Poll:What's your annual vacation/travel budget?

[FUEGO]

Last Mercedes Benz I rented was 36 dollars a day (May 2010)

I rented a PT Cruiser in Vegas last year for $2 a day. Plus another $12 a day in taxes.

 

[audreyh1]

One thing I am curious about from those who are posting relatively high numbers. Do you find that your LBYM instincts are suppressed when planning travel? I.e. you will do research and shop around for days to save $100 on an appliance purchase, but for whatever reason you do not choose to work as hard to find low fares or less expensive hotels?

1. Travel is a priority, so we are "allowed" to spend a lot if we want. We are already retired, so we are no longer saving.

2. It's not a matter of cheap fares, or less expensive hotels. Travel to the more exotic locations or tours we favor can be expensive. We are interested in the quality of the experience and are willing to pay more if we think the trip can be much better.

3. Regardless of item 2, it is still within our means, so we are still LYBM. LYBM does not restrict how much you spend on something. It just means you can afford it.

BTW, we are willing to pay more for appliances too, if the work better or last longer.

Audrey

 

[DangerMouse]

We don't base our travel choices purely on costs. We decide where we want to go and regardless of how much it is, that is the destination we head to. We are not interested in going somewhere just because it is on special or there is a good deal.

When it comes to airlines, well we stick to those that we can tolerate flying with. That is British Airways, Qantas, Hawaiian and Southwest for domestic. I have no interest in looking for the cheapest possible seat then bitching when they won't allow me to change my flight or complaining because I have to pay to check a bag or buy a drink. We also focus on schedules, knowing when we come back to the US what we have to endure at immigration, we choose our airports carefully, as some locations are a nightmare. Loyalty to airlines does count. We went to Hong Kong first class last Christmas on Cathay Pacific all on British Airways points. We will be going to Europe in 2012 in business class on BA points and credit card spend. If you are smart you can have a good standard of travel, if that is what floats your boat, and it is in our house. DH is a big guy 6'2" and 230 lbs, so he needs a lot of seat. I know you don't get there any faster in business but believe me, it is nice reclining in my seat, snuggling under a duvet after quaffing a few glasses of champers. Would I pay $15k for the pleasure, probably not, but then again if you play the game you don't have to.

 

[DangerMouse]

BTW, we are willing to pay more for appliances too, if the work better or last longer.

Audrey

It's all about choices. I probably spend a lot more than most on groceries as well, but to me organics and good produce will give me a better return in the end via better health.

 

[check6]

Just returned from Switzerland and Lake Como and average $350-$400/day including rental car.

We are ex airline employees so airfare is not an issue.

 

[Rambler]

One thing I am curious about from those who are posting relatively high numbers. Do you find that your LBYM instincts are suppressed when planning travel? I.e. you will do research and shop around for days to save $100 on an appliance purchase, but for whatever reason you do not choose to work as hard to find low fares or less expensive hotels?

For us the biggest cost is airfare, but for whatever reason megacorp preferred to allow me to spend it on home leave (our home in Cali, or wherever our kids are) rather than to give me cash. We are careful regardless of whose money we are spending, but there is only so much time to spend the pot I have been given, so we fly business. That said, I have stayed in many Comfort Inns, as well as the Angleterre referenced by Tom (nice place, but way too expensive for what you get). Usually it is on the lower end of "in-between" those two.

When we move back home, 90% of our travel will be by car or RV. The other 10%? Well, we can't drive from Cali to Hawaii...and been to Europe more times than I care to waste brain cells trying to recall.

R

 

[Emeritus]

I just bought my connecting flights in Europe for my october-november trip
Ill manage usa -Rome, Paris, Cologne, Salzburg Munich USA for under $1000 in airfare.

 

[Tom57]

I just bought my connecting flights in Europe for my october-november trip
Ill manage usa -Rome, Paris, Cologne, Salzburg Munich USA for under $1000 in airfare.

WOW that's impressive! I just looked on Expedia for one way coach on 10/27/2010 from Rome (FCO) to Paris (CDG) for one traveller and the cost was $481. Same one way, one person from Paris to Cologne was $495, leaving $24 for US to Rome round trip, and Salzburg and Munich flights.

What are you not telling us?

 

[Emeritus]

The trick is you do an open jaw Was Rome Munich was
I got that for about 740. Lufthansa ticket Rome to paris to Cgn I just bought for 212 (its cheaper when you make it an international reverse open jaw.
Cgn to Szg one way on germanwings $70
Cheap $23 bavaria train ticket back from Salzburg to Munich

here is an even cheaper revers open jaw Rome to paris over munich and paris to Cgn
Review trip details


1 traveler, multi-city (5 days, 4 nights) More flight details
Total airfare, taxes and fees: $ 190.79

“No Fee” promotion does not apply.
Fly Fee-free

We've eliminated our booking fees.




Price Assurance Get our lowest fare or an automatic cash refund.


Mon, Nov 8 Depart: 9:35 am Rome, Italy (FCO) Swiss 1727
1 stop
Arrive: 1:55 pm Paris, France (CDG) Swiss 638
Fri, Nov 12 Depart: 4:35 pm Paris, France (CDG) Lufthansa 3249
operated by EUROWINGS

 

[ksr]

But, but, but.... I am traveling as much as I want to travel, already! After being dragged around the world continually as a child, and then traveling all over as required for my work for years, at this age I want to enjoy my new-found freedom NOT to travel, while my health is good. When I travel, it is fun for a while but very quickly I am thinking about home and missing being at home.

Other than the part about being dragged around as a child, these are my sentiments exactly. I HATED having to travel for business and swore I'd never fly again after I retired (and I haven't!). I enjoy short trips - daytrips or an occasional overnight trip to a nearby destination. Anything beyond that is not enjoyable for me.

I know I'm in the minority on this, both on this forum and amongst my friends in general. One of the things I really appreciate about this forum is finding at least a few others who feel the same way I do about travel.

 

[Khan]

Other than the part about being dragged around as a child, these are my sentiments exactly. I HATED having to travel for business and swore I'd never fly again after I retired (and I haven't!). I enjoy short trips - daytrips or an occasional overnight trip to a nearby destination. Anything beyond that is not enjoyable for me.

I know I'm in the minority on this, both on this forum and amongst my friends in general. One of the things I really appreciate about this forum is finding at least a few others who feel the same way I do about travel.

I'm not saying I'll not travel.
I did a fair amount of business travel and didn't like it.
Haven't flown since ~'93

 

[WanderALot]

Cheap $23 bavaria train ticket back from Salzburg to Munich

Emeritus, rather than buy a regular train ticket from Salzburg to Munich, see if you can buy the Deutsche Bahn Bavaria pass which is also valid for Salzburg. It's something like Euro 25, but it's good for your whole immediate family and you can use it the whole day.

As far as paying for first or business, I guess I'm too cheap. I was just telling DW how some people on FlyerTalk use different offers to get enough miles to fly first/business to Europe or Asia (125K miles min to Europe, higher for Asia). If I had a million miles, yes, I can see doing that, but otherwise I'm even cheap with miles that I get for free or at low cost! I look at the 125K that I would use for a single first class ticket to Europe and see it as equivalent to more than 2 coach tickets to Europe or 3 coach to Central/South America.

Flying is uncomfortable and unpleasant, especially in coach. But to me, it's a necessary evil that isn't much better when flying in first/business. I'm still in a metal tube (apologizes to Nords) with recirculated air and not much room to stretch. I haven't flown much for work though, so that probably has something to do with it.

 

[Gone4Good]

I HATED having to travel for business and swore I'd never fly again after I retired (and I haven't!).

Yup, I despised work travel. Rushing through airports and into cabs that took me directly to business meetings with luggage in tow. Lunch with clients, followed by a meeting at a different client's office. Check in to the hotel for a couple of minutes of downtime before going out to a client dinner and drinks. Back late to the hotel room for a night alone, and away from family, hoping for a couple of hours of sleep before having to get up and head to the airport to do it all over again.

Why that would put me off leisure travel to enjoy a day at the beach with my wife, or an evening sipping coffee in Piazza San Marco, or even a hectic morning in the Louvre, I have absolutely no idea. To me work travel and leisure travel are as different as night and day. I hate one, and love the other.

 

[FUEGO]

I see we have 1 vote in the $100,000+ category. Anyone care to fess up? Jokester or ultra-lux traveler?

 

[Emeritus]

Emeritus, rather than buy a regular train ticket from Salzburg to Munich, see if you can buy the Deutsche Bahn Bavaria pass which is also valid for Salzburg. It's something like Euro 25, but it's good for your whole immediate family and you can use it the whole day.
.

That is what I meant by "Cheap $23 bavaria train ticket back from Salzburg to Munich" I use the single ticket since my colleage has a DB annual card

"The Bayern Ticket Single has the same conditions as the group ticket, but is valid for only one passenger. It costs €20 from the machines and online, and €22 from the ticket counter."

I actually do better than that since I am lecturing in Kempten. I can go all the way to Kempten from Salzburg and back to Munich

Best train deal in Germany involves flying in or out from another eligible country. With most airlines, sadly not United you can go everywhere in the country that day or the next day for about 25 Euro
Lufthansa - Rail&Fly - from train to plane in one easy journey

 

[Emeritus]

Flying is uncomfortable and unpleasant, especially in coach. But to me, it's a necessary evil that isn't much better when flying in first/business. I'm still in a metal tube (apologizes to Nords) with recirculated air and not much room to stretch. .

If you want to know what first class is like, Get a bottle of good scotch and spend the night on an army cot with two different televisions on different channels on each side and a buzzing alarm that goes off every two hours.
O yes sleep in your clothes and imagine a bathroom the size of a telephone booth.

Coach is the same trip without the free scotch and sitting up in a folding chair.

 

[FUEGO]

Coach is the same trip without the free scotch and sitting up in a folding chair.

With another folding chair sitting on your lap. With a bouncing kid in said chair.

 

[jebmke]

I'm not saying I'll not travel.
I did a fair amount of business travel and didn't like it.

Same here. I don't budget travel other than minor trips. I still have over a million FF miles on airlines from biz travel. No sense in budgeting big trips since they will be significant discretionary expense that is pretty unpredictable. When we travel, it ramps up the expense but budgeting it is impossible since I never know one year ahead with much precision.

 

[simple girl]

You might want to think about loosening up a bit and enjoying your new-found freedom while your health is good.

I agree with traveling while you still are able . My Mom loved to travel . It did not have to be far she just loved a change of scenery . At 94 she really can not travel much with out all sorts of help and she still wants to . It's sad !

I work primarily with 80+ yr olds. They tell me all the time to travel, do stuff while I'm young, appreciate my husband. It gives me wisdom for my age, I think. And also a strong anxious feeling about wanting to retire ASAP before time runs out...

July, airline+hotel+rental car to Mississippi to visit kids (would never go there in July otherwise-OMG! Hot! Humid! )

UH, yeah...spring break would be a MUCH better time to visit MS! (lived there 3 yrs, now in AL. July and August are brutal, especially when you aren't adapted to them.)

 

[check6]

I HATED having to travel for business and swore I'd never fly again after I retired (and I haven't!)....I know I'm in the minority on this, both on this forum and amongst my friends in general. One of the things I really appreciate about this forum is finding at least a few others who feel the same way I do about travel.

krs I am with you. I commuted 1200 miles to work by air three times a month and then flew for another 14-18 days a month. I can no longer stand airports and flying.

I told my wife that the only way we will go to Europe is if we can get business class. (We have flying benefits and go stby.)

 

[Ronstar]

I budget $5k for travel - which is for airfare, airport parking, rental cars, and lodging. Not much lodging, since we do only about 6 nights a year in a hotel. A lot for airfare - average 8-9 trips a year to Az condo.

 

[chinaco]

We vary a little on expenses for vacation. But usually take 2 sometimes 3 trips a year... usually a week each time because I still work. Sometime 2 weeks at a time.

Cost depends on the trip. For a week, it runs about $2k to 3.5k a trip depending on the destination, mode of travel, and itinerary.

I am hoping to do more budget conscious travel when I FIRE... but right now I end up trying to cram a vacation into week long slots because of work... and often travel during prime time which can increase costs.

 

[Moemg]

I enjoy traveling but it's different traveling when you are retired . While I was working I needed the change of scenery and a week of pampering . Now most of my traveling is to explore areas I've never seen or to reconnect with my family . Also as I've aged the trips I took in my thirties & forties no longer appeal to me . Let's face it for you are collecting SS you are too old for Club Med or all inclusive that have toga nights . I have also found that white water rafting ,wilderness hiking and swimming with sharks has lost it's appeal.

 

[Meadbh]

I voted $10-$19K, for one person. In retrospect, that was probably an overestimate, as I was thinking of my total travel spending. I don't have a budget as such. My travel patterns have changed a lot over the past decade. Business travel has increased and probably peaked in 2008 at 12 trips. Most business travel, but not all, is reimbursable. Personal long distance travel peaked in the early 2000s when I was managing eldercare for parents abroad. Now, overseas distance personal trips are discretionary. My personal travel spending has decreased significantly since I purchased my own holiday home on a fractional basis; I probably spend ~$5K now. In retirement I hope to take longer trips and will use up my frequent flyer miles, so my personal travel budget will increase again, especially when I don't have business trips to add vacation days to!

 

[Tiger]

We have no travel budget as we don't make travel plans. If we decide to go somewhere we go. In addition I still have lots of air mileage left from my working days.