And on that note, here are my top ideas for adding in a *little* luxury and putting that FSA to good use:
- Book a massage (first things first).
- Take the kids out for Fro-yo.
- Try HelloFresh, Blue Apron or other meal delivery service.
- Go out to the movies instead of Redbox on the couch. Again.
- Schedule a pedicure while kids are at school.
- Join a fitness studio (for physical and social benefits!).
- Buy cute workout clothes to wear to your new Pilates class.
- Subscribe to Brave Crate for monthly #milso inspiration, full-size products and deployment countdown calendars delivered straight to your doorstep.
- Splurge on yard service or a housekeeper.
- Theme parks/water parks/other expensive kid activities…anything to fill the days
- Buy a plane ticket to visit family or friends who will offer support and help with childcare.
- Pizza delivery instead of carryout (a few extra bucks that are totally worth it).
- Head to Target and let the kids pick out a toy just because.
- Treat yourself to a new pair of shoes just because.
- Beg for and pay for childcare, and plan a weekend away with friends.
Convenience & Luxury
Make this your mantra during deployment. Ask yourself, does this make my life more convenient? Offer me a little luxury? Give yourself permission to spend that little extra on yourself and your kids.
And remember, even deployed service members enjoy morale boosting events to mark their halfway points. Do you think cupcakes and costumes are mission-essential? Perhaps not, but one evening of treats and laughter can be a welcome reprieve in the middle of a grueling deployment. Service members are still human, after all. When you think of FSA as simply your morale boosting fund, you may conclude that it is, actually, mission-critical.
You’ll be back to your frugal ways shortly, and as long as you don’t go into debt, you’ll realize how important FSA is to your sanity and getting through the day, which absolutely counts as a deployment win.
