Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:32     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.


This is very normal in the DC suburbs too. This is what we do, though not skiing, but somewhere warm at Christmas. Christmas, Spring Break and Summer are the only weeks when all kids have no sports and we can travel.


+1

Not sure why so many in here are hating on vacations 😭


I love vacations! But there isn’t a way to do 5 weeks of high end vacations with 3 kids, have no money worries, save enough for college and retirement, and have fresh flowers every where on $500-750k/year unless you live in a small town in the middle of nowhere.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:19     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.



You already acknowledged why it isn’t possible. No one is taking 6 weeks. You just said 3-4 weeks. How in sufferable you are. You just wanted a chance to brag about your lifestyle. Listen, most people responding have as much as you or more. I’m not impressed by any of the travel you just listed. We have a beach house and then do Europe, other people I know have a ski house and do the other vacations. You aren’t special nd you should know that 500-750k is a laughable number to live te described lifestyle anywhere but flyover country and cheap vacays.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:18     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.


This is very normal in the DC suburbs too. This is what we do, though not skiing, but somewhere warm at Christmas. Christmas, Spring Break and Summer are the only weeks when all kids have no sports and we can travel.


+1

Not sure why so many in here are hating on vacations 😭
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:11     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.


This is very normal in the DC suburbs too. This is what we do, though not skiing, but somewhere warm at Christmas. Christmas, Spring Break and Summer are the only weeks when all kids have no sports and we can travel.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:07     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.


If you make $500k, there is no way you can do what OP is suggesting. You have to pick.


I posted earlier in the thread but we do this on an income that varies between 500-800k. We don’t have a mortgage or childcare though, that’s the cost savings for us.

Our kids are now teens and we know we have saved more than enough for their college funds.

To the OP, I think it is table as long as they are single income, they already have a down payment saved, and college costs do not continue to sky rocket.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:04     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very ime.


Same here. Not sure why folks are reacting so vehemently.

Definitely need to be 750k + though.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:03     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.


If you make $500k, there is no way you can do what OP is suggesting. You have to pick.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 09:02     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

The American dream is not fresh flowers everywhere and taking trips constantly.

It is a small 3 bedroom house with 1.5 bathrooms, clipping coupons, and mowing your own yard.

You are describing a super high end lifestyle from the movies.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 08:59     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

I’m surprised by all the vacation naysayers. Where I live, it is very common for families to travel this much. Over every school break basically. Maybe not 6 weeks total but 3-4 for sure.

And yeah, the skiing out West, Caribbean spring break, east coast beach vacay schedule is very very common ime.

Anyway, we do this and we still managed to save up 5-6 million in the last 10 years despite facing kids. So idk why you’re all saying it is impossible.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 08:56     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

LOL. No. 5 trips a year is kind of crazy once you have kids, especially 3 kids. Not considering the money associated, even.

If you want a spendy lifestyle, only have 1 kid. It will be a lot easier to fit the kid in to your lifestyle. One kid is an accessory. Any more is a lifestyle.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 06:52     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Why would you waste so much time taking that much vacation?
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2026 06:28     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

This is easily a 7 figure income lifestyle. And not only are those hard to get, they are hard to keep. I know many partners who have been fired for not bringing in enough business, or execs who don’t survive a regime change.

As a PP said, this life is more common (and sustainable) for those with windfalls (eg, sale of a biz) or generational wealth.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2026 23:08     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:I'm still laughing about the vacation plans.


Yes. The most unrealistic part of this plan is having enough leave to take 6 weeks of vacation after you’ve taken days off for sick kids and random school holidays.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2026 22:55     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You all are hilarious. In state college is like $130k now, it's not going to be 10X more expensive in 20 years.

The biggest fantasy in OPs dream on that income is the week of adult only vacation. Who's watching your kids while that's going on?


Um, grandparents?


Your parents will watch 3 kids for a whole week while you travel? Lucky! Ours love the kids, but 3 of them for an extended period is a lot.


Not OP but my parents watched our 3 young kids for 10 days when we went away to Europe. It was amazing. We are very very lucky. But it’s way harder now with the kids in 12 different activities during the week. Parents now watch kids for us over the summer so we can get away (and there are less sports)!
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2026 22:43     Subject: S/O American Dream. Would $500-750k HHI be enough for this lifestyle?

I'm still laughing about the vacation plans.