I'm the one that commented maybe on page 5 that I grew up in Arlington and traveled around the US with my family (middle class Arlington standards, upper middle by most of the country---parent had master's, one a k-12 teacher, another a mid-level fed. employee.

I mentioned that I traveled as much as I can with my kids and do it as affordably as I can (I have gotten a lot of flights to Europe between $350-$480) and I find apartment rentals as low as $600-$1,200 a week for apartments.

Someone asked how I find these deals. I thought I responded but I can't find it so here it is.

Here's how I do it:

1) I search a TON for deals on google flights, skyscanner, and budget airlines- mostly Play airlines these days. I used to find more deals through full-service airlines but that has been decreasing, especially as I need flights during school breaks.

2) I start my search and price tracking (google doc for me) almost a year in advance for multiple locations and spring break I find the best deals between May-June (scattered deals much later on through major airlines, but it's increasingly hard to snag those and dates usually don't align). Summer: book september-november for best deals. Christmas- start searching early January and book within first few months.

3) I use reward points - Chase Sapphire preferred but I'm not amazing with how I use my cards and we are nervous about opening too many cards nor do we earn any points through work so I just accrue points and use every few years. I typically accrue 2-3k worth of points. I used to pay for our childcare through my credit card to earn points and that helped. I found this year that the benefit of booking through their system has drastically decreased and it's the same value as getting cash back when it used to be maybe 20% more.

4) I book apartments SUPER early- not quite as early as airfare (though I do a quick search for general pricing). There are times we have gone with a nice family hostel- we've used Meininger and it's been excellent- better than many hotels in the US and way more family oriented.

5) We prioritize travel and don't spend as much on our home, clothing, toys, and limit eating out at home.

6) I found a position through a public school system that allows for me to take all school breaks/holidays and 1 month in the summer, soon I will have a 10 month contract- woohoo.

I will also add that I live in another area of VA that has a MUCH lower cost of living and I'm able to live a middle class (borderline upper middle class) lifestyle that would be impossible in northern VA. Most families do NOT travel luxuriously in my area...there's a handful of families that I know that are also travel lovers, but not many. Most families do go to Disney, US trips, cruises,

Anonymous wrote:I actually enjoy looking at (curated not 30+) travel photos. Gives me ideas of places to go! Much better than endless posts about dogs, kids, politics etc.

It’s a type of peer pressure though. You see others traveling and having wonderful experiences and adventures, your kids also see this and want that. You want to provide similar experiences for your kids so you book trips just to check off a box.

Don’t care how much other people travel —-except that it is utterly horrible for the planet and irresponsible to travel compulsively as some people seem to do, oblivious of the consequences for the environment.

I actually enjoy looking at (curated not 30+) travel photos. Gives me ideas of places to go! Much better than endless posts about dogs, kids, politics etc.

No wonder rates of anxiety/depression are up, people feel the need to compete on every level, now including travel. This always existed to an extent, but SM has just blown it up, extensive travel is simply unrealistic for most, it just is. You are living above your means, just admit it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

Nouveau riche? Here’s a dead giveaway someone is probably nouveau riche. They use that term and are preoccupied with what other people think. The rich-rich don’t give a F about what the MC/UMC are doing. They don’t really think about us plebs. I think the boasting is also generational not just SES related. Cruises, AIs, etc are falling out of favor with younger generations who are more climate conscious.

Fine, travel, but why the need to post it? What are you looking for? You want to be admired for traveling?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

Nouveau riche? Here’s a dead giveaway someone is probably nouveau riche. They use that term and are preoccupied with what other people think. The rich-rich don’t give a F about what the MC/UMC are doing. They don’t really think about us plebs. I think the boasting is also generational not just SES related. Cruises, AIs, etc are falling out of favor with younger generations who are more climate conscious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

This must be one of the dumber (dumbest maybe) posts I've read on here. First of all, it's nouveau riche. Second of all, nouveau riche of travel is nonsensical. Lastly, what exactly is pretentious? Pretending to be...what? Travelling?

Plenty of people travel extensively and don't mention it unless asked. Try it sometime.

Pretending to be worldly and interesting when in reality they are poseurs. Yeah, I misspelled ‘nouveau’, I can barely read my screen. I think I am farsighted. I have traveled extensively and not mentioned it, many times before SM existed. It’s this weird new fascination with travel, like they’re the first to ever travel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I admit to struggling with this from a "keeping up" standpoint. We just do not have the money that some of our friends have and also don't have as many vacation days and can't work remotely. And now my kids are really into sports so a lot of their breaks will be taken up with required practices/games/tournaments. I really had to talk myself down that it's 100% amazing that they've done a European trip, several domestic national parks trips, a cruise, and lots of Eastern seaboard city long weekends. Compared to this forum, that is nothing, but really, it's great and has given them a good taste of travel.

Besides our family friends, I can't believe how much my young colleagues travel. One in particular takes 3-4 international trips per year, but I feel like it's just for the pictures! They will go for just 5-6 days, even places as far away from DC as Hawaii in that short time, and I feel like it's just to check a box and get some instagram pictures.

Ok, but WHY do you assume that? Most people who are posting pictures on Instagram are not traveling solely for the pictures. Why go through all that effort and expense for something you don’t enjoy?

Even if people are traveling to take photos, why is that a problem? Photography is a legitimate hobby. Lots of people wanted to grow up to be a travel photographer when I was in highschool and that was long before cellphones or social media. Are most amateur photographers pretty terrible and unoriginal? Yes, but that's true for any hobby.

I love taking pictures. My DH loves taking pictures of nature. I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking pics. I think it’s obnoxious to hold up a line or taking a gazillion pictures in one spot so you can post the perfect one on Insta. I mean you can tell the difference between someone taking a pic for memories and someone making a production out of it. Like those Insta mommies dragging their kids with matching outfits to take pics but no one actually looks like they are enjoying the place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

Where exactly do you fall in the socioeconomic hierarchy that you are in a position to pass judgment as to what is tasteful or not? Also, it's "nouveau riche." If you're going to use phrases like this you really must spell them correctly.

I am UMC and am older and wiser than most posting and boasting about their worldly excursions. I manage these people, I am well aware of their annual incomes.

Wait, you manage...everyone? How does that work? Interesting.

Ancient manager, teach us your omniscient ways!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

Where exactly do you fall in the socioeconomic hierarchy that you are in a position to pass judgment as to what is tasteful or not? Also, it's "nouveau riche." If you're going to use phrases like this you really must spell them correctly.

I am UMC and am older and wiser than most posting and boasting about their worldly excursions. I manage these people, I am well aware of their annual incomes.

Wait, you manage...everyone? How does that work? Interesting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

This must be one of the dumber (dumbest maybe) posts I've read on here. First of all, it's nouveau riche. Second of all, nouveau riche of travel is nonsensical. Lastly, what exactly is pretentious? Pretending to be...what? Travelling?

Plenty of people travel extensively and don't mention it unless asked. Try it sometime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rich are richer today.

True. But this is DCUM and people will adamantly insist that it isn't the rich getting richer its just the solidly middle class being middle class. After all, they fly United to their 5 bedroom ski-in/out chalet in Aspen; they do not have a G650!

I am curious about these extensive travelers’ life savings. I just don’t think they save much. These people live in a middle class neighborhood, why do that if one is so wealthy? Why not live in a wealthier neighborhood? I am convinced they live above their means.

Some people prioritize a big, expensive house, others prioritize big expensive trips. How is that hard to understand?

They seem to prioritize being thirsty attention whores more than anything. They like to just spout out about all the trips their family has planned, without even being asked. Do I care? I didn’t even ask them, why do they feel the need to tell me and then compulsively post pics to social media? Never asking a thing about me or my family hardly ever. Self centered aholez.

You seem really triggered by this. Maybe you need a break from social media and a nice vacation.

I get two weeks vacation per year. That’s it, total. I can’t do much in that time and don’t feel like trying to cram international vacations with two kids into that time.

Ah, so it's just jealousy. Got it.

NP but this is so what it is. Also to the PP...get off social media. It will really help with your raging envy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

So it’s okay if the wealthy do this, but not the MC?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok of the friends I know who travel like this, both of the parents work full-time, and are 100% immersed in super high income earning careers that naturally take them away from their kids more than they might want to. The overcompensate for this absence by over vacationing, is how I think of it. I’m talking spring break in the grand Cayman Islands, surrounded by three or four of their besties from their kids $60,000 a year private school, weekends in Montana in the summer, in the Hamptons, a week in Iceland in the summer, three weeks in France, Norway and Spain in August, and more vacation throughout the year….. the kids are spoiled beyond belief and the parents travel a TON for work so a lot of that travel helps pay for the cost of the family travel through earning miles and accruing travel points. It’s a cycle and yes in our close in affluent Nova suburb it’s a whole thang.

So this has always been a thing amongst the wealthy. This is nothing new. What is new is the extensive travel and boasting of the MC/UMC demographic. It’s the neuvo riche of travel. It’s gaudy and pretentious.

Where exactly do you fall in the socioeconomic hierarchy that you are in a position to pass judgment as to what is tasteful or not? Also, it's "nouveau riche." If you're going to use phrases like this you really must spell them correctly.

I am UMC and am older and wiser than most posting and boasting about their worldly excursions. I manage these people, I am well aware of their annual incomes.