Comments on: A Successful Vacation Budget http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/ personal finance that makes cents Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:38:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Jennifer http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-136407 Jennifer Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:10:22 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-136407 I am a type of person who loves luxury (nice hotel rooms, good food) while on vacation. I want to stay on a budget though. I am attempting to do this on a future vacation. I would LOVE to read a future post with new tips! I am a type of person who loves luxury (nice hotel rooms, good food) while on vacation. I want to stay on a budget though. I am attempting to do this on a future vacation. I would LOVE to read a future post with new tips!

]]> By: kick_push http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94618 kick_push Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:41:36 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94618 i just got back from hawaii too.. i like traveling in a big group because we save a lot of money that way my cousin works for the airline so i was able to get a stand by flight ($100 each way).. SF to Honolulu hotel (outrigger waikiki) and transportation was only $60 a night (split between 11 people) for a 4 day 3 night stay so that's basically $380 for a round trip flight, hotel, and transportation.. not bad =) i just got back from hawaii too.. i like traveling in a big group because we save a lot of money that way

my cousin works for the airline so i was able to get a stand by flight ($100 each way).. SF to Honolulu

hotel (outrigger waikiki) and transportation was only $60 a night (split between 11 people) for a 4 day 3 night stay

so that’s basically $380 for a round trip flight, hotel, and transportation.. not bad =)

]]> By: Helen. http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94563 Helen. Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:07:27 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94563 Grace, that's because the dollar is so very weak these days. Yes, London is expensive, but the woeful state of your currency makes things a hell of a lot more so. Of course, this also makes NYC and environs cheap for us Brits! Grace, that’s because the dollar is so very weak these days. Yes, London is expensive, but the woeful state of your currency makes things a hell of a lot more so.

Of course, this also makes NYC and environs cheap for us Brits!

]]> By: Grace http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94552 Grace Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:28:15 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94552 I gotta disagree with you that New York is as expensive as London. I was in London in May. The prices were beyond expensive: $8 to ride the subway? A sandwich and a drink for $20? At least the major museums, including the British Museum and the National Gallery, were free. I gotta disagree with you that New York is as expensive as London. I was in London in May. The prices were beyond expensive: $8 to ride the subway? A sandwich and a drink for $20? At least the major museums, including the British Museum and the National Gallery, were free.

]]> By: finance girl http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94542 finance girl Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:49:44 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94542 Wow, actually $2k isn't bad for the length of time you were gone, unfavorable exchange rate, and the fact that you were over there in high season (summer). Wow, actually $2k isn’t bad for the length of time you were gone, unfavorable exchange rate, and the fact that you were over there in high season (summer).

]]> By: Tanelia http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94534 Tanelia Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:22:34 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94534 Welcome Back JD! I'm impresses to see how well you planned your vacations and how you stuck with your budget. Good for you. Welcome Back JD!
I’m impresses to see how well you planned your vacations and how you stuck with your budget. Good for you.

]]> By: Schizohedron http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94531 Schizohedron Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:49:30 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94531 Welcome back; glad you and Kris have returned safe and sound. Thanks for recruiting such a diverse gang for guest posts. Cross-pollinization is good. :) If your day in Manhattan was Saturday, you lucked out with a gorgeous day for tourism. I stopped working in the city in March, and I do miss the spectacle and bustle (though not the commute back & forth from NJ!). Note for your next NYC trip: Be sure to sneak out to an outer borough at least once. The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo are two good choices! Welcome back; glad you and Kris have returned safe and sound. Thanks for recruiting such a diverse gang for guest posts. Cross-pollinization is good. :)

If your day in Manhattan was Saturday, you lucked out with a gorgeous day for tourism. I stopped working in the city in March, and I do miss the spectacle and bustle (though not the commute back & forth from NJ!). Note for your next NYC trip: Be sure to sneak out to an outer borough at least once. The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo are two good choices!

]]> By: brad http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94527 brad Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:11:48 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94527 "Ireland was good" is lukewarm, which is how I felt after my first trip there. That trip was just like yours: by train, hitting Dublin, Cork City, and parts of Kerry. In fact I didn't really like Ireland at all based on that first visit. For all my subsequent trips, however, I rented a car and spent most of my time along the west coast (mostly Clare and Galway) and that's a very different Ireland from the one you experienced. If you ever go back, rent a car, it'll be worth it! “Ireland was good” is lukewarm, which is how I felt after my first trip there. That trip was just like yours: by train, hitting Dublin, Cork City, and parts of Kerry. In fact I didn’t really like Ireland at all based on that first visit. For all my subsequent trips, however, I rented a car and spent most of my time along the west coast (mostly Clare and Galway) and that’s a very different Ireland from the one you experienced. If you ever go back, rent a car, it’ll be worth it!

]]> By: boomie http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94520 boomie Mon, 06 Aug 2007 04:16:28 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94520 Glad you're back. As a native New Yorker, it is only when you go to Europe and see London, Paris or Rome that you realize what a great, international city Manhattan is! We rock! Glad you’re back. As a native New Yorker, it is only when you go to Europe and see London, Paris or Rome that you realize what a great, international city Manhattan is! We rock!

]]> By: Wesley http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94517 Wesley Mon, 06 Aug 2007 02:08:07 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94517 Glad to have you back...I second Dave's comments above. I've missed your writings. You've peaked my interest in NY. A good friend of mine went recently, and between the two of your stories, I think I'll make some plans for a trip. I assume you'll be writing a little about it...it'll be interesting to hear your perspective. Glad to have you back…I second Dave’s comments above. I’ve missed your writings.

You’ve peaked my interest in NY. A good friend of mine went recently, and between the two of your stories, I think I’ll make some plans for a trip. I assume you’ll be writing a little about it…it’ll be interesting to hear your perspective.

]]> By: Serena http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94516 Serena Mon, 06 Aug 2007 01:12:47 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94516 J.D., don't give yourself too much of a hard time - you kept a reasonable budget that allowed you to take advantage of your trip to all these exciting destinations - it seems like you found the middle ground between splurge and so frugal that you would have missed part of the experience. Having gone to Europe as a college student, it was great to just eat bread and cheese for most meals and save my money for museums and drinks. But when I went to Italy a few years ago with my husband, we found cheap hotels/rooms and did spend quite a bit on food and sights - but also had days of hiking and wandering around that cost next to nothing. And now that we're parents we won't get back to Europe for some time (we're planning to do more US trips that can be done by car) and I have no regrets about spending - if anything I just wish I had taken a trip twice as long. J.D., don’t give yourself too much of a hard time - you kept a reasonable budget that allowed you to take advantage of your trip to all these exciting destinations - it seems like you found the middle ground between splurge and so frugal that you would have missed part of the experience.
Having gone to Europe as a college student, it was great to just eat bread and cheese for most meals and save my money for museums and drinks. But when I went to Italy a few years ago with my husband, we found cheap hotels/rooms and did spend quite a bit on food and sights - but also had days of hiking and wandering around that cost next to nothing. And now that we’re parents we won’t get back to Europe for some time (we’re planning to do more US trips that can be done by car) and I have no regrets about spending - if anything I just wish I had taken a trip twice as long.

]]> By: m http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94515 m Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:58:47 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94515 Glad you had a great trip J.D.! As for your thoughts on activities in big cities, I'm totally in agreement. That's a main reason we love living in that type of setting, because there are practically endless opportunities for recreation and entertainment and more, and so much of it is at low or no cost. Of course cheap and free activities can be found anywhere. I guess it depends quite a bit on the type of activities one is looking for. I find that paying more to live in such an environment often pays off because of how much one can save in other ways. For example often you can forgo having a car (or at least use one much less often) if your city has good public transportation; smaller, and thus cheaper, housing is often available in cities; and salaries are often quite a bit higher, especially in certain fields. We've found that when we've lived in urban environments we've ended up better off financially because of the reasons above than when we lived in a more suburban locale. Glad you had a great trip J.D.!

As for your thoughts on activities in big cities, I’m totally in agreement. That’s a main reason we love living in that type of setting, because there are practically endless opportunities for recreation and entertainment and more, and so much of it is at low or no cost.

Of course cheap and free activities can be found anywhere. I guess it depends quite a bit on the type of activities one is looking for.

I find that paying more to live in such an environment often pays off because of how much one can save in other ways. For example often you can forgo having a car (or at least use one much less often) if your city has good public transportation; smaller, and thus cheaper, housing is often available in cities; and salaries are often quite a bit higher, especially in certain fields.

We’ve found that when we’ve lived in urban environments we’ve ended up better off financially because of the reasons above than when we lived in a more suburban locale.

]]> By: MillionDollarJourney.com http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94512 MillionDollarJourney.com Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:35:08 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94512 J.D, was the $100/day budget /person? Or for both of you? J.D, was the $100/day budget /person? Or for both of you?

]]> By: vje http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94508 vje Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:39:18 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94508 Hey JD & Kris - Welcome back!! I echo the thoughts of Dave by 100% - great to have you back. Glad you enjoyed the trip and very much looking forward to your 'voice'. Isn't it great to be back in your own home? Every time we come back from a short or long trip, just walking in the door to the familiar smell of our home makes us realize how much we love it. :) Hey JD & Kris -
Welcome back!! I echo the thoughts of Dave by 100% - great to have you back. Glad you enjoyed the trip and very much looking forward to your ‘voice’. Isn’t it great to be back in your own home? Every time we come back from a short or long trip, just walking in the door to the familiar smell of our home makes us realize how much we love it. :)

]]> By: A.J. - IAmFacingMillions.com http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94505 A.J. - IAmFacingMillions.com Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:11:26 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94505 Welcome back. I think you did very well and the whole point of a vacation is to take a break from everything (including frugal living). I'm not saying go wild, but I think you did well. You enjoyed some finer things and budgeted yourself in such a way that you didn't place a total strangle hold on your actvities. Well done... Welcome back. I think you did very well and the whole point of a vacation is to take a break from everything (including frugal living). I’m not saying go wild, but I think you did well. You enjoyed some finer things and budgeted yourself in such a way that you didn’t place a total strangle hold on your actvities. Well done…

]]> By: Dave http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94502 Dave Sun, 05 Aug 2007 20:53:31 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/05/a-successful-vacation-budget/#comment-94502 Man, I'm glad you're back ... I enjoyed all the guest posts, but I have to admit that I really missed your relentlessly functional, very clear, less-is-more approach to writing. That's right, I come here just as much for the "voice" and language as I do for the subject matter. Anyway, I'm glad you got a break, and I can't wait to see what you have in store for us readers. Man, I’m glad you’re back … I enjoyed all the guest posts, but I have to admit that I really missed your relentlessly functional, very clear, less-is-more approach to writing. That’s right, I come here just as much for the “voice” and language as I do for the subject matter. Anyway, I’m glad you got a break, and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us readers.

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