Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to Sao Paulo over Thanksgiving because I got a non-stop round trip from IAD for 1/3 the price of the usual $1600 fare. I also took United up on its pretty good credit card deal and slashed another $300 off my price. I'm staying in a (relatively) cheap hotel and Sao Paulo (and Latin America in general) is affordable.

I also have no kids, aren't married and don't drive.

Can't wait!

You got a great deal. I fly to Sao Paulo a few times a year and have learned that IAD is the worst place to start the journey. It is hundreds, if not thousands cheaper, to go to a repositioning airport. I usually do Miami or Fort Lauderdale. It's a 200 dollar round trip and I end up on the flight from IAD or wherever. I tend to fly business, so I usually do Houston.

Have fun! It's a blast of a city if you are a food, music, culture fan.

The cost of business class from Dulles to Sao Paulo is an ongoing mystery. It is simply insane for a city like that from DC. I don't get it.

Much of it is people who do government level business. Not just government to government but the farmers etc. who need to do business with the USDA etc. They don't care what it costs.

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+ 100

I thought we were doing well but we are the poorest of our friends.

Anonymous wrote:Please just help me understand.

Credit cards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to Sao Paulo over Thanksgiving because I got a non-stop round trip from IAD for 1/3 the price of the usual $1600 fare. I also took United up on its pretty good credit card deal and slashed another $300 off my price. I'm staying in a (relatively) cheap hotel and Sao Paulo (and Latin America in general) is affordable.

I also have no kids, aren't married and don't drive.

Can't wait!

You got a great deal. I fly to Sao Paulo a few times a year and have learned that IAD is the worst place to start the journey. It is hundreds, if not thousands cheaper, to go to a repositioning airport. I usually do Miami or Fort Lauderdale. It's a 200 dollar round trip and I end up on the flight from IAD or wherever. I tend to fly business, so I usually do Houston.

Have fun! It's a blast of a city if you are a food, music, culture fan.

The cost of business class from Dulles to Sao Paulo is an ongoing mystery. It is simply insane for a city like that from DC. I don't get it.

Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

We save for what we want and it is fairly easy to do. We are a family of 4 and we all went on a 3-week trip from England to France. It was a lot of fun. My husband is also a Marriott exec so we stayed in 5 star accomodations the whole way but with a very steep discount. So, really we only spent $13k for those 3-weeks. We did all the excursions and everything too so did not cut corners. Next year, we are going to go to Brazil because I went to Portugal and like the Portuguese culture. We have half saved already.

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to Sao Paulo over Thanksgiving because I got a non-stop round trip from IAD for 1/3 the price of the usual $1600 fare. I also took United up on its pretty good credit card deal and slashed another $300 off my price. I'm staying in a (relatively) cheap hotel and Sao Paulo (and Latin America in general) is affordable.

I also have no kids, aren't married and don't drive.

Can't wait!

You got a great deal. I fly to Sao Paulo a few times a year and have learned that IAD is the worst place to start the journey. It is hundreds, if not thousands cheaper, to go to a repositioning airport. I usually do Miami or Fort Lauderdale. It's a 200 dollar round trip and I end up on the flight from IAD or wherever. I tend to fly business, so I usually do Houston.

Have fun! It's a blast of a city if you are a food, music, culture fan.

We make a good HHI, have a lot in savings, and live below our means. For the most part, travel is our big budget item. We aren't car or gadget type people. Any tech stuff that DH would spend a ton of money on he usually gets his company to pay for some of it because he uses it for work too.

Also, I can pick up hours at work and will often do that to pay for things. I'm visiting a friend in Europe for a week and paying for my first class ticket solely by picking up 2.5 shifts.

Anonymous wrote:Some people have a lot more money than their circumstances would let on. I get the sense people think that I live above my means, but we actually live drastically below it. There are many reasons a person might have a kind of normal job, but actually have a lot of money. But OP, it doesn't matter. Comparison is the thief of joy. Domestic vacations are often just as fun.

This is true. We live in an area that allows us to live below our means. Also, you can have a great time wherever you go. It doesn’t need to be far flung. There are plenty of amazing places closer to you.

I'm going to Sao Paulo over Thanksgiving because I got a non-stop round trip from IAD for 1/3 the price of the usual $1600 fare. I also took United up on its pretty good credit card deal and slashed another $300 off my price. I'm staying in a (relatively) cheap hotel and Sao Paulo (and Latin America in general) is affordable.

I also have no kids, aren't married and don't drive.

Can't wait!

Some people have a lot more money than their circumstances would let on. I get the sense people think that I live above my means, but we actually live drastically below it. There are many reasons a person might have a kind of normal job, but actually have a lot of money. But OP, it doesn't matter. Comparison is the thief of joy. Domestic vacations are often just as fun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather my children learn about other countries and cultures than take a photo with Snow White at Disney world.

We drive a Honda, we live in a condo.Different families have different values.

You're so cool. I've been to more of the world than just about anyone and I still love Disney. This isn't a competition.

It is not a competition because no one said they were winning.

The post literally ends with the point that families value different things (ie, to each his own).

You sound defensive.

We scrimp on vacations generally so that we can afford an international trip every couple years. I also really hunt for inexpensive airfare and have gotten good at it. And we only have one kid.

We also select destinations based on favorable exchange rates which makes it easier to afford hotels, food, and other experiences when we're there.

Anonymous wrote:We are rich now, but I traveled more when i was poor. It doesn’t need to cost much. I was spending $10/day back in 1992…

I feel this way too. I used to take 6 international trips a year in my 20s. Cheapest most inconvenient times flights and hostels. Or tiny little hotels in the carribean. I spent almost nothing once I arrived, drank local drinks at happy hour and bought cheap side of the road meals. It was wonderful!

I dont have the stomach or the energy to travel cheap anymore, and have kids to consider, so take all 6 of those trips and make it one annual.

Points for flights in economy.
Rent air bnb for 7-10 days to get longer term stay discount
Eat in the Airbnb
Save all year by not going out to eat or consuming much.
It’s a strategic alignment of spending, being frugal, and flexible on flights and location to get best deals.