How do you afford to travel so much?????

Old Nov 19th, 2002, 12:44 PM
  #1  
just
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How do you afford to travel so much?????

I've been reading the Fodors travel boards for several months now. It seems like so many of you travel an awful lot. I don't get it!!! How do you afford it? My husband makes a great salary in the Phoenix area as a physician. We live in a very nice home, but one that would be considered modest for our income level. We drive simple, family cars that are paid for (Ford Explorer, Honda Minivan) and manage to invest in our pension every month. We don't live an extravagent life-style and the cost of living here is relatively low. I would love to travel more, but we quite frankly can't afford it. For example, to take our family of 2 adults and 4 kids to Crowne Parades Club in Cancun for one week in off-season would cost us $8000. Yikes!!!! We think that's alot of money! (Granted we do have 4 kids, but one is an infant... no airfare...) Do other people just charge their vacations on credit cards or stay with friends/relatives or just drive to their vacation site? How do you all do it?????
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 12:54 PM
  #2  
Nicole
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We have no kids. That makes a huge difference. And I don't travel unless I get a good deal.

Most importantly, I spend nearly all my "fun money" on travel. I don't go shopping for clothes unless I absolutely need to. I save up for travel like others save for a shopping spree.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 12:57 PM
  #3  
steph
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Do you work outside of the home? Because, even if your husband makes a good salary, it's still supporting 6 people. So, I can imagine there's not a great deal of extra money to go around. Perhaps you can start a mini-savings account (maybe $100 a week) for a less extravagant trip. In a few months you'll have almost $1500 saved...if you drive to California (from AZ not so long) that might be something do-able...?
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 12:58 PM
  #4  
A
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We're rich!
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 12:59 PM
  #5  
Can't take it with you
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Obviously, your retirement is more important to you than travelling is now. This isn't a slam, believe me, I'm sure when you do retire, you'll be able to travel a great deal. But try to remember that "you can't take it with you". I would personally try to plan something now with your family. You cannot put a price on memories that will be shared by each of you for ever. JMHO.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:00 PM
  #6  
Answers
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Maybe you are just starting out or paying school loans?

Here's how we do it. We travel a lot, live a similar lifestyle to yours, save a lot, and I work part time for, what else - travel money! I could stay home like all of my friends, and play tennis all day, and maybe have a housekeeper, but I'd rather spend for travel. Also -

1. We get freebies from business travel

2. My mom loves to take us on vacations (thanks mom)

3. I shop for bargains. I would never, I mean never spend $ 8,000 on cancun. Europe maybe, but I could take our family of 4 to Cancun for $3,000 a week (even though I wouldn't go there, I don't like it).

4. We only have 2 kids. 4 kids are very expensive, as you know. With 2 more, we probably couldn't travel more than once a year either.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:00 PM
  #7  
xxx
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I doubt there's any one answer. Vacations require two things--time and money--and some people just have more time and disposable income than others.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:01 PM
  #8  
xxx
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In a word, American Express or Frequent Flyer credit cards. We pay them off at the end of the month and collect FF miles which can be redeemed for hotel stays and airfare. I also travel for a living and get FF miles and frequent hotel points.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:02 PM
  #9  
Kelly
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Well for one thing we set our sights a bit lower than going to that Club in Cancun that you mentioned. We know what's affordable for us and plan accordingly. For instance if we want to go to Disney World I look for reasonable accomodations. We know we can't afford a deluxe resort; we're lucky if we can find a discount for one of the moderate resorts. We never fly anywhere; we drive. So that limits us to vacation spots within a day's drive.
And we don't eat at fancy places. We always set a budget for our trip and (so far) have never exceeded it. We only have one big trip a year, and if we're lucky we can work in a weekend trip here or there. I would say good luck but you don't need it; your husband's a doctor!
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:03 PM
  #10  
Rocky
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Just
Gots to agree with ya.8 Grand is a lottttttttttttttta dough, anyway yuz look at it.I've wondered too.Most of my travel is on bizness.I gotta say I'm looking around me and lots of folks who were thinking about retiring in 10 or so years well they just gotta keep on truckin.All I hear is that social security wont be around when I'm ready for it in 40 years.I hope thats not the case.And I dont think plasticizing a trip is a good idea.So I too would like to have their formula.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:04 PM
  #11  
xxx
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4 kids is expensive. You do have to sacrifice to have that many.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:04 PM
  #12  
Lenore
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My husband and I both work full time stressful jobs (are there any that aren't stressful??) So we love to treat ourselves with vacations. We have no children, so of course, that saves on daily expenses that you must incur. Plus, traveling with just two is obviously considerably cheaper than for six! We generally go on 2-3 "big" vacations (7-10 days) and 2-3 long weekend trips per year. We charge everything, to get miles, but almost always pay off our credit cards each month. We've used our miles this year to redeem two free first class RT flights, and one free RT flight and a discount off the second ticket. We don't live extravagantly in our daily lives. We're just average as far as housing, cars, and hobbies go, and probably spend below average on eating out and entertainment. It's all about what's important to you, right?
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:07 PM
  #13  
John
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Retired at 57 by doing exactly what you are doing;investing in pension and living modestly. Take your kids on inexpensive vacations and save the heavy duty travel to exotic places once the kids are grown.
Worked fine for us.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:13 PM
  #14  
Nancy
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We have no kids and we both work, that makes a big difference. My husband usually gets a very nice year end bonus which we usually use for travel as well as saving some of my salary. Traveling is a priority for us....we don't mind spending $$$$$$$$ for a trip. We work hard and save for it. We are also in our 40's/50's. When I was younger I couldn't afford to travel the way I do now.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:18 PM
  #15  
Owen O'Neill
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It's easier and cheaper for me for several reasons....

1) I travel alone or with a woman friend who shares expenses
2) I tend to eat only one significant meal per day in restaurants when traveling - I tak eadvantage of included breakfast at hotel if available and I generally have street vendor food or fruit etc from grocery store for breakfast and/or lunch
3) I use Priceline for my hotels whenever possible (again - not a practical option when traveling with a family).
4) I don't go to all-inclusives and my interests tend towards activities and things that are active but don't require lots of money
5) I try to tack a 3-5 day weekend onto a business trip and pay for the extra hotel days and meals myself. My employer is happy to allow this as it's my own earned leave time and by staying over a weekend I usually get them lower airfare.

If I was traveling with a spouse and children I doubt that I could afford more than one nice trip per year. I traveled to belize last spring (my first trip outside the US). I went for ten days, got a good deal on airfare, did some bus travel rather than private shuttles on some legs of the trip, ate budget meals (easy to do in that country) and stayed in modest accomodations. I did do plenty of activities including caving, Mayan ruins and scuba certification but the trip cost well over $2,000 for one person. I am by no means well off but for a single guy with one child in college I'm in a fairly comfortable position earnings-wise and relative to my overhead costs. One trip per year of that cost level is all I can generally afford - the other trips are all shorter and cheaper (usually). I'll satisfy myself with that level of travel until I am retired and have plenty of time but in the meantime.... I'm willign to compromise the luxury level of my traveling in order to see and do more.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:19 PM
  #16  
Anthony
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Value traveling is a concept that I subscribe to, and that's why I can go on 4-6 vacations a yr. (with about 4 airplane trips annually)

For example, I would NEVER book a cruise vacation in a balcony cabin; therefore, as I did this year, I was able to go an 2 cruises with inside cabins ( Carribean on Celebrity in Jan. & Alaska in July with Princess) for the price of 1 balcony cabin. (The Celebrity cabin was $600/person & Princess was $550/person, each including all fees and charges)

I use Priceline & the Entertainment Discount books to get very large discounts on hotel rms - my average hotel rm cost is from $35/$50 per nt. I stay in Hyatts, Marriotts and Hiltons.

I use Priceline, the web, and credit card/frequent flyer points to get discounted airfare.

I spend ALOT of time planning out our vacations, which I choose to do because I treat it as a hobby.

What kind of values can I get? Let me price our Alaska cruise vacation:

1) Cruise: Sun Princess Alaska Northbound - $550/person, inclusive of port & taxes

2) Airfare: Continental - NYC-Anchorage-Vancouver-NYC - FREE for both passengers, using frequent flyer points (airfare would have been $500/person)

3) Pre-cruise hotel stay: Anchorage Springhill Suites by Marriott - FREE Stay using Chase Creditcard bonus Points. ( Hotel would have vost $139/nt)

4) Post-cruise hotel stay: Vancouver Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel - US$45/nt via Priceline bid. ( Cheapest Price without Priceline - $120)
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 01:25 PM
  #17  
Donna
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Until our kids were grown, our travel was limited to destinations within driving distance, mostly to educational/historical places, camping trips, trips to visit the Grandparents. Now that the kids are up and out, we travel quite differently.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 02:21 PM
  #18  
lcuy
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With four young children, you have two choices if you want to have exciting vacations...
1) leave the kids with Grandma or Aunty so they can get to know each other while you and husband go off on a wild trip.
2) Take family vacations that don't involve lots of air time and 4 star service. To do this you have to be creative and plan carefully! Going to an all inclusive is the easy way to travel, but since you find the price tag shocking, you've got to do a little more work.
How about a southwest explorer trip? Drive to the Grand canyon, Mesa Verde, or Santa FE. Check out historical and FUN places, allowing plenty of time for the fun and the motel pools. How about a week at a dude ranch. Many offer lots of activites other than horseback riding for the little kids, and often kids will be free or half price. (Check out the book "Ranch vacations" by eugene Kilgore) Go to a ranch in Canada and you'll pay even less.
Take a cruise, again shopping carefully. Prices on the same cruise, same room, same week can vary by thousands of dollars from one travel agent to another. Often there are sales with the 4th person free/ half off on kids/etc.
Go to The east coast- DC, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Busch Gardens water park. Stay in moderately priced hotels...You need safe and clean and a pool for your kids...not 4 star service. If you study the guide books, ask for help here, and spend LOTS of time on the internet digging for bargains, you can certainly afford memorable vacations. Remember, a family is made by their common experiences. Family travel is lots of work, but gives your kids memories that will outlive you. Think of it as investing in your family and the cost won't seem so high. Don't save it all for retirement...it won't benefit the family and if one of you don't make it there in good health, you won't even benefit as a couple.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 03:26 PM
  #19  
Michele
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Well, I don't have kids and I don't have a spouse. I value the ability to travel more than I do other things, so spare money gets saved towards that.

I never stay at top of the line hotels. I don't do the "all inclusive" thing, either. If the hotel doesn't offer breakfast, I keep it in the fridge in the room. Normally, I only eat breakfast (either hotel provides or I have it in my room) and dinner. And typically, I splurge on one "expensive" dinner per week. I try to use public transportation rather than renting a car, if at all possible. Oh, and whenever a flight is over-booked, I'm the first to volunteer my seat - just to get those free tickets!

With 4 kids, travel can be expensive, but it really depends on the location. Doing driving trips within the US while the kids are young might be more within a budget now. After all, even a long weekend camping can be considered a vacation.
 
Old Nov 19th, 2002, 03:40 PM
  #20  
suzanne
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I have no kids, no mortgage, no car, and I spend very little money on clothes (I hate shopping). I try to find deals when traveling, though I sometimes splurge on small-group adventure trips. Vacations are what I LIVE for. Though right now I'm dying...it's been just too long since my last one (March). I am trying to save up to possibly buy an apartment...
 

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