How we got to this starting point doesn’t matter, but we’ve suddenly found ourselves with some extra money. It’s not enough to retire on, but it’s enough to invest in many of the things we’d planned but could never afford: a small retirement fund, fresh shoes and clothes, tools, supplies, and some time off for travel.

We have a long list of places to go. Each of us has places that were important parts of our lives before we met each other, now we can introduce each other to these places. There are spectacular outdoor places to experience. There are great cities, festivals and cultural centers to check out.

We are the ultimate budget travelers, and our enhanced budget will not change our travel habits. This is not a story of exotic food and expensive hotels that you’ll find in the travel magazines, but one of roadside diners, campgrounds, mom and pop motels, and the people that populate the places we visit. We want to meet and interact with the locals, but deluxe travel prevents the kind of random experiences that make travel exciting. Why would we want to spend more money for a diminished experience?