The “Costa Rica Honeymoon Fund” That Took Us to Mexico 😂

Have you ever started saving for a vacation before you actually knew where you were going?

Josh and I definitely did.

Long before I became a travel advisor and started Karismatic Adventures, we had a change jar labeled “Costa Rica Honeymoon Fund.”

Sounds like we had a plan, right?

Except we never went to Costa Rica. 🤣

I honestly don’t even remember if we had picked out a resort yet. Somewhere along the way, our honeymoon plans changed, and we ended up honeymooning in Mexico instead.

But that little jar? It became one of our favorite travel traditions.

When Your Honeymoon Fund Has Other Plans 🌴

We filled that jar with loose change until it was finally time to cash everything in before our honeymoon.

At the bank, the teller casually asked, “Do you have any plans for the money?”

I said, “Yep! We’re going on our honeymoon in Mexico!”

Then she looked down.

She read the words “Honeymoon Fund” right on the jar, dropped her head, and started laughing at herself. 😂

The answer had literally been sitting in front of her the entire time.

Josh and I STILL laugh about it.

But what started as our honeymoon fund didn’t end when the honeymoon was over.

Our Honeymoon Jar Became Our Vacation Fund

We kept that same jar for years.

Loose change from around the house, our pockets, the car—into the jar it went.

Before another vacation, we’d cash everything in and use what we had saved for travel spending money and tips.

It wasn’t complicated. We weren’t putting hundreds of dollars into the jar at a time.

It was simply a little here and a little there.

And that change could add up QUICK.

Simple Ways to Start Saving for Your Next Vacation

You definitely don’t need a jar labeled “Costa Rica” to start saving for travel. Although if you do, maybe make sure you’re actually going to Costa Rica first. 🤣

The bigger idea is giving your vacation money somewhere to go.

Some travelers use a separate vacation savings account. Others automatically move a little money from every paycheck. You could save loose change, cash back, bonuses, birthday money, or other extra money that comes your way.

You can even create different savings goals for airfare, excursions, resort spending, cruise extras, or tips.

There isn’t one perfect way to save for a vacation. Find something that works for you and your household—and make it part of the excitement of planning your trip.

You Don’t Have to Have the Entire Vacation Figured Out Yet

This might be my favorite part of our Costa Rica-turned-Mexico story.

We knew we wanted a honeymoon. We were saving for it. But the destination wasn’t set in stone.

And that’s completely okay.

You don’t always have to come to a travel advisor saying, “I want this exact resort, in this exact destination, on these exact dates.”

You can come to me saying:

“We want an all-inclusive honeymoon somewhere tropical.”

“We have these dates and this is the total we’d like to stay around.”

“We want a cruise, but we have no idea which cruise line fits us.”

“We need a family vacation with plenty to do.”

“We just need to GO somewhere.”

That’s where working with a travel advisor can make vacation planning so much easier.

Personalized Vacation Planning From an Omaha Travel Advisor

Today, as the owner of Karismatic Adventures, I help travelers turn those “one day” vacation ideas into actual trips.

Based in Omaha, Nebraska, I work with travelers planning honeymoons, romantic getaways, destination weddings, cruises, all-inclusive resorts, tropical vacations, family getaways, and more.

My job isn’t simply to find you a hotel.

I want to learn how you actually like to travel.

Do you want a quiet adults-only resort or somewhere with entertainment every night? Are you dreaming about a swim-up room? Is amazing food important? Do you want excursions and adventure, or are you perfectly happy spending five days beside the pool?

Your vacation should fit YOU.

That personalized approach is also why I travel, tour resorts, experience cruise ships, research destinations, and build relationships within the travel industry. The more I experience and learn, the more information I can bring back to my travelers.

Ready to Turn Your Vacation Fund Into a Vacation? ✈️

Maybe you already have a travel jar filling up at home.

Maybe you’ve been setting money aside for a honeymoon.

Or maybe you keep saying, “We really need a vacation,” but you haven’t figured out where to start.

You don’t need to have every detail figured out before reaching out.

Tell me your travel dates, who’s traveling, what kind of experience you’re looking for, and the total you’d like to stay around. We can take it from there.

And I promise I won’t judge if the destination written on your vacation jar isn’t where you actually end up. 😂

Ready to start planning?

How can I assist with your travel needs? Let’s chat with Karismatic Adventures and start turning that vacation fund into an adventure you’ll actually get to experience.

Karismatic Adventures LLC
Omaha, Nebraska Travel Advisor
Specializing in honeymoons, all-inclusive vacations, destination weddings, cruises, romantic getaways, and personalized vacation planning.