Travel – Physician In Numbers

A Look Back At 2025

We have just a few days until 2025 is over, and I figure it’s time to review 2025 and look ahead to 2026.

A carved angel, with a blue scarf flying up over her head. From a presepio. — I love these angels. I suppose we can call them angels of the past, present and future for this post.

Angel in a green dress with a red sash overhead — I love these angels. I suppose we can call them angels of the past, present and future for this post.

About this time last year, I wrote about increasing our yearly budget for travel. We had taken a last-minute trip abroad after Mr. PiN’s father died, and I was looking at a vacation rental for a winter trip to warmer weather, but these were going to be much more expensive than our usual trips.

Since our finances seemed okay, this sounded like a good time to loosen the purse strings for something Mr. PiN and I both enjoy.

We decided to travel more, and with less concern for costs, in 2025.

This year saw us taking more trips than we have in some time: 3 vacations and 2 meetings together, 2 solo trips for me to see my mom, and 1 solo trip for Mr. PiN to visit an uncle. The vacations have been higher end than we have done before. It’s been fun.

Although I haven’t quite made myself add everything up (I will do that at the end of the month), I am pretty sure we have spent more in one year on travel than we ever have before.

I realize that travel after COVID is just more expensive. Also, inflation is a thing, and keeping our travel budget the same as in 2010 means we are effectively spending less. So it’s okay to spend more on travel. Nevertheless, I am thinking it’s time for me to review ways to spend less on travel for 2026. I already have 4 trips half-planned, and it would be nice to save a little money to splurge on 1 or 2 more.

I’ve written about saving money on travel before, but I think it would be good for me to go over some of those tips again.

Looking Back At 2024, Looking Forward To 2025

Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, I am happy to bid goodbye to 2024, and say hello to 2025.

Before I consider resolutions (or plans) for 2025, I would like to review some of the highlights of 2024.

The year wasn’t all bad, and I find it is healthier for me to pay attention to things that have gone well, rather than always pointing out what needs to improve.

Letting Loose On Vacation Spending?

Since Mr. PiN and I married, I have put away money every year for travel. It’s been the same amount every year–no increase for inflation–and I think we have only met or exceeded that number twice.

Fitness Log #312, Friday Firsts And Fabulousness

I have been keeping track of my exercise every Friday for 5 years, and plan to continue doing so.

Since the pandemic started, I have been keeping track of “firsts,” and more lately, I have been trying to note good things (“fabulousness”). It’s a good way to pay attention and not let life slide by.

What I Took Away From WCICON 24

I have just returned from WCICON24 (The White Coat Investor Physician Wellness and Financial Literacy Conference) in Orlando.

I have been wanting to go to this conference since the first one was announced in 2018, and was super-excited to finally go this year. It didn’t hurt that I was worn out and looking forward to some time away from all the craziness at home.

I tried writing down a pearl from each lecture. It wasn’t always the point of the talk, and towards the end of the meeting, I skipped a few. I thought I might share them with you.

I added a few other thoughts about the meeting as well.

Hotels.com Has Become One Key

In the past month, I have been seeing a number of e-mails in my inbox about One Key. Apparently, this is a new rewards program that is lumping the rewards for Hotels.com, Expedia, and VRBO all together.

As a moderately enthusiastic user of Hotels.com for over a decade, I thought it might be a good idea to see what all of these changes mean for an occasional traveler.

I’m Off

Waves hitting rocks off the shore, with plenty of spume.

–to a much-anticipated vacation by the sea.

A Look Back At 2022

Happy New Year!

Before I start thinking about hopes and plans for 2023, I do want to reflect a bit on the year that has just ended. It ended with tough times, but I don’t want that to be the only thing I remember about the year.

A winged angel, with pink dress, blue overdress, and a white scarf. — This angel should be bringing tidings of joy.

The Flip Side Of Money And Medicine

I think about money and medicine a lot, and write about them often here. My writing usually focuses on the practice of medicine and saving money.

This post is a little different.

The past week or so has been spent away from home, watching other people practice medicine on my Dad, while I spend money like water.

While I deal with all the challenges this week has presented, I have had the opportunity to reflect on how my pursuit of FI (financial independence) has helped–or not–during this time.

Category: Travel