With the internet and the discounts being currently offered by so many various outfits, how can we not travel as much as we do.

Just pulled up www.travelzoo.com and found one of the 20 specials of the week. I copied it for you.

$499 -- Paris in Spring (April-June), 6 Nights & Air
http://www.travelzoo.com/Top20.asp?id=100120958
Source: Go-Today.com

Air and Hotel for 6 nights in Paris!!!
How can't you jump on something like that.

I wouldn't do France if you paid me to go, but if you don't have a problem with the French, then just do it!!!

Our last trip to Europe was to Italy in Sept. It was very expensive due to the decline of the dollar against the Euro. So, for the next trip we are skipping Europe and heading to Costa Rica for a different kind of adventure. Using miles, points, and a 3 day weekend so only missing 4 work days. Leaves me 3 weeks left for the year. Also, if my husband is doing especially well (self employed), I will take another week or two without pay and we will take another trip. Life is short, travel now!

Hi Tat - at the age of 2 months my Mother hauled mon a prop plane from Panama to NYC via Havana.....ever since then, I feel a need to get on a plane on a regular basis - it's all her fault. I'm not retired and although not wealthy I'd say I'm comfortable, I do prioritize my time off and my expenses such that trael is towards the top of the list. There are a lot of off season deals out there so, you have to work hard at the reserach. But, as others will tell yoy, the research is a big part of the fun. This board is a great place to start. Also, while Europe is a grand destination, we have a lot here in out own country - we tend to overlook them (Yosemite, san Diego,the Berkshires etc.)....but you won't save money over Europe. Decide what is important to you...for example, do you really need a 3 star hotel room, or will a 1 star do the trick?

Also, I made a big choice to choose a job with my employer that involves travel about 8 too 12 times a year. The destinations are mundane, but the frequent flyer miles make a big differernce in my expenses.

Pick a place you would like to go to...Paris?? and start planning....even if you don't go fot 2 years.....

Winnepeg !
This is how I am going to Germany, by using Top 20 !!!
Aren't they great ?
You see, multiplying everything by 3 makes it fun and much more then $499.
We ARE going, but how I will come out of it - I'll tell in April, OK ?
Thanks

I an torn apart now between things like college for my child (10 years ahead), retirement (30 years ahead) and traveling (3 month ahead).
OK, I will come out clean !!!
Between me and my husband we both make about $110.000.00 a year.
Yes, I do have 401K contributing minimum. I am 37 y/old.
With mortgage + bills (utility,food,car,school loan, store ccards, master/visa - all included) spending of $5000.00 a month how comfortable you should be to have enough for college, retirement and travel ? What is comfortable ?
Are we poor and not aware of it ?

Are we suppose to find better paying jobs and travel after we did that ?
I don't mine to eat once a day and live cheap, but I HAVE to shop, please ...
at least for gifts from first time visited places ...

Thanks

Hi Tat,

I usually have only one trip per year. But I spend most of that year planning it, so it might look like I do more.

I am single, have no children except for my pets and have no other major expenses except mortgage, so my extra money goes to the travel fund. I don't buy alot of clothes or nic naks, just one weakness....books, and I budget an amount each month for that.

If you can save $100 a month, you can go to a city in europe once a year. If you can save $200, you can go twice. Think about it.

Most airfare specials run $300-400, most hotels for one night about $70 on a budget. With $300-$500 spending money for one week you are set.

So it doesn't have to be expensive...but you do have to plan and save.

Tat,our family vacations started out in a tent in Cape Cod with two small kids. We graduated to a pop-up camper, and always spent a week at the beach in the summer. That was it for about 10 years. We had always wanted to go to Ireland but never thought we could afford it; my husband worked but I was a stay-at-home mom for 14 years. One day we got tired of wishing it could happen and just made it happen! We spent 10 glorious days in Ireland with our two teenagers. We saved as much as we could, and put some on a credit card. We were able to pay off the card in a couple of months. (We did it as inexpensively as possible and still enjoyed every moment of the trip - that's how we still take our trips!)

My husband has been in his job for 27 years and has more vacation time than he can take. I will be up to 28 days of combined vacation and sick time. The kids are adults now. We have a car payment and a mortgage payment, but live a moderate lifestyle in a very comfortable home. Our camper is now a little bigger and we still go to the beach every summer (Cape Cod is too cold, so we hit the waves in Virginia), but I am trying to go to Europe every year now. This year I may even get in two trips if I am lucky!

Yeap,
I am listening very carefully here.
Trip for 2 for 10 days should cost around:
$1000 air
$1000 hotel
$1000 meals
measely $1000 shopping, no ? yes ?
(some shoes, some souvenirs, basic)
So, for $4000 average trip I need to save $400 per month !!!
What about college and retirement ?
I AM poor :(

Anyone ... HELP !

Everyone has (or should have a hobby IMHO), travel is mine. When you love a hobby it's easy to save money for it. Like many others here we enjoy a comfortable lifestyle but have no interest in a "keeping up with the Jones lifestyle". Like Erinb said, save 100 bucks a month. How can one do that? Easy, think about money spent on Starbucks coffees and junkfood and silly knick knacks that no one really needs as travel money. Also this can save a bundle in calories, not to mention wear and tear on our landfills.
I like to plan my trips myself rather than taking a tour, just a personal preference. This way my hobby can keep me occupied for months while I prepare.

Tat,

I know what you mean about limited vacation time. On expenses though, you can control a lot of that. It all depends on what you feel you *need* to make it a great vacation.

Airfare is what it is. If you shop smart and stay on top of it, there are deals if the timing is right. Ultimately though, there's only so many options. Still, under $1000 for 2 is reasonable.

On the rest, it really depends on what you feel is going to make the trip worthwhile to you. $1000 for hotel for 10 days? Maybe, but for instance in many places (like Ireland) we're perfectly happy in nice little B&Bs and guesthouses for half that.

Meals too are what you decide. You can eat for $100 per day, sure. You don't have to though. Little cafes and even grocery store picnics will still keep you going.

And shopping? If we spent $1000 in ten days, we'd have to really be putting some effort into it. Personally, I'd prefer buying one little artsy thing to have around the house as a reminder. Maybe a couple of "thought that counts" gifts for other people and allow photos (digital) and memories to be the real mementos.

I'm not sure what is considered expensive.

When I see some of the restaurants recommended in these threads and their prices, I wonder. We don't drink nor do we overeat. It just works out that most dinners, say in Rome, Sorrento, etc seem to cost us in the 30-40E range for both of us.

I just checked our planned trip to Spain (Madrid, Seville, Granada, Barcelona). We do not travel totally out of season. There is a reason for in and out of season. Usually it's the weather.

I try to plan for warm weather but just before the crowds. Spain trip is planned for the very end of May and early June (2 weeks).

Airfare (1200), hotels (avg 175 incl breakfast), food, local travel (trains,plane) comes to about US5,000.

Our last trip to Europe (May 2002) we used air miles so it was a bit less expensive.

If you subtract what you would spend on food, gas, entertainment, etc at home a trip is an expense but not a major one.

I think saving for a trip is a matter of priority. If you're passionate about going, I think you really can make it happen. I agree with mcgeezer. Think of all the cash we drop on small rather insignificant things. It all really adds up and could be going to the travel fund. And for me personally I can't overstate the importance of frequent flyer miles in helping us realize our travel dreams. We put absolutely everthing on our airline affiliated credit card, and I mean EVERYTHING. We're really mile hounds. We read our airline program monthly newletter carefully and pay attention to promotions associated with the card that give us mileage bonuses. And whenever possible my husband puts business expenses on the card (mostly for travel) and then gets reimbursed. We've been just amazed at how fast those miles stack up.

Our children have all graduated from college and are supporting themselves. We drive old cars, therefore no car payments. We have been bad and put off house repairs. I work per-diem and work when I want and take off when I want. Hubby has tons of vacation time.

I agree with Mr Go and some others -- a lot of people on here do seem to have more money and free time than you would find elsewhere. I don't really travel that much and it's not because of money but I have a demanding job and only 3 weeks total vacation days (no extra personal days, etc, although some national holidays, of course). I think it may often sound like more travel due to cumulative trips, also, as someone else said, so if you talk about going all these places, it could be over 10 years.

Anyway, I will say that it appears you spend too much money,are too acquistive and have too expensive habits. Your budget you just posted is really spending a lot of money and a lot of it for things you don't need, I gather (all the shopping). The hotel and food budget for two is modest, but I think you may have a shopping problem and buy stuff you can't afford, and that's probably where your money is going all the time. That really is not a travel expense. I never spend $1000 on shopping on a 10 day vacation and can't even imagine doing so.

i am with travelnut. we make it a priority to take a 2 week trip every year. we usually forgo christmas at home and travel abroad. no presents, just a great vacation with no long lines. with no presents we easily pay for our tickets. we have a blast and the memories of a great trip instead of a sweater or some other bad gift. last year we included one of my wifes sisters and had such a great time the other sister and her husband is going also. once you do start travelling you will be bitten and start planning your next trip when you come home. as for vacation i get 4 weeks of "personal" time for sick leave and vacation etc. i am rarely sick.

Totally agree on
"Think of all the cash we drop on small rather insignificant things. "

Dear travelers, am I correct in my understanding that most of frequent travelers are people with grown up children ?
How many people out there with small kids and full time workers (less then 5 years at the same job) ?
Thanks

Cristina and all !
I have 3 people traveling, 3 not 2.
And what I've posted is not my budget,
it was just estimated what I think vs to what you'll tell me is real.

Thanks

Tat,

It is all about priorities and passion. I would go without other things so that I can travel. I hoard my vacation days and work long weekend trips out to make the most of time off. I look for specials and deals as a good way to go, but would pay for what I really wanted.

Make a list of the places you would love to see. Get a map of the world so you don't miss something and start working on that list. Don't wait til later since life has a way of making that hard to do. Good luck!

I do some calculation and here is what I came up with (very aproximately):
Day 1
1 Taxi trip - $20
1 Museum for 3 - $60
1 Toy for a child - $5
1 Sweater for one of us - $15 (if exist)
$100 gone and where did I overspent ???
Please, tell...
Day 2
1 Taxi trip - $20
1 Museum for 3 - $60
3 Ice Creams - $10
1 Pottery for Mom - $10 (if exist)
I don't see spending of $100 a day for 3 people vacationing in Europe to be a huge burden :)

I don't think I fit into the group of people who travel a lot (certainly wish I did), but I manage to fit in about four trips per year, even with two kids, college loans (will they ever go away?), and just over two weeks of vacation. We take one family beach trip per year, one bigger family trip (eg., Europe, NYC, Charleston), I find any and every opportunity I can to travel at least once for work (what's great is that we do mucho tradeshows, so the locations are generally very nice), and at least one solo photo trip of three to four days (I am an avid travel photographer). My wife even recently told me I could take solo photo trips to Europe if I like, but I haven't found a way to deal with that potential guilt trip yet, since we just had a second child a few months ago. Lots of vacation time and lack of commitments helps (I have neither), but true love of travel is most important because it spurs you to make it a major priority.