How much better off would you be without travel? (financially)

[dmitri]

I think about this a lot, and wonder how much real estate and shares I could own now, and then I remember the new years eves I've had with friends in Edinburgh, Prague and Dublin, seeing a mate meet his now wife at the shephards bush walk about pub in London, seeing central park covered in snow after the 2014 polar vortex and various other great trips and start thinking, I really need to plan another holiday. Owning houses, units and shares is very common, but not everyone can say that have been to every country in Europe, which I am close to doing as bucket list line #1. My wife is having our first baby in October and I plan on starting a travel fund for him/her the week after the birth. Travel is an investment but with better returns than making my saving account look good.

cheers,

 

[Warks]

This is all good stuff and positive reinforcement. Not that I was really expecting otherwise!

I was looking at our run-down kitchen and our bathroom with a wall of tiles ready to fall off and thought that if we hadn't spent seven weeks away on holidays already this year we may have been able to rectify these. But then I looked at a canvas I made up of photos of highlights of the last 20 years of marriage and saw that 75% of them were of us in holiday locations. I didn't see too many of us hanging around our kitchen or bathroom. That more or less says it all.

 

[samh004]

Without delving too deeply, I think if I hadn't found travel, there'd be another vice that would have taken my money (says the man with 3 Canon L lenses on the desk in front of him in a year he hasn't travelled much). And it should be noted travel isn't really a vice for me, yes it has cost me a fair bit over the last few years maintaining status I hardly use... but I've also come out of my shell, socialised and met new people... and had I not travelled I wouldn't be doing that.

 

[Moindardt]

Normally, every spare cent we have, is either in the business or paying off the home. However, the incredible knowledge of these forums enables people to maximise their value for money to a level many of us did not think was possible.

Our first OS trip with the kids last year, we created so many memories they will cherish for the rest of their lives (Hollywood, Disneyland, NYC, Harry Potter World, San Fran). However, we made many noob mistakes and it cost us a lot of extra money and some very bad memories. The boss flew in Y+ with the kids and I did J. I thought it would be 2-3 years before we did another trip.

This year, we are doing London, Ibiza, Rome and Paris, in Sept/Oct and then at Christmas time, NYC and Whistler. The boss is doing F SYD-LHR r/t (QF), J BNE-AUH (EY), F AUH-JFK (EY), F JFK-YVR (CX), J YVR-JFK (CX) and I am same except J JFK-YVR. The kids are in Y, with some J, and J on the way back. We are staying at better hotels both trips (all 5*) and the combined time is 2.5x the first trip (over 60 days), but the combined cost is less than the original trip (converting awards at base rates), despite the dollar being a lot worse. The Christmas trip costs less than the best quote for 10 days at Perisher staying at a 3.5-4 star hotel and cheapest Jetstar flights.

We have lost friends and family in their 30's and 40's to cancer, some with the regret they never made those memories with their kids. A couple I am very close to, finally decided to semi retire and do some travelling, however she may not see next year out. I ran in to an old client last month, who is fabulously wealthy. When he retired, he was going to travel the world in style and make up for never having a holiday, playing every top golf course in the world. He had a heart attack before his first trip, is not allowed to fly and only gets to play his local golf course. He has twice as much money as when he retired but will never do all those things he wanted to do.

The memories travelling gives is wonderful. However, the wonderful people in these forums who give their time and knowledge, make it possible to create memories that are even better than many of us thought possible, for the same price, or in many cases, cheaper. From my family and I, Thank you!

Moindardt

 

[drron]

Without delving too deeply, I think if I hadn't found travel, there'd be another vice that would have taken my money (says the man with 3 Canon L lenses on the desk in front of him in a year he hasn't travelled much). And it should be noted travel isn't really a vice for me, yes it has cost me a fair bit over the last few years maintaining status I hardly use... but I've also come out of my shell, socialised and met new people... and had I not travelled I wouldn't be doing that.

Sam you have made me think.I guess the worst part of all my travel is that I am rarely around for AFF social dos so have not met many fellow AFFers.I have seen people really develop on here-you have been one of those.I also remember welcoming a young Flashware to AFF and followed his ups and downs.Although never meeting him I have this feeling I know him.
One day may our paths cross.

 

[chelzmalee]

I'd have paid off a fair chunk of my house by now.

But.. some things can't be bought. The amazing experiences I have had, the friends I have made... priceless. Absolutely priceless.

 

[Cynicor]

I think, like many of the medicos on here, that you never know what someone will diagnose you with tomorrow. I'd have multiple houses and probably 0 taxable income from negative gearing, but I'd be stuck in Perth, close to broke and constantly checking how much "equity" I had...

At least, that's what my friends do. I took one on a ski trip and he loved it, head over heels, but came back and bought another house with equity from his first. So he's unlikely to ski for the next 5-10 years. Obviously we just value different things, and he'll possibly have a much more comfortable retirement than I, but if one of us doesn't make it there, that's not much comfort.

 

[OATEK]

Someone said to me recently, it's not about living life like there's no tomorrow, or putting all your efforts in to ensuring a secure future. It's about making sure you make the most of today, and every other day. I see travel and the life experiences that come from that travel as part of that.

 

[Nizar]

If I didn't travel I would probably have a lot more money in the bank, but I would not be better off.

But what's the point of having money in the bank ? You only live once.

 

[ellen10]

A couple of travel quotes I have always loved.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.”

Sorry about the font size

 

[Deleted member]

This is all good stuff and positive reinforcement. Not that I was really expecting otherwise!

I was looking at our run-down kitchen and our bathroom with a wall of tiles ready to fall off and thought that if we hadn't spent seven weeks away on holidays already this year we may have been able to rectify these. But then I looked at a canvas I made up of photos of highlights of the last 20 years of marriage and saw that 75% of them were of us in holiday locations. I didn't see too many of us hanging around our kitchen or bathroom. That more or less says it all.

while the Bathrooms at my place are not run down, they are jaded and bland.
the Kitchen is also not the best example of House and Garden BUT I do have some nice toys to cook with .
Mrs GPH and I have decide to "Cut Back" on travel over the next 2 years. consolidation is the key.

 

[Deleted member]

Someone said to me recently, it's not about living life like there's no tomorrow, or putting all your efforts in to ensuring a secure future. It's about making sure you make the most of today, and every other day. I see travel and the life experiences that come from that travel as part of that.

My Grandfather used to say " Work as if you will live forever.......and live as if you will die tomorrow "

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Travel has no doubt cost us a small fortune especially over the last few years but it has also refocused us on how much we want to keep doing it. So we sat down and worked out what we needed and did something about it. We've taken a few risks to bump up our superannuation plus I was always intending to retire this year but will now keep going another 2 or 3 years. This should allow us to comfortably travel the world for 2 or 3 months a year for as long as we wish to continue doing so (and in J and F of course more due to what I have learnt on this site)

So in a roundabout way, our love of travel may well have improved our financial situation in the years to come

 

[Warks]

Now I'm planning another trip! There goes the new kitchen again!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Now I'm planning another trip! There goes the new kitchen again!

We're also trying to finish a new kitchen. My +1 foolishly told my oldest daughter (an architect student) that in addition to a Tassie trip in March, she also want's to ski in winter. I then copped it by my daughter who phoned me to haughtily declare "She now want to go skiing next year, too"! I didn't dare tell her that I also want to go skiing next year, or that I was looking into a reasonably secluded (and not well known) over water bungalow resort style holiday for next year, but am having trouble finding spare dates to fit it in!