Red Hot Mamas In Charge of Change.
By: Red Hot Mamas
Published: June 12, 2015
It’s hot. Really hot. And I’m in Florida so someone is bound to say “Hot enough for ya?” I’ll give them my smirky smile and a half-hearted “ha” because it’s not a funny or original and I’m hormonal and if it were any hotter I’d collapse.
Only those of us who are members of the meno-tribe really know how uber-challenging it is for us to deal with external heat. Yet this is “off season” and a popular time to take vacations. I learned a hard lesson last year when I went to Rome, Italy with my daughter in August. Saving a few hundred dollars, I still assumed that most of the important sights would be air-conditioned.
Uh. No.
The Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Borghese Gallery and Museum and most cafés – no AC and little to no circulation. At least the Coliseum was open air. But I openly admit I suffered. By the end of our visit, the Roman Forum wasn’t the only thing left in ruins…
But I digress. You look to me for financial advice while you’re navigating through this menopausal journey. So here it is.
If you’re thinking about taking a vacation this summer in a hot or warm climate, busy yourself until the thought passes. Either wait until fall or do your research and seek out a destination with comfortable, moderate or even cool temperatures. How does this save money? It doesn’t. In fact you’ll probably shell out more than you intended, BUT you won’t waste it either.
You will NOT have a good time or create PRECIOUS memories if you experience any of the following due to menopausal symptoms on your trip:
- Over exhausted and soaked with perspiration after walking up one unexpected hill or flight of steps. And this is before the tour starts!
- Nauseous from trying to eat food in a hot café. So you decide to eat al fresco only to discover it’s still hot but now there are unfamiliar bugs invading your experience.
- Sleep deprived – more than usual – because not only are you out of your element, most hotels that do have AC don’t turn it on in your room until you arrive. That means it takes a long time for your room to cool off and since the windows were open, there are more of those unfamiliar bugs in your room. You might not see them until you go to bed and they buzz around your ears. They also tend to seek out the shower stalls. Beware.
Dizziness and heart palps. I thought I was over the worst of that, but the stress and pressure of trying to do everything you plan for your trip – coupled with the intense heat and possibly jet lag depending on where you go- will bring on bouts anywhere at any time. My daughter was horribly embarrassed when I sat on the floor in St. Peter’s Basilica with my little hand-held fan. It wasn’t pretty.
I could go on but it would just be self-indulgent and smack of how much I regret my poor judgment.
So learn from my mistakes.
Enjoy your family and friends. Designate money for the trip that takes you to a fun yet temperate location and start saving. All of my clients have retirement accounts, several have vacation accounts, a few have “father of the bride” savings and one even has a divorce account. She just wants to be prepared. Just in case.
Take a vacation. Just don’t sweat it.
