Hi Debby,<BR>I have been to Europe 3 times and it has taken me over 1 year to save each time. I give up many things in that year and stay home alot. I work a 40 hour week and I am just an average person.<BR> Janda

I am I am!!!!!!!<BR> We bought a $800K house,drive his and hers BMW's and travel anytime we feel like it.<BR> We never have to save money to do anything.<BR> That is what happens when you get a good tip from your friend who has some stock that is about to go through the roof:O)

I've seen this post for years...I'll add my two cents in because I think it's a bit different.<BR><BR>I can travel well now because I was patient.<BR><BR>I am 29 years old. I was 24 when I started the job I have now. I got very little pay (in fact, when I cashed my paycheck, they just threw some change at me), the standard 2 weeks of vacation a year, and a small bi-annual bonus.<BR><BR>As for my lifestyle: I rent, and I take care of my parents financially and emotionally (who after the L.A. riots lost pretty much everything. They are now on the Korean Retirement Plan...a.k.a. me. :) I love taking care of them.)so I do have dependents, and I own a car. However, I just got the car two years ago...I went without a car for 3 years in LOS ANGELES (tell me I'm not a nutjob...all about saving!)<BR><BR>When I first started my job, I devised a plan so that I could travel comfortably, and that meant no travel for 3 years.<BR><BR>I didn't live like a miser, but EVERY bonus I got went into a travel fund. Every expense check I got back, where I had already used "my own" money for some expenses, went into that fund. I didn't take hardly any vacation for 3 years (extended ones, that is..I did take a day here and there) and banked up a lot of time (our company allows us to keep up to 4 weeks). Yes, it sucked, but I had not been bitten by the "travel bug" yet. However, I knew I'd get bitten at some point! <BR><BR>I also saved those frequent flyer miles that everybody points out is a life saver!<BR><BR>After 3 years, I had plenty of vacation time saved up, and a reserve of several thousands of dollars that I still keep plumped up. I plan without worry (but I plan frugally). I go on two vacations a year...one "extended" trip to somewhere (2000 it was 2 weeks London and Paris, 2001 it was a 3 week trip to Australia, and this year it's 2 weeks to Ireland), and another yearly week skiing in Utah (which ends up being more expensive than some of my "cultural" vacations...skiing ain't cheap!) I pretty much travel solo.<BR><BR>I would love to buy a house for me and my folks (a better investment than traveling, I know!), but that's the sacrifice I've made for now, because I can't afford anything in L.A. in a neighborhood I'd like to live. So I rent in a nice neighborhood where my parents are comfortable, and to where I can come home after a stupendous trip somewhere in this wonderful, crazy world.

Are we wealthy? Well yes, my family and I are quite wealthy, thanks to all the hard work throughout our lives. And, we do love to travel the States, Asia, Europe, Africa & Australia several times a year. We have earned our money and make no excuses for enjoying it.

My idea of travel is VERY different than most people who frequent this board. Our main strategy is to spend as little as possible on flights and accomodations. <BR><BR>I constantly check for flights on the various internet websites, and when a deal hits, I grab it. For example, one early morning in April, British Airways dropped their prices to almost half for most destinations in Europe from Boston, for travel during peak summer season, so I jumped on it. A few hours later, the fares were gone. If you constantly checking fares daily, you will know a deal when you see it!<BR><BR>Over $100 per night in a hotel would be very expensive in my book! We stay in B&Bs and 1 star hotels, and they are all under $60 per night. I laugh when I see people on this board who 'need' a 5 star hotel in Paris, because I can't imagine myself traveling that way, no matter how much money I have. I think it's all relative to what you're used to. I am completely happy with my $27 family run B&B in Salzburg. For me, that is so much more the 'experience' than staying in at the Marriott.<BR><BR>Since we can travel so cheaply (and that is funny to me, because I am a 'big spender' compared to my friends at Eurotrip.com who stay in $10 hostels and cook their own meals), getting enough vacation time at 25 years old is sometimes harder than saving the money!

Hi Debby,<BR>&yacute;f you are able to get yourself a flight ticket. Fly to Turkey. You can find everything side by side. New and the old, cheap-expensive you can find what every you want. History art good food and many different things. try Turkey

I am from the UK, living in the US for the past 12 years. All of my family is all over the UK which means I get to travel and stay at a lot of places without hotel costs and I still have to scrimp to make it every year. Staying away from the peak season of Mid June-Mid September is a good tip. Also, there's some great places in the Med and Greece that are great places to go, economical and of my opinion a better experience than the UK.

I know this isn't a "budget tips" thread , but the recommendation for Turkey made me think of this: there are a lot of air and hotel packages that, even if you don't buy any other services from a tour operator, can save you a lot of money. The first time that we went to Turkey, about 8 years ago, the airfare was $750, but the package for airfare plus a week in a moderate hotel was $650! (We just did a similar package to Hong Kong - $900 for airfare plus 5 nights hotel, versus $1300 for airfare alone!)

We're not exactly wealthy, but some years, if the rains come, and there's sufficient sunshine, we do well, and can then travel, staying in two or three stars if they recognize AARP or our Cosrco discount card.<BR><BR>Potatos, we always say, if we dig'em, you'll dig 'em. And this past year we really dug them. And thus were able to go to Europe a few weeks ago.<BR><BR>We're thinking maybe we'll need some other crop next year, perhaps something designer, perhaps even okra. My goodness, the more you pick, the more you get of that nasty stuff. As an aside, I like it fried, Big Al stewed. No, no, Al's not stewed, it's the tomatoes.<BR><BR>You also asked about immenseness. Yes, Al is, but I've got him on this low-cal thing now and he's down an inch. Otherwise he's more or less intact, and ready to plant something in the fall.<BR><BR>By the way, Al's brother thinks it's a hoot I sign on as Big Al's Fanny. He is just on the floor everytime that comes up. Either easily entertained, or arrested development. In Al's family, it's possible to all be going on simulataneous.

I make around 24,000 a year with taxes taken out. My husband makes less. I don't think of this as rich by any means but I love travel. If that means I have to bargin shop I will do it. I would rather do without a brand new car and all of the latest technology than do without travel. Since 1996 I have traveled to Europe at least twice a year. I always travel in the off season waiting for those great fares usually in November and March. I stay in 2 or 3 star hotels because frankly I am there to see the country not a hotel room. My last trip was to Italy this last March. We spent 17 days. We traveled by train and used a Kilometric ticket. With air fare, train travel, food, entrance fees (our biggest expense) and accomodation. We only spent 1200 a person. I have traveled even cheaper but while we were there we got married in Florence and had our honeymoon. Keep looking on the net for the cheap fares and use this site as a resource. Of course the love of travel varies for different people. My priorities are to enjoy the culture of the people, see some great architecture and art, and enjoy some authentic food. I don't need the expensive hotels and expensive restaurants. (I do have to have a room with its own bath room. I don't totally rough it!)

Yes I am immensely wealthy.<BR><BR>And very lucky to be so.

No. I'm not in a position to manipulate stock prices through "aggressive" accounting techniques. Nor do I have insider friends who can tip me off when to buy, or sell, stock.

You don't have to be rich to plan trips. The most expensive part of the trip is always the airfare. You can cut corners by eliminating those 5 star hotels, and stay in B & B's or penisions. They are very cheap and offer clean, comfortable accomodations. It's also the best way to get a taste of the culture for whatever country you are in. Another trick is to not stay overnight in the "tourist" areas, but head out to a town just outside the tourist area. Accomodations are always cheaper outside the tourist attractions. I never book hotels when I travel. I always make an itinerary for myself and rent a car. Drive where you want to go, and wherever you end up at the end of the day is where you stay for the night. It's a lot of fun.

I didn't think I could do it either, but as many previous posts stated once you get your passport stamped the first time and get on an airline FF program you're hooked forever.<BR>And I can't say enough about travelling during off-peak...Carribbean during summer...Europe in the winter.<BR><BR>And to address something said earlier about rich Americans staying in hostels or 1 or 2 star hotels while on vacation...the dollar gets you practically nothing in some countries..I can't even imagine what Canadians have to save to go there.:-) Or people who have kids in tow. And more often than not for some it's the sights that matter more than the quality of the stay.<BR><BR>I must admit that the older I get.. when I travel I travel well...luxury hotels for me. <BR>My car at home is a piece of crap but it's paid for and runs well. I may have to, live on leftovers, ramen noodles and pb&j and restrain myself from buying those nice pair of shoes on sale for 3 or 4 months...but when I'm on a vaction I'm on a vacation!

When I was very young I stayed with a Swedish family who lived in a large house on our block from the time after school until my parents returned from work to pick me up. The Aunt never learned any English and she was the one who watched me while the mother and father worked. The daughter was near my age. <BR>I participaed in my neighbors/friends family and relatives' smorgasboards, Santa Lucia Christmas celebrations (we walked with lighted candles on a wreath anchored to our hair and white gowns with silver tassels in a procession, while singing santa lucia) etc. <BR>I couldn't wait to travel to Scandanavia when I was older. Since the time I was able to travel I have seen most of Europe and other parts of the world. <BR>Learning other cultures when you're young is a wonderful way to learn about other people in the world and can influence what you will do later in life--too bad they do not have a mandatory class in the schools to study other cultures and to have an appropriate field trip.<BR>My husband and I take several trips a year now but we often stay at moderately priced hotels in a central area and also take tours that are moderately priced. While traveling, we seldom dine at expensive restaurants and read up about the country we're traveling to. We research our trips using Fodor's and the Let's Go book series for information. We use Fregquent Flyer miles and Hilton Honors--I use coupons, store bonus cards etc. My husband puts aside money every month for our trips--he makes just over $100,000 and I do not work. <BR>I always call the hotel directly when we travel to the Caribbean or Europe if only one country to see if there are discounts and sometimes there are that have not been published.<BR>You don't need to be rich to travel--it all depends on your circumstances and how you are able to budget.

Well - my Husband & I are not wealthy, but about 8 years ago made us realise that we could not wait till we retired to start traveling. I lost my father in a major car accident (in which my mother, husband & I were in the same car with my dad). He & mom waited till dad retired from his job to travel and only got 1 -2 small trips around California before the accident. I woke my husband & I up to the fact that life is short & we started to make traveling a priority. We go on large trips about 1 to 1 1/2 years and go on shorter trips around California (We we live) or near by states in between. We have a separate vacation fund to stash away $$ to go away - even when we have to spend money on other major repairs (remodeling our home after damage from a neighbor's house fire,...) We are determined not to make the same mistakes my parents made. (PS - my mother does not like to travel very much & she does not go traveling anymore - Sad) We have been to Alaska for a cruise, all over the So. USA and some of Canada - but our biggest delight is to be able to go to Great Britian next summer (I know - high season, but a niece getting married in a castle in Scotland is a major event)- We do plan on going back again to GB, but in the off season (which is when we normally go at any other time - the best rates) Keep up the planning & make your priorities.

Yes

No, i just told my kids that they had to pay for their own cars, insurance, etc. And when the airlines overbook and ask people to get off for a free ticket I raise my hand fast. FREE. Don't be afraid to get off and wait for the next flight. And dont forget to get a free meal voucher while you are waiting. Best deal in travel. Happy Traveling<BR>

we also don't have a large budget but between brown bagging lunches, only eating out once a week, (includes pizza and chinese and local pubs for specials)and searching for the best fares at times other than high summer travel,the biggest reason we now go yearly to Europe is that I quit smoking. The first year I put the money that I was spending on smokes, 5 cartons a month, into a vacation account and ended up with over 1900 us dollars. Now the cost of smokes has greatly increased so now any savings would be magnified. Believe me that I enjoyed every cigarette I ever smoked and would start again in a heartbeat if I only would smoke a few a day but that won't happen so I'll enjoy my trips every year

Wealthy? the wealthy ones aren't on this site - they have agents do all the work and just trust them.<BR><BR>As for me; I drive a 11 year old car that I bought for $2k about 3 years ago; I get free haircuts and colors by being a hair model (can be scarier than traveling alone) and always use Mass Transportation when Im traveling. Always asks for discounts when purchasing anything "is that your best price?", "discount"? "how can we bring the price down?".