My husband and I have probably overspent on travel our whole lives. We made it a priority to take our kids on as many trips as we could. Now, in retirement, we are continuing this, and will still make trips with our grandkids and our adult children a priority too. Here’s why money spent on travel is so worth it!

1. Memories are forever! Buying THINGS is a waste to me because things wear out, break, lose value, and lose their excitement quickly. Memories don’t. I love to look at old pictures of our trips, and it always warms my heart. I will always treasure these times. In fact, things lose value, but memories grow fonder and more valuable as time goes on!

2. Trips build relationships. Nothing brings people together like travel adventures. You’re together 24/7, often in tight quarters, and experiencing new places and sites together. It’s a bonding process like no other. Travel has truly brought our family together and made us closer.

3. It’s educational. You learn SO much by seeing the world, taking tours, and learning about the places you see. They say experience is the best teacher, and I believe travel brings the best experiences!

4. It teaches empathy and understanding of the world and of other people. I didn’t truly understand poverty and need until I visited some tiny villages in Mexico where people lived in tents. I didn’t truly understand the vastness and beauty of God’s creation until I experienced places like Glacier National Park and the Grand Canyon. We can’t truly understand other people and cultures until we walk a mile in their shoes.

5. Pictures don’t capture reality. I have seen SO many pictures of places in my life, but when I get there, I’m still in absolute awe. It’s SO different to see it in person. I try to take a picture to capture that awe, and I just can’t. If a picture is worth a thousand words, being in a place is worth a million. You have to see things for yourself!

6. It never gets old. No matter how many places we’ve been, there are always more places to see, and more places we want to see. There’s always something new to see or do – even the same places in different seasons!

7. It’s FUN!!! There’s something so exciting about going somewhere you’ve never been and seeing things you’ve never seen. I truly love traveling and the joy it brings.

I often hear people say they can’t travel with their kids. It’s because they’ve never given their kids the chance. My parents started traveling with me and my sister when we were young. My husband and I started traveling with our kids when they were very young. They learned how to travel well, and they always loved it. I will always treasure our family travels, and we plan to continue traveling as long as we can!

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