Danna

Jetset! <BR>We started to travel to Europe every other year, so save for that trip. Our daughter's college savings are limited, and done, what it takes over that amount is her problem. We take long weekend trips close by in between in the intervening years. We don't scrimp along the way, but we don't spend that much anyway. This schedule seems to be going forward in the forseeable future. We don't scrimp once we are on our trip either, that wouldn't be any fun at all!

sandra

I too would like to know what an "average Income " is I just checked on the home gain website and the average income for my zip code is 156,325.00 and yes while ours is substansially more then that, so are our expenses. We live beneath our means, watch tv at night, i clip coupons for two for one dinners at ihop and the chinese buffets. <BR> We live in a town house with a private beach and drive nice cars, all of our clothes come from outlet centers ( which i also purchase with coupons ) . My husband has 2 girls from a previous marriage who we support and are now putting thru college.<BR> We still manage to go alway for at least 4 weeks a year. I shop for months in advance for specials. Cannes is dirt cheap in the 3 weeks after the festival as it Monaco after the grand prix. It's all what is important, We paint our own house and I actually clean my own house . Not many of my neighbors do that. But I have been to Europe for the past 5 years for at least a month, I've been to Africa, Asia and lot's of the USA.<BR> I know I may get attacked but our income in this area is the same as 40k in the mid west it's just the location that screwes everything up.

lbb

I looked up average annual income per person not per household and it is 28,911 in the year 2000 for my area. I am below that and so is my husband. <BR><BR>I have only been married for 6 months so we have only made two trips together. We are still figuring out our financial situation but we have a trip to Texas planned for October and another trip to Paris in March. <BR><BR>Before getting married when I was on my own I managed to go on a trip once every 3 months. Usually one or two trips in the U.S., one 3 or 4 day cruise in the Carribean and two trips to Europe. There are times that I am amazed that I am able to do this on my income. <BR><BR>How do I do it? My priority is to travel. It fufills me like nothing else does. Because it is important I give up any other luxury. <BR><BR>The Cruises I get a substantial discount through the company that I work for. Family, that take advantage of the bargains that I get, sometimes will spring for my trip since I am saving them so much. I travel to Europe in the off season. I look for bargains where ever I can find them. <BR><BR>I think that it is great that you are paying for your kids college. I had to work full time and keep up my grades to keep the scholarship that payed for my college. My parents were supportive but not financially. Maybe that is why I am able to afford travel today. I certainly learned to budget during college. Unfortunatly a college education does not guarentee an above average income. So I am still using the valuable lessons that I learned about a budget.

mpprh

Hi<BR><BR>Do you think people who ask questions like :<BR><BR>Is there anywhere to stay for less than USD 300 in Paris, London etc ?<BR>or<BR>Can I eat for less than USD150 in Rome?<BR>or<BR>What is Sheraton Park towers like ?<BR>or<BR>Give me "can't miss " places to eat in Provence ?<BR><BR>either enjoy their trip more than you, or actually leave USA ?<BR><BR>Peter<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com<BR>

jetsetter

By robbing a bank, stupid.

Rosenatti

I'm lucky, I guess. I don't mind traveling in the off- or shoulder-season when flights are so much lower, and I prefer small, family run hotels to larger, more expensive chains. Oh, and research, research, research.

Lisa

Our priorities are food, shelter, travel savings -- everything else comes later if we can afford it.<BR><BR>We put every expense we can on our mileage Visa card, take advantage of free mileage offers whenever we can. <BR><BR>I like a nice (not luxury) hotel, and am fanatical about searching the web for low-ball off-season prices.<BR><BR>It's not for everyone, but we hardly ever eat in a restaurant when we travel -- supermarket deli in the hotel room works for us.<BR><BR>Transfers (taxis, trains, car-rentals) can be an unexpectedly big expense, so we tend to concentrate on visiting one or two places each trip, and stay someplace central.<BR><BR>It's a little fanatical, but we manage to get to Europe every year on a very modest income, and it's worth it for us!

banker

My wife and I make $300K a year and we spend $10K on holidays a year. We stay at &lt;$150 hotels (usually 3 star), fly economy, rent a compact car when we are away and buy designer clothes only from factory outlets. Our splurge is on food and spend $100 each on dinner but then again it is only on holidays. That way we can afford to travel every year while still saving for our retirement.

Ali

OK, I am jealous of "banker." But why would banker answer a question about traveling with a modest income? 300K is not modest by any standards.

Windy

I think it's really all about your priorities. 2001 was the first year my husband was able to travel and after his first trip, he said that this is what he wants us to spend our money on. He didn't have to convince me, I was hooked after my first trip to Italy in 1997! In November, it will be our fourth trip to Europe.<BR><BR>I have a lot of people ask me how I can afford to travel to Europe so much. Well, it is my main priority and everything thing else (entertainment wise) gets put on the back burner.<BR><BR>My husband and I don't have any kids yet. We have a house payment and two car payments. Beyond that, our expenses are not very much. We don't eat out much and when we do it is at places like Fresh Choice (for dinner) or our favorite breakfast places (The Omlettry, Las Manitas, The Upper Crust, etc.). As Carolyn above said, it's much cheaper to eat out for breakfast.<BR><BR>As for entertainment, I can't remember the last time I went to a theater to see a movie. We signed up for Netflix and see as many movies as we want each month for about $20, which also has the added bonus of keeping us at home instead of going out to eat.<BR><BR>We go to the library to check out books and music instead of buying them. We even check the travel books out a few days before our trips and take them with us (we always return them in good condition). Researching for our trips is often entertainment in itself.<BR><BR>In between our trips we save any extra money and budget our trips. We decide ahead of time how much we want the total trip to cost, including airfare, hotel, food, entry fees, souvenirs, etc. and try to stick to that budget. This often means traveling in the off season, but not always. We went to Rome this May, flying from Houston, for about $600 each.<BR><BR>I've never felt like I was denying myself inbetween my trips. We get together with friends (I've gotten really good at throwing little parties) and still go out. We are extremely lucky to live in a town (Austin, TX) with a lot of free and resonably priced activities to do.<BR><BR>Traveling, for us, is such a high priority that we are even starting to set up a budget plan so that we can travel even after the added expense of children. I want them to experience and enjoy the world as much I am.<BR>

xxx

I'm shocked that someone can make over $100k doing part-time work twice a week. Maybe that's part of the secret! <BR><BR>For me, I'm the lowest peon working in accounting. But before that I was employed in a major corp. as a senior peon. It was while I was there that I was paid slightly more but we were treated to 25% annual bonuses so I saved up some of it. Thus, I have used some of it to travel. This year is the second consecutive trip we're making to Europe. But with expenses going up and our son's schooling this may be the last one for a long while.

x

How about home exchanges? Lots of people in Europe live in small "ordinary" homes and would love to swap with others in similar situations. It's not just for people in big houses with a pool.

Cheryl

My husband makes about 82 a year and<BR>I work part-time and make about 15.<BR>We don't have a large house, but he pays<BR>the college tuition and I pay for the<BR>trips. Just went to Rome in January<BR>because airfare was so low. The fall(2 yrs)<BR>our last child enters college we are<BR>off to Europe on a 2 1/2 week trip.<BR>Have been saving 125/month and will have<BR>$6000 when it's time to go and frequent<BR>flier miles to pay for a ticket.

Veronica

Budgeting is the key for me. I make 25K a year. I do not eat out. I take my lunch to work. I drive a modest car which I paid cash for. I do not go to Starbucks for coffee, I make it at home. The point I am trying to make is that the little things add up. I also supplement my income by working retail at Christmas, babysitting, cleaning houses occasionally.<BR>I like to travel but choose to travel abroad about every 3 years. Retirement is very important for me. I have a lot of money to save up. I do like to travel but I have to limit so that someday I (hopefully) will not be dependent financially. Just my 2 cents.<BR>P.S. I think the point Banker was making is that no matter how much money you have, does not mean you necessarily want to blow it all.

zaza

I have a sugar daddy

Jack

For one thing, I always leave the restaurant without paying. I figure, I'll never be back, so what the hell.

single secretary

I am single, never married, no kids, love to travel, and have a decent administrative job that I've kept long enough to get 4 weeks paid vacation. I can afford to travel because I have no other financial responsibilities and put the trips top priority.

Jen

Fortunately, my husband travels a lot for work, and really works the frequent flier miles/hotel points/Amex points systems. We travel quite a bit because of this - example - we're going to Paris for a week in November: free airfare, 3 nights free hotel, so all we're paying for so far is 4 nights in a hotel (we're switching to a cheaper hotel after the free 3 night). So, 4 nights hotel + food + museum tickets, etc = cheap trip.<BR><BR>It's all about priorities and taking advantage of all the ways that can enable you to travel. Sign up for all the deals you can like that! Get the credit card that earns points, even if it costs $50 a year, and charge EVERYTHING including groceries and gas to this one card - it's amazing how things add up.

Ann

Oh for Pete's sake. The guy said he made $104,000 a year, but still had to work part-time teaching to take the trips he wanted to. Adjunct faculty at just about any college hardly make anything at all--often less than $2,000 for a 3-credit course. Basically slave wages.<BR><BR>I hate penny-pinching so I don't do it. But I also don't have kids, and we have a good income so we can travel when we want.

Suzanne

It's very easy to do. My income is average and I earn over 15 hours monthly in vacation time that is still being accrued while on a vacation so it is constantly revolving and never totally expended. Obviously, the more you travel, the more miles you earn towards a free trip/ticket. After only about 2 1/2 trips to Europe, I usually have enough for another freebie trip so I keep going back time and time again (4-5 times a year). Try to capitalize on all the mileage offers an airline makes to accrue the most mileage in your account and you will be able to travel more frequently than you thought!