Budget Bucket List

• Learn conversational Spanish. Having spent time in Mexico, South America and Spain, I’ve challenged myself to learn a little bit of Spanish over the past 5 years or so. And I’ve done OK at it. However, once the holiday is over I always let the language go, do no practice, don’t even attempt to read anything or listen to my Coffee Break Spanish. But I would love to one day have a real working knowledge of the language so that I can easily hold a conversation, not just ask and answer simple questions. I’d love for this skill to open up the possibility of working in a Spanish speaking country. This is very much a budget Bucket List item. I have Spanish books that I got from charity shops, and there are very good free downloadable language learning programs. I just have to dedicate regular time to doing it, and so far I have been rubbish at doing that!

Cenote in Mexico

• See a whale. This is one of the big, expensive Bucket List items. I haven’t seen a whale up close because it’s expensive to get to places in the world where whales are and then to get out on a boat to actually see them. I had hoped to get out and do this on my birthday in California this year, but the trips did not go out on the days we were free. My day will come on this one.

Seals on Monterey Bay, CA

• Sew my own clothes. Another bargain basement goal. I have a sewing machine, I have boxes of fabric. I have the internet, with an infinite range of patterns and guides. But I don’t have time and I don’t have a table upon which to put the sewing machine. I know, that’s a pathetic excuse to not do something I’d really like to get into isn’t it? Perhaps I should do something about this one..
• Go to Burning Man. Again, this is one that lack of money stops me doing. The Burning Man festival is held annually in the Black Rock Desert. It’s all about experience – music, art, movement and meditation, but more than that, it’s about doing it all in the intense desert heat and trialling your body’s capacity to cope in a whole new way. I’d love to go, I’d love to take a big bunch of friends with me. It sounds amazing, but also slightly terrifying because of the heat. But I want to build a shelter, an installation, in the desert and I want to make sure I dismantle it all and leave no trace when I return to civilisation. A real must do this one. Best start saving.
• Attend a fancy dress party in a genuinely awesome costume. Creativity, inspiration and a little elbow grease will combine to make this wish come true. And, depending on your mood, this could be a Budget Bucket or a Blow Out Bucket! You can get a costume by spending big bucks, or you can spend the time instead and make one on the cheap. I think I’d like to do both – just to find out which I prefer. I think the reason I haven’t done this so far is because of a lack of planning. At work I have to be very organised, so at home I tend to be less ready for things like party preparation! 

So, how to address the list? Plan in advance, spend more time on hobbies, save some money for going on fun trips and put aside the things that aren’t important so I can concentrate on the things that are.

Perhaps Brink of Bedlam, 7Hippopotamus or Dragons and Fairy Dust would like to contribute their bucket list ideas?