Money and travel (#237)

There’s nothing like lockdown to induce a bad case of wanderlust. 11 months into the biggest bummer of many of our lifetimes, it’s wonderful to hear some ordinary good news. Remember weddings? Lady Kablo certainly does. She got married in December. Lockdown is giving her a little time to think about what she’d like for her perfect honeymoon. 

Many of us striving for financial independence hope to travel once we no longer have to work. Every time I take a trip, be it abroad or local, I’m reminded travel money works differently from ordinary money. While I’m extremely frugal in my day-to-day life, when I travel I don’t think about money. I also don’t worry about how much I eat or drink, I never check my phone and in general I’m just a much cooler person.

In this week’s episode we help Lady Kabelo think about her honeymoon. In the process, we reminisce over some of our own adventures and dream about a time when we can do exciting things like visit friends and go to the shops. Hopefully this episode delivers a spot of whimsy to your lockdown. 

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Lady Kabelo

I got married in December. Having spent the last 3 or 4 years following your savvy advice to tackle debt, emergency fund, insurance, retirement and medical aid, the time may have arrived for an international honeymoon trip

(Yes, Covid is also a factor. I'm hoping when it's over some hard-hit places will be a little cheaper in an effort to attract visitors.)

Every overseas vacation I've taken has been with my parents, so I've never considered the planning and budgeting that goes into an international vacation.

My biggest nightmare is running out of money in a foreign country. As a result, I am leaning towards all-inclusive packages - even if we overspend, we'll at least have food. The downside is you're in a resort removed from the "real" place and people but then you can get cabs into the nearby towns for daily excursions. 

But I'm not sure if this is the most cost-effective way to travel. So, my questions:

1. Are the all-inclusive packages a good way to travel?
2. What are the hidden costs people commonly forget to plan for?
3. What are the biggest financial mistakes people make with regards to travelling?
4. Any additional tips for cost-effective travel?

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Win of the week: Charlene

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the financial education. I’ve been reading and listening to all your advice since lockdown in March and it has really made a HUGE impact on my financial decisions. I cannot thank you enough. I live in Mossel Bay. Should you ever be in the area I would love to offer lunch/dinner to thank you both for everything.

I’ve been getting my financial house in order ever since. I have identified ETFs that I have invested in and I am very happy with the performance. I have invested in Satrix Emerging Markets(20%), Ashburton Global 1200 (60%) , Sygnia 4th industrial revolution (10%) and Satrix Nasdaq 100(10%).