(please note, puppies are also master entertainers)
I love to entertain, I love organizing parties and developing menu’s and cocktails. I enjoy setting up the guest bedroom with comfortable pillows, throws and treats for my guests stay. I have that down to an art form. What I’m not quite as skilled at is the extended stay visitor.
Given I live 15 hours from where I was raised; when family and friends come to visit they often stay for five plus days, my parents usually staying somewhere between 7-10 days. My parent’s are also divorced, so that is two separate 7-10 day trips.
Now that Mr.Hodgepodge and I have officially set our FIRE ball in motion, we’ve been even more mindful with our visitor expenses. We have a habit of picking up the tab whenever people visit, even for short stays. My thought process is because they traveled all the way here, I should be paying for most of their expenses. This has started to come to a head because we have either had visitors, been on vacation or thrown a party almost every weekend since the end of March. We are EXHAUSTED and have spent a great deal of money over the last several months. My mom is currently visiting and I’m really struggling with coming up with fun, inexpensive ideas with her in town. Typically I would take her wine tasting, shopping and out to new restaurants. Part of the problem is we live in a tourist community and within 2-3 hours of other very touristy areas. So when people visit, they tend to want to hit up all of those activities, which can really add up.
I probably sound like a fairly boring person, but I honestly cannot come up with any other activities to do that do not cost money. I should probably mention that my mom is sick right now, so outdoor activities are not an option at the moment. We did some sight-seeing on Friday, which wasn’t terribly expensive, although I did make a few unnecessary purchases, but over the weekend we did a plethora of touristy adventures. Obviously there has been lots of catching up and talking, but I am running out of ideas. I often feel the pressure to have every minute of their time filled with fun activities.
Clearly this is not an “advice” post, I’m seeking your help now.
So tell me, how do you all entertain the extended stay visitor? Any of you live in “touristy” communities that family and friends want to visit? Do you have a well planned out itinerary for your visitors or go with the flow?
hodgepodgefinances 