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How do people afford the constant travel lifestyle?

Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:20 am
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
20031 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:20 am
I see people going everywhere all the time, but when I check prices the costs seem pretty steep.

I’m cheap so maybe I just don’t like forking over money for much.

Are people getting great deals that I don’t know about?

Is there some discount after lots of travel?

Is it work related flyer miles and hotel points covering costs?

It seems like wherever I want to go is more than I want to spend.


Posted by TheOcean
#honeyfriedchicken
Member since Aug 2004
45040 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:25 am to
I own a couple of properties overseas. Peak season rent pays all the expenses and more. And we get a free place to stay whenever we want to use it. I use points for flights.

I'm here in italy now for two weeks. I've probably spent $400 so far ten days in.
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
20031 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:32 am to
quote:

own a couple of properties overseas


How does one learn how to buy properties overseas?

I’ve only bought 2 houses and sold one here so I’m not experienced I. Real estate and I’m in my 60s.
Posted by TheOcean
#honeyfriedchicken
Member since Aug 2004
45040 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:35 am to
Lot of countries will offer financing to Americans. Really isnt that difficult. You just need someone you can trust in that country to guide you through the transaction
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
20031 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:40 am to
quote:

You just need someone you can trust in that country to guide you through the transaction


Trust.

That is hard with my limited exposure.

Did you sort of visit the same place over and over and develop relationships that led to buying property?

I can see if one had a spouse from somewhere else with family there would make things easier to develop trust.

Of course, I don’t really trust many people when it comes to money so it may just be a me problem.
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
20031 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:40 am to
quote:

You just need someone you can trust in that country to guide you through the transaction


Trust.

That is hard with my limited exposure.

Did you sort of visit the same place over and over and develop relationships that led to buying property?

I can see if one had a spouse from somewhere else with family there would make things easier to develop trust.

Of course, I don’t really trust many people when it comes to money so it may just be a me problem.
Posted by TheOcean
#honeyfriedchicken
Member since Aug 2004
45040 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 5:48 am to
You can usually find expats living in that area. You ask them for help or recommendations for professionals to use. Anyways, didn't mean to hijack your thread.

A lot of people who travel a lot probably are in a lot of CC debt or don't have much in terms of savings.
Posted by Naked Bootleg
Premium Plus® Member
Member since Jul 2021
3085 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 6:01 am to
I accumulated tons of points/miles when I was travelling overseas for work a lot, which allowed us to travel far more than we would have otherwise.
Posted by slackster
Houston
Member since Mar 2009
91265 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 6:02 am to
quote:

lot of people who travel a lot probably are in a lot of CC debt or don't have much in terms of savings.


This.

You know all of those articles you read about the largest wealth transfer in history that will pass on money from boomers to their children? Yeah, those people who travel have read the same articles. They’re counting on mom and dad to fill in the gaps in their savings.

Of course that doesn’t describe everyone who travels, but it explains a lot of it. Historically low interest rates for a while also allowed for better free cash flow since mortgages were relatively cheap.
Posted by Suntiger
STG or BR or somewhere else
Member since Feb 2007
35384 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 6:08 am to
quote:

It seems like wherever I want to go is more than I want to spend.


I think it’s not a priority for you so it’s not worth it for you.

Wife and I love to travel, so we prioritize it. We spend frugally on almost everything else and save up for travel. We use CC points, visit in shoulder seasons and look for the best deals. Typically travel somewhere 2 to 3 times a year.

I am sure a lot of people go into CC debt to afford travel. Some may have a lot of money saved. Some might have business travel points. Lot of different variables out there.
Posted by GeauxTigers123
Member since Feb 2007
3048 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 6:58 am to
quote:

Lot of different variables out there.


Yeah.

Points from work, spending more than you make, being a high earner, coming from a rich family.

There are probably many different back stories.
Posted by Florida_Man1981
Member since Jan 2024
541 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 7:17 am to
I traveled a ton for work my last five years in the Army. Constant overseas travel. Worked every credit card mile angle there was same for hotel points.

For our family travel is a priority. Haven't had a car payment since 2017. Most families think it's too expensive to travel but have $1500 a month in cra payments.

Also if you travel during the week you get a lot of deals. I am not concerned about pulling my kid out of school sometimes for a good trip.
This post was edited on 8/20/25 at 7:18 am
Posted by Twenty 49
Shreveport
Member since Jun 2014
20703 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 7:39 am to
Think about how much you put into savings and 401k. Most who post on this board max it out or at least hit it hard.

Many people who make the same as you take all or most of that money you would save/invest and spend it on vacations, cars, and other consumer stuff.

Thank goodness for those spenders. If everyone was as tight as me, the economy would be in shambles.

Posted by Florida_Man1981
Member since Jan 2024
541 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 7:43 am to
quote:

Think about how much you put into savings and 401k. Most who post on this board max it out or at least hit it hard.

Many people who make the same as you take all or most of that money you would save/invest and spend it on vacations, cars, and other consumer stuff.

Thank goodness for those spenders. If everyone was as tight as me, the economy would be in shambles.


Yep. Don't forget all the people tapping into their home equity to buy stupid shite too.

USA!
Posted by slackster
Houston
Member since Mar 2009
91265 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 7:51 am to
quote:

Thank goodness for those spenders. If everyone was as tight as me, the economy would be in shambles.


Great perspective.
Posted by Billy Blanks
Member since Dec 2021
4961 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 8:01 am to
quote:

How do people afford the constant travel lifestyle?


They are not in fixed income careers usually.
Posted by notsince98
KC, MO
Member since Oct 2012
21214 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 8:18 am to
many of them dont save for retirement, dont have an emergency fund and have massive credit card debt.
Posted by PNW_TigerSaint
Member since Oct 2016
1296 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 8:21 am to
Credit card churning.
Posted by SmackoverHawg
Member since Oct 2011
30848 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 8:59 am to
Some travel cheap. Fly coach, use air miles, shorter stays in off season or avoiding prime times. I know several that'll fly to europe for 3 days or so just to work their arse off getting photo ops for social media. F#$k that. When I'm on vacation, I'm on vacation. We post hardly any photos anyway. Too many people take anything we do as flaunting wealth, the fact that they don't say shite about these "world travelers" says a lot.

Some can just afford it.
Posted by JohnnyKilroy
Cajun Navy Vice Admiral
Member since Oct 2012
39992 posts
Posted on 8/20/25 at 9:14 am to
quote:

Some travel cheap. Fly coach, use air miles, shorter stays in off season or avoiding prime times.


This is probably part of it.

My sister takes a LOT of weekend trips but she isn't planning her trip and then buying the plane tickets. She is searching for the cheapest/best deal and then building the trip around that.

So she may take a plane trip once every 4-6 weeks or whatever, but she isn't spending more than a couple hundred bucks on roundtrip airfare because she's booking that shite while it was on sale 4 months before. She flew in for my son's bday and her airfare was like 120 round trip. Last year she took a weekend trip somewhere I forget and she paid around 50 for her flights.

If you're someone who wants to go on a trip on X date, you're probably gonna spend a lot more on your trip vs someone who is looking to go on that trip sometime in a 2 or 3 month window.
This post was edited on 8/20/25 at 9:18 am
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