The Danger Zone | brokeGIRLrich
There are lots of things about traveling that are dangerous to your wallet – tons of hidden fees, the cost of eating out, trinkets and souvenirs – but I think the most treacherous part of the travel is the danger zone.
The danger zone starts 3-5 days before you leave, when vacation mentality starts to set in.
Your groceries start running low, so you instead of picking up more, you start eating out. A lot.
You run out to CVS to pick up a travel sized shampoo and leave with $25 extra of make-up and nail polish to get ready for the trip.
You hit the mall for a new outfit to bring with you.
And not one of these things was budgeted for as part of your vacation plans.
Trust me, I’m not immune. Just the other week I was at the mall picking up a pair of slacks and a nice top for a job interview, but it was right before I left for FinCon.
I went there specifically to pick up those interview clothes, but hit 4 different stores and in every single one, I brought way more into the changing room with me justifying that I would wear it at FinCon and it was only a few bucks – after all, the summer clothes were all on the Clearance racks now.
As I stood in the changing room thinking that, I became aware of what I was doing and thought “crap, I’m totally in the danger zone.”
You think I’d be more aware of it since I realized the danger zone existed in the first place as I grabbed my second take out meal of the day last Monday (although I highly recommend the lobster rolls at Luke’s by Central Park – just as good as Maine). I stood there forking over $20 for lunch I wondered how the heck I got there. And my lobster roll wasn’t nearly as satisfying as it would’ve been if I went there on purpose rather than grabbing lunch there because I was lazy, ran out of bread and hadn’t packed any.
Personally, I try to add a 10% buffer to my travel plans, but I don’t think danger zone purchases really fit in that (drinking too many Hurricanes, which, BTW, are straight from hell, is what that sucker is for).
I think the best way to fight the danger zone is awareness.
So many of those purchases just happen without a second thought (seriously, there’s a bottle of nail polish that I did grab at CVS that I was then to busy to even put on. Nailed it. Literally. Except not). Awareness is half the battle.
Another option, if you know you’re really prone to it, is to add it to your travel budget. The same way I always buy a magazine and a bottle of water in the airport (because it keeps the plane in the air – seriously – ok, maybe that’s madness, but superstition is superstition). Since I always buy it, $20 are added to the budget for the flight there and the flight home.
Maybe decide that vacation “starts” one or two days early and add the amount for eating out to that. Maybe you know your car is going to drive itself to the mall whether you do it consciously or not – so add $30 for a new shirt or something to that budget.
Or just use some self control… which I am sorely lacking at times. Especially so this line doesn’t become the story of my credit card balance:
You’ll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go
Also, is this stuck in anyone else’s head now?
Have you guys ever noticed the danger zone phenomenon?
P.S. The danger zone is apparent 1-2 days after the trip as well. I need to go to the freaking grocery store already :oP
No need to be a Maverick when preparing for travel, just cool down and be an Iceman while getting ready for the trip. Sorry couldn’t resists. 🙂 Total agree we have gotten caught up in pre-travel spending, best thing I think you can do is realize what you are doing and try to avoid the pitfall.
Brian @ Debt Discipline recently posted…We’re Debt Free!
HAHAHA!!! That was INCREDIBLE!
We always budget for over-budgeting…if that’s possible and makes sense. I’m probably worse than my wife as far as falling prey to the danger zone. lol. I have a tendency to spend too much time at outlet malls and shoes store. I’m a sucker for nice suits, sports coats and fancy dress shoes. I have to plan ahead for it when we travel and go shopping or I’ll overspend every time.
Kalen Bruce recently posted…Why You Should Always Read Your Insurance Policies Carefully
I definitely tend to nickel and dime myself in these situations more than anything else, but it’s really irritating to look at my credit card bill and be like “WTF? Where did that extra $70 go?”
Now I have this song in my head and will all day. I think we are all susceptible to danger zone decisions and self awareness is definitely a key. I recently went food shopping hungry and knew that I was headed into the danger zone, but it was the only time I could go. As I started thinking about purchasing snacks I never purchase and wondering if kielbasa would be yummy to make, I called my hubby and told him to talk me through the store and force me to only buy what we needed. I made it out unscathed, but if I was not more aware, I would have gotten into big trouble.
Shannon @ Financially Blonde recently posted…Attention to Details Pays Off
Hah, I love you called your husband. Talk about the buddy system. I definitely buy really weird things when I shop hungry… and it’s usually not even good.
It’s funny the danger zone is disguised as pleasant and inviting places. I guess they forget to put the caution “danger zone” signs out at the malls.
I couple of weeks ago I hit a debt payoff milestone and wanted to reward myself with a new watch. As I was trying on the watch I realized I would rather have that cash go elsewhere. So I escaped the danger zone. Great post!
Ced @ Fuggingdebt recently posted…5 Critical Ways Having Debt Impacts Your Fugging Life
Congrats on the escape. I’d say I catch myself about 95% of the time if it’s not food related and like 30% of the time when it is… at least a sandwich is less of a financial regret than a new shirt.
I eat anything and everything so it’s tough for me in the food department. But I have made changes especially how I grocery shop.
BTW I shouted you out in my latest about saving money on groceries. The supermarket can be a danger zone also if you let it.
Ced @ FuggingDebt recently posted…7 Fugging Ways to Lower Your Grocery Bill
I’m definitely guilty of this happening to me. We cleared out our fridge so that we wouldn’t have any food waste right before FinCon. Well, we did a little too well and had nothing to eat the two days before we left!
Michelle recently posted…How To Become Financially Stable and Keep The Job You Love
I love that term for it! I think the Danger Zone was the worst this time around… the longest vacation I’ve taken since right after college. It’s not only bad for my wallet, but also my waistline! 😉 I’m not sure how to completely avoid it.
Carrie @ Season It Already! recently posted…Day Block Brewing
Yes! I’m totally familiar with the holiday danger zone aka deliriously-happy-and-don’t-care-anymore! I would do the drugstore run and come out $100 later. Sheeesh! Thanks for giving it a label. I’ll be more on the lookout for it when I go on my next holiday in 2020! #neverholidayingagain LOL
debs @ debt debs recently posted…Travel Cheap: Went to Paris, Skipped The Louvre
LOL – by the time you do holiday again, you’ll be such a #pf pro, you’ll breeze through all the danger zones!
Now it’s stuck in my head!!! Darn you, Mel!! I’m like you though – I always buy a water bottle and something else at the airport. I really should just bring an empty water bottle and save some money, but I ALWAYS forget. Maybe making lists would help?
I’m going on a trip in two weeks though… so thank you for the reminder to be careful 🙂
Melissa @ Sunburnt Saver recently posted…7 Steps for Surviving a Flood in Your House (Financially)
You can bring an empty water bottle through security, but it seems like a hassle to me. I’d rather pay the $5 and bask in my pre-danger zone budgeting.
Oh yeah, especially at the airport. I’m like fuck it, it’s $15 but I’m hangry!
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life recently posted…New York City Is As Expensive As You Want It To Be
Airports and surprise opportunities kill us. The 10% idea is a good one. We always justify by saying “when are we going to be back here again?” So we jump ahead and do it. I almost always need an couple of hundred dollars extra each trip because we end up doing something we didn’t plan whether it’s speed boat races, swimming with sharks, or something else. Super fun, but just would have been awesome to plan on instead of just blowing out the budget.
Lance @ Healthy Wealthy Income recently posted…There is No Such Thing as an Emergency Fund
Great way to use the title of your post to tie into a great movie. LOL. Yes we all have those little expenses associated with travel, just ask yourself before buying any of it, if it is really worth it before the trip. If it is and you need it then get it. Thanks.
EL @ Moneywatch101 recently posted…Can you Define Happiness?
So funny! This is exactly what happens in our family, times 5. I’m frustrated by it every time. Probably a good idea to put it right in the budget, but I wonder if I’d just go over the budget anyway? (BTW, Hurricanes: right up there with anything served in a fishbowl. I gag at the thought.)
Sarah Day recently posted…Asleep or awake?
I had the most horrible fishbowl experience a few years ago… I still don’t think I’m ready to drink another one.
Ahhh…now I’m going to have to put the movie on my to watch list while Hubby travels this week … might as well utilize the damn cabletv while he’s gone 😉 … I stay out of Target for the exact reason you gave on CVS … never fails, I walk in for ONE thing, grab a big red cart (out of habit) and 30 minutes later the cart is full and I’m realizing what I just did. Sucks to put everything back but proves to me that I am an impulse shopper at Target.
Oh gosh, Target is 100X more dangerous because they’ve always got such awesome stuff! The candle section is like kryptonite for me.
Good to know I’m not the only one who experiences this! My past trip was noticeably bad. I convinced myself that all the food in my house and any food I bought would go bad over our 11-day trip. We ate out way too much because I didn’t want to go to the grocery store! Silly, silly me.
I’m surprisingly good about not spending at the airport. Though for some reason, every time I have to go to the airport, I have an urge to buy a Cosmo magazine.
Kate@GoodnightDebt recently posted…My Painful Money Mistake
LOL That is totally the magazine I buy every time. And then I half feel like a pervert reading some of those articles next to like 70 year old ladies or businessmen.
How did I miss this?? Helloooooo val kilmer!
This is all true. I often end up buying tonnes of new sunscreen and what not, which gets super pricey, super quick.
Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…Easy Tricks To Eat Cheaply During the Work Week
I can’t believe how expensive sunscreen is! You’d think something so vital to avoiding cancer and major burns would not be $10 a bottle for a few applications.
The danger zone used to apply to me 3-5 days before I moved to another apartment (I moved a lot!). I couldn’t bring myself to buy any groceries since I’d be moving anyway, so I’d end up eating Chinese and pizza for days at a time.
DealForALiving (@DealForALiving) recently posted…Jamba Juice $10 for $15 eCard
I hear you! I just moved and I ate out so much last week it was ridiculous.
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