How do all of you afford to do all these trips? I would love to go on some trips like these but I have no money. After I pay my house payment, truck payment, car payment, credit cards payments, second morgtage payment, child support, student loan payment, alimony, and utilites I can hardly afford to buy beer and food let alone go cavorting around Europe. Are you all rich or you just got good credit?

oh my God!!!!!!!! This guy must be from Raytown, Missouri.

I stayed married, and we sold the truck.

I've often wondered the same thing. I do travel a few times a year, but not as often as some lucky people on these threads obviously do.<BR><BR>Ah.....such is life.

Well so far I've prostituted myself, sold my kids on the black market and have lately started stealing groceries just so I can attain a little bit of culture by traveling to Europe every couple of years, is that so very wrong? Oh ya occasionally I'm even seen shopping at Walmart! Whatever it takes to get me outta this trailer court!

I had to wait until my children were out of school, I downsized from a house to an apartment, and I retired to have the time to do it all. I did not get to Europe until I was 45 or so.

I defaulted on all of my loans, which is how I can afford to travel to Europe and also why I need to spend my time there, outside of US legal jurisdiction. So it works out well.

I smuggle myself aboard as a bag of peanuts and ride all the way over in the galley.

I ripped off the stockholders and the employees and the bankers and wow do I have a ton of money now. By the way, anyone know of any countries that do not have extradition treaties with the USA?

Make a budget, pay off your credit cards and cut them up, save a little every month, get an economy car, turn your lights off, clip coupons, watch Rick Steves videos and read his books, and quit drinking and sell your house, pay off your loans, remarry your wife.

Downsized from a doublewide to a single. Sold my pet breedin dog, invested in ant farms and swore off chewin baccy!<BR><BR>

Not. We save, and accompany one another on respective business trips whenever possible. We don't bother buying the latest this-or-that, like many of our friends, prefering instead to save our discretionary funds for the next trip.

1. Student Loans<BR>2. E-Bay

We make next to nothing and have friends who make far more than we do yet we travel the world and they can barely afford to go on a weekend camping trip.<BR>You CHOOSE what you spend money on. We all choose the financial situation we find ourselves in. Its a choice.<BR>My wife and I drive older cars with NO payment! We forgo cellphones, cable, call waiting, health club memberships, new cars, eating out, beer, spending on credit, new technological gadgets, and so on. It is a choice! Many think we are crazy and deprived for all that we do without. Sometimes I think that too until I'm walking along a narrow cobbled street in Brugge holding my wifes hand, looking into her eyes on a moonlit Amalfi night. <BR>Our friends could not go without cable, cellphones, etc. That is NOT to say their choice is wrong, just different. They enjoy their new cars and we enjoy travel. Neither choice is right or wrong just that - a choice.<BR>When we travel we stay in pensions, guesthouses, etc. where we eat a full breakfast included in the price. We also snack during the day buying things to tie us over and then find inexpensive places to eat dinner.<BR>As far as air, we wait for deals. I let the travel industry tell me where to go. I may have my desires but if I notice an incredible deal to Germany for 375 from the east coast I will forgo the trip to Italy where air may be 100-200 higher. One time Delta had a bargain, travel to Europe during a certain time period and receive 10000 bonus miles. We took a trip to Istanbul and Amsterdam within this period. Between the online purchase bonus, regular miles awarded and bonus miles we both ended up with 43000 miles almost enough for ANOTHER free ticket to Europe. So for 1000 per person we essentially got three trips to europe. Most people I know spend 1000 for air for one trip. <BR>Istanbul cost a grand total of 400 for a week (food, air, hotel, etc.) for two. Amsterdam cost around 1000 for two the way we travel on a shoestring. <BR><BR>Its a choice. Nobody makes you purchase a new car. I could afford payments but prefer to drive my ugly car I bought 7 years ago for 4500. The choice pays off in Venice.

I agree with the posters here that say they don't spend on things to keep up with the Jones's......that's what we do, as well.<BR><BR>It depends on where your priorities are....our priority is travel and not having the latest of everything.<BR><BR>I do still wonder, though, about those that have a major trip planned every month of the year, as I've seen on this site. Sure do wish it was me!<BR>

Christmas bonus.

I believe "curious" asked a serious question, and a fair one at that. I'm sorry he didn't get very courteous answers. The fact is that travel to Europe is expensive, even when one goes in the off-season and uses low cost accomodations, etc. Hell, travel to local destinations is expensive for many!<BR> <BR>I have traveled perhaps more than I can afford to but not nearly enough as I'd like to. Not only does it consume money, it consumes time, and many of us cannot take alot of time off work. I try to be sensitive to those who clearly would like to be able to travel but are busy worrying about finances. I do not, for example, discuss my recent trip with my dear neighbor whose husband hasn't worked in several years, lost alot in the stock market, is getting divorced, and whose house is now being foreclosed.<BR><BR>First of all, curious' truck may be essential to his work, so don't assume two vehicles are not needed. Curious may not be typical of those who frequent this forum, but is probably typical of the vast majority of Americans who just barely make ends meet. Travel is a luxury and those who can afford to do alot of it should count their blessings and not make fun of those who cannot.<BR><BR>For still others, it can be just a matter of priorities and good strategizing. There was a post similar to this one about a year ago and there were many excellent responses from people who stated the many ways they prioritize because travel is their passion - for example, they brown bag it to work, live in a small home or apartment, drive older cars, etc.<BR><BR>Still others gave examples of how they plan. I, for example, am a woman in pursuit of FF miles in every way I can think of. We cautiously use a credit card that accrues miles for purchases we would make anyway (even gas and groceries). "Cautiously" because the interest rate is high and we try not to carry a balance. Don't want to pay interest on groceries. My last two trips to Europe have been on FF miles and I don't fly very much. I can only afford a big trip about every 3 years. It's one of the reasons I tend to cover too much ground on short trips as I don't expect to be able to return. I sigh with envy at those who talk of muliple trips to one country, doing different sub-regions leisurely on each trip.<BR><BR>My advice to Curious would be to seek financial advice from somewhere other than a travel forum..Then, when things are in better shape, visit the budget travel forum first (rather than the Europe board) to learn many ideas. Don't start using a mile-earning credit card till those others are paid off.<BR>

Well, try flying 80 to 90,000 miles a year on Delta (now that's fun)and stay at Marriotts for the points and when you cannot do that then on your trip to France stay at small ** hotels in Paris for $58 per night or in Avignon for $59.<BR><BR>then each day go to the market and buy a baggette, a bit of cheese and ham, some olives and olive oil, and a bottle of French red and enjoy.<BR><BR>It can be done inexpensively, as not everyone stays in all these fabulously expensive hotels or eat at the ***** restaurants that some on this board chat about.

I took the drapes down and made my dresses out of them.I sold the chickens and cows. <BR>Then I met a lovely man from up North and he took me to Europe.<BR>And remember what my mama told me-<BR>don't worry so much about what other people have.<BR>

In my family it is stability that enables us to go to Europe twice a year. We own our home, so no mortgage or rent, drive fairly old cars, been at the same jobs for years, so have vacation time, and then just go over on cheap airfare. On the trip, we eat at inexpensive places, until our last night in each town, when we spurlge. We stay at two star pensiones and use the trains or rent a small car. Never take a tour, always go on our own. It works.