Forget Christmas…for many Americans who will get a refund, tax season is the most wonderful time of the year. Of course the first reaction for many is to spend it! What should you do with your tax refund?
Should you go shopping? Get an Xbox One? Save it?
No, no, and boooorrrring.
When you get that check from Uncle Sam, you could waste it at the mall in one fell swoop….or have fun making new memories in an amazing new country. Here are 7 reasons you should use your tax refund to travel.
- Get some sunshine!
This winter sucked for most people in North America. If you’re sick of snow days, use your tax refund to book yourself a nice spot on a Mexican beach.
- The ROI is through the roof.
Sure, you could invest your refund but there’s no guarantee that you’ll see any benefits from anything you invest in someone else. Invest in yourself: buy a plane ticket, book a hotel, and enjoy yourself!
- You’ll have more stories to share.
If you spend your refund as a down payment on a new car, you’ll get to tell your friends you bought a new car. Maybe you’ll give one of them a ride. That’s about all the novelty you’ll get out of that. But if you use your refund to travel somewhere new and exciting, you’ll have a Facebook album full of new photos and plenty of stories to tell your (jealous) friends about.
- Enjoy it while it lasts!
One day you probably won’t get a tax refund. At some point your income will reach that terrible bracket where you’ll have to actually pay more taxes. So live it up while you can! Take that refund you get this year and go somewhere amazing.
- Traveling never goes out of style.
Contrary to what my small closet may say of me, I really like shopping. I know how tempting it can be to suddenly have a wad of cash just in time for all the stores to put out their cute seasonal clothes. If you really need a new wardrobe, then by all means clothe yourself. Just keep in mind that while those crop tops will go out of style by August, Paris never will.
- It’s a great time of year to travel.
The holiday season is over, and the summer vacation season hasn’t yet started. This means there are plenty of deals to be had and uncrowded tourist spots to freely enjoy. And unlike fall off-season travel, you won’t have to worry about impending Christmas shopping budgets. Plus the weather is generally mild, even in the southern hemisphere.
- Life is short!
You never know when your time in this world will be up. I’m not trying to be Debbie Downer, but it’s a harsh reality that many of us tend to forget easily. Don’t waste your good days constantly postponing traveling. Consider your refund a chance to enjoy your life, here and now.
So now that I’ve convinced you to use your tax refund to travel, be sure to check out these travel resources to help you get the most bang out of your buck.
