How to decide if we should spend $ on travel?

[Anonymous]

Read the book Die With Zero

[Anonymous]

I already live off of the growth of my money. I don't need to add to it.
Choosing to work, but not having to work was the first goal. Now it's time to spend some of it to make memories. I invested for growth in non-restricted accounts and my returns are very high.
But for op, just simple math. Make sure the money keeps growing most years. Doesn't even have to be every year.

[Anonymous]

I use YNAB, and I know where all of my money is going and what I have to spend on travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the book Die With Zero

But actually read it because the title is not meant the way people think.

We take 2 big trips a year with our two teens. I’d love to travel more, but they are busy and don’t want to be away all the time so we respect their wishes. If your kids are ok with being gone a lot, lucky you!

[Anonymous]

With a 14 yr old I’d travel with her now if she wants to travel with you. You have no guarantee that her 16 or 18 yr old self will want to do that over staying in town where her friends are. Where to travel and what to do is a compromise between what she’s interested in and what you can afford, but it’s ok to throttle back on savings for a couple years to take advantage of a window that might close (depending on your DD)

[Anonymous]

how are college savings and retirement savings looking? Do you have any looming major home repairs coming or a dying car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you talking about reducing your savings to travel or actually withdrawing money?

While I am always up for a weekend trip, I think most of the time flying for a weekend is more trouble than it’s worth. But each to their own. That being said, your 14 year old isn’t going to want to or be able to travel with you for too much longer.

I'm 45 and I still travel with my parents from time to time. So, maybe?

[Anonymous]

Saving money for retirement while sitting in your house so you can sit in your house with lots of money in retirement is stupid. Trust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are heading to Europe next week and most of our hotels are $1000+ per night. That’s an insane amount of money but we are in our early 70’s, we can afford it, and we may never be able to experience the insanity again.

This 1000%! as you age, you never know when something will happen to hinder your abilities to travel. We are only mid 50s, and do the same thing. Life isn't a guarantee, we can afford to so we are traveling a ton while we are still able to do so. You will never regret doing it, if you can actually afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read the book Die With Zero

But actually read it because the title is not meant the way people think.

We take 2 big trips a year with our two teens. I’d love to travel more, but they are busy and don’t want to be away all the time so we respect their wishes. If your kids are ok with being gone a lot, lucky you!

If you can trust your teens/have friends or family who can stay with them, then you leave them home to do school and all their activities and you travel as a couple. We did this extensively since kids were in ES, and it gets easier as they are more independent. By time oldest could drive (they are 4 years apart), we were leaving them home for the 7-10 days with the oldest in charge, and friends checking in/assisting as needed (if the younger missed the bus, etc). This helped lead to very independent teens who are responsible and now independent adults.
Now we did get somewhat lucky that we could trust our kids not to drink all the booze, not to have a party and/or trash the house. But a good part of that is due to parenting (not all, some is luck). We raised our kids to be more independent a little at a time, with them knowing we trusted them and they got more privileges as long as they managed it, if they didn't we would reign it back in (rarely had to do that).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saving money for retirement while sitting in your house so you can sit in your house with lots of money in retirement is stupid. Trust me.

You need to find a happy medium. Make sure you have a good budget and are on track to be able to retire by 60/65 without being a burden on others. But don't just save save save for a luxury retirement if that means not living some from age 40-60.

[Anonymous]

I mean how does this actually matter? You can either afford it or you cannot? Are you looking for an outlet to brag?

[Anonymous]

My husband died unexpectedly before he could retire. Live life and travel within your budget.

[Anonymous]

On your death bed, which will make you happier — a fat bank account or memories of travel and discovery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you talking about reducing your savings to travel or actually withdrawing money?

While I am always up for a weekend trip, I think most of the time flying for a weekend is more trouble than it’s worth. But each to their own. That being said, your 14 year old isn’t going to want to or be able to travel with you for too much longer.

Disagree. Our 20-year-old still enjoys traveling with us because we go to interesting places around the world and everything is all-inclusive when you travel with Mom and Dad.

This. People mistakenly think that their kids will stop traveling with them once they graduate college, but they will come along as long as mom and dad and paying.