Too much???

[doneat54]

Ok, I overdid it a bit. I just got back last week from my 11th trip. FIRE'd Jan 4th this year. DW is still working.

In the 173 days between April 5th and Sept 25th:

Spent 82 nights away from home. DW was with my 42 of those, our 2 dogs, 43 of them.

Took our RV trailer on 7 trips, one of them 20 days long. Logged 4178 miles towing, stayed at 18 different campsites. I'd guess around 15-18 states all on the east coast pretty much.

Did 17500 miles by air, visited 4 different countries outside the US.

Saw one total solar eclipse.

What I can't count was the amazing number of friends and family I got to see. Some people I hadn't seen in 30+ years. My vintage car hobby had me in Europe for 2 weeks where I met friends from literally every corner of the globe.. and made new ones. Saw siblings, cousins, parents, in laws, etc.


But I'll not be doing that again next year. Lots of stuff at home didn't get done and some really needed to. Wondering if anyone else went "overboard" a bit with travel their first FIRE year?

 

[audreyh1]

Sure - the first two years in fact. Went on a huge number of trips. Then gentled the pace.

We anticipated this and had set extra funds aside for plenty of travel as soon as we retired.

 

[FIREmenow]

Planning on 1-2 years, 6000-8000 miles by water, living aboard full time. Don't think this will be too much, tho

Less than a year left 'till launch!

 

[Bamaman]

There are a number of boaters on our local waters this week congregating at the start of the Great Loop. They are meeting at Joe Wheeler State Park in NW AL. Many are working on their boats before heading south through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway ending in Mobile.

I am envious that so many people leave their sticks and bricks home in order to take the dream trip around America.

 

[DrRoy]

We definitely increased the number of trips, mostly of the 5 day +/- length, but not nearly that much.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

To OP, we did the same this year. Since DW retired in 2/17 (I am already retired) we/she has has been gone almost as much as home. Mostly 5 to 10 day driving trips. One cruise, one trip to the Mammoth Cave area, a few trips to see both DS's, and a trip where DW visited a bunch of girlfriends. Two more trips this year. Maybe three.

To Firemenow, please tell more about your trip plans. You must own some sort of boat and know what you are doing.

 

[FIREmenow]

To Firemenow, please tell more about your trip plans. You must own some sort of boat and know what you are doing.

Unfortunately (or not), I have been a serial boat owner for 30+ years.
I started a 12-step program to get over it, but gave up.

"The Loop" is a well-traveled circumnavigation of the East Coast that boaters travel, following the seasons and warm temperatures for a year or more.

A couple of links:

America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association
From Captain John (Cruising America's Great Loop): ".....cruise by 59 Forts & Fortresses, 52 National Parks, 48 historic Lighthouses, 46 U.S. Historical sites, 42 top National Island vacation spots, 18 Pirate & Civil War Shipwrecks, 12 Civil War battlefields, 10 famous Southern Antebellum Plantations, 8 of the 10 TOP Vacation destinations in the U.S., 8 of the Top 10 vacation spots in Canada, 7 of the 10 top rated retirement Cities in the U.S., all of the top 5 largest Flea Markets in the U.S., as well as the oldest Cities in both the U.S. and Canada."


Here are a couple of photos of our [-]boat[/-]home after next year.

 

[Danmar]

Planning on 1-2 years, 6000-8000 miles by water, living aboard full time. Don't think this will be too much, tho

Less than a year left 'till launch!

Looks like you will go right by our lake house in the Kawarthas (Trent canal system). Enjoy.

 

[Senator]

Absolutely not, as long as you have the funds to do it. I did something similar, nine trips so far, and have several trips more planned.

I saw people that I was in the service with that I had not seen in many years. I saw parts of the country that I have wanted to see for many years. I got to experience life again.

Trip	Timeframe	Place
1	July 2016	Branson, MO
2	December 2016	Branson, MO
3	January 2017	St Louis, Nashville, Florida
4	February 2017	Tucson
5	March 2017	Biloxi & New Orleans
6	May 2017	Garth Brooks in Kansas City, MO
7	June 2017	Glensheen Mansion, Duluth, MN
8	June 2017	Circle Tour
9	August	Eclipse in Lathrop, MO
10	November 2017	Middleboro, MA HS Reunion
11	December 2017	Maui, HI
12	Jan-March	Florida
13	November 2018	Churchill, MB Polar Bears

 

[Car-Guy]

I've quit counting "travel days" and especially travel expenses. After 5+ years of retirement I'm sure I have been "traveling" at least 75 days a year on the average. Lot's of one or two day overnight trips every year but a good number of 7 to 8 day trips in the mix too. I don't have a motor home or travel trailer since my idea of roughing it is a 3 star hotel. Much prefer 4 and 5 star hotels when available. Yes it does get expensive but I'm only going this way once. The DW goes on about half of these.

 

[doneat54]

To Firemenow, please tell more about your trip plans. You must own some sort of boat and know what you are doing.

Yeah, he owns a boat. LOL....

 

[brett]

First year we were gone for 7 months on one trip. The following four years it has been two trips of 2-3 months each, with some short ones interspersed.

Only you know if it is too much. DW wants to limit ours to eight weeks max so that is what we are now doing. Suits us. I would happily go for longer periods. Besides, that works with our out of country medical.

 

[doneat54]

Well to be honest, because I was laid off and and given a severance and bonuses 1 month before I was going to retire anyway, a travel "budget" was not a problem this year. We thought we might be able to have enough left over to do a cruise next year, but my balance sheet is down to two digits, so yes, we smoked through that this year... and it was fun.

Which actually is a good seg into another related topic I'd look at insights for; budgeting for travel. We know we like to and will, and though we have done ok on our monthly budget thus far, there is nothing in there for travel going forward. So I went "looking" a couple days ago.

DW is gets a 1 for 2 match on her 401K, up to 7%, so her 14% gives her another 7%. She is still contributing at the pre-FIRE rate of 16% and we are not pulling any $$ from the anything in the portfolio today to pay bills. She plans on working for 3-4 more years. Fact is, her 401K contributions post FIRE have NEVER been in my calcs/plan (my thought early on was to strip her paycheck down and just live off it after I FIRE'd, but reality is that my severance has become a nice backfill $$ and she is able to keep contributing). I am (today) very comfortable with our finances/portfolio and looked at that a couple days ago and thought "hhmmm, I could skim that a bit and come up with a travel budget!".

But DWs replay was a good one after thinking about it. She pointed out that if we go anything less than 14%, we are leaving (match) money on the table; skim that and it won't be pre tax anymore; and why not just use cash type holdings now to fund about a $6k/yr travel budget that won't even move the needle on any spreadsheet total and just keep kicking the 16% into her 401k?

Our portfolio is a little bit "cash heavy" now anyway as I have become much more risk averse after FIRE. Makes sense to me..... ??

 

[Bigdawg]

2017:
-Feb-NH/VT snowmobiling taking advantage of huge snow storm
-Mar-DD's NCAA Club Volleyball regionals @ UNH
-Apr-DD's NCAA Club Volleyball Nationals @ convention center in KC
-May-DD's graduation from Univ of Del
-Jun-Melbourne Australia-Help set up DD's apartment for her internship
-Sep-San Diego-College football game/Padres game and visit friends for 9 days

And I am on OMY X 1 or 2 or I'm not sure. DW is heading to HI tomorrow for two weeks. I am skipping this one to save some bling. I am afraid to see what the first year of ER looks like. But, FI seems alright.

 

[bloom2708]

Does DW have any issues with you being gone without her? I have a tough time saying you are FIRE and your wife is working (even if she "wants" to).

Good luck on further adventures.

 

[Rianne]

Planning on 1-2 years, 6000-8000 miles by water, living aboard full time. Don't think this will be too much, tho

Less than a year left 'till launch!

That is totally beautiful.

 

[doneat54]

Does DW have any issues with you being gone without her? I have a tough time saying you are FIRE and your wife is working (even if she "wants" to).

Good luck on further adventures.

LOL, uh yeah, there have been "discussions". But she has known for 30+ years that I intended to to do this, was offered, invited to join me in retirement at the same time, but chose to continue working. She got her masters degree 5 years ago and is looking for that "last hurrah" job......

.... but yes, she still has "issues" with it, LOL.

We did have some great trips together though, 13 days in Grand Cayman (we are divers) and she was with me for 9 days in Europe, plus flew south to meet me in the Carolinas on my big 20 day RV trip.

.... but yes, she still has "issues" with it.

 

[retire2020]

Have been out once every month of this year. Total of six months away from home - two trips to SE Asia, BC,Alaska and train trip from east to west coast.

 

[FreeBear]

Wow, I just counted and we've been away from home 2 of the last 6 months! It didn't seem like that much until I realized we been gone this much over only 6 months. In reality, we probably won't go anywhere for 6 months. Back to reality budget-wise; got to pay for expensive dental work.

This is the first time in my life that I've ever been on vacation away from home this much. It's great! We've on our third year of retirement, but we spent the first 2 years unloading a house and then worry about expenses. This year, we started our real retirement! Hope the stock market hold out or we'll have to pull back somewhat.

We typically leave for 1-3 weeks at a time. In the "spring", really late "winter" here in the midwest, we were snow birding on the Gulf. This summer, we headed north to escape the heat.

 

[FreeBear]

Unfortunately (or not), I have been a serial boat owner for 30+ years.
I started a 12-step program to get over it, but gave up.

"The Loop" is a well-traveled circumnavigation of the East Coast that boaters travel, following the seasons and warm temperatures for a year or more.

I've been dreaming of boat cruising, but the reality is that I found out that I get seasick easily. I visited a friend on his 30 foot sailboat and I felt sick every time I went below, even at the dock! We went out for 2 hours in only 1 foot waves (!). I was OK on deck, but not went I went below in the cabin even for a minute.

Maybe I should give it another shot. On the other hand, the last thing we need right now is another big fixed expense. Also, I'd hate to have to deal with something else to maintain... I've gotten lazy!

I have also dreamed of RV'ing, but the cost is especially prohibitive since I can't keep one at our townhouse. Besides, DW and I have developed very restricted diets and would probably be a pain to deal with on the road or the water.

 

[RE2Boys]

Planning on 1-2 years, 6000-8000 miles by water, living aboard full time. Don't think this will be too much, tho

Less than a year left 'till launch!

Passing by our town twice on Lake Erie, time it right and you may be able to go ice fishing.

 

[Teacher Terry]

We usually take 2-10 day trips/year and then a few smaller ones of 4-5 days. The last few years we have really gotten into cruising and we have an old RV that we take on short trips with our 3 dogs. WE also sometimes fly somewhere to visit friends or family for a week.

 

[brett]

We leave mid Jan for two months.

DW does not know it yet, no doubt she suspects it though, but I am shopping for a last minute travel option between the end of this month and Christmas. One to two weeks.

Grandaughter born, DW should have a schedule for a cataract procedure that we can work around. Could be a cruise, an AI, or perhaps we can snag a good flight somewhere and make our own arrangements.

 

[Koolau]

Each year since our move to Paradise, we've returned to the mainland which is nearly a 10,000 mile round trip. From there we take day and week trips by car. This year we did Branson, the Ark, Exotic Feline Rescue, Chi, Indy, St. Louis, Louisville, etc. I think we do more miles in the summer on the mainland than the rest of the year in Paradise - of course, there are only so many roads on a 600 square mile rock. YMMV

 

[brucethebroker]

Hey fire, what would a similar type boat cost, old enough to be a good deal, but not needing a complete overhaul? And yearly upkeep?

Hope I'm not being too nosy....just have always been curious.