Was wondering what if anything you do or would give up to travel more. We have given up pay TV and a second car because we'd rather travel more with the money.
I hardly see that as sacrifices. I convinced my fiancée that the cable tv was all crap so she cancelled it. We live in an area where none of us needs a car for work. We choose to live like that because we feel good about it and it gives us freedom to spend money on whatever we feel like. Sometime that means travel, other times it means buying a piece of furniture.
My sacrifice is reduced supervision of my staff at home. It does not work so smoothly when we are out. I often defer trips to try to organize better, Finance is not a factor in my choices.
I have sacrificed my cars to keep my travel. It's not the financing part, it's the part where I wouldn't feel good leaving my car behind while I travel. So I would then end up doing a lot of road trips instead of flying and that is not my intention. Don't get me wrong, I love road trips, but then that's where my car rental kicks in
When we moved, we looked for an apartment that was cheaper so we could travel more with the extra rent. The trade off is perfect because more $$ to travel = less time in the apartment anyway.
I live on a budget, and I travel on a budget. Any money I've saved at the end of the month goes into the travel budget. So that motivates me to always be looking for ways to save a dime, all month long.
In the past year I have managed to reduce my rent by $400, move into a condo that comes with basic cable, water, free use of laundry twice a week and free internet....Sweeeeeeeet! I love Starbucks but now only indulge twice a month, no bottled water I bought a purifier. My car, is only used about twice a week for shopping. I ride my bike instead. Oh, and I quit that nasty habit of smoking. I think my total monthly savings now add up to approx. $850 a month. What on earth will I do with the extra? lol Next on my list are Spain and Morrocco.
We gave up pay tv as well, mainly because it was not worth it. For birthday presents my wife and I travel instead of gifts
Got rid of the pay TV, I can watch a sports feed online for free. I put any spare cash I have onto a credit card that I don't use. When holidays come, that cash is there for something special, good little money box
Our birthday's are big travel times for us too. Although next year mine will only be a mileage run type as I have 1 day off work for it.
For us, finding time is the challenge. Our travel is influenced by the availability of airfares and lodging through miles and points. This year is a rebuilding year for miles and points so we will be driving around. Big plans for next year.
I am giving up a big house, for a little apartment instead, to use the savings to travel. Also, I am giving up expensive travel, for more thoughtful and budgeted travel, instead. Five-star resorts and first class, are nice for a special treat, on awards, but I have decided that I would rather see a whole lot of the world a whole lot of the time, on a budget, than just do a few luxury vacations a year. My new philosophy, is that it's not first-class that "makes" the trip, it's the people I meet, and the expanding of my own worldview.
Doing more slowtravel where we stay longer but in rentals instead of hotels. Going to grocery stores more than restaurants.
I've given up a lot of my more expensive activities (dining out, drinking heavily on weekends, partying) to take advantage of all the knowledge I've gathered so that I can travel more often to more exotic places. Before FT, 1 trip (maybe 2) to Europe a year...after FT, 5 RTs JFK-LAS in 3 weeks, a trip to Paris staying at a 5* hotel, a trip to Budapest in a great 4*, a trip to Madrid later this year, and a trip to Germany in LH F on their A380...all at a tiny fraction of what it would cost retail!
We are planning a vacation now and with Amsterdam being so expensive am looking at renting an apartment. We did it in California and really got to know the area and it was fun living in a house versus a hotel. Another thing we do is do lunches out instead of dinners.
And in general, acting like a local, instead of a tourist. Saves money, and has been more rewarding. Next step... actually helping people where I go (but we'll see, I'm pretty selfish )
I live in Seattle, which I already think of as cheap compared to growing up in Silicon Valley. But I go further and live in a more suburban area on the outskirts because it's cheaper and has free parking with more space. It takes just as long to take the bus to work as it would if I were closer and walked. I can afford a cab or a parking space when I want to go to a bar (since there are few within walking distance). And I work 60 hours a week anyway, so it's not like I'm home much and have time for cable TV. My only utilities are $30/month for electricity and $70 for an iPhone. I pay off my credit card so there are no interest fees. And I have a list of places that I want to visit so I only book travel when I see a sale to one of those destinations. It's the little things that add up.
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