Travel budget for FIRE

[NW-Bound]

What you say is true, as I know I would not want to drive a car through the narrow streets of Toledo, let alone parking it. I have seen a motorist going back and forth between two closely parked cars, bumping them apart to create a space for himself.

One can take public transportation to go into town, though it may not always be available. And we are not averse to walking a few miles, like we often did, crossing a town end-to-end on foot. Many of these towns are only 1 or 2 miles wide, if that.

 

[inky]

I'm planning to retire in 2015 with a travel budget of $15K (out of a total budget of $45K). I'm hoping to squeeze 4-6 months of travel a year out of my budget.

I do travel quite frugally and enjoy visiting the developing world, where the dollar goes a lot further. I still stay in hostels at the age of 42 and enjoy the cameraderie there, but always stay in a private room as I lost my tolerance for dormitory accommodation in my 30s.

As an example, two years ago I took a nine-week sabbatical from work and went to Korea, India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam for a total cost of $6K, which included $2K in flights. So $2K living expenses a month, about what I spend at home. I stayed in the inexpensive guesthouses that are typical in Asia and ate out for every meal. Of course, SE Asia and India are great places to get bang for your buck.

I'd like to also travel in Europe but will work out a budget-conscious approach, with visits that last a few months to amortize the cost of the flight. I'm thinking about doing language study in Spain with a homestay, and am also considering housesitting and programs such as Pueblo Ingles in Spain, where you get free accommodation and meals for a week in exchange for English language conversation with the locals.

 

[qxky27]

I plan to make 5 big trips each year for the rest of my (healthy) life. I don't have any particular annual travel budget but I have earmarked around 400k for this. I am a frugal traveler, usually camp and cook food from the grocery and do lots of hiking which is cheap, but I hope to reach some of the most remote places in the world, hence the need for a sizable budget.

 

[Koolau]

As such, we do not budget. We've become familiar with "living" our new ER life and find that it works pretty well so far. If we did have a travel budget, it would include what we spend to maintain our mainland apartment and car (total, about $7k/year) plus the <$2K for airfare to/from the mainland. From there, we do short to long car trips on the mainland for up to 4 months/year. Hoping to go west next year (summer - ALWAYS summer).

We don't think of travel food (even in restaurants) as travel since we can eat for less money on the mainland than here in Paradise. Our eyes still boggle when we go into an Aldi's and see blueberries for $1/pint instead of $1/ounce or milk for $3/gal instead of $6. Gas is typically $1/gal less but we DO go a lot farther on the mainland. We try to stay in cheap(er) interstate motels until our final mainland destinations ($75/night we consider expensive, though $100/night is okay once we "arrive.").

So if we have a "big" travel summer, it might be $12K total. We don't seem to have much interest in foreign travel. I have been to Europe as well as all over Canada, the Caribbean, some of Mexico, etc. Maybe I've lost some of my adventurous spirit or, more likely, I've grown weary of the hassles of travel on a schedule. I love to fly, but I hate air travel - make any sense??

If we ever do another cruise, it will be one of the Alaska cruises. Other than that, I guess we're in more or less of a "See the USA (mainland)" right now.

 

[bmcgonig]

What has made us hesitate going back to Europe is the 2 hr drive to the airport, the 2 hr wait for checkin,security and the flight, and then the 11 hour flight (San Francisco to Heathrow). At least 15 hours and we don't sleep well on planes.

I do that trip once a year or more, and the fact that I can buy a exit row seat for $150 (united) each way has changed the trip enjoyment factor immeasurably. I used to absolutely detest the idea, but now I actually enjoy the time to read etc.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[natewebco]

We're doing full-time in a 5th wheel for our travel/vacation. Trying to see as much of the U.S. as we can. We're looking at about 60K / year, but that's all our living expenses, lodging, fuel, food, etc for the whole year.

 

[2017ish]

natewebco, thanks for bumping this interesting thread.

We are still working solely to boost our travel budget. We plan for it to easily exceed 50% of our spending from mid 50s to age 70 or beyond (DW's parents were climbing step pyramids in their late 70s...) This is a very big number each year, but that has been our main savings goal.

Extensive travel has been very difficult to arrange in our working years (cobble together a two week trip every 7 years or so, on average), and we intend to make up for it. We have explored only a small portion of the world's tropical reefs, and have barely begun to sample the supply of liveaboard diveboats. That, plus DW's dislike of flying coach on transpacific flights is keeping our noses to the grindstone.

At retirement, we'll have as many years as we like of intensive diving, along with Macchu Pichu, which is calling us to climb up while we are in our 50s. After that, an RV for North America, and (eventually) nondiving destinations such as Europe, Asia, and Africa, all of which we hear nice things about! (for that matter, we really haven't "seen" much of the land associated with our dive destinations, so South America, Oceania, and Australia should be on the list as well).

Hopefully, we won't tire of it too quickly. If we do, we will have worked too long!

 

[explanade]

So this probably isn't a good LBYM approach but I'm considering squeezing in a trip in early April to either Copenhagen or Brussels, even though I already have two other European trips already planned, in late April and early June.

United is offering a Business class sale but travel has to be in the first two weeks of April, booked by March 13.

Both cities are on the bucket list and one of the motivations is trying to maintain status on the frequent flier program, which requires not only flying a certain amount of miles but also spending a certain amount, exclusive of fees and taxes. A business class ticket to Europe under $4000 would go a long way towards meeting the spending requirement.

I'm not even sure if status is worth it. Gets slightly better economy seats for free, earlier boarding but really very few upgrades because I fly out of a United hub (SFO).

Anyone else still trying to play the frequent flier game after ER?

 

[2017ish]

...

I'm not even sure if status is worth it. Gets slightly better economy seats for free, earlier boarding but really very few upgrades because I fly out of a United hub (SFO).

Anyone else still trying to play the frequent flier game after ER?

Don't know about playing the game, but post-retirement, we will continue to take advantage of DW's lifetime status on american, and take whatever reasonable steps may be imposed to maintain it. The better economy seats, particularly the exit rows, are a worthwhile perq. on domestic and Caribbean flights when SWA is not clearly the better choice. Who knows what the benefits and requirements will be by that time though....

 

[Cobra9777]

Anyone else still trying to play the frequent flier game after ER?

No, I've given up on my elite status. In Megacorp days, I was perennial Executive Platinum at American. Among other perks, that earned me 8 system-wide upgrades to business class every year, which I usually used on trans-Pacific flights. Plus a seemingly endless supply of 500-mile upgrades. I REALLY miss business class. I'm just not flying enough miles since ER to maintain ANY elite status, much less Executive Platinum. So instead, I'm harvesting my large bucket of miles (>500K at last check) to fly free. And I sit in Coach.

 

[audreyh1]

We're doing full-time in a 5th wheel for our travel/vacation. Trying to see as much of the U.S. as we can. We're looking at about 60K / year, but that's all our living expenses, lodging, fuel, food, etc for the whole year.

When you go full time your "travel budget" becomes your regular budget.

 

[ERTX]

My travel budget has gone from $12,500 to $3000 a year. I simply hate flying now and driving more than 6 hours wipes me out for that day and the next. Tired of the hassle of hotels and craiglist by the week rentals wasting time to find the best deal. I do more extended day spa treatments and I can stay at a local casino for free two days a month and received $50 in "free play" (which I just play the "free play" on a slot machine and cash out when the $50 is gone and hopefully have some left over). They have a very good steak restaurant so I go there and then go to the room and catch up on my reading, use the treadmill in their gym, then turn in early and hit the comped breakfast buffet and check out. I got to the point where I puckered up thinking about going to the airport because I knew there was going to be a delay or some a-hole that I would have to hold my tongue for in my future.

 

[braumeister]

So this probably isn't a good LBYM approach but I'm considering squeezing in a trip in early April to either Copenhagen or Brussels,

Both beautiful cities, but so much more to see in Brussels.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, all over Europe, the Chinese tourist hordes have been huge. Our more recent Europe travels which started in 2013 must have coincided with it.

At times it’s been a saving grace for local tour guides when tourism from other countries drops occasionally.

The only major annoyance has been the self posing right in front of most scenic spots meaning everyone else has to wait for them to step out of view. And it’s not a quick snap either - apparently several poses are required, and then traveling companions switch out.

 

[Chuckanut]

Anytime a BIG BUS tour offloads a bunch of tourists it's a pain regardless of who the group is. In Yellowstone, I made sure to pass up any site where I saw the big buses waiting to pull in. Also, a 1/4 mile walk along just about any trail or path, gets one past 90% of the crowds.

The train in Switzerland was a first for me. We arrived early to catch a train going way up high into the Alps. I saw crowds of Chinese tourists getting on a train and headed for it not wanting to stand for the entire trip. I was stopped by a Swiss attendant who told me that this was the train for the Chinese tour groups. The train for the rest of us (Americans, Europeans, Japanese, Africans, Australians, etc. etc. etc.) would come along in a few minutes. The site up on the mountain was mobbed, but once again, a brief stroll away from the main viewing places brought relief. (Side Note: If the snow ever melts up there somebody is going find scores of cell phones dropped from the viewing platforms, I wonder how man will still work?)

In there defense, most of the Chinese groups I saw were well behaved, obviously enjoying the sites and excited to be in another country. It sure beats a war.

 

[SkinsFan0521]

This is the first time I've seen this thread so I read through the whole thing and find it interesting how many people have varying budgets for travel.

We're still 10+ years away from FIRE, but I anticipate our travel budget being the largest single item in our budget by far. We travel quite a bit now (usually 4-6 trips per year) and spend $10k-$15k/year and that's because our travel is HEAVILY subsidized by frequent flyer miles, credit card points, hotel points, etc. We fly business whenever possible on any overseas flights and stay in 3*-5* hotels, but for 1* and coach prices. If we were paying full price, we would have to spend $50k+/year for our trips, which frankly isn't an option.

I anticipate our travel budget being $30k-$40k (in today's $$) of our total $100k budget. This number may actually go up if the whole travel rewards game changes between now and then and it's not as possible for us to subsidize our travel with points, but I sure hope not. We'll have no limitations on vacation days and our bucket list is long!

 

[smurray5991]

My FIRE travel budget is about $20-25K/year, for one person, by far my biggest budget line. I'm on the road 4-6 months a year, almost all international, but also do US road trips primarily staying with friends.


I travel low-medium end most of the time (including camping, hostels, public transportation, etc.), and definitely seek out bargains. But I also go to lots of far-flung places which raises the cost for international transport and visas (I spent $800+ JUST on visas for a long trip to West Africa last year, for example!!!!).


In true 'blow that dough' fashion, I've also started taking business class for all flights to Asia / Africa / Oceania (but not for Europe or North America and only occasionally to South America). I also find I end up paying more for things when traveling solo, especially if I want to get to a place you have to hire a guide for and I'm the only one interested.


Honestly I truly love my travel adventures, and feel like it's worth every penny I spend. And I don't foresee ever giving it up -- but I am definitely trying to front-load more physically challenging trips now and know there are plenty of easier trips I can do later, which I will still thoroughly enjoy.

 

[Nemo2]

Fall 2017, Bulgaria, followed by an westbound transatlantic; and Spring 2018, an eastbound transatlantic followed by Romania....(for 2 people):

$12,100 Cdn, (approx $9,350 US)

 

[Dtail]

Our travel budget is at 15k for our first full year of retirement. Looking to explore the USA over the next few years with maybe Int'l in the future.

 

[HMMY]

One of the first things we did after we bought a home was to set aside savings for lumpy expenses, such as travel, summer camp, etc. Whenever our travel expenses exceeded our monthly cash flow, we pulled from savings. Before we sold the home, we had $60k in the savings account. I retired without a specific travel budget.

In a typical year, we do 2 international and 2 domestic trips and draw about $5k from savings (the amount not covered by monthly cash flow). We always fly economy and use Chase Sapphire points whenever we can, but we do not skimp on accommodations, food, or activities when we travel. We have been all over the world, and every time, I'm a little happier to get back home.

 

[dtbach]

Some years we spend 10K a year, others 18K. Depends on if we want to do the car stuff around the US or doing flying to International destinations.