Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 14:01     Subject: Re:Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That sounds like our schedule - minus we don't get a week in February - usually 5 days. We travel some long weekends and not others.

Is her compliant about frequency or location? I am not sure we could do much more. . . I get tired and looking forward to home time after travel with kids!


Both. Her DH does prefer going to the same places (hence they go skiing, to the Caribbean, and the beach every year). I think they do a thing where he picks a destination, then she picks, etc. and he always picks the same places which she finds frustrating. But she also wants a sixth week long vacation in the fall - I think she wants to time it with the Jewish High Holidays. We’re not Jewish but in NY you get those days off from school.

Anyway, my attempts to tell her that if your problem in life is that your DH is too cheap to pay for a SIXTH annual vacation, your life is not that bad, etc. fell on deaf ears.

I’m surprised by all the people saying this is a normal, even “boring” amount of travel!


Well to be fair, if he gets to pick 3 places each year and she only gets 2, I can see why she’s put out and wants one more. That’s only fair. Especially if he always opts for the same boring places each year.


New poster here.
That's what I was thinking after I read the OP. While it is several weeks of vacation, it sounds like there's little variety. I'd be bored going "to the beach" every year. Or the Caribbean.
If I could afford it (and it sounds like they can) I'd mix it up with destinations in South America or Africa.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 13:50     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Hey there 12:39. Spend is a noun now? Like gift turned into a verb?
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 13:46     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have a question. How much money do you think they spend on this?

5 weeklong vacations for 5 people is a lot and I think it would be expensive. Especially since it sounds like at least 2 or 3 are to international destinations.


At least 50k but probably much more

My sister has the audacity to think she’s a regular middle class traveler because they fly coach, occasionally do VRBO (but for like 800 a night) and don’t bring their nanny

Lol for days


I don’t see the big deal. $50K is actually very cheap for what she’s doing. We spend at least $75K for similar travel, but we like luxury. To each her own! Do you think maybe you’re a tad jealous OP? What is your annual vacation schedule and spend?


NP. I think the OP has no idea what her sister spends and was guesstimating on 50k.

All I know is, a week skiing for 5 people is pretty pricey and if your typical hotel budget is ~ 800-1000k a night, that’s not cheap either.

Neither are 4 flights for 5 people.

We’re a family of 5, we ski, and I’d guess the OP’s sister is spending well over 50k.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 13:45     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does she work? Does DH come on all trips? Does he work on vacation? Those are the things that would influence my opinion on "excessive".


OP here. No she doesn’t work. SAHM with a full time nanny.

Her DH works in banking.


Like i said, in IB (investment banking), this is very typical travel.

It is a bit cheeky to complain he chooses 3 and her only 2 when he is paying for all of it.


This seems perfectly appropriate given their situation and circumstances. He probably likes routine and unwinding, and she needs frequent but not overwhelming punctuations in the year to plan for and look forward to.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 12:39     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have a question. How much money do you think they spend on this?

5 weeklong vacations for 5 people is a lot and I think it would be expensive. Especially since it sounds like at least 2 or 3 are to international destinations.


At least 50k but probably much more

My sister has the audacity to think she’s a regular middle class traveler because they fly coach, occasionally do VRBO (but for like 800 a night) and don’t bring their nanny

Lol for days


I don’t see the big deal. $50K is actually very cheap for what she’s doing. We spend at least $75K for similar travel, but we like luxury. To each her own! Do you think maybe you’re a tad jealous OP? What is your annual vacation schedule and spend?
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 12:38     Subject: Re:Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:Skiing? Disney? National parks? The Caribbean? East coast beaches?

Eh.

Nothing I’m envious of.

Maybe their trips to Europe but what do you want to bet they’re to places like London or Paris.


There's a time in your life for hiking in Tibet and kayaking in the Amazon, but that's hard to do with three young kids.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 12:12     Subject: Re:Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:Skiing? Disney? National parks? The Caribbean? East coast beaches?

Eh.

Nothing I’m envious of.

Maybe their trips to Europe but what do you want to bet they’re to places like London or Paris.


LOL.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 12:12     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
We do about the same travel and I think it is quite a bit. It is about all we can fit in with kids in school (although I we could do more trips in the summer, but the kids like to be here for some of it and go to the pool, etc). I grew up going on one beach vacation every few years, so to me, our travel is way out of the ordinary for middle/UMC.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:48     Subject: Re:Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Skiing? Disney? National parks? The Caribbean? East coast beaches?

Eh.

Nothing I’m envious of.

Maybe their trips to Europe but what do you want to bet they’re to places like London or Paris.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:41     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does she work? Does DH come on all trips? Does he work on vacation? Those are the things that would influence my opinion on "excessive".


OP here. No she doesn’t work. SAHM with a full time nanny.

Her DH works in banking.


Like i said, in IB (investment banking), this is very typical travel.

It is a bit cheeky to complain he chooses 3 and her only 2 when he is paying for all of it.


It’s unusual for spouses to divide money up like that: what you bring in, what I bring in, and who gets to spend it or choose what etc.

Usually it’s just one pot for the family.


True, but she is clearly hitting the upper limit of what he considers reasonable.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:32     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does she work? Does DH come on all trips? Does he work on vacation? Those are the things that would influence my opinion on "excessive".


OP here. No she doesn’t work. SAHM with a full time nanny.

Her DH works in banking.


Like i said, in IB (investment banking), this is very typical travel.

It is a bit cheeky to complain he chooses 3 and her only 2 when he is paying for all of it.


It’s unusual for spouses to divide money up like that: what you bring in, what I bring in, and who gets to spend it or choose what etc.

Usually it’s just one pot for the family.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:31     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does she work? Does DH come on all trips? Does he work on vacation? Those are the things that would influence my opinion on "excessive".


OP here. No she doesn’t work. SAHM with a full time nanny.

Her DH works in banking.


Like i said, in IB (investment banking), this is very typical travel.

It is a bit cheeky to complain he chooses 3 and her only 2 when he is paying for all of it.


She must keep a very clean house and really bring it in the bedroom.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:29     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does she work? Does DH come on all trips? Does he work on vacation? Those are the things that would influence my opinion on "excessive".


OP here. No she doesn’t work. SAHM with a full time nanny.

Her DH works in banking.


Like i said, in IB (investment banking), this is very typical travel.

It is a bit cheeky to complain he chooses 3 and her only 2 when he is paying for all of it.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:27     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do Jewish private schools have a ski week? How are they traveling Feb?

And I so wish Christmas was not two weeks in December — that’s so much of my vacation time and it all goes to family and holidays.


Many NYC area schools (public) have a February break. We used to be put on planes to go to Florida to visit our snowbird grandparents. It was very strange being in places like Cocoa Beach and running into four kids from school.


Haha! Boca week!
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2019 11:13     Subject: Is this a normal or excessive amount of travel?
Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm with you, that seems like an incredibly extravagant travel budget. But I see a ton of this in our close-in DC suburb. One big winter beach trip, one big winter ski trip, several big summer trips and/or a summer house. We make 400k and do nothing like this. I personally don't get how people spend money like this AND save upwards of a half million per kid for college AND save for retirement. (And afford $1.5+ million houses.) It's just a mystery to me, but obviously the rest of Bethesda has got it figured out.


+1 to Bethesda