Do You Like to Travel?

[F16]

But it's not wrong to choose to spend your money on fun.

Ok. Lets say so. Fun must pe planned. Beforehand.

[F16]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with spending money as long as it is done responsibly and within the bounds of a well-thought-out financial plan that takes into account all your needs and goals, both short-term and long-term.

Ok. I agree. But think about this. Taking into consideration the effects of compounding, how much could you get if you just invest $5000 - $6000 (the amount spent on vacations) into some kind of mutual funds,
or you can buy some precious metal bars or coins, and all that you can someday inherit to your kids. Can you inherit impressions, vacations photos, postcards?

I, for example, try to save almost on everything. For example, I have a girlfriend and I like her so much, and I can easily afford to buy for her a digital camera for $1200. And I will feel myself fulfilled, satisfied, just happy to make such a gift, but deeply inside I understand that there is no sense collecting coins and on the same time throwing away $1200 as a gift.

[disneysteve]

Taking into consideration the effects of compounding, how much could you get if you just invest $5000 - $6000 (the amount spent on vacations) into some kind of mutual funds,
or you can buy some precious metal bars or coins, and all that you can someday inherit to your kids. Can you inherit impressions, vacations photos, postcards?

Yes, we would end up with more money when we die if we stopped traveling, but so what. The same could be said for virtually any spending beyond basic necessities. If we didn't own TVs, computers, nice clothes, decent furniture, pets, nice cars or virtually anything else that isn't needed for survival, we could all die wealthy but miserable. Sorry but that just isn't how I want to live my life.

Can you inherit "impressions" and memories? You sure can. My daughter is 12. Both of her grandfathers died before she was born. My wife and I often tell her stories about our fathers, many of which have to do with travel experiences. When we go to Disney World each year, I always remind her that "it's a small world" was my father's favorite ride and we always take a moment to remember him when we ride it. And we often tell her about trips we took before she was born. Stuff like that. Stories get passed on from generation to generation. Is it the same as giving her gold coins? No, but in some ways it is even more valuable.

I'm not saying everyone has to enjoy travel (which was the original point of this thread). It isn't something everyone likes to do, and that is perfectly fine. But if you do enjoy it and you can afford to do it while still meeting your bigger financial goals, do it and enjoy yourself.

If you don't think travel is worth the money, then stay home. We all have different priorities in life. Nothing wrong with that at all.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Um, F16, that's not exactly wise. Okay so you can invest $5-6k travelling, then we should only eat the cheapest cuts of meat, no boneless skinless chicken breast, no fish, no steak, no fresh fruits/veggies, only canned. Everything above the minimum is a LUXURY. Nevermind that perhaps drinking no hormone milk or no hormone meat is better for you. Actually you should be a vegetarian so you don't eat any cholesterol from meat.

But that's not realistic. Neither is expecting to live so minimally that there is no fun in life. People buy better foods to preserve their health. They sometimes join a gym so they can exercise regularly without going running in -20C in the winter. Or have a pool. Sure the money for the monthly cost could mean retiring 1 year earlier, but instead they might live one year longer.

Or perhaps, my parents should never visit me because they could invest the $5-6k to go from hawaii to East coast and instead leave me and my siblings $100k when they die! WOOHOO!

But I'd rather have 1 week with my parents than $100k later. And I know my siblings feel the same. And you can't replace or put a price tag on those memories! You can't price a week of seeing grandma or grandpa.

Even more valuable is having the opportunity to see and meet their grandparents. Or recalling a special trip. One of my most treasured memories EVER was being 5 and going on my first and only trip with my mom to Las Vegas, Disneyland, and SF.

My mom, uncle, aunts, grandparents all went. She was a single mom, but my uncle helped her afford it. She saved for 5 years and my grandparents did too. ONLY family trip and I can recall seeing new family in CA. I recall sitting in the van and being carried in SF in Chinatown.

It was also the last trip my aunts had as a single lady before marriage. She STILL mentions how much fun she had and how young she was and what we enjoyed. My cousin from orange county still writes to me till this day!

Gosh, that $2k might be $100k+, but I have something way better than money. I have a relationship with my cousins, my aunts, uncles, etc. We reminisce about the trip! Look at photos and laugh.

Sure the money on the trip would have paid off the house faster, invested in the stock market, but my mom bought me something intangible she can never replace.

I don't think life is about money, and even when I was poor with my mom it wasn't. We volunteered, we appreciated everything we had. We were a very close family and still are. We never had much, but my mom always gave back to the community and taught me to do the same.

Sure she'd be richer today if she had scrimped every penny, but she lives a SUPER comfortable life now. And a stock certificate or gold coin might be nice to finger, but I like my memories. And I think my relationships with my family will be passed on to my kids.

[ParsnipsRhubarbCelery]

Travelling can be fun, but, for me, it depends on the purpose (i.e. a business trip, a fun trip, etc.). On fun trips, it's kinda nice to be able to fly during the day so that I don't have to get up super early to catch a really early flight...

[F16]

Um, F16, that's not exactly wise.

It's not wise to waste money on fun, when your basic NEEDs are not completeley satisfied. Under basic needs I mean, fully paid house, fully funded emergency fund, substantial savings in retirement accounts,
and so on.

Okay so you can invest $5-6k travelling, then we should only eat the cheapest cuts of meat, no boneless skinless chicken breast, no fish, no steak, no fresh fruits/veggies, only canned. Everything above the minimum is a LUXURY. Nevermind that perhaps drinking no hormone milk or no hormone meat is better for you. Actually you should be a vegetarian so you don't eat any cholesterol from meat.

You know, food is a great place for saving. Every dollar you spend on food, goes directly to WC. Certainly, you must fully feed yourself and your family,
but that doesn't mean you should eat every day fresh meat and fruits.

People buy better foods to preserve their health.

To preserve your health, you have to exercise regularly. Food has nothing to do with health.

Or perhaps, my parents should never visit me because they could invest the $5-6k to go from hawaii to East coast and instead leave me and my siblings $100k when they die! WOOHOO!

Honestly, that would be great! To get $100k as inheritance.

But I'd rather have 1 week with my parents than $100k later. And I know my siblings feel the same. And you can't replace or put a price tag on those memories! You can't price a week of seeing grandma or grandpa.

You can speak via Skype, send email, your pics, and so on.

[cschin4]

To preserve your health, you have to exercise regularly. Food has nothing to do with health.


This is perhaps the most uneducated response I have ever heard on this board.

[disneysteve]

It's not wise to waste money on fun, when your basic NEEDs are not completeley satisfied. Under basic needs I mean, fully paid house, fully funded emergency fund, substantial savings in retirement accounts,
and so on.

I'm not sure why I'm even debating this, but are you saying that unless someone's home is totally paid for with no mortgage, they shouldn't be spending on anything else? Do you actually live this way? If so, I find that quite sad.

Every dollar you spend on food, goes directly to WC.

What exactly is WC?

Food has nothing to do with health.

What a bizarre statement! As a physician, I can assure you that food has a great deal to do with health.

Honestly, that would be great! To get $100k as inheritance.
You can speak via Skype, send email, your pics, and so on.

You would rather only communicate with your family via Skype, e-mail and photos and get a $100,000 inheritance instead of actually getting to spend time with them in person doing things together? Again, if you actually believe this, that is quite sad.

[F16]

Hello Steve!

I'm not sure why I'm even debating this

Actually, I was replying to LivingAlmostLarge.

...but are you saying that unless someone's home is totally paid for with no mortgage, they shouldn't be spending on anything else?

Well, when you are happy to know, that someone else (the lender) is earning money on you and still you are quite satisfied and even can spend some money even not for repaying the loan...well...it's up to you.

What exactly is WC?

Try some search.

What a bizarre statement! As a physician, I can assure you that food has a great deal to do with health.

Food's impact on human's health isn't substantial.
What matters is making exercises regularly, breaking such habits like smoking, abusing alcohol and so on. In my humble opinion.

You would rather only communicate with your family via Skype, e-mail and photos and get a $100,000 inheritance instead of actually getting to spend time with them in person doing things together?

I would try to see them in person and on the same time try to cut some unnecessary expenses.

By the way, Steve, I've read somewhere your post about inflation and that it's not high... Check out this.

[disneysteve]

Food's impact on human's health isn't substantial.
What matters is making exercises regularly, breaking such habits like smoking, abusing alcohol and so on. In my humble opinion.

By the way, Steve, I've read somewhere your post about inflation and that it's not high... Check out this.

While I agree that smoking, alcohol and exercise are all very important, I certainly feel very strongly that nutrition is also very important in maintaining good health and preventing or at least avoiding complications of diseases like heart disease, diabetes, stroke, various cancers and more. We'll have to agree to disagree on that topic.

As for inflation, that article pretty much confirms what I said:
"So far this year, consumer prices are rising at an annual rate of 4 percent, compared with a 4.1 percent increase for all of 2007." While this is a little higher than recent years when it was running more in the 3% neighborhood, it is still low in terms of historic levels.

[money2009]

As others have stated it depends a lot on the travel.

Business trips are usually not that great for me. However, a vacation where I get to spend some quality time with the family...well that's a different story.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

They've already shown that food does play a role in health. Eating fatty foods = higher cholesterol. Also shown is that eating foods with lots of hormones is causing earlier puberty in our children. And I think two previous posters above me commented that it's rather um, unusual to think food has nothing to do with health.

And you'd rather have $100k and not see your family? Sad, very sad.

Um, it doesn't have the same relationship to only see someone via email or skype.

Obviously you don't have a close familial relationship. Till today I have a very close relationship with my grandmother that cannot be valued in $$$.

Did you ever read the studies that people who have a close family relationship live a happier, healthier lives? It was published recently like 3 contacts a week.

You can't take your money to the grave. And when you sit in your nursing home with all your millions you can't buy your family coming to visit you. Sometimes you chase them away by being too stingy. And yet if you were kinder, they'd visit you even without money.