I have spent a couple of mornings following up on refund requests for the many activities we had purchased tickets for, that have now been cancelled due to COVID-19 Shelter In Place guidelines currently in place here in California. I'm talking, concerts (lots!), plays, featured speaker talks, and special tours . . . really, it has been a bit of a wake up to see how much of our time was spent paying to be entertained. I will add this to the list of things in my life that I would like to revise going forward - I need to be OK with staying home more than we have been!
On the bright side, however, we should be receiving refunds in the amount of about
I'm also awaiting refunds of about
So, with a combined amount for the above of approximately
Other than that, the majority of the money flowing outward at this point is just for our normal run rate expenses of insurance, home utilities, taxes, and grocery/food, plus a couple of new technology items. For example, we are currently subscribing to basic level Zoom at $14.99 a month. We are also spending a few bucks each week to do live Zoom yoga with a local studio. And we've decided to do Saturday night takeout in order to spice up our weekends a bit while supporting some of our local eateries. Other than those items, my husband is indicated that our monthly spend is down about 50%. That sounds about right to me because we're spending zero currently on clothing, gas, entertainment, hobbies, home items, travel, and restaurant dining, the later largely driven by our various social engagements, most of whom we are now enjoying for free via Zoom video sessions instead.
I'm also realizing/accepting, that most if not all of our normal summer activities will likely not happen this year. So, more refunds are likely in our future for Laguna Beach's Pageant of the Masters, a trip to Mammoth Lakes with our oldest daughter to attend the Blues and Brews festival, and even further out, the Palm Springs International Film Festival next January. Regarding the later - until a COVID-19 vaccine comes out, I can't imagine going ahead with a film festival that draws over 100,000 people, the majority 65 years of age and older, and that involves standing close together in line for up to 90 minutes ahead of each tightly-packed film screening.
Instead, we hope to entertain family and friends here once it is safe to do so, and indulge in oodles of time at the beach, plus lots of scenic walking, running, hiking, kayaking, biking, and paddle-boarding. You know, the kind of stuff you generally go on vacation to do(!).
Hopefully, this COVID-19 timeout will leave me with a renewed sense of appreciation for what is right here already, and put a damper on my incessant need to seek out new experiences elsewhere.
I am, however, looking very much forward to our local craft breweries reopening. A late convert to the craft brewery scene, I am now a big, big fan, and nothing available at our local markets comes close to replicating what the many craft breweries in our area are able to do. And don't even get me started on the Hard Rootbeer my favorite one puts out! 😆
How about you? Any 'ah ha's' that you've been experiencing due to COVID-19?
I had to smile at your craft breweries comment! Are any of yours selling take out? Ours is and we picked some up along with pizza since they have a limited bar menu. I do wonder when we will be able to do any activities that involve groups of people. Enjoy the out of doors.
ReplyDeleteYes! We have one just down the street that likewise remains open for takeout because they sell food (great food!), and we'll be ordering our Saturday meal from them. Curious how the to-go beer order will work. Like, can we order a beer flight??? 😆
DeleteTamara, your comment about the film festival gave me pause. It will be interesting to see the impact of COVID-19 on events like that. Glad you're garnering so many refunds. We have some spring and early summer camping planned that will probably result in a refund of camping fees - but that's just peanuts compared to your outlay. Glad you're able to recoup that money. While you're missing your craft brewery adventures, we're missing our favorite pizza place, which is too far from home for takeout. I'm sure that will be our first excursion once all this is behind us.
ReplyDeleteI'm mentally preparing for no summer concerts in the park, no beach festivals, no art festivals, etc. It will be a different kind of summer, but it will be OK. We'll still have the ocean, parks, swimming pools, BBQ's in the backyard, and best of all, family and friends. And the above will be all the sweeter when they do finally return.
DeleteI know, I am likewise missing our go-to restaurants, cafe's and fast casual spots more and more each day. A big part of our day-to-day retirement lifestyle was to run/walk/hike/bike many miles, and then stop in someplace yummy afterward to eat. But again, all the sweeter once those options return.
Aren't you glad you have an RV now more than ever? Your own space, your own food, your own bed. I see a whole lot more RV'ing in our future for sure!
We have a kegerator, and it looks like the liquor stores aren't stocking the kegs right now. Poor us. We'll have to drink canned or bottled beer.
ReplyDeleteI might be the last person to have discovered this, but I thought I'd share in case you didn't know. I received some refund checks, but I didn't want to go into the bank. Also, for some reason, the ATM would not accept one of the checks. I downloaded the bank's app, and you can do a deposit through the app. The app will prompt you to take pictures of the check using your phone. It was fast and easy! Eventually, you shred the original check.
As extroverts, I don't think we'd consider making beer at home. We'd miss the young, fun energy of craft breweries to much. Not to mention the ridiculously delicious food truck scene many of them have going on. In fact, I'm predicting an explosion of craft brewery foot traffic once restaurants/breweries are permitted to reopen!
DeleteAnd, yes, we know about check scanning for deposits. We have millennial daughters that keep us relevant as much as they can. 😆
PS- Look for Modern Times beer in specialty liquor stores like Total Wine. Crazy 'big' beers in every style.
DeleteI will! By the way, we don't make our own beer. We buy small kegs of craft beer, and it goes in a refrigerator-like thing (the kegerator) and you drink from a tap. I think most small breweries aren't filling their kegs right now, choosing to bottle or can instead.
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