Do most people in America just not take vacations?

[Anonymous]

We have taken two vacations since covid--a family reunion at the beach and a family wedding. We are upper middle class by income (300 plus) and live modestly (low mortgage, old paid off car) and we can't seem to ever afford it. We have fairly good savings but something always happens: fridge dies or water heater dies.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and I've started using sick days during the school year for long weekend trips. I have plenty of sick days and I cannot afford summer vacation prices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have taken two vacations since covid--a family reunion at the beach and a family wedding. We are upper middle class by income (300 plus) and live modestly (low mortgage, old paid off car) and we can't seem to ever afford it. We have fairly good savings but something always happens: fridge dies or water heater dies.

Huh. We have a similar HHI, low mortgage ($2,500 piti), cars paid off, and have done a fair amount of work on our house since we bought a couple of years ago including a new HVAC. We have been on at least one vacation a year since COVID. We have a lot of money left over at the end of the month after maxing out retirement. Our struggle is where do we put our money?

[Anonymous]

Not going to work on a weekday is considered a vacation for most people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father is the CEO of a 10,000 company, and he always works even when he is on vacation. There is no such thing as vacations for a CEO. His compensation is 15M/yr, so it comes with a cost.

I mean…this is expected. Also, he could have retired years ago and could quit tomorrow and likely not change his lifestyle one bit.

This is just a choice.

Not just CEOs but as low down as director level as well (and onto VPs, SVPs, etc).

And lawyers. First thing we always do on a family vacation is claim a room as "the office" and everyone sets up their laptops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father is the CEO of a 10,000 company, and he always works even when he is on vacation. There is no such thing as vacations for a CEO. His compensation is 15M/yr, so it comes with a cost.

I mean…this is expected. Also, he could have retired years ago and could quit tomorrow and likely not change his lifestyle one bit.

This is just a choice.

PP.

My father sees it as a lifetime opportunity to take care of his parents, my mother's parents, and brothers and sisters on both sides of the family. He is willing to sacrifice himself, so that everyone close to him can have generational wealth. That's why my mother loves and respects him so much, because of his selflessness.

He already has generational wealth. I assume he wasn’t making $50k until now and this is his first year making $15MM.

Again…what’s your point? Your father could quit tomorrow but chooses not to. Just admit this isn’t what this post is about.

It’s like when Sheryl Sandberg with her $1BN net worth was “worried she was going to get fired”. Like how tone deaf can someone be for anyone to think she would give a shit about getting fired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To answer your question, yes. It is common to vacation rarely.

+1. After time off for sick kids, teacher work days, random school days off that are not regular holidays, minimal regular holidays (Black Friday, Xmas Eve, Xmas Day), and what not, we can’t really vacation. Maybe after kids are in college…

Why not take a vacation during the kids winter, spring or summer breaks? Crazy to wait until college!

Because everything is literally four times as expensive exactly during those times.

I don’t know where you teach but it’s not exactly true. For example, most beach locations in the northeast and New England don’t charge peak rates until week of July 4th, leaving a good two weeks in June at much cheaper rates.

Conversely, southern schools go back in early August, so from like 8/10 onward southern locations are much cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To answer your question, yes. It is common to vacation rarely.

+1. After time off for sick kids, teacher work days, random school days off that are not regular holidays, minimal regular holidays (Black Friday, Xmas Eve, Xmas Day), and what not, we can’t really vacation. Maybe after kids are in college…

Why not take a vacation during the kids winter, spring or summer breaks? Crazy to wait until college!

Because everything is literally four times as expensive exactly during those times.

This. It's been much better not working in academe so I can actually afford to take a vacation at non school break times when it's cheaper.

Married to a professor and hate this part. But we go north and camp in the summers.

[Anonymous]

Now that my dual Fed family is prohibited from teleworking, we are very short on leave. We are booking two trips while schools are closed, but can't afford the time off to all travel together. Each of us will take the kids to visit our parents while the other stays home and reports to the office.

[Anonymous]

We finally too a few day trip this summer a few hours away but its been maybe 6 years or more since we've gone anywhere. Nope, don't really vacation.

[Anonymous]

Senior manager at one of the big 4 consultant firms. I take about 3 weeks a year. Unfortunately, I have to work at least a quarter of each vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father is the CEO of a 10,000 company, and he always works even when he is on vacation. There is no such thing as vacations for a CEO. His compensation is 15M/yr, so it comes with a cost.

I mean…this is expected. Also, he could have retired years ago and could quit tomorrow and likely not change his lifestyle one bit.

This is just a choice.

PP.

My father sees it as a lifetime opportunity to take care of his parents, my mother's parents, and brothers and sisters on both sides of the family. He is willing to sacrifice himself, so that everyone close to him can have generational wealth. That's why my mother loves and respects him so much, because of his selflessness.

Sure. Except when you realize that your dad doesn’t see it as a sacrifice himself. He loves being CEO, and wouldn’t want to be just vacationing with all of you anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have taken two vacations since covid--a family reunion at the beach and a family wedding. We are upper middle class by income (300 plus) and live modestly (low mortgage, old paid off car) and we can't seem to ever afford it. We have fairly good savings but something always happens: fridge dies or water heater dies.

Pre Covid 300k was a solid income, we are out all the time at nice restaurants and played games with kids at the collective arcades in sterling/alenxandria.
Now we make over 500k and I can’t even afford sweet green lunch salads.

[Anonymous]

I lived in the US a few years ago and only took one week of vacation per year. I can't imagine getting two ... Life is not about work.

I live in France, where you get at least 5 weeks off. Since I am independant I actually take 7 weeks off (unpaid), that plus holidays and federal days, it allows time for weekend getaways or travel abroad.

2 weeks off is insane.

[Anonymous]

I get 22 vacation days; 3 flex PTO days; 5 sick days a year.

Project manager at mid size consulting firm. I do not work on vacations—EVER. Every quarter I take a day off next to the federal holiday. This allows me to get in quick trips to the Caribbean/Mexico. Leave Thursday after work and return Monday night. I take two days off for my birthday.

Take the day before and after Thanksgiving off. And then 1.5 week at Xmas.

With respect to performance I strategically do just enough to exceed expectations but not blow it out of the water. Every two years I give the extra effort to be a superstar. Been here 7 years. I never get the top raise (usually 2.5-4%) and a $7500k bonus. No spouse. No kids. With $185k salary. I doing well enough and get some life experiences with cool travel.