How much do you spend on family travel each year?
We are debt free, and about 60% of the way to our FI number ($1.5 for a family of 4). We are considering a very expensive vacation this summer and I'm having a hard time with letting the money go. Curious as to what others spend.
Perfect timing -- I FIRE'd this year, and we are finally using the $10k+ that we have saved up over the years (by taking driving / camping vacations) to go overseas as a family. I promise you -- once you start to make the reservations, you stop caring about the amount of money as long as you stay under, and it feels really great.
That is the whole point of saving money -- is to spend it. So if you don't need it for retirement, go spend it.
ETA -- You all seem to want details...
FRANCE 1 Month, 4 Persons. Lots of rail travel and sightseeing4 person family, with teens (which often means needed 2 hotel rooms), travel to France and London in July.
2 people fly home after 2 weeks, 2 people stay for a full month.
Stays -- Holiday Inn on points for one night x 2 rooms, Mid-level hotel room x 2 for 1 night, airBNB 8 nights (various cities), 3 nights airbnb in central London. Car rentals for 3 days. 5 days of 1-4 hours of rail travel. All airBNB's are for whole apartments except 1 that includes breakfast. Food - eat at least 1 full large meal (lunch or dinner) out every day at restaurants. Note, I am bringing a small air mattress in case some of the airBNB sofa bed options are not suitable for 2 teens to share.
Remaining 2 weeks for 2 persons Budget style -- 1 - 3 hr flight on easyjet, 2 nights B&B (nice but cheap, no a/c, bathroom down hall) type, 4 nights private room in hostel with kitchen access, 1 week air BNB share kitchen with others, 1 night Holiday inn free on points. 4 rail trips of 2+hrs. Food -- picnics and make your own dinners, with only cafes or street food, generally, to supplement sightseeing. Plus museum passes, and bicycle rentals throughout entire trip.
Budget -- $3.5k for flights $5k for the first 2 weeks for 4 persons, about $1.5k for the second two weeks for 2 persons. Total budget excluding primary airfare of $100 per day per person.