Where do these jet setters afford all their travel?

[Anonymous]

Friend's daughter seems like she's somewhere every weekend and many long trips per year. Trust fund, I think, but I know she works and wonder how she has so much time off.

[Anonymous]

Before we had kids and critters, my wife and I traveled a lot. It did not cost much -- we had an extra 2k/month in our budget, which helped a lot. Basically, wife's salary was play money.

Once we had kids, our budget was much tighter. My wife stopped working, so our play fund went away.

Now, I have not had a real vacation since 2015 -- and that was not a big family vacation, but rather me going away on my own. Our last big family vacation was 2009 in Hawaii.

Then I got cancer. You want to talk about a hit to the budget. Cancer makes a kid seem cheap.

(We are taking a 2 week road trip once school gets out).

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine was baffled about how I could go to Europe on my meager salary. She said this after telling me about how she spent $10K on 2 pieces of furniture from Pottery Barn.

It’s all how we prioritize spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:but who has the time to do all that travel? Don't they have to work?

If you start off at 15-21 days off a year and only use those during holidays and long weekends you can easily spend a destination week in 3-4 countries a year. No kids mean you're not wasting those days on maternity leave or spring break or childcare appointments either.

So OP said the couple "literally spent last December" on Colorado. Pretty sure that's 30 days right there.

Umm, most companies give weekends off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend's daughter seems like she's somewhere every weekend and many long trips per year. Trust fund, I think, but I know she works and wonder how she has so much time off.

all the people wondering how people get so much time off are missing the obvious...they quit their jobs bs and either get rehired or work someplace else when they get back.

[Anonymous]

If they have no kids it is easy if you make travel your priority and understand how the system works. Earning and using miles strategically can get you a long way as well.

With no kids you are only buying two tickets and aren't beholden to school schedules and peak season rates. Can get to Indonesia in the off season for $500/ea from the US and everything is cheap when you get there so don't need to be a wealthy jet setter to visit these kinds of places.

[Anonymous]

We travel a lot. We have a high HHI and prioritize travel over material gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) insta and FB are curated - it’s what people want you to think of their life - not what their life really is - the exception are the influencers - but they’re a different subject

2) many of these “jet setters” are fakers (most are, just look at the data). They’re not living it up as much as it looks like. They’re taking budget flights, with multiple connections, with overstuffed carryons, sleeping at budget hotels and hostels, etc. they’re also prioritizing their spend to save for these trips.

3) if that’s what you want to do - do it too - image citation just takes time and desire. I’m taking a international trip with one of my “jet set” friends, and the difference is stark. My travel and accommodations budget is much more than his. I’m flying business, he’s in emailer economy on the same flight. I’m staying at 4 and 5 Star Hotels, he’ s budgeting. The difference is how I enjoy traveling vs how he enjoys it - but in the end, we’re going to the same place and seeing the same stuff. I’ll do this a couple tomes a year, he’ll take like 5 of these and be glamorous on insta...it’s all about projecting an image - and he enjoys it knowing he isn’t projecting reality

It isn’t faking to go to places on a budget. Staying in a 5 Star hotel does not enhance my experience. I could care less about flying business, waste of money. Like you said, he enjoys himself and sees all the same stuff you see. He is projecting reality, which is that I bet he is way more easygoing and fun to travel with!

NP , you’re missing a crucial element here, these people don’t go on social media bragging about their budget travels. It is curated in a way that lets the viewer know or at least have the image of someone living a life of insouciance and opulence . So yeah there’s a bit of faking going on there , either the culprit is aware or not .
Furthermore , I suspect you don’t fly business class regularly and I’m tempted to say I detect a little thinly veiled bitterness in your assertion that business class is a waste of money , these days airlines literally go out of their way to make travelling in coach as undignified and humiliating as possible and according to your very insightful assertion business class is waste of money ? Bro, you sound pathetic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We travel a lot. We have a high HHI and prioritize travel over material gifts.

The thread doesn’t apply to you then

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) insta and FB are curated - it’s what people want you to think of their life - not what their life really is - the exception are the influencers - but they’re a different subject

2) many of these “jet setters” are fakers (most are, just look at the data). They’re not living it up as much as it looks like. They’re taking budget flights, with multiple connections, with overstuffed carryons, sleeping at budget hotels and hostels, etc. they’re also prioritizing their spend to save for these trips.

3) if that’s what you want to do - do it too - image citation just takes time and desire. I’m taking a international trip with one of my “jet set” friends, and the difference is stark. My travel and accommodations budget is much more than his. I’m flying business, he’s in emailer economy on the same flight. I’m staying at 4 and 5 Star Hotels, he’ s budgeting. The difference is how I enjoy traveling vs how he enjoys it - but in the end, we’re going to the same place and seeing the same stuff. I’ll do this a couple tomes a year, he’ll take like 5 of these and be glamorous on insta...it’s all about projecting an image - and he enjoys it knowing he isn’t projecting reality

It isn’t faking to go to places on a budget. Staying in a 5 Star hotel does not enhance my experience. I could care less about flying business, waste of money. Like you said, he enjoys himself and sees all the same stuff you see. He is projecting reality, which is that I bet he is way more easygoing and fun to travel with!

NP , you’re missing a crucial element here, these people don’t go on social media bragging about their budget travels. It is curated in a way that lets the viewer know or at least have the image of someone living a life of insouciance and opulence . So yeah there’s a bit of faking going on there , either the culprit is aware or not .
Furthermore , I suspect you don’t fly business class regularly and I’m tempted to say I detect a little thinly veiled bitterness in your assertion that business class is a waste of money , these days airlines literally go out of their way to make travelling in coach as undignified and humiliating as possible and according to your very insightful assertion business class is waste of money ? Bro, you sound pathetic

Not the PP, but why in the world would it be humiliating to fly coach? I suppose we all prioritize things differently, but I have a small amount of pity for the folks who wasted money on something so transient. It’s your money to waste, so have at it. I’ve flown business and first class, but it isn’t worth the money to me. I’d rather take two trips than spend that much on airfare. To each their own.

[Anonymous]

My first couple jobs out of college were low pay but lots of vacation leave. A lot of non profits offer a lot of time off as a benefit for the low salary. I do not prioritize things like cars and clothes and used to save my money for travel. I would often stay with friends or at budget hotels. This was log before Instagram but I'm sure people thought I got around (and I did). Maybe these people are similar. Or have family money. Or are going into debt. Who cares?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) insta and FB are curated - it’s what people want you to think of their life - not what their life really is - the exception are the influencers - but they’re a different subject

2) many of these “jet setters” are fakers (most are, just look at the data). They’re not living it up as much as it looks like. They’re taking budget flights, with multiple connections, with overstuffed carryons, sleeping at budget hotels and hostels, etc. they’re also prioritizing their spend to save for these trips.

3) if that’s what you want to do - do it too - image citation just takes time and desire. I’m taking a international trip with one of my “jet set” friends, and the difference is stark. My travel and accommodations budget is much more than his. I’m flying business, he’s in emailer economy on the same flight. I’m staying at 4 and 5 Star Hotels, he’ s budgeting. The difference is how I enjoy traveling vs how he enjoys it - but in the end, we’re going to the same place and seeing the same stuff. I’ll do this a couple tomes a year, he’ll take like 5 of these and be glamorous on insta...it’s all about projecting an image - and he enjoys it knowing he isn’t projecting reality

It isn’t faking to go to places on a budget. Staying in a 5 Star hotel does not enhance my experience. I could care less about flying business, waste of money. Like you said, he enjoys himself and sees all the same stuff you see. He is projecting reality, which is that I bet he is way more easygoing and fun to travel with!

NP , you’re missing a crucial element here, these people don’t go on social media bragging about their budget travels. It is curated in a way that lets the viewer know or at least have the image of someone living a life of insouciance and opulence . So yeah there’s a bit of faking going on there , either the culprit is aware or not .
Furthermore , I suspect you don’t fly business class regularly and I’m tempted to say I detect a little thinly veiled bitterness in your assertion that business class is a waste of money , these days airlines literally go out of their way to make travelling in coach as undignified and humiliating as possible and according to your very insightful assertion business class is waste of money ? Bro, you sound pathetic

Not the PP, but why in the world would it be humiliating to fly coach? I suppose we all prioritize things differently, but I have a small amount of pity for the folks who wasted money on something so transient. It’s your money to waste, so have at it. I’ve flown business and first class, but it isn’t worth the money to me. I’d rather take two trips than spend that much on airfare. To each their own.

It’s an anonymous site so you can pretty much say what you want . However I reserve the right to doubt your claim that business/first class is waste of money . It maybe transient as you say but it is nonetheless excruciatingly unpleasant.Moreover, people who can afford business/first seats aren’t looking to save so they can afford more trips , so based on your comments you clearly seem to lack the means to afford that on a regular basis , therefore clearly not the target demographic . The idea that the flying experience on a long haul flight ( even short one) where you can’t even move your knees and run the risk of being trapped next to some mouth breathing morbidly overweight fellow in coach is the same as business class where you aren’t reduced to being the human version of canned sardines is the same is quite frankly pitiful

[Anonymous]

About the coach seats thing, when I go on vacation - the ENTIRETY of my trip needs to be a vacation for me. At least 80%. So four connections through Baltimore, New York, Rekaivik, and then finally landing in Paris is cramping my style.

On top of that, sitting in Coach for 10+ hours with cramped space and crying babies after fighting for your rightful carry-on space overhead is also not relaxing. So I don't think its embarrassing, its just not also what I picture when I have a vacation in my sights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It’s an anonymous site so you can pretty much say what you want . However I reserve the right to doubt your claim that business/first class is waste of money . It maybe transient as you say but it is nonetheless excruciatingly unpleasant.Moreover, people who can afford business/first seats aren’t looking to save so they can afford more trips , so based on your comments you clearly seem to lack the means to afford that on a regular basis , therefore clearly not the target demographic . The idea that the flying experience on a long haul flight ( even short one) where you can’t even move your knees and run the risk of being trapped next to some mouth breathing morbidly overweight fellow in coach is the same as business class where you aren’t reduced to being the human version of canned sardines is the same is quite frankly pitiful

You do you, honey. I’ll spend my money on things that matter to me.

I’m not sure why you feel the need to insult others who don’t care to waste money on such things. That says a lot about you. It’s like you need to justify your spending to yourself. Do you fly business because you need to feel superior? Again, it’s your money. If that feeling is what you like when you fly, have at it. You way want to consider giving to charity.

The wealthy people (even by DCUM standards) I know fly coach and drive unassuming cars. We all have our priorities.

[Anonymous]

Travel churning. New credit card, meet minimum spend to earn bonus, move on to the next card. Never carry a balance, if done correctly.

That or budgeting well and prioritizing.