How Do You Have Fun between Annual Leave Breaks/Vacations?

LBaniya on 22/02/2018 - 18:30
Last edited 22/02/2018 - 18:36

Now that Christmas is done and Summer is almost over, I find myself sighing, thinking about my next potential holiday. I’m also keeping a close eye on my annual leave balance, wishing for it to go up!

Work is fine, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy what I do and take immense satisfaction from it.

But I also like taking my annual leave!

I suppose there are many like me who think about planning their next holiday as soon as they get back to work…

But this got me thinking.

Rather than living from holiday-to-holiday, what are the things that people indulge in to make their “everyday” fun?

I’m not asking about “how to be happy, today” stuff like meditating, expressing gratitude, social service etc. And I’m not asking about “cheap, fun stuff to do to” in your home towns… (though there’s heaps of cool stuff out there to do).

I’m particularly interested in the things people splurge on to make their time enjoyable between holidays.

I was inspired by a middle class family I met recently, who bought a jet ski, so they could enjoy their summers in Melbourne. (They have two teenagers). Or a friend of mine who’s thinking of becoming a member at a golf club because he loves the game so much but doesn’t have anyone regular to play with. Or another guy who’s taking the plunge and buying a second hand convertible because he loves the feeling of driving with the open air and sky above him. I have a friend at work who gets massages every fortnight and she calls it her “little splurge”.

OzBargainers are usually critical of such splurges. But I’m really interested to know. If life is more than just about mortgages, investments and thrifty spending, then how do we have fun?

Cheers.

Education & Work

Comments

  • try2bhelpful on 22/02/2018 - 18:40
    +1

    Man, you seem to have a lot of guy friends going through male menopause don't you?

    Maybe look into joining a gym with spa facilities so you can do the exercise then kick back in the spa afterwards as a reward.

    Look at short courses in something you are interested in.
    https://www.google.com.au/search?q=short+courses&oq=short+co…

    I've done ones in T-shirt printing and interior paint decoration. They weren't very expensive and they were fun.
    Maybe learn a new language for your next trip.

    Have staycations and go out to a couple of nice restaurants.

    • Baniya on 23/02/2018 - 02:05

      Love a good swim, spa and sauna, but must admit, don’t do it nearly enough! Thanks for the reminder!!

  • nomunny on 22/02/2018 - 19:22

    Haven’t used a decent amount of annual leave in 3 years, currently have 10 weeks. Work keeps me so busy I can’t use it. Planning to cash out 2 months and go to Europe for 1 month in the middle of next year.

  • Quantumcat on 22/02/2018 - 20:50
    +2

    Play bridge

  • bluesky on 22/02/2018 - 20:51
    +1

    It clearly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it is live theatre.
    Due to cost, and also the limited number that would appeal, by nature, it is going to be relatively rare events. And so, there is still that special occasion feeling about going to one.

    There is nothing like a good show to lift one's spirit, and give a great high, which sometimes last for days.

    Not just the event itself, there is also the expectation element – tickets are often booked months and sometimes a year or more ahead – so just looking forward to it gives great pleasure.

    Also, when cheap tix come around for good shows (even ones already been), so possibility for repeated viewing at bargain price - yet another happiness boost.

    Well that is what I live for between holidays :-)

    • Baniya on 23/02/2018 - 02:03
      +1

      Brilliant! I recently saw the Book of Mormon after some deals were posted here on OzB and had a great night out! Live theatre is definitely something I’ll be looking into! Thanks for the post!

    • try2bhelpful on 23/02/2018 - 11:03
      +1

      Look at Promotix and Last tix for options. We have gone to a lot more live shows since we discovered those two and Promotix has a lot of stuff at the moment with the Comedy festival about to hit Melbourne.

      We also have joined Show Films First which allows us to go to select preview movies for no/little money. Mostly small run British or Australian films

  • pegaxs on 22/02/2018 - 20:53
    +4

    Get on OzB and make a post…

    Oh. Ya already did that…

    I restore old motorbikes and attempt to keep an old Kenworth running. I don’t even know wtf holidays are… hell, I don’t even know what weekends are! Hahaha :D

    • nocure on 22/02/2018 - 21:30

      K100 ?

      • pegaxs on 22/02/2018 - 21:58
        +1

        1986 K123 and a K120

    • Baniya on 23/02/2018 - 02:06

      Love it!

  • loulou1 on 22/02/2018 - 20:59
    +1

    Entering competitions. Generally free to do so and always a buzz when I win something I can enjoy with the family, from a cricket set to movie premieres to sporting events to dinners out. Things we wouldn’t normally buy.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2018 - 22:39

    How Do You Have Fun between Annual Leave Breaks/Vacations?

    work is fun when you make it fun.

  • grrrr on 22/02/2018 - 23:19

    Wakeboarding

    • Baniya on 23/02/2018 - 02:08

      Awesome!

  • iforgotmysocks on 22/02/2018 - 23:29

    I shoot pigeons at the airport

    • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2018 - 23:39
      -2

      im vegan

      • iforgotmysocks on 23/02/2018 - 07:07

        Nice to meet you

        • [Deactivated] on 23/02/2018 - 07:55

          I’m vegan please respect me

  • aussieprepper on 23/02/2018 - 00:14

    I like to play online games and hack! I am always first because hexs!

  • pulsarlx07 on 23/02/2018 - 00:23

    fishing(land and kayak), motorbike riding and making youtube videos. Tho i feel like the fishing with the yak is a bit labour intensive and often a lot of planning involved with wind and weather.

    • Baniya on 23/02/2018 - 11:31

      That’s the first time I’ve heard of kayak fishing!

      • pulsarlx07 on 23/02/2018 - 18:23

        yea its getting quite popular, quite a few facebook pages. should check it out.

  • NotAnAudiophile on 23/02/2018 - 07:09

    I spend my time planning out my trips. Getting the best bang for buck fro everything including flights hotels and ground transport. In fact i bought my march easter flight tickets right after i got back vrom my xmas trip in jan.

  • esty on 23/02/2018 - 09:25

    netflix and chill

  • angelkulit025 on 23/02/2018 - 09:29

    I suppose there are many like me who think about planning their next holiday as soon as they get back to work…

    Most of the school staff are like this, including me =) happy days!

  • Chris Topher on 23/02/2018 - 13:24

    I usually got in the car and go somewhere, for enjoyment. At least a full day driving was a good start.

    I don't understand the usage of "vacation" if you don't go away somewhere unless you go to uni or are a legal eagle of some sort, but even then, it's nothing to do with holidays or a break from work.

    Even if I do go somewhere it was when I was on a holidays.

    "holiday"
    noun
    British
    1. an extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in travelling.
    "I spent my summer holidays on a farm"

    "vacation"
    noun
    1. a fixed holiday period between terms in universities and law courts.
    "the Easter vacation"

    1. the action of leaving something one previously occupied.
      "his marriage was the reason for the vacation of his fellowship"

    synonyms: quitting, evacuation, abandonment, desertion, relinquishment, leaving; More
    verb
    NORTH AMERICAN
    1. take a holiday.

  • altomic on 23/02/2018 - 14:14

    I repair washing machines and source cheap stuff to resell at ridiculous prices on eBay/gumtree

  • Illian on 23/02/2018 - 22:59

    Holiday? Never heard of it! We just try to do one thing a week which is outside the house whether it be dinner, mini-golf, hiking etc.

  • celiotte on 26/02/2018 - 19:53

    Maybe taking up a new hobby that requires time and research like trading

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