Making dream a reality

[lovegod01]

Did you invest in stocks to be able to afford a world cruise 🚢 

[Aquadesiac]

My DH retired from Google in 2015. While he worked there, he received company stocks each quarter as a bonus. We've been using that bucket of funds to pay for our two world cruises, Princess in 2018 and Viking earlier this year. We've also used some of those funds to buy a house for our daughter, which isn't as breathtaking as you might think. We live in a low cost of living area for the US. We probably have enough left in that pot of money to do one more world cruise, but only if Google and the rest of the stock market turn around. Hoping to book a 2025 WC, but not sure which line. It may depend on itinerary more than the ship. 

 

Then we'll have to start saving to finance our traveling. I couldn't bear the thought of going into debt for something as finite as a WC. Yes, the memories are priceless, but debt is not something I'm comfortable with at this stage in our lives. I've begun slipping a little money into what I call my "fun account" each month.  If I can at least put away enough for our deposit and a few extras, it'll spare the stock account a bit.  

[Aquadesiac]

Forgot to check the follow topic button. I'm interested to hear how others fund their travel.

[Jim Avery]

4 hours ago, lovegod01 said:

Did you invest in stocks to be able to afford a world cruise 🚢 

I am not willing to get into details of our finances here on a public forum but suffice to say being debt free is a big help.  And living within your means in order to accumulate 6 figures of disposable income.  Go for it.🍸

[Mich3554]

Travel by far is our largest item on our budget.  Our cars are 15 years old and we have no debt.  Yes, stocks have figured strongly in the budget but for the most part, we live pretty lean when not traveling.  DH is in a profession where they desperately need his knowledge and are willing to pay for it, so he has accepted contract positions for a set time, then he retires again.  Those bolster the travel budget.

 

I guess whether we do this again depends on what happens when we get back from our first WC.  The planets seemed to align for us for this one. 

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, lovegod01 said:

Did you invest in stocks to be able to afford a world cruise 🚢 

 

For me, it is a mixture of savings, investments, and living within my means.  An annuity that pays well along with a pension and good, reasonably priced health insurance also helps.  

[Heidi13]

I agree with Jim, I'm not prepared to discuss investment strategies in a public forum. I will say you are never too young to start, as I started investing at 16.

[SargassoPirate]

I agree, but sharing some general financial philosophy never hurts.  We taught our kids these basic  lessons and they have passed them onto our grandkids:

 

Live below your means. 

 

Start automatic savings before you get your first paycheck and you'll never miss it.    We later updated that to include investing in a 401k with employer matching contributions.

 

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. 

 

Don't spend money you don't have to buy things you don't need to impress people you don't know. (Dr. Phil)

 

Plan to retire on a fixed income - fix it so that you have income.

 

And if you do all of the above, when you are eligible to retire from that point forward you are working for the difference between your work income and your retirement income.  Retire and live!  You can always make more money. but you can't make more time.  

 

 

 

[JanR]

For our honeymoon in 2005, my wife and I took our first cruise--a B2B on the Paul Gauguin.  We were hooked and due to Regent (then Radisson) kept sending us brochures every other day, we starting dreaming of a world cruise.  Then we realized that it didn't have to be a dream if we began saving.    Since we didn't think we would have the time to devote to a world cruise until 2021, we estimated what the cost would be and began putting money into investments each month until 2014.  

 

In 2014, we both retired from the Army and bought our "box house" (the only way I'm moving out of this house was with me in a box).  We realized then that we could fully pay off our house if we used the WC fund and that is what we did.

 

What that initial dream did for us was that we largely changed our outlook on investing and spending.  We generally own our vehicles until they have well over 100,000 miles, other than travel we don't spend frivolously, and while we were working we devoted ourselves to devoting at least 1/2 of all of our raises to our investments.

 

So in 2020, when we were stuck at home watching youtube and Netflix, we realized that we would be able to put together enough for our January WC.  It won't be on Regent--they have largely our paced our ability to pay for that.  But we will be departing on January 7 to check off that bucket list item of sailing around the world!

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Plan to retire on a fixed income - fix it so that you have income.

 

And if you do all of the above, when you are eligible to retire from that point forward you are working for the difference between your work income and your retirement income.  Retire and live!  You can always make more money. but you can't make more time.  

 

Your entire post is excellent!  

[SargassoPirate]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Your entire post is excellent!  

 

Thanks. At the risk of sounding conceited, we are the richest people we know.  In our eighth decade, we have our health, have a fixed income (fixed it so that we have income,) and we are able to do whatever we feel like doing.  Travel is a big part of what we feel like doing.  There'll be time to take up the rockin' chair later on.

 

[C-Ya]

On 7/6/2022 at 7:36 AM, SargassoPirate said:

I agree, but sharing some general financial philosophy never hurts.  We taught our kids these basic  lessons and they have passed them onto our grandkids:

 

Live below your means. 

 

Start automatic savings before you get your first paycheck and you'll never miss it.    We later updated that to include investing in a 401k with employer matching contributions.

 

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. 

 

Don't spend money you don't have to buy things you don't need to impress people you don't know. (Dr. Phil)

 

Plan to retire on a fixed income - fix it so that you have income.

 

And if you do all of the above, when you are eligible to retire from that point forward you are working for the difference between your work income and your retirement income.  Retire and live!  You can always make more money. but you can't make more time.  

 

 

 

I am stalking info on world cruises.

 

Your post blew me away. It was so well written and to the point. Thank you for reminding me of things I need to do. Your post is perfect! 
 

I might actually copy it so that I can pass on your advice to the young bucs in my boating forums. It is great advice!

 

You might see me again. I’ve only just started researching going around the world, but based on our financial planning, it just one of many options that my wife and I have.

 

Thank you again!
 

C-Ya

[SargassoPirate]

On 7/11/2022 at 6:16 PM, C-Ya said:

I am stalking info on world cruises.

 

Your post blew me away. It was so well written and to the point. Thank you for reminding me of things I need to do. Your post is perfect! 
 

I might actually copy it so that I can pass on your advice to the young bucs in my boating forums. It is great advice!

 

You might see me again. I’ve only just started researching going around the world, but based on our financial planning, it just one of many options that my wife and I have.

 

Thank you again!
 

C-Ya

You are quite welcome.  I'm still working on my world cruise - I was all set once and covid put a wrench into the works.  I'm back to working on it again and have a deposit on 2024.  

 

 

[Guinness1000]

My husband is retiring in two years. I think one thing that helps as we get older is that our house is paid for, cars are paid for, we owe nothing and just being the two of us makes our expenses pretty low. Also, all the kids are doing really well, we do not plan on leaving anything behind. Everyone's situation is different.  🙂