Excessive generosity?

When I am with friends and we need to spend money, we often find places where we can spend the least amount of money because we are either Inter-Varsity staff or recent graduates and have student loans to pay back.

We make the most of what we have. For example, when I go on a road trip with my friends, we pick somewhat nice hotels to stay at, but try to save money by eating one meal at fast food restaurants (usually lunch), bringing breakfast foods, and not spending money on attractions.

Instead, we create memories by taking funny pictures of ourselves imitating statues or creating mini-competitions. This year, we tried to ask as many people as possible if they needed us to take a picture for them. You know that feeling, when you all want to be in a photo but actually need a random stranger to take the picture, and then awkwardly ask if someone could stop their sightseeing journey to help you out. Instead of that feeling, we just offered ourselves and I think we were able to help 11 groups of people.

Anyway, some of my relatives are visiting from the States and they have no problem spending money to get what they want. They've taken me to nice restaurants and blessed me immensely through that. It makes me think, though, whether that's necessary.

Is money needed in order to have a good time? Do we need to be at the nicest hotels and eating the nicest food in order to have a good experience while taking a vacation or thanking relatives, friends, or donors?

Don't get me wrong. I am not cheap when it comes to blessing people. I get quite extravagant and spend money, but I try to do it wisely. Yet, is it possible to be too generous in our blessing of people, where we don't use our resources wisely?

It seems like this will be a question I will wrestle with over the next little bit.