Hi,
I live in the US, but I'm originally from Europe (West Europe to be more precise). My parents really like it if I come home at least once a year, but plane tickets cost $800-$1000 per trip (effectively >10% of my expenses). I rather return home once every two years for a few weeks.
My question is: what should I do?
- Should I try to reason with my parents? I'm not sure how well this will work as they have a good amount of money and probably consider seeing their son more important than spending money
- Are there any way to travel cheaper than $800 per trip. I think I can survive if it's only $500 to fly to Europe. Any advice on maneuvering/gaming the travel industry would be awesome.
Thanks.
Travelling back home
I've lived in Asia for 12 years, and I've faced the same problem.
I tried skipping the annual see-the-family trip one year, and I'll never hear the end of it. This is not about logic. Reason doesn't apply here, and the memory of your desertion will never fade.
Instead, I have found several ways to cut the cost.
- I use the same airline every trip, and every 4 years I get a free one-way ticket, which cuts the airfare almost in half that year.
- I take buses and trains to cheaper airports on each end. A direct flight between two "hub" airports can cut the cost in half.
- I fly during the spring or the fall instead of the summer or the holiday season. While your family will want you home for Christmas, February ski trips are just as much fun.
I tried skipping the annual see-the-family trip one year, and I'll never hear the end of it. This is not about logic. Reason doesn't apply here, and the memory of your desertion will never fade.
Instead, I have found several ways to cut the cost.
- I use the same airline every trip, and every 4 years I get a free one-way ticket, which cuts the airfare almost in half that year.
- I take buses and trains to cheaper airports on each end. A direct flight between two "hub" airports can cut the cost in half.
- I fly during the spring or the fall instead of the summer or the holiday season. While your family will want you home for Christmas, February ski trips are just as much fun.
This is where I think, if you went to the Mustache forums for help, they'd say to find a quality rewards CC, put every expense on it and pay it off so you never lose money to interest, and game the system the best way you can.
I forget where I read it, but I remember a story about a guy, and I forget if he used a miles card or a cash back card, but would buy gold/metal online via one of the big broker things, and then go sell it back for cash at a cash for gold/pawn style shop. As long as he broke even on the spot price, the rewards were basically free.
don't know if you can game them like that anymore, but worth a google search to see if it's possible.
I forget where I read it, but I remember a story about a guy, and I forget if he used a miles card or a cash back card, but would buy gold/metal online via one of the big broker things, and then go sell it back for cash at a cash for gold/pawn style shop. As long as he broke even on the spot price, the rewards were basically free.
don't know if you can game them like that anymore, but worth a google search to see if it's possible.
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secretwealth
- Posts: 1948
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:31 am
I've faced this problem too. When I was in my early 20s and making next to nothing, I told my family I just couldn't afford to go back. I told them that if they wanted to see me, they'd have to pay for the ticket.
Of course, there are other ways to make the trip cost neutral. For the past year and a half I've been negating the cost of trips by renting out my place while gone; if you just have one $800-$1000 trip to pay for and you can go away for 2 weeks, this should be pretty easy to do. The problem then, of course, is timing.
Of course, there are other ways to make the trip cost neutral. For the past year and a half I've been negating the cost of trips by renting out my place while gone; if you just have one $800-$1000 trip to pay for and you can go away for 2 weeks, this should be pretty easy to do. The problem then, of course, is timing.
So long story short: I do have a few CCs with miles I raked up as sign-up bonuses. I should get my first flight home for free.
However I was thinking about it from a more long-term perspective. Sure, I have one free flight, but if I want to spend < $10k per year, it'll take me several years to earn another free flight.
Secretwealth, I do like your solution. I might just rent out my room for a few weeks and recoup the cost. Not sure if I can convince my parents to pay for my trip though, they know I make enough to afford it. But nevertheless, thanks for all your suggestions guys, really appreciate it!
However I was thinking about it from a more long-term perspective. Sure, I have one free flight, but if I want to spend < $10k per year, it'll take me several years to earn another free flight.
Secretwealth, I do like your solution. I might just rent out my room for a few weeks and recoup the cost. Not sure if I can convince my parents to pay for my trip though, they know I make enough to afford it. But nevertheless, thanks for all your suggestions guys, really appreciate it!
Have you tried www.skyscanner.com ? Just input USA in the "from" part and leave the destination blank, set it to one way, and set the date range to the entire year. Then you'll see all the cheapest destinations nearest to where you actually want to go, then you can compare which airport combos result in the cheapest flights overrall.
I've seen lots of flights from middle of Canada (Calgary) to London for $250-350 one way, on AirTransat or something like that. So check around..
I've seen lots of flights from middle of Canada (Calgary) to London for $250-350 one way, on AirTransat or something like that. So check around..
Maybe it would help to book waaaaay in advance, and fly during a season, on a day, and at a time of day when not many people want to fly? (So "no" for Christmas and the summer holidays etc).
Maybe it would help to use buses on both sides to get to a cheaper airport. In the US greyhound, I guess, in Europe there's Eurolines (www.eurolines.com)...
Maybe it would help to use buses on both sides to get to a cheaper airport. In the US greyhound, I guess, in Europe there's Eurolines (www.eurolines.com)...
Remember, too, that traveling on a Tuesday or Wednesday will get you better prices. And you want to book your flights on Tuesdays. Just a little bit of travel hacking advice to help you.
There are a lot of travel credit cards that will give you sign on bonuses equal to a free flight. Unfortunately, they're often contingent on you spending X dollars before you get the points/miles. But, keep your eye out and you might find a good one with little to no contingencies.
I think renting out your place is a great idea to recoup the cost. Do you live in an area that has any particular events going on during which you could rent your place out and get more money than usual? For example, in Austin, SXSW is in March. March isn't too common for travel (yes, Spring Break, but I presume our OP's family doesn't live in a common spring break destination), so flight prices shouldn't be terrible. However, renting out your place during SXSW could get you a ton more than it would during other parts of the year.
There are a lot of travel credit cards that will give you sign on bonuses equal to a free flight. Unfortunately, they're often contingent on you spending X dollars before you get the points/miles. But, keep your eye out and you might find a good one with little to no contingencies.
I think renting out your place is a great idea to recoup the cost. Do you live in an area that has any particular events going on during which you could rent your place out and get more money than usual? For example, in Austin, SXSW is in March. March isn't too common for travel (yes, Spring Break, but I presume our OP's family doesn't live in a common spring break destination), so flight prices shouldn't be terrible. However, renting out your place during SXSW could get you a ton more than it would during other parts of the year.