Ziana - Fashion Forward in Chestnut Hill has a lot of high end designer stuff - Prada, etc.

Sisters on Bethlehem Pike in Spring House doesn't have much high end designer stuff, but does have nice shirts, pants, etc. from Express, Ann Taylor and places like that.

Downtown, Sophisticated Seconds at 2019 Sansom St. has a variety of different stuff. I found what looked like a brand new ski outfit there. There were two on the racks - both had ski tags from Deer Valley - for 2 consecutive days. I guess some wealthy woman purchased outfits to be seen in, and once done, she consigned them. I was able to purchase it for probably about 25% of the original price.

I also go up to Manhattan consignment shopping, but the only place I've found anything reasonably priced was a thrift store on 17th St. It's an easy address to remember: 17 W. 17th Street. Now that's the only store I bother with.

I heard a great quote recently "People today spend money they don't have, on things they don't need, to impress people they don't like". Rampant consumerism is a disease so don't buy the plasma, hooded bbq, dvd recorder, SUV instead put the money into seeing the planet. After when you are 80 what do you remember the elephant in the wild or the roast chicken from the $4000 BBQ that you got on finance?

Not to hijack the thread, but about here's a case in point involving your example of barbecue grills:

Our old Weber genesis finally literally fell apart. We were thinking about the big, built-in Dacor on the patio. While we were thinking about it, I read in Southern Living that, for test purposes, the magazine uses a Fiesta grill for recipes.

I went to Home Depot to buy an "interim" grill which we planned to take up to the lake when we built the deluxe, outdoor barbecue shrine. They had a Fiesta, and it was significantly better in manufacture and appearance than almost any other grill in the store, including ones costing 3x as much. I brought home the $299 grill and we have used it ever since. Came out of our grill worship phase and I wouldn't dream of trading in my inexpensive Fiesta for anything I've seen yet. If it's good enough for the Southern Living test kitchens, it's pretty darn good. We probably saved $3000 on this deal . . . enough for a nice trip somewhere :-?

karens, thanks for the info.

38 year old stay at home mom
39 year old dh works
3 kids we homeschool.

We keep our cars 10 years+...we eat out once a week...we homeschool so we have to pay for all their curricula and find ways to pay for piano/tennis/football/gymnastics...usually by bartering...I'll teach your kids Latin if you teach mine science/piano etc.

You just get creative...some want a new car every 5 years...we'd rather have a good trip every 2-3 years and spend the rest of the time in an RV seeing the US. It's all about priorities...if you make 35k a year..you could still travel to Europe..just be more creative about it. I traveled to England/Scotland in college...I worked at Pizza Hut for 6 months while taking a full load and saved $1000...$350 for airfare, $350 for flat in London and $300 for everything else...granted I didn't eat a lot of meals but I had a great time!
Tara

I know this is repetitious, but it's all about prioritizing. I am single, 47, and work in government, which is NOT a high paying proposition. However, I will always find a way to go - travel is right up there behind food and shelter in my hierarchy of needs! You never know how much time you've been blessed with - I intend to live it as fully as I can.

We have 8 kids, 15 grandkids, two houses, a trailer, good health, limited years left to live, money we have saved, curiousity about the world, endurance and a spirit of adventure. ANd being of sound mind, we are spending it on us!! Just hoping that our kids will have the same luxury and pleasure when they, in turn, get to retirement.

Late 30's physician. Study hard for 20+ years, make little money as intern/resident/fellow. Work hard 7 days/week most of the year and then get on a plane and spend your hard earned money !

I'm an airline pilot and I fly across the Atlantic Ocean every week. I do not get tired of it -- I love Europe.
The only downside is the short stays (usually 24 hrs), but I will always make the effort to go out and explore whatever city I'm in, and go out to dinner. Pay cuts or not, I refuse to "grab a quick sandwich" for dinner when I'm in Europe.

Hiya!

I'm not too old (ha ha) - I'm 30 years old, don't own a house, don't have kids, drive a 2004 Echo Hatchback ... and we've travelled to Europe 7x in the past 6 years!

We LOVE it! We don't stay with family at all when we go over ... oh, and we're from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

With both of us having to pay hefty student loan payments every month, I have to get crafty about how to make extra money for the travel fund. All it takes is a little imagination! (most often I make and sell commissioned art works)

Oh, as for my job - I work at a university as my day job. I also recently started my own small business (I design custom invitations, announcements and stationery).

We really just can't get enough of Europe, that's for sure ...

For us, right now travelling is the most important thing. Who knows, in a few years maybe we'll start a family - and that's sure to slow us down for a couple of years. So we gotta travel as much as we can now, while it's just us ... cuz' if/when we have a baby, it will be a different kind of travel (it won't stop us though, that's for sure).

Hope that helps!

I have learned to make travel a priority. I worked as a restaurant manager for the biggest fast food chain in the world for 7 1/2 years. I busted my butt, and got paid peanuts, but it got me to Europe twice. So, if I could do it on the golden arches salary, any one should be able to. Now I manage a shoe store.

Okay, that ate half my post.

The rest was that I am 38, and have no kids, but my husband and I own a home. We do not stay with any relatives when we travel.

Wow! Can't believe that it's been 2 years since I started this thread....thanks so much to you all for the wonderful responses.

Just to tell you a bit about me - I am 28, my hubby is 30, we now rent as we have already owned 2 houses - did the buy, fix, flip thing - worked out great for us. We own 1 car (paid off), have no debt at all. I do looove buying clothes, but I don't go crazy. We don't go to bars/clubs/restaurants very often so we can save that money for travelling.

WWithin the past couple years, we have been to Europe several times, trips to US and Canada, and are hoping for an Australia trip very soon.

So keep the tips flowing, there are some fantastic ones here!!!

Thanks to all again,

One last tip - ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS charge your clients every last penny of your worth and not a penny less.....then add tax.... and service

I am 40, no kids, married (I like to travel more . I am frugal in most ways - I rarely eat out, not even fast food - I have learned to cook pretty well! I don't spend a lot on clothes - I buy from the warehouse clubs and Target when on clearance. We are saving for a house, but we each get "mad money" from each paycheck to spend or to save, and I usually save the bulk of mine for travel. I don't like getting a lot of things - things eventually end up at Goodwill, and memories are for a lifetime.

I do most of my souvenir shopping at Sainburys, Waitrose, etc. Most of our hotels didn't go much over $100.00 per night. I prefer to eat from food at the markets/grocery stores than to eat out often.

I may be going to meet friends in Europe in May, and then possibly with my husband in September. Out of the 3 roundtrip air tickets, I should have enough FF miles for 2 of them, which will help a lot!

I think it certainly is about what your priority is. And I don't smoke, drink much, I definitely don't do Starbucks (I'd rather get teas and hot chocolates from Whittard and Harneys - which are premium items, but much less than going out daily for drinks!)

I know my family must think I'm rich for going - but they go out to eat a lot, etc. We have a good income, but aren't rich!

Those of you with military skills can do what I do -- freelance mercenary work. You generally get stopovers or R&R in Europe. I've found it fills the void in the academic year when I'm not teaching my seminars in Asian dance. You really "get away from it all" too. Best part -- you get paid for the training!

Diavolo & Sons -- Small Wars and Demolition.

Pausanias, that's fantastic. So what do you recommend for PTSD?

Lucie --

If it takes more than a couple of shots of good tequila, you're in the wrong line of work.

Hey Spinesrgn,
The recent study (surgery vs. watching) should really impact your travel plans.
M

I have only read half of the two years worth of posts so I might be repeating....

But I truly think that it depends on how much of a passion you have for traveling. If it is a hobby - like it is for my husband and I (dinks - double income, no kids, late 30's, own home, both cars and RV paid off) then we just save for our hobby, like some people save for season tickets to a sports season or a new car.

Also, we NEVER pay for airfare, so whenever we travel we only have to save for hotel, meals, entertainment, etc. We have an Alaska Airlines DEBIT card which we use ALWAYS as a CREDIT card. So when we pay for gas at the pumps, groceries, toothpaste, stamps, ANYTHING, and it says debit or credit, we always hit credit and we get the miles for it, even though it comes right out of our checking. We also have an Alaska Airlines credit card so when we need to buy something big like a computer upgrade or the $4,500 we just had to spend to get our pool/spa fixed - we put it on the credit card to get the miles and then pay the card that month, instead of writing a check or charging it. (Hubby has the debit, I have the credit so he gets WAY MORE miles than me. So we use the credit card some times to even the miles out.)

Bottom line - get an airline debit card, use it as a credit card and you will average about 3,000 miles a month. You just have to prioritize and plan.

We are going to Europe and NYC for four weeks first class for free next September.

emh