Vacation budgeting

About 15%. I only spent about 50% of it 2 years ago, but I went over by about 10% last year.
 
For the past 3 years we have averaged $15K (not counting fuel or food) on travel per year.
I do look for a good value which may not always be the cheapest.

We get 3 -> 4 trips per year for a total of about 3 months.
 
I retired with a set aside for travel (even though I don't travel much- I just liked having options). It was ~30% of total spending, including taxes. I've actually spent none of it, as caregiving requirements have kept me close to home.
 
I don't really budget, but my annual spend on travel has run from 20% to 33% of my spending.
 
22%, though I think we're falling behind in spending it.
 
Mine is pretty consistently 20%. That's two "big trips" per year (this year will be the Galapagos and a couple of weeks in Europe) and then short hops to visit family, stay in my favorite B&B 4 hours away, and whatever else comes up. Last year it was a family wedding in Charleston, SC; I just got back a few days ago from my youngest brother's retirement party in Charlotte.
 
No budget for me, as we do not travel extravagantly and whatever the expenses add up to, they don't break me.

Just out of curiosity, I looked and we spent 20% in 2019, and 10% in 2018.
 
We bought a camper to be able travel. As a result, we spend less when we go on camping vacation (we stay at cheap or free govt campgrounds mostly). So depending on how long the camper lasts gives the % cost
 
It really depends year over year. I'd say it averages about 15% but that will go up after I turn 59 1/2 and start withdrawing some of my Roth IRAs money.
 
Rianne said:
Our monthly spending including taxes is ~$70K. I'd say 15% of that. We'll adjust up to 20-25% in year or two, when pension kicks in.
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Over 10K a month, can I tag along in your suitcase...:dance:
 
Not sure of the percentage of my budget, but I take the dividends and interest I earned from the year before and use that as my vacation money. When it's gone, so is traveling.
 
TheWizard said:
$70k per month is an impressive amount in retirement...
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I think the poster meant "annual" rather than monthly for the $70K. Otherwise, they're be ultra super fat FIRE, and the pension would likely not have a significant impact on their budget, travel or otherwise.
 
I FIREd at 46, am 50 and at about 5%. Travel isn't a super high priority for me (mostly a "someplace warm" trip in winter once a year, plus some car/plane/hotel around the continental US).

My Dad FIREd at 55, is 83 and he's probably closer to 25%. He likes to travel (mostly cruises).
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I'm going to budget for 20% minimum, and try to chip in a little extra with windfall money.
 
Wow! 20%. Wow. The last 8 years we have averaged well under $1000 a year for travel. Now, in 2011, we spent 2 weeks in London with two of our kids and that was an expensive trip. Back in the day -- when we were working full time and had kids at home we probably spent close to 10% of our annual income on trips. But now that it is just us we have had other priorities. I don't like to fly so it hasn't been a high priority. We do plan to soonish (maybe this year, maybe next take a trip that may be close to 10% of income but that will be not an annual thing. It isn't that I am super frugal. Believe me, I can spend money. Just that there are things I would rather spend money on (for the last 6 months we have been doing a massive remodel project).
 
I don't like percentages, so 20% is Wow , but not if the budget is out of $20K, then it's only $4K, but 20% out of $100K is $20K which really deserves a Wow - nice trips (either fancy, or long, or far and long).
 
I used a percentage because the more you make you can obviously vacation more, so I didnt want to compare $$ figures. Being in Alaska, it cost about $1000 and up per person just to get out of the state. A good portion of the travel will be in-state or into Canada so some years will be pretty cheap. No, I'm not going to relocate to a cheaper COLA, not up for discussion. We love it here too much. We're generally pretty frugal, but when I vacation I dont like to count pennies, so I would rather have a little extra than not enough. My estimated retired annual income should be around $65K, so 20% of that is $13K. A big chunk of that can get eaten up quickly on an international trip. My wife and I have family and friends overseas so I need to plan for that.
 
Twize said:
I used a percentage because the more you make you can obviously vacation more, so I didnt want to compare $$ figures. Being in Alaska, it cost about $1000 and up per person just to get out of the state. A good portion of the travel will be in-state or into Canada so some years will be pretty cheap. No, I'm not going to relocate to a cheaper COLA, not up for discussion. We love it here too much. We're generally pretty frugal, but when I vacation I dont like to count pennies, so I would rather have a little extra than not enough. My estimated retired annual income should be around $65K, so 20% of that is $13K. A big chunk of that can get eaten up quickly on an international trip. My wife and I have family and friends overseas so I need to plan for that.
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Makes sense. Enjoy yourself.:dance:
 
Sunset said:
I don't like percentages, so 20% is Wow , but not if the budget is out of $20K, then it's only $4K, but 20% out of $100K is $20K which really deserves a Wow - nice trips (either fancy, or long, or far and long).
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In my case, I fly Business Class on long-hauls. If I didn't have the money I'd fly Coach, but I do. I also like small-ship cruises- not luxury in the sense of chandeliers and Champagne, but remote areas and very knowledgeable guides. I'm planning on taking one to Belize and Guatemala next year and found that Belize isn't that far from the US- I'll be fine in Coach. I was in India and Nepal for 3 weeks in early 2018 and I'd say that's my limit as far as length of trip.

And my second granddaughter is now old enough that she'll accompany her 6-year old sister and me to Chicago for a couple of nights in May. I just booked our flights from Des Moines, where they live!:D
 
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