PF Hour: Episode 17 – Getting Back into the Groove (Traveling with Jim and JD)
After almost a six week hiatus, the Personal Finance Hour returned with a fun episode recapping the adventures of Jim and JD as they both vacationed (Jim – internationally; JD-locally) during this extended break.
The episode started off with Jim talking about his month that he spent traveling throughout Europe hitting England, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, and Scotland with his wife. All the while JD was discussing how Jim’s experiences and stories will help shape his eventual travels to Europe next summer when he and Kris go to France and Italy.
Jim’s Statements about Traveling with a Budget
Jim expressly stated several times throughout the show that it is wise to have some sort of budget when traveling. However he stated that one should know beforehand that the idea of traveling is not to go somewhere foreign and not be able to experience it because of a budget. This means, have a plan on how much you can spend, but be realistic and know that your trip will be expensive.
The one thing Jim enjoyed on his trip was the loose itinerary that he and his wife intentionally created. They had some hallmark stops and a few milestones they wanted to hit, but beyond that, they just enjoyed being able to do things on the fly.
To read more about Jim’s trip, check out his travel blog “Wanderlust Journey”.
Callers and Chat Roomers
Green Panda (Laura) asked from the chat room, how far in advance you should start planning such a vacation. Jim stated that he and his wife only planned their trip a few months prior to going. On the other hand, JD has already started to plan his trip for next year. Jim responded that the hardest part is deciding “when to go” and the timeframe leading up to your travel isn’t as important. Laura called in a few moments later to ask about the biggest “pleasant surprise” Jim experienced along the way. Jim referenced his extended experience in Switzerland as one of the most pleasant surprises as it was not their intention to stay in Switzerland for long. He said it was such a relief to be somewhere and not have anything to do; to be able to walk around and not be in a hurry to get some place.
The show hosts also heard from Baker (Man vs. Debt). Baker first gave an update to what JD calls his “indefinite vacation”. Baker informed the guys that he and his family will likely be in New Zealand for another 18 months at least as his wife found a teaching position. In reference to Jim’s journey, he agreed that it was wise not to plan every minute of the trip. He suggested for all would-be travelers to talk to the locals at your destination. They can lead you to some great places and enrich your experiences while travelling. He also suggested to JD, and to everyone, to use social media as a means of planning your trips. Talk to locals before arriving on location so you already have a frame of reference for the area.
Lastly, Tyler (Frugally Green) called in and talked a bit about his travelling experiences and the positives and negatives of using discount airlines throughout Europe. He said it may be great to get a cheap ticket, but if it only gets you to 50 miles outside of your destination, you may end up paying more in cab fare than you would have for a normal ticket into the heart of where you wanted to be.
Concluding Thoughts
Jim concluded the show with his thoughts that traveling takes both a physical and emotional weight off of your shoulders. With everyone having such busy lives, sometimes it’s hard to forget that the world doesn’t revolve around us and it really can be a refreshing feeling not to be rushing on a project, not to be going to work, but to really just exist.
JD’s local vacation had a similar effect. He realized how close things really are in his neighborhood. He is able to walk 40 minutes and get to one of his local comic shops as opposed to driving 5 minutes. The relative distance seemed so much smaller when he was able to walk the distance.
Next Week’s Episode: Erica Douglass (Erica.biz) will join JD and Jim to discuss making money online and about her, now famous, successful internet venture.
