We travel a fair bit. We just got back from 8 days in Bali (it was an anniversary trip so we did it in luxury and spent a fair bit), we have a diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef planned in July, a week in New Zealand in October, DH has a conference in Portugal in August and will tack on some extra travel days and I hope to spend a month in India in the new year volunteering. All told we probably spend around 15k in travel per year. (Now, to afford that we live pretty modestly, probably more so than most people would be comfortable with.)
A few years ago, I stayed home with my kids. We could only afford so much. So lots of daytripping and nearby overnights. Every other year, we would spend about $3-5k to fly across the world to visit my family for 2-3 weeks.
Then I started working and we discovered the freedom of being a 2 income family. Every year I keep expanding the vacation budget because I cannot resist. We are very frugal and like to save a lot...but getting rather indulgent and spoiled with so much great travel.
I get 3 weeks a year and DH gets 4 weeks. I desperately want at least 1 more week off.
Last year we spent about $6k on big trips and prob about 1k on numerous weekend trips. Dh and I also did cheap weekend trips to Quebec City and Vegas through various points and rewards. Our friends joke that its a shock when we are home on a weekend.
March - 5 day Royal Caribbean cruise plus a couple of days in Fort Lauderdale, 2500
July - long weekend in Algonquin camping, 400
August - 12 days WDW, 3300
December - 2.5 weeks Malaysia, fully subsidized by my father (crazy expensive because it was a last min trip)
This year I am expecting to spend about $8500 (OUCH!!!!!)
March - 3 day Disney Dream plus a few nights in Orlando, 3000
April - weekend trip to Vegas for DH and I, 300
July - 4 night weekend to Washington? 300
July - 3 night camping in Tobermory, 300
August - 4 night weekend to the Smokies? 300
August - 3 night weekend to Holiday World, 500
October - 4 night weekend to Vegas for DH and I, 300
December - 9 nights in Dominican Republic for nephew's wedding, 3300
We like travelling way too much. We're at the point where we're stretching our budget a bit to do it...which my frugal soul gets nervous about. Just can't cut anything though!!!
We are credit card churners, earning tons of points and miles, which helps fund these trips. Otherwise, we'd probably spend double this for a family of 4. We rarely pay for flights and only pay for hotels in Disney.
I typically go to Disney every other year. That runs me close to $5,000 for a week.
In between, we just don't do anything. While my DH and I both have great jobs, I also have one child in college and one on the way in. I don't believe in student loans and things like that when I can skip a vacation and actually pay for college, so that's why we don't spend a lot on vacation. I'm sure I'll be on my deathbed regretting it, but I just can't reconciling putting out at least $5K a year and then saying I can't afford other things because that's how it would be for me.
A few years ago, I stayed home with my kids. We could only afford so much. So lots of daytripping and nearby overnights. Every other year, we would spend about $3-5k to fly across the world to visit my family for 2-3 weeks.
Then I started working and we discovered the freedom of being a 2 income family. Every year I keep expanding the vacation budget because I cannot resist. We are very frugal and like to save a lot...but getting rather indulgent and spoiled with so much great travel.
I get 3 weeks a year and DH gets 4 weeks. I desperately want at least 1 more week off.
Last year we spent about $6k on big trips and prob about 1k on numerous weekend trips. Dh and I also did cheap weekend trips to Quebec City and Vegas through various points and rewards. Our friends joke that its a shock when we are home on a weekend.
March - 5 day Royal Caribbean cruise plus a couple of days in Fort Lauderdale, 2500
July - long weekend in Algonquin camping, 400
August - 12 days WDW, 3300
December - 2.5 weeks Malaysia, fully subsidized by my father (crazy expensive because it was a last min trip)
This year I am expecting to spend about $8500 (OUCH!!!!!)
March - 3 day Disney Dream plus a few nights in Orlando, 3000
April - weekend trip to Vegas for DH and I, 300
July - 4 night weekend to Washington? 300
July - 3 night camping in Tobermory, 300
August - 4 night weekend to the Smokies? 300
August - 3 night weekend to Holiday World, 500
October - 4 night weekend to Vegas for DH and I, 300
December - 9 nights in Dominican Republic for nephew's wedding, 3300
We like travelling way too much. We're at the point where we're stretching our budget a bit to do it...which my frugal soul gets nervous about. Just can't cut anything though!!!
We are credit card churners, earning tons of points and miles, which helps fund these trips. Otherwise, we'd probably spend double this for a family of 4. We rarely pay for flights and only pay for hotels in Disney.
Could possibly do DC..or any city really with hotel points or even Priceline.
If you stay in a hotel where you get free breakfast, that saves money and then bring some snacks and eat at inexpensive restaurants or use restaurant gift cards earned via credit card.
DC is awesome because most of the stuff is free.
We do one big vacation every 2-3 years. (big meaning $3,000 give or take). We usually do 2-4 days at the beach, staying at my friend's parents place about 10 miles away- for $35 a night. Other than that- we do a day trip here and there- for the cost of gas and food.
I would love to travel more, but we just don't have the income to support that.
Wow, I am impressed how inexpensively you do your weekends away!