Shutdown vacation ideas and deals

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No fed I know, including me, has enough money to take a vacation when we don't know when we will be paid. It's staycation all the way.

OP, you must have some family money, or be a really old DC area fed who is still working, to be able to afford a second house in the mountains.

Some feds save and don't live paycheck to paycheck so yeah, a vacation is possible.

Really, you months of living expenses in liquid cash AND own a vacation home?? Get real. Feds don’t know when they will be paid, this could easily go into 2-3 months of now pay. Our mortgage is $3k, so just to keep roof on our head we will need $10k liquid.

Who in their right mind would drop $1ks more for a vacation that could be cancelled at any moment?

So I know OP is some weird case, like an old dude who bought homes when they were cheap or family money.

No family money...1st generation college grad, but yeah, we have 3 months savings. It's possible with good financial decisions and discipline.

3 months expenses for let’s say a family making $200k — maybe looking at $40k?

Keeping that much money in liquid cash would be dumb, and are you going to cash in and pay penalties on CDs AND taxes on liquidating stock just to go on a rando vacation?

3 - 6 month emergency fund is standard advice. Why would a family making 200 need 40k for three months. Anyway, the shutdown isnt lasting 2-3 months, look up the history of the longest shutdowns.

[Anonymous]

I’m a contractor and only get paid when I bill and I can only bill when I receive work. So if there is a shutdown, once I finish my queue I won’t be receiving work because the feds won’t be at work and I won’t get paid. I don’t get some lump check when the shutdown ends. I will not be paid whatsoever.

My situation is not unique. Many people will find themselves in same position.

[Anonymous]

Many mortgages and utilities will let you suspend payments during the shutdown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a contractor and only get paid when I bill and I can only bill when I receive work. So if there is a shutdown, once I finish my queue I won’t be receiving work because the feds won’t be at work and I won’t get paid. I don’t get some lump check when the shutdown ends. I will not be paid whatsoever.

My situation is not unique. Many people will find themselves in same position.

Most contractors I know accept this risk for the significantly higher pay.

[Anonymous]

I’m a Fed who does not live paycheck to paycheck, so I’m enormously lucky not to have to worry about this. But I have kids in school, so I don’t have the flexibility of taking a vacation whenever I feel like it.

I look forward to more exercise and home cooked meals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No fed I know, including me, has enough money to take a vacation when we don't know when we will be paid. It's staycation all the way.

OP, you must have some family money, or be a really old DC area fed who is still working, to be able to afford a second house in the mountains.

Some feds save and don't live paycheck to paycheck so yeah, a vacation is possible.

Really, you months of living expenses in liquid cash AND own a vacation home?? Get real. Feds don’t know when they will be paid, this could easily go into 2-3 months of now pay. Our mortgage is $3k, so just to keep roof on our head we will need $10k liquid.

Who in their right mind would drop $1ks more for a vacation that could be cancelled at any moment?

So I know OP is some weird case, like an old dude who bought homes when they were cheap or family money.

No family money...1st generation college grad, but yeah, we have 3 months savings. It's possible with good financial decisions and discipline.

3 months expenses for let’s say a family making $200k — maybe looking at $40k?

Keeping that much money in liquid cash would be dumb, and are you going to cash in and pay penalties on CDs AND taxes on liquidating stock just to go on a rando vacation?

3 - 6 month emergency fund is standard advice. Why would a family making 200 need 40k for three months. Anyway, the shutdown isnt lasting 2-3 months, look up the history of the longest shutdowns.

Exactly, we are not feds and make close to $400k. Our monthly burn rate if we cut out non essentials is under $10k/month. Closer to $8k if we really cut back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, we won't have any money to spare considering we are dual military. Even though we expect to be paid eventually, we could easily have to dip into savings. Who knows how long this could last if it happens . . .

Dual officer military do well.

We are enlisted. Towards the end of our careers so we are making decent money at this point (E-8 and E-7), but not the case for the many enlisted military just starting out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a contractor and only get paid when I bill and I can only bill when I receive work. So if there is a shutdown, once I finish my queue I won’t be receiving work because the feds won’t be at work and I won’t get paid. I don’t get some lump check when the shutdown ends. I will not be paid whatsoever.

My situation is not unique. Many people will find themselves in same position.

Most contractors I know accept this risk for the significantly higher pay.

Yep, that's part of being a contractor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No fed I know, including me, has enough money to take a vacation when we don't know when we will be paid. It's staycation all the way.

OP, you must have some family money, or be a really old DC area fed who is still working, to be able to afford a second house in the mountains.

Some feds save and don't live paycheck to paycheck so yeah, a vacation is possible.

So feds buying a vacation home in the mountains as well as a home in the DC area? Nope, not unless you have other money or are much older, like 70+.

We have enough money saved to take a vacation and don't live paycheck or paycheck, but who would do that when you don't know when you will get paid again, unless you are single and don't own a house?

It's more likely some feds will use the time to find a higher paying industry job. It's a revolving door at my agency, especially with RTO.

You do realize it is possible to take a vacation without having a vacation home.

OP specifies their own mountain vacation home.

Op also asks for other ideas which could include ideas from people who do not own vacation homes but still vacation.

The point is OP is clearly in different financial category than most Fed workers simply by fact she owns a mountain home.

So it’s a hobby job to her trust or breadwinner DH, so she is fine blowing it off and not getting paid.

For many Feds in this region, we have to work and have delayed pay. And no mountain home or breadwinner spouse to support us.

The point is the op asked for vacation ideas. Other posters decided to take over complaining about how they live beyond their means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is either a troll or someone with family money. i don't know any feds who are planning a vacation.

Yeah a fed who is not stressed about a missed paycheck and has a vacation home? Definitely a troll.

I know a lot of wealthy dual Fed families - most don't have student loans (the gov paid them of or they were GI bill), a lot are former military so their healthcare is taken care of, and the ones that two GS-14s+ are making over $300K. Doing pretty darn well for themselves. Oh also a lot of them moved away during Covid so now they're in lower cost of living areas. I don't fell sorry for the ones I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a contractor and only get paid when I bill and I can only bill when I receive work. So if there is a shutdown, once I finish my queue I won’t be receiving work because the feds won’t be at work and I won’t get paid. I don’t get some lump check when the shutdown ends. I will not be paid whatsoever.

My situation is not unique. Many people will find themselves in same position.

Most contractors I know accept this risk for the significantly higher pay.

I don't know why Feds think contractors get paid so much more than them - most of the Feds I know are making well over $100K. Most closer to $200K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a contractor and only get paid when I bill and I can only bill when I receive work. So if there is a shutdown, once I finish my queue I won’t be receiving work because the feds won’t be at work and I won’t get paid. I don’t get some lump check when the shutdown ends. I will not be paid whatsoever.

My situation is not unique. Many people will find themselves in same position.

Most contractors I know accept this risk for the significantly higher pay.

Yep, that's part of being a contractor.

You do know that most contractors aren't making $200k a year right? I do finances for a small business. Most of our employees are in the $60s.

[Anonymous]

Just bc I don't live paycheck to paycheck doesn't mean I'm going to frivolouly spend money on a vacation when I don't know when I get paid again.

Think of it as a full tank of gas in your car. All gas stations will be shut down Oct. 1. Yes, I have enough gas to get where I need to go, but I'm not going to be reckless and take a road trip knowing there aren't gas stations open anywhere for the foreseeable future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just bc I don't live paycheck to paycheck doesn't mean I'm going to frivolouly spend money on a vacation when I don't know when I get paid again.

Think of it as a full tank of gas in your car. All gas stations will be shut down Oct. 1. Yes, I have enough gas to get where I need to go, but I'm not going to be reckless and take a road trip knowing there aren't gas stations open anywhere for the foreseeable future.

I guess it just depends on the size of your gas tank and your car's mpg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely disgusting that so many people will get a free vacation.

Don't blame the feds, you can thank your idiot redneck Congressman for that.