The Early Retiree Travel Thread

Ngozi

Not a retiree but avid traveller, interesting reading everyone's situation, views on the environmental impact.

Peoples worry about flights/long haul flights are valid but by avoiding them, you're probably not going to have an impact.
Travel is still more popular than ever and will continue to be so, with expansion of airports, new airports getting built, ropey proposal for new airports (Machu Picchu) etc... Accessibility and cheapening flights are just readily available.
What is probably more damaging, is over tourism in popular destinations and holiday resorts. Barcelona and Venice already have the issues of "over tourism."

What Skibunny mentioned of spending prolonged periods in one place is a great idea, helps the local economy, generally cheaper than travelling more frequently, better for the environment.
Flipside is Airbnbs driving up local house prices, but no one is ever going to tick all the boxes unless they cycle and camp everywhere.

More related note, both of my parents who are recently retired, I showed them how to Matchbet, they can afford to travel without it, but until they get gubbed, keeps the travel fund and options alive for a little longer.

DBdoobydoo

Terron wrote: »

There are two bits of unfairness I can see for my FS pensions are that when I joined it was clearly implied that they would aim to index the pension. Since treating the company's pensioners fairly would have an impact of the current employees The company was taken over and the new trustees continued to index the pensions in payment. Then that company was taken over and the new owners have stopped doing so. That is legal (it has been challenged) but feels unfair.

Did we work for the same company? Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), taken over by Compaq who were in turn taken over by HP who then shafted all the Digital pensioners.

cfw1994

Ngozi wrote: »

More related note, both of my parents who are recently retired, I showed them how to Matchbet, they can afford to travel without it, but until they get gubbed, keeps the travel fund and options alive for a little longer.

You taught them about online betting to keep their funds going longer?
:eek:

I never realised gambling was such a safe haven for money :rotfl:

zagfles

cfw1994 wrote: »

You taught them about online betting to keep their funds going longer?
:eek:

I never realised gambling was such a safe haven for money :rotfl:

Matched betting. It's not gambling, it's taking advantage of bookies offers, if done properly you always win. There's a board on MSE for it!

I did it a while ago, don't think it's as lucrative these days.

westv

zagfles wrote: »

Matched betting. It's not gambling, it's taking advantage of bookies offers, if done properly you always win. There's a board on MSE for it!

I did it a while ago, don't think it's as lucrative these days.

Indeed. I did it from 2010-2012.

Ngozi

Definitely not as much money in it these days but start with a fresh set of accounts around Cheltenham time or now (football season) and can scrape 8-10k in a year with little effort before losing your main money making accounts.

If you can keep Bet365 and hit the 2UP promo, some serious money to be made, more so if Paddy run the promo, though their odds awful for getting a match.

Anonymous101

Yes - I've made a good amount of money from Match Betting over the years. I used to take annual leave for Cheltenham every year and I'd easily make a months salary in those 4 days. Not so these days I'm afraid.
It paid for many a holiday back in the day.

cfw1994

zagfles wrote: »

Matched betting. It's not gambling, it's taking advantage of bookies offers, if done properly you always win. There's a board on MSE for it!

I did it a while ago, don't think it's as lucrative these days.

Ahhh, okay.
Quick skim (save others the bother perhaps) shows me this recent thread, which suggests a lot of regular effort for not necessarily much return. No doubt YMMV....& if it’s a hobby too, fill ya boots!

Crabby

westv wrote: »

Indeed. I did it from 2010-2012.

The good old days, I started a bit earlier than that, but to get back on track, it's still funding my holidays, I used some of the money to build PVCs (Panel Van conversion). I'm on my 2nd one now which will do for several more years, then I might build my magnum opus.

cuddlymarm

Hi
OH took early retirement 3 years ago. We spent time in Florida at our investment villa at first, you can stay in the USA for 3 months at a time as long as you don’t take advantage, but then decided to sell it when it became too expensive to keep. Since then I’ve got a part time job which pays for lovely holidays. We’ve recently come back a fortnight in Cuba.
Normally we aim to holiday to break up the winter. Holidaying is our hobby and I’ve got a bucket list that we plan to work our way through until we can’t do it any more.
We’re saving to go to New Zealand in 2021 with some family. The planning and countdown to it is half the fun.
Some people smoke, drink, have expensive cars, can’t manage without a bigger house than they need etc. We run a very small flat, which doesn’t take much heating, don’t drive far, don’t eat a lot of meat, try to live as environmentally friendly as possible. But we could be dead tomorrow, you don’t know what life’s going to throw at you so we live frugally to allow lovely holidays.
It’s down to individual choice really.