How are people able to afford to travel so much ? (reputation, drive)

[lieqiang]

Originally Posted by Nn2036

Home is not better things. It is expensive burden for people who want to keep up with the Joneses

Not necessarily. There are a lot of variables in the (endless) debate of rent versus own, but nobody can say that owning a home is expensive, or whether it fits the nebulous term burden, or whether people who own homes are trying to keep up with the JOneses.

[nurider2002]

Fed here, get 26 days of annual leave and usually accrue an additional couple hours of comp time each week so I generally take 6 to 7 weeks of leave each year. Plan my travel well in advance to get the best deals.

[tnff]

Originally Posted by GymFanatic

Having no kids definitely helps!

Bingo here. I work with a couple who traveled all the time, around the world, etc. Then, they had kids in their late 30s. Suddenly they understood what all the rest of us had been telling them for years. Having kids comes with a lot of things, from clothes to doctor's bills to saving for college. And all that time you had off is now consumed by kids home sick, sports, etc. Someone else's needs are now more important than your own.

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

some of both...
1) Work for a BIG company with lots of resources to back fill your position.
2) Schedule your LT trip within the constraints of your work responsibilities. (My projects lasted about 20 - 26 months, then cycled. so I would pre-schedule time off at end of project)
3) Take LOA (Leave without pay and no guarantee of job on return) I did that often and always came back to a job (lucky)
4) Benevolent employer who values time off for employees (My employer allowed us to take all summer off, if we trained a technical educator to do our engineering job)
5) Setting the priority.
6) 30+ yrs at same (previously) great employer
7) liberal leave policy (Flex hours + could take up to 29 days in a row w/o pay and not lose benefits)

That list is such a black swan list that most workers will never see. My FIL had such an employers, six weeks off, etc. He could never understand why I didn't get that much vacation time.

Originally Posted by Nn2036

Home is not better things. It is expensive burden for people who want to keep up with the Joneses

I really get tired of this type of generalized "blame" based response. It is just so far from reality. Most people are not buying minimansions or "keeping up with the Joneses" or any of those euphemisms for not spending their money they way others think they should. Most people are living pretty normal lives, trying to take care of their families, and this type statement is really insulting toward them.


The reason so many people marvel at those who can travel is because it is so unusual. The folks who have the time and resources don't realize just how far outside the normal they are. Appreciate it; don't put down those who can't have the same lifestyle.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by Nn2036

Home is not better things. It is expensive burden for people who want to keep up with the Joneses

Current mortgage payment in desired suburb is less than what similar homes rent for around here now. Come next year, no mortgage payment and much increased travel budget. Home price in 2001 was about what a few people around here spend on cars these days. (I've seen a surprising number of exotics on local streets lately.)

Also plenty of Hondas, Mazdas, and Fords on local roads. We prefer Subarus for handling during North Florida monsoons.

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by kamban

I am an employer and I typically give 10 working days of sick time / vacation for the 1st year. This does not include the mandatory holidays and does not include Sat / Sunday. So if they take Thanksgiving week off and fly out Friday evening the week before, and come back on Sunday night post Thanksgiving they can get away for 9 days but it is counted as only 4 days off (M,T,W & F). On many years I give those Black Fridays gratis and don't count it towards vacation time.

In the 2nd year they get 14 working days and from 3rd year onward they get 21 days off.

What I cannot afford to give is 4 continuous weeks off unless it is a real emergency like death in immediate family. Temp agencies cost a lot of money and more importantly, the person will screw up things rather than help. Hence the rest of staff covers the person taking off. Thus the possibility of taking the whole of August off, like it happens in France or Spain, is not possible. Two weeks off at a time is doable. And my staff prefer it that way.

That is a generous vacation policy. I bet you never have trouble filling openings when you have them.

[in_newengland]

I was a teacher so I got two months off in summer. Yes, often I had to find another job during the summer or take courses to keep my credentials up to date, but I did get to drive cross country one summer and another summer we went to Europe. Always did it on the cheap by camping, even in Europe. We got a week off for spring vacation and would drive to Florida and camp for five days.

Now, being retired, we save and save all year and then go to the UK for a few weeks. International airfare isn't much more expensive than domestic as long as you are willing to go economy. Last time we went to the UK, their money had lost some of its value compared to the dollar, so we didn't have to stay at our usual budget hotels and live on sandwiches! We were staying at B&Bs and golf resorts for $50-$90s and a good meal was about $9.00--and they don't take tips!

[Ottawa2011]

I save money on hotels when I visit family. So there's that possibility too. Also eats up a lot of vacation time!

Learning how to make the best use of the web options is worth doing nowadays. You can save quite a bit.

If you don't have kids, and have flexibility in choosing your vacation schedule at work, you then have the ability to jump on last-minute vacation deals. Also a major way to find huge savings.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by tnff

Bingo here. I work with a couple who traveled all the time, around the world, etc. Then, they had kids in their late 30s. Suddenly they understood what all the rest of us had been telling them for years. Having kids comes with a lot of things,

You must set priorities...
Our kids followed us around the world on work and travel, + we homeschooled, so you might guess our time commitment to kids and elderly was significant (32 yrs of disability elder care before / during / and AFTER kids) slowed us down, but certainly did not curtail travel. (Other counties (besides USA) love kids, so...kids enhanced our experience Since they were getting educated, the kids did most of the daily shopping and currency exchange and weekend travel planning)They survived and blossomed, even without daily participating in 'select soccer' and gymnastics. Set your priorities, they will never be perfect.



That list is such a black swan list that most workers will never see. Much of today's employment offers far better or equivalent time off / freedom to travel with negotiated benefit packages. My kids, their spouses, coworkers and friends take several international trips / yr. Often take 'gap years' between jobs, and get jobs that pay them to travel, then they take adjacent leave while out of country. It is far easier today to arrange work and personal life, and travel to your style / availability. No smart phones, computer booking, discount air carriers, working remotely, and FAST and free research 40 yrs ago.


...
The reason so many people marvel at those who can travel is because it is so unusual. The folks who have the time and resources don't realize just how far outside the normal they are. ...

It is not at all unusual to find 'western' families traveling / living overseas. (taking a gap year, or serving volunteer agencies or military. Of the people in my work cube... all 4 were / are international travelers WITH their families. (one family from India, one from Singapore, one a missionary kid who's family (6 kids) still does missions a few times / yr, and lowly old me... USA born / (very economically poor) prairie farmer kid)

Set your priorities and forget about the excuses. Your choices are always different than others for a variety of good reasons that suit your situation. We traveled as a family extensively on a single earner hourly income. We always (and still do) eat on $100/ month (including as a family). (Grocery stores, gleaning, growing, volunteering on farms, boarding trade schools, and orphanages for produce, bartering help for food and fuel...)

Today...We drive a 40 yr old 50 mpg car that cost $35, and burns free cooking oil. Few people are going to do that!, but it is OUR choice / priority to avail us to travel and give our excess $$ and time, in service to others (worldwide). No inheritance to our kids, no college funds (they did fine on their own and are now over 10 yrs out of college).

Set your priorities, live with the consequences.

For some it will NEVER work, for many it will work at times. for others they will MAKE it work.... I am reminded of a USA family we met in Asia who had been there 2 months when their international job went away (So had ours). They chose to stay, seek other employment and take the risk. We took another assignment that forced us back to USA. The results were very different (on each) +/-, but ... each were excellent with benefits of their own. As mentioned... kids are now 35+ and all doing very well. (In their own ways)... Priorities & experiences guiding the way.

[kamban]

Originally Posted by pvande55

That is a generous vacation policy. I bet you never have trouble filling openings when you have them.

I found earlier on in my business that training someone costs a lot of time, effort and money. Retaining employees long term improves morale. Paying them good wages and giving good vacation either costs nothing, maybe a slight reduction in profits or even an improvement in profits if they retain customers. My most recent employee is going on 5 years and my 4 oldest are with me for 13+ years.

[tassity22]

Some people plan and save for their travel. Others do put it mostly on credit cards, probably not a wise choice.

Some people work hard to collect airline travel points. Or they may get really good deals on flights. Or they might use their tax refund to pay for their trip somewhere.

Who knows...