How much do you spend on vacations each year?

[chasbos]

We are a family of 6 and for the last 4 years we have averaged between $10,000-15,000 for our vacations. We usually take one major vacation a year (Europe, Disney, St. Maarten, DCL) and that is usually around the $10,000 (we are Canadian - the exchange gets us!) And then we usually end up spending around the $5,000 on weekend trips to Toronto, Niagara Falls etc.

The kids have decided on the Calgary Stampede for our next family vacation and that will run about the same $ as a week on an island.

We really enjoy our vacation time together and the memories are treasured forever.

 

[pearlieq]

We're about $6,000 - $8,000 per year. We usually take 2-3 weeklong trips and 1 or 2 extended weekends. We get as much free as possible (reward cards, loyalty programs, etc.) and usually get a pretty good deal.

I do love hearing the neighbors say "You're going on vacation again?" Yeah, I'm sure that Expedition in your driveway was free, too...

As has been said many times, it's a question of priorities.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

the short of it:
$3000-$5000 every 2 to 3 years plus annual travel/mini-trips/family visits about $1000 per year for a family of 4.




The long of it:
We like (actually I like and hubby goes along) to take big trips every 2-3 years...that is the trend we are starting. One year ago we went to England, Wales, and France for 2 weeks, and after all was said and done it was about $5000 for a family of 4. We "economized" by traveling in the off season and taking advantage of $300 airfare for a non-stop MCO-Gatwick flight, we rented apartments with kitchens instead of staying in hotel rooms, we stayed at a friend's home in Wales. Our splurges: 1st class on Eurostar (I'd do it again!), bicycle tour of Versailles, and traveling where the dollar only goes half as far .

We will be going to Hawaii next October. Trying to get away with going for about $4000 for 6-10 days. We are "economizing" by using Hilton Honors points for free hotel for 4-6 nights (depending on point accumulation do to hubby's travel for work), one airline ticket will be covered by freq flyer miles, we are sharing a 2BR condo hotel with kitchen on the ocean of the north shore with my sister--our portion will be $100 per night. Our splurge: Luau for my mom's 50th which will cost more than a day at Disney .

So the big trips are about $4000-$6000 estimated every 2 to 3 years and are always covered--we carry no debt from the trips. We do charge while we are there, but pay the entire bill when we get back.

In between--we do weekends at Disney and will eventually work in camping trips and trips to visit family. Cost of the weekends....about $500 max. about 2-3 times per year and family visits about $100 unless it is a family reunion or a wedding--then it is a lot more.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have to say, after watching that Travel Channel show called "Vacation Challenge", I feel much better about our spending. Today they spent $5000 for a weekend trip (2 adults, 3 kids). That is typical for that show.

DH says that is because so much of the cost is in airfare, and then they only go for a weekend! He figures that if we pay airfare, we should stay for the whole week.

This thread has helped me feel better. As I metioned (and to those of you in your early stages of marriage), we never had expensive vacations until we turned 40. We went tent camping, and to local attractions only.

I follow a tight budget all year long, and put any extra money away for our vacation, but bills are always paid first. I was raised by parents who didn't waste money, and didn't vacation. I suppose I am just feeling a little guilty. BUT I will get over it!

Thanks everyone!
DJ

I'd love to hear your tips from experience on a separate thread.

We just spoke with one of our marriage couples that helps the engaged couples prep for marriage. We spoke about our pre-marital inventory and had it been graded we would have definitely got an F b/c we didn't agree on anything. Hubby's response--after 7 years I am slowly coming around to what he has been saying the entire time LOL. My spendy-ness is turning too. I still have some "will not budge" parts of the budget--but I'm slowly bending in other categories and learning to really dislike debt. We have a HUGE Home Equity Loan due to a swimming pool addition and kitchen remodel...and after 1 year--I'd really like it to disappear well below the 20 year maturity date.

So hop on over on another thread and share your knowledge--I'd love to hear about it! I was raised with one parent who spends freely and one who has declared bankruptcy 3 times (though only once before I went to college--and only 1 of the last two was granted). They are divorced and one had nothing to do with the other.

 

[westjones]

I'd love to hear your tips from experience on a separate thread.

We just spoke with one of our marriage couples that helps the engaged couples prep for marriage. We spoke about our pre-marital inventory and had it been graded we would have definitely got an F b/c we didn't agree on anything. Hubby's response--after 7 years I am slowly coming around to what he has been saying the entire time LOL. My spendy-ness is turning too. I still have some "will not budge" parts of the budget--but I'm slowly bending in other categories and learning to really dislike debt. We have a HUGE Home Equity Loan due to a swimming pool addition and kitchen remodel...and after 1 year--I'd really like it to disappear well below the 20 year maturity date.

So hop on over on another thread and share your knowledge--I'd love to hear about it! I was raised with one parent who spends freely and one who has declared bankruptcy 3 times (though only once before I went to college--and only 1 of the last two was granted). They are divorced and one had nothing to do with the other.

Honestly, it has a lot of do with how someone 'thinks' and what is important to them. I am terrible with debt....in that it REALLY bothers me. I can not stand to owe money. I don't know why, other than that my grandparents and parents were both like that. My DH is like that too. So if we owe money for ANYTHING that becomes our focus and it gets paid off.

I don't know about 'tips'. We just don't buy things we don't need, we don't eat out much, and when we do it is usually take out. We get movies from the library, or tape old ones on TV during the week to watch over the weekend. We hang out at home during our free time. BUT we are happy with this. If I felt deprived, it wouldn't work. We really like living like this. I would rather save and save and know that once a year I will have a great vacation then to spend on little things all year long. It is just a mind set.

DJ

 

[harleyquinn]

I love this thread!

I would love to know how everyone has paid their mortgages off! Dh and I got married last June (wedding cost a total of about $2500 almost as much as the honeymoon to WDW ) Instead of spending the money on the wedding, we bought a house. The only debt we have is student loan ($50K) and the house. We are 25, and would love to pay off at least DHs loans ($20K) before we have kids. I'm working on a retirement plan (with DisneySteve's help!) We're used to being frugal since both of our families are to a certain extent. If anyone has advice please PM me!!!!

Anyway, back to the thread topic. In the last 4 years, we've spent an average of around $2000 on vacations each year, which is just the 2 of us) We're skipping WDW this year (sooo hard) and taking a long weekend to Niagara-on-the-lake to celebrate our anniversary. I'm really hoping to go back to WDW next year and bring my parents who have never been. that's another important point! My family NEVER vacationed when I was a child unless it was a reunion. I didn't get to WDW til I was 22. So I believe vacationing with family is really important!

 

[westjones]

I love this thread!

I would love to know how everyone has paid their mortgages off! Dh and I got married last June (wedding cost a total of about $2500 almost as much as the honeymoon to WDW ) Instead of spending the money on the wedding, we bought a house. The only debt we have is student loan ($50K) and the house. We are 25, and would love to pay off at least DHs loans ($20K) before we have kids. I'm working on a retirement plan (with DisneySteve's help!) We're used to being frugal since both of our families are to a certain extent. If anyone has advice please PM me!!!!

We only had $10,000 in student loans (but that was in the 80s, so it probably isn't all that much different). But we are 45 now. We went our 30s focusing totally on our mortgage. The idea of owning our house was very exciting to us. We sent in double mortgage payments every month. My paycheck covered the extra mortgage payment (I now no longer work outside the home). We didn't vacation except for tent camping, so we probably only spent $500 a year on travel. We never went out for entertainment except for 'free' things in the community (which, if you look around you will find things like that....just as an example, this weekend the children's museum here is open free and next weekend our cultural center is going to be open free for special events).

We never ate out, our BIG treat was to go to McDonalds to get ice cream cones while the kids played at the play area (that was less than $4.00 and we only did that a couple times a month).

It may sound awful, but we made a game out of it and the GOAL was to be debt free by the time we were 40. Now we are 45 and we have been debt free for 5 years and I have to say it is a really nice feeling. BUT I know most people wouldn't live the way we did. It was much easier while the kids were young because a 2 year old doesn't question where you buy their clothes (I got them at yard sales). A 3 year old doesn't question why we can only go to the museum on a certain day (free day). NOW my twins are 11 and they are much more concerned about 'status' and how they dress, etc. BUT the nice thing is we are debt free now and can spend more on those little extras (like fuzzy shoes--something I don't get, but my DD's think they are cool).

DJ

 

[krissynkayla]

Karenallwood quoted: (and side note: $6,000 for several new cars? My new car cost more than twice that... )[/QUOTE]




YES I have bought 2 cars before for 3000 each and lasted me 6 years for each, so yes you can!!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Karenallwood quoted: (and side note: $6,000 for several new cars? My new car cost more than twice that... )

YES I have bought 2 cars before for 3000 each and lasted me 6 years for each, so yes you can!!!!!

No flames--but I think when earlier you said NEW cars, that is what confused people.

I call my cars "new to me" cars--b/c they are used and not new.

 

[krissynkayla]

Just curious - how much would you average for vacations, if you don't mind sharing?

Before this trip to the world, I maybe spent 800 on a 7 day trip to beach, For disney it was $2000.00

 

[krissynkayla]

No flames--but I think when earlier you said NEW cars, that is what confused people.

I call my cars "new to me" cars--b/c they are used and not new.

I agree! All cars new or used are new when someone else buys them, they are new to them.

 

[marcyinPA]

We usually spend roughly $2500-$3000 for a Disney trip, but we can only go every other year or so.

We are going to Washington D.C. for two nights over Memorial Day wkd. and I have about $600 budgeted for that, including hotel, gas for the car, food and incidentals. This will be our only vacation this year.

On non-Disney years in the past, we've gone to Ocean City Maryland for 4 nights and dropped a bundle!! $1500 easily...going to the beach is very expensive!!

My dad's side of the family does own a cottage on a lake in New Hampshire that we go to usually every year. My 2 ds's and my dad and I will be going for a week in June. Basically, it's free with the exception of food, gas and any day trips that we might do. My husband just started a new job 6 months ago and doesn't get vacation time yet....

 

[skiwee1]

Karenallwood quoted: (and side note: $6,000 for several new cars? My new car cost more than twice that... )

YES I have bought 2 cars before for 3000 each and lasted me 6 years for each, so yes you can!!!!! [/QUOTE]


There is no way you bought new cars for $3000 each. Maybe used but I wouldn't buy used.

 

[disneysteve]

There is no way you bought new cars for $3000 each. Maybe used but I wouldn't buy used.

She clarified this above - they were used cars.

OT - but why are you against used cars? Cars depreciate the most in the first 2 years. I'm perfectly happy to let someone else pay for that depreciation. Most cars today should last well over 100,000 miles. By buying a car one or two years old, you save thousands of dollars and still get a car good for at least 80,000 miles before any significant problems arise. JMHO.

 

[skiwee1]

She clarified this above - they were used cars.

OT - but why are you against used cars? Cars depreciate the most in the first 2 years. I'm perfectly happy to let someone else pay for that depreciation. Most cars today should last well over 100,000 miles. By buying a car one or two years old, you save thousands of dollars and still get a car good for at least 80,000 miles before any significant problems arise. JMHO.

Why buy someone else's problem when I can afford new? I have to have that new car smell too! LOL! The only car we bought used was my 16 y/o son's 2001 Mustang. And yes she did clarify but it still wasn't right. The cars she bought were only new to her, not new cars she was bragging about buying for $6000.

 

[wide awake]

Last year we spent $13,000. Eastern cruise on the Magic, one week in Hawaii, and five days at Yellowstone. This year we are doing the August repo, so with fare and extras I'm guessing about $8000...I've spent about $1300 on plane tickets for short trips this year, and we'll be going to DL and San Diego for a week in October...that adds another $3000...so at this point $13,000 per year. We have over $250,000 equity in our house, no credit card debt, my car is at 0%, and we put down 50% for DH's truck and will have it paid at the end of 11 months...I also pay extra on our mortgage. Both of us have excellent retirements. There are three of us and I'm very frugal on day to day expenses. We all enjoy travel...next year I want to do an Alaska or Med cruise along with a nice trip to WDW and Yosemite.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Last year we spent $13,000. Eastern cruise on the Magic, one week in Hawaii, and five days at Yellowstone. This year we are doing the August repo, so with fare and extras I'm guessing about $8000...I've spent about $1300 on plane tickets for short trips this year, and we'll be going to DL and San Diego for a week in October...that adds another $3000...so at this point $13,000 per year. We have over $250,000 equity in our house, no credit card debt, my car is at 0%, and we put down 50% for DH's truck and will have it paid at the end of 11 months...I also pay extra on our mortgage. Both of us have excellent retirements. There are three of us and I'm very frugal on day to day expenses. We all enjoy travel...next year I want to do an Alaska or Med cruise along with a nice trip to WDW and Yosemite.

I aspire to be like this--you have my dream life One day, one day!

 

[allforpooh]

We are like several others here, early 40's, years of paying off debt and not taking vacations. My DH went back to school at 35 (full time) and after 5yrs of college and pinching pennies we are now both working, but living on one salary. Now we have a DD19 in college and a small mortgage, and we are able to put aside 10K a year for vacations. We have also changed the way we think about things, as our DD's got older we realized that we were missing out on some great memories by not taking any vacations so we bought into DVC to make sure we at least took a yearly vacation.

10years ago I could barely see the light at the end of the tunnel but it was there....so now we try and appreciate what we have and enjoy our vacations.

Denise

 

[VWLMember]

We have a mortgage and a car payment, as well as other bills. We make six figures between the two of us. Yes we could concentrate on eliminating our debt, but we want to live our lives as though every day may be the last. That means seeing the world and enjoying it's spoils. If it means I am still in debt in 20 years, so be it. At least I will have mountains of memories with my family!

P.S. - We spent between 6-8K a year on vacations.