They probably budget well. Don't eat out. Don't drink or smoke. Don't upgrade to the latest iphone or change cars every few years. They probably don't have the largest cable package or student loans and debt. Maybe they eat beans and rice 3x a week. People make it work. They make sacrifices for what they want. Stop trying to count other people's coins and start focusing on where you can cut costs so you can also live that way. You sound envious and that's not a good look.

Anonymous wrote:This couple I know literally spent last December in Colorado at a ski resort, spent last month in Indonesia and today they’re off to some weekend getaway.

The girlfriend doesn’t work. The guy works at not a well paid job.

Wtf??

This is also every other person on my instagram. Mid twenties to early thirties.

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.

Did you read the OP? In December they took a month off. Then last month they took another month off to travel. Where do you get 15-21 days?

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.

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

Credit cards are a lifesaver for some of these kinds of people.

I know nothing about the people you refer to but I suspect I know more about you from your single post.

Why do you take Instagram seriously? People only put their best photos on it. By default it can give you a misleading impression of the vacations without them meaning to do so.

Travel does not have to be expensive. Indonesia is very cheap once you get there. Perhaps they used points for the airfare. A couple can easily travel on $100 a day in Indonesia including everything and guess what, they’re still travelling in comfort. It’s called flashpackers. Upscale backpacking. You can do this all over SE Asia and China. Even in Europe it’s very feasible to have a great and yet frugal travel experience (and, no, I’m not taking about staying a hour away from the prime tourist areas). We are experienced travelers with a high household income but we rarely stay in fancy hotels or resorts and prefer to go as local as we can, mainly for the experience and because fancy hotels are boring after a night or two. We rent apartments on Airbnb, we do things like stay in university dormitories during the summer months (London universities rent out their dorm rooms, they are institutional but clean and fine and in fantastic central locations and for less than $100 a night and breakfast is included). We enjoy self catering because eating out all the time is tiring.

Last but not least, people have different priorities. They spend their money on travel. They don’t spend money on other things. You probably spend money in a way that has your friends shaking their head and wondering why for you could instead save it for travelling.

They live simply and cheaply...rent a room vs. buy or rent a house or large apartment. They probably don't eat out, buy a lot of stuff in general, and prioritize saving. They probably also charge as much as possible on credit cards w/o airline miles and use those to offset flight costs.

Once on vacation, they're working remotely somehow, they're living in cheap hostels or airbnb type places (probably hostels). Hostels often include breakfast, and usually have kitchens so they can cook meals in. They probably aren't packing a whole lot...so I seriously doubt they're dragging overstuffed backpacks around. Experienced world travelers don't do that. They pack a very few change of clothes and carry a backpack. If it doesn't fit easily and comfortably in the backpack it doesn't go.

Indonesia is a pretty inexpensive destination I believe, and frequently it's cheaper to travel slowly overseas (esp to SE Asia and S. America) than it is to live in the US and pay rent and US prices for everything.

Instagram is for losers.

Next time ask them where they stayed. I guarantee its some AirBnB 60 minutes outside the city or the tourist destinations. Hostel if they really don't have the funds.

Cheap housing and pre-purchased airfare. I could get a ticket to Beijing right now for a September trip for $500 round-trip. You just need to know how to look.

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

Family money. Parents/inlaws treating. Credit card debt.

Don't think Indonesia is particularly expensive -- usually you can spend a lot of time in that part of the world for fairly cheap bc of the currency conversion.

Inherited money or credit cards. Did you really need to ask DCUM this?

Family money. Or racking up debt.

This couple I know literally spent last December in Colorado at a ski resort, spent last month in Indonesia and today they’re off to some weekend getaway.

The girlfriend doesn’t work. The guy works at not a well paid job.

Wtf??

This is also every other person on my instagram. Mid twenties to early thirties.