Early-retirement wannabe

lisyloo

shinytop wrote: »

I wouldn't pay the extra. I fit quite nicely into an economy class seat. Aircraft food is rubbish whatever class you're in and I bring my own entertainment.

Don’t agree with you at all - although good for you.
I’ve slept all the way through 9-12 hour flights only waking up at the landing announcement and even impressing experienced stewardesses in business.

I’ve been on holidays with groups and I don’t know anyone who can get proper sleep in economy especially if it’s day flight and theres kids running round etc.

You might be an exception.

I find the food good in business and they serve proper champagne (like Moët & Chandon). Personally I don’t drink as it give me headaches/migraines when flying but I’m struggling to see how you can turn your nose up.

But really if you are happy with economy then that’s fantastic for you.
Size is important.

crv1963

k6chris wrote: »

I had the option of a 18 month sabbatical in my mid fourties (on 15% of my salary - happy days!) and recently a 6 month unpaid leave of abscence. If you get the chance, or can engineer the chance, then do it!! It's a brilliant way of discovering both how you will cope, your partner will cope, your finances will cope and perhaps most importantly, whether you will get fulfilment from 'not working'. The downside is that going back to work is veeeerrryyyyyyy hard. :rotfl:

Had I had the option of retirement taking place following on from my enforced sabbatical then I wouldn't have returned at all. So I agree a return can be very hard.

Having said that I was able to plan our retirement through a really good research of this and other sites/ reading thoroughly. So I returned with a clear plan and aims. Now I could retire I see the longer term benefit of working on, but still aim to be retired once I have made the maximum contribution to my particular scheme and built Mrs CRV pension pot up- I became very aware of the importance of the joint planning for the survivor left behind.

On the bright side Mrs CRV and I did find we could cope living together 24/7!

vulcanrtb

ratechaser wrote: »

A generalisation perhaps but around a grand for long haul economy westbound versus not much more for business outside peak times (especially using the ex-EU trick) - definitely in the same ball park

Business class is roughly 10 times the cost of economy. A sample of BC flights to NYC from London come in at roughly £3500, compared with £300 for economy. This was on Google, so perhaps there are taxes to add.
I'm not making this up for an argument, I've flown fairly frequently for work and am painfully aware how much BC costs. I could never force myself to pay for BC out of my own pocket and I'm 6ft 2"

agent69

vulcanrtb wrote: »

Business class is roughly 10 times the cost of economy. A sample of BC flights to NYC from London come in at roughly £3500, compared with £300 for economy.

BC flights can be had for £2,200 with BA or £1,300 with TAP, so hardly 10 time the fare. Additionally using NYC as an example is a bit distorted as BC fares are disproportionately high.


As stated above, fly ex EU and you can get some real bargains in BC. I went OSL - MEL last year for £1350 with QR.

agent69

lisyloo wrote: »

I find the food good in business and they serve proper champagne (like Moët & Chandon).

The LPGS in F is also quite nice

shinytop

I’ve been on holidays with groups and I don’t know anyone who can get proper sleep in economy especially if it’s day flight and theres kids running round etc.

why would you want to sleep on a daytime flight?

Size is important.

I agree, that's why I make sure I'm not too large to fit in a normal seat.

westv

shinytop wrote: »

I agree, that's why I make sure I'm not too large to fit in a normal seat.

What about people next to you?

ratechaser

...plus on top of that, my point was that economy in the school hols can be eye watering, often around a thousand for places I might actually want to go to, like the Caribbean...

Whereas as pointed out above, there are some relatively/very good deals on business class if you can be flexible on timing/routing.

First world problems and all that, but I have no intention of spending my dotage cramped at the back of the bus!

And on the subject of champagne, the self-pour Krug in the Doha lounge wasn't bad either, shame it didn't last...

chucknorris

melanzana wrote: »

Those who followed Marine Life will be grumpy,

But to be fair to that poster, I always thought that with his millions he definitely did not need us. And I figured this out. Took me a while but I got there in the end!

It isn't just about money though, we do have quite a few million (more than 5 but less than 10), but I still work because I like my job (I'm 61). I know that I am extremely unlikely to be able to spend what I currently earn, but I want to work (only part time), it was one day per week for the last 3 years, but this year I have increased that to 2 days per week.

cfw1994

vulcanrtb wrote: »

Business class is roughly 10 times the cost of economy. A sample of BC flights to NYC from London come in at roughly £3500, compared with £300 for economy. This was on Google, so perhaps there are taxes to add.
I'm not making this up for an argument, I've flown fairly frequently for work and am painfully aware how much BC costs. I could never force myself to pay for BC out of my own pocket and I'm 6ft 2"

I'd agree with this.....the extra cost (at least 4-5x I would suggest) could pay for a couple of very relaxed days either end in quite some luxury!

Not to say I wouldn't prefer business/first class, or course.

....but the only time I flew first (with points upgrade from SFO-LHR), I found all that luxury food & drink I felt obliged to partake of (from the lounge onwards!) meant that the nicely turned down flat bed I had was really only slept comfortably on for a couple of hours!

Of course, if I were wealthy enough to seriously not care about the cost, I could imagine sleeping through.....but right now, I'd just feel I was missing out on the luxury :rotfl:

Each to their own, of course!