What vacation $$ amount makes you squirm?

[Katy Belle]

Anything over $5,000 makes me squirm, I squirm a lot. We are going to WDW for Spring Break. Airfare is over $4,000. Yeah. The whole price exceeds twice my squirm level. Oh well, its only money, you can make more.

When we lived overseas, we had a few vacations that cost over $10,000. Squirmed less then, because it was "once in a lifetime" and the $ coming in was great.

Our first trip to WDW was 10 years ago. With airfare, it was about $4,000. That was a lot of money then.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Because we have owned a timeshare for years and mostly take "drive to" vacations our vacations are pretty economical. Our first WDW family trip was around $3000 and it gave me pause. We've been back since but I've found ways to make it less expensive (off site timeshare, or onsite free dining, drive vs fly, 10 day no expire wp & more tickets, buying Disney gift cards for food monthly or quarterly).

We've also taken 3 family trips to Hawaii. This last one was a major budget buster at around $5000. I gambled - waited to buy plane tickets because I thought the price would go down - and I lost. I paid $1000 more than the last time we went. Granted we had to get more expensive multi city tickets, were gone for 17 days and went to DLR, Kauai and Oahu, but I'm still sick that I didn't jump on the cheaper tickets when I first saw them.

 

[havaneselover]

Single mom with two children. $3k every other year is about my limit. When I was married it was probably about $5K but we really only did something big every 3 years. My parents have homes in SW Florida in Northern Michigan which make for cheap summer and winter vacations (I only pay for gas). So every other year I am trying to do something different with my kids. Next year we're doing a 4-day Disney Cruise. After that we'll probably switch to 7-day on RCL (for about the same price). Cruising for us seems to get the most bang for our buck.

 

[mrsklamc]

No, I don't work for an airline. We have a United (formerly Continental) credit card for about 20 years. We charge everything on it and get one mile per $ spent. It has added up over the years. 4 of us have flown free to Hawaii going on 3 times this summer and we do have enough for a 4th trip when we are ready.

Just as a round number, how many miles does a ticket to Hawaii cost?

 

[KELLY]

It use to be 5000.00 with air for 2 weeks. We would stay at a value with free dining. We still go during FD but last year we did a Disney cruise. This year we are staying at PB at universal for 5 days and POR for 12 days. SO the past 2 years probably close to 10,0000 with everything. I think after everything is paid for any spending money it will be around 8500.00.

 

[rockawaybeachgirl]

Wow hats off to you guys that can figure out how to play the points/miles game. I just made a quick visit to one of the mentioned sites and my head is spinning already.

You sound like my husband - every quarter I tell him which cards to use where (based on rotating 5% cahs back or 5x points - for example this quarter it's Chse Freedom for gas and Discover for restaurants) and he has to carry a post it in his wallet!

It take some investment (of time mostly) but it can be worth it!

 

[lurkernj]

Just as a round number, how many miles does a ticket to Hawaii cost?

We have been able to get them for 20,000 each way, so 160,000 for all 4 of us both ways. THEy are going up to 22,500 each way starting Feb 1. You can usually get a bonus for signing up plus an annual bonus if you spend more than 25k per year, which isn't all that hard to do

 

[aclov]

Over 5k too...Another DVC owner here, having that and another timeshare help in the costs. Although you do pay maintenance fees you don't feel it as much. We tend to spend more money in activities, shopping and dining! Although I will purchase gc's in advance if I know we will be going to a specific restaurant. I'm also trying to do more with points and miles.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

Our twitching point is about $2000. We use a lot of credit card rewards/air miles and are very creative in our plans.

(and there are six of us

 

[crisi]

Completely depends on the vacation.

We live in an expensive airfare city - getting four people anywhere from MSP is going to be $1500 - starting (well, we can get to Chicago cheaper, but, its Chicago).

I expect to spend $8k to go to Hawaii - but we did it once - airfare there is really expensive. Same with Europe - it isn't going to be an inexpensive trip - but we've only done it once so far (my daughter and I go back this summer! England this time.) Disney - Disney is an $6-8k trip for us - 4 Disney Adults to buy tickets for, $1600+ in airfare, DVC dues plus food.

And there is no credit card debt to pay for this - it goes on a card for airline miles (which is paying for our airfare this year, but we don't charge enough to pay airfare for four for every vacation we take!) and is paid off - generally before the trip is even taken.

We go to the North Shore for a few hundred dollars in gas, groceries and rental of a friends place. We go to Omaha for the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting for $600 (and then another $600 in steak dinners).

 

[Handbag Lady]

No we do not put anything on credit cards. We plan 9-12 months or more out and we pay off what we can in advance (with cash) then I shave off other costs (nonprepaids such as gas and hotels) where I can. Shrug. Seems like these threads always go in this direction. Not sure why, jealousy?

Kind of crazy that people are scoffing other people's vacation budgets without knowing anything else about the person. Informal polls on the dis about income show there is a middle or higher income range on this board. Obviously this is not the down and out how to stretch noodles 17 ways for a weeks meals type of "budget" board.

Well, there's that, and what discounts a person can get, plus some people have zero children and some have 8 children. It isn't comparing apples to apples at all.

 

[crisi]

Well, there's that, and what discounts a person can get, plus some people have zero children and some have 8 children. It isn't comparing apples to apples at all.

I usually post the same thing in threads like this.

If you live a five hour drive away from WDW, that is a different deal than flying in from Seattle or from England.

If you make $200k+ a year, that is a different thing than than if you make $50k or less. If you make $200k+ and your modest house is paid off and you are driving an eight year old car and your spouses car is six years old, and you might get a "new" used car in another five years - that is a WHOLE different thing than someone who makes $50k a year and lives in a high cost of living area with a mortgage, student loansm and a need for a dependable car - which they WILL drive for eight years, but they are 27 years old and the kids are little and they needed to trade in their old cars for a minivan and something that got better gas mileage just last year.

If you are a family of two, that is quite different than a trip of six "Disney Adults"

If you and/or your spouse flies extensively for business, frequent flyer miles and hotel points may shower upon you from the sky - making some vacations nearly free that someone who doesn't have those perks would have to pay cash for. My husband started flying internationally this year - all of a sudden there is "free" airfare for our next vacation.

If your parents are often "treating" vacations - or part of vacations - and you only count your cost. Years ago there was a woman on this board who would go to Disney every year on extravagant vacations for very little money - her father was spending her inheritance taking his grandkids to Disney every year - and she didn't count any money she didn't spend.

How much creative accounting goes into your cost - for some of us, we count every penny - from dog boarding to the load of laundry done by the pool - other people I've seen ignore DVC dues (lodging is "free" because we own DVC) in their cost calculations.

 

[vinotinto]

I remember 10-15 years ago, my DH and I would spend 2 weeks in Europe, including air, hotel, museums, food, for $3,000. One year, we upped it to $3,500 because we splurged. We lived in the northeast and always managed cheap flights from JFK, EWR, PHL in the low season (off-peak).

Now, I will do cartwheels if I can do one week for our family of 4 (2 kids) for under $5,000. It seems we have to travel while the kids are off school and everyone else wants to travel and airfare is obscene. I really wanted to go to Europe this summer, but flights alone would cost $6000-$8000. Much, much cheaper to go in off-season. So, of course, we're not going, but we need to figure what will we do with summer and none of the options are appealing. DH has already requested the time.

 

[married2mm]

Interesting point.

My sums are the absolute total amount-everything included from airport costs,flights,fuel,food,spends,hotel/villa,tickets,parking etc..
As you say,some are more creative-but our costs are definitive.

 

[hsmamato2]

hmmmm...what amount? I would say whatever I can't afford..... And by afford I mean comfortably remove from our household budget and spend on a frivolous (but oh so wanted) vacation.... that varies based on lots of factors.... as noted in pp's.... income,outgo,number of people,etc etc etc
For us personally, I've never spent more than $3100 on any trip,anywhere,any length of time. That's 4 people, and we've been to quite a few places over 25 years.... but I tend to be creative about it, and I consider it my p/t job to seek out and use any and every cost saver for vacations....
Usually it's a LOT less than that number....
Last years vacay to Yellowstone,etc- approx. total for 4 peeps 1700.00 for a 10 day adventure,(total everything- all details incl. dogsitters lol)

 

[MrEVILdrPorkchop2u]

hmmmm...what amount? I would say whatever I can't afford..... And by afford I mean comfortably remove from our household budget and spend on a frivolous (but oh so wanted) vacation.... that varies based on lots of factors.... as noted in pp's.... income,outgo,number of people,etc etc etc For us personally, I've never spent more than $3100 on any trip,anywhere,any length of time. That's 4 people, and we've been to quite a few places over 25 years.... but I tend to be creative about it, and I consider it my p/t job to seek out and use any and every cost saver for vacations.... Usually it's a LOT less than that number.... Last years vacay to Yellowstone,etc- approx. total for 4 peeps 1700.00 for a 10 day adventure,(total everything- all details incl. dogsitters lol)

Can I ask how you were able to take that trip for 1700.00? We are playing around with different ideas for a trip this summer. and that was one of the ideas thrown around last night. My DW was picturing twice that for a week.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Can I ask how you were able to take that trip for 1700.00? We are playing around with different ideas for a trip this summer. and that was one of the ideas thrown around last night. My DW was picturing twice that for a week.

$1,700 to Yellowstone sounds awesome! Oddly enough, $3,100 was our max as well (Disney).

Edit: my last trip to Yellowstone was less than $500. Friend and I split $100 in gas (3,500 miles, 35 MPG, a buck a gallon) and we mostly tent camped. Whole different deal these days, with a bigger car, higher gas prices, and having to eat the entire cost myself for the entire family.

 

[crisi]

hmmmm...what amount? I would say whatever I can't afford..... And by afford I mean comfortably remove from our household budget and spend on a frivolous (but oh so wanted) vacation.... that varies based on lots of factors.... as noted in pp's.... income,outgo,number of people,etc etc etc
For us personally, I've never spent more than $3100 on any trip,anywhere,any length of time. That's 4 people, and we've been to quite a few places over 25 years.... but I tend to be creative about it, and I consider it my p/t job to seek out and use any and every cost saver for vacations....
Usually it's a LOT less than that number....
Last years vacay to Yellowstone,etc- approx. total for 4 peeps 1700.00 for a 10 day adventure,(total everything- all details incl. dogsitters lol)

I have friends that spend weeks every summer (she is a teacher) in the BWCA - and spend almost no money to do so. There is $100 in gas - but the tents, the sleeping bags, the canoe - all that was paid for long ago. There is food - she dehydrates her own camping food, so they pack in some semblance of their normal grocery bill (more calories - because you need a lot of calories for a three mile portage - so its a little more expensive). The dog is taken by her mother - so no pet sitter required.

The initial investment in good gear was fairly significant, and there is replacement costs as it wears out - so there is a few hundred a year in equipment costs at this point. But I bet her overall costs for a year is still cheaper than a single adult hopper for a week.

That's a different sort of vacation than one that involves flying to New York City, eating in really nice restaurants, paying fees to see the sights, buying Broadway tickets, and doing some shopping. And while the New York City trip I might take one day, the BWCA trip always strikes me as wonderful in theory, and miserable in practice as the horseflies bite you and it rains for two days straight. I'll stay home and watch movies.

 

[hsmamato2]

$1,700 to Yellowstone sounds awesome! Oddly enough, $3,100 was our max as well (Disney).

Free flights thru SWA (cc bonus) +combination of tent camping in their established tents+whatever cabins were the cheapest for our dates+ lots of searching for the cheapest rental car+ another cc offer that gave us reward points that could be redeemed to 'pay back' travel costs

(oddly enough, some nights/places a tent cabin was cheapest (Tetons) and some nights,a hotel room was cheapest option(Mammoth) and we moved around every 2-3 nights at most to see the sights, conserve gas/time,and save lodging money) It was an awesome trip,and well worth the planning.
those cc reward points are very handy when trip planning,and knowing how to use them well (what gives you the best return)and carefully is a key part of it

 

[hsmamato2]

sorry,not to hijack thread but forgot to add in my pp... researching and adjusting travel dates to grab the lowest cost is probably the MOST important part of budgeting..... if you can be flexible with dates based on cost, that right there is the 1st step in saving....i.e. we plan our trips around the discounts,not the other way around...