Interestingly, a few items I sought because we can’t find them in Haines, I couldn’t find in Juneau, either. In many ways, Haines is almost as well stocked as Juneau, and, with a few notable exceptions, prices are generally comparable, sometimes even better.
I didn’t get to it all, which from a frugal perspective is a good thing. There was one movie I would like to see on the big screen, but not enough to sacrifice other activities. I didn’t get to browse the used bookstore, but that’s more window shopping than a purchasing stop. I didn’t have enough luggage space to stock up as much as I’d like to on some items. I reconsidered and put back several items. It made for an inexpensive trip, perfect, since it wasn’t planned.
As always, I owe the trip’s success to friends. With one day’s notice, I stayed at an old friend’s house. It couldn’t have been a good time for a drop-in. Grandma was there when I arrived, and a sister and her family came the next day. Still, they made me part of the family. Surrounded by their calm, loving presence calmed my anxiety in the hours before my exam.
In a way, I’m disappointed to have been forced to travel. Each year we depend less and less on Juneau. Last year, we made one trip, coinciding with travel “outside.” I’d hoped to do as well or better this year. I’ll go through Juneau to reach my college roommate’s wedding, and won’t waste that opportunity. I’d thought that might be the only one, although I haven’t checked the megamovie release schedule for the holiday season . . . .
For a collection of our frugal thoughts and practices, check out More Calories Than Cash: Frugality the Zeiger Family Homestead Way, our new eBook—exclusively (and inexpensively priced!) from our website!