Hi everyone — happy Monday! We’re leaving St. Thomas today after a wonderful, much-needed getaway. I’m a bit sad the trip is over, but I’m ready to come home. I miss my dogs, and of course I miss W. This was a sister trip and it was exactly what we needed: sun, relaxation, and time to recharge.
Several readers asked for a full St. Thomas recap, so I’ll put one together soon. We took tons of photos and made the most of our time at the resort. Our days were spent on the beach, we got some epic sunburns, and we tried several new activities. It was my first time stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) and parasailing — both were amazing — and we also went kayaking. We didn’t leave the resort the entire five days, opting to fully relax instead of exploring the island. Usually I like to see the surrounding area when I travel, but this trip was all about taking it slow and enjoying the resort amenities.
I announced the winner of my Novica giveaway, but I haven’t heard back yet. If your name is Erika, please check the Facebook post where I announced the winner so you can claim your certificate code. I’d love to get that to you!
Also, please congratulate my sister — she’s now a certified personal trainer! And it’s my birthday month, so be extra kind to me for the rest of May. I’m only half kidding. I already know what I want: a stand-up paddle board — fingers crossed!
Spending
We mostly stayed within our vacation budget while in St. Thomas. Earlier in May our dryer broke, but fortunately we had a Lowe’s gift card that covered the full replacement. That made the unexpected expense painless and kept our monthly budget intact.
Extra Income (does not include income from our main jobs)
Extra income has been strong this month so far. I’m expecting a few more payments this week, and affiliate income continues to perform very well. It’s reassuring to know that while I was away, readers continued to click affiliate links — those clicks can translate into income a few weeks later. I don’t count affiliate earnings until they’re confirmed and paid (usually 45 to 60 days after the referral), but seeing activity while on vacation is encouraging for future income.
One fun win this month: I received an $85 Starbucks gift card from a giveaway. I haven’t been spending much at Starbucks lately because I keep winning gift cards, which is a small but welcome perk.
Food — Clean Eating!
Our food budget is still on track overall, though it’s been a little hard to measure precisely because I was away for five days and W is not much of a cook. I’m not exactly sure what he ate while I was gone, but starting this week we’ll be back to our usual meal planning and grocery rhythm. If you have favorite meal plans, recipes, or photos, please share them in the comments — I always appreciate new ideas for simple, healthy meals.
Being Healthy
On the health front, things went well during the trip. Our hotel room was on the seventh floor and we took the stairs almost every time, unless we had luggage. Those flights of stairs made a noticeable difference. We also used the hotel gym once, and walking up and down the stairs to the pool and beach area added a lot more activity — there were nearly a hundred more steps between the room floor and the beach level. We made that walk every single time, so I should have stronger legs from all the climbing.
How are you doing with extra income, spending, and staying healthy?
If you’ve been tracking your side income, managing unexpected expenses, or working on healthier habits, I’d love to hear how it’s going. Share successes, challenges, or tips in the comments so we can encourage each other.