How do you fund your dive travel?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I have a friend who opened a bank account specifically for diving. With every pay check he puts whatever he can in it and believes that in a couple of years he would be able to do a Fiji or Palau etc. Another friend of mine, spent her credit card for a trip to Bahamas and then spent the whole year paying it off. It contributed to her getting divorced. Then I have a dive shop that is planning a trip to a very expensive desitation but that is two years away. You keep paying them every month and when the time for the trip comes your vacation is paid up.

For the middle class hard working Americans, I dare ask what financial strategy do you guys use to fund you dive vacations?

[JG109]

I try to plan my trip as far in advance as possible. Shop around, get a good price, pay a little every month, then by the time the trip comes around, it's paid off. No impulse trips unless it's a steal.
I also try to do less expensive trips now, Fl keys- rent a condo w another couple, Cozumel-all inclusive, North Carolina-motel.
In the past I did more expensive trips but for the price of one trip, like Cocos Island, you can go to Islamorada, Cozumel (2 times) and NC in a year.
Don't get into financial trouble for a vacation!

[farsidefan1]

Day job.

[j2s]

Stimulus money !!!!!

[Mike]

I use Obama money, it comes directly from his stash.

[lsorenson]

How do you fund your dive travel?

The old fashion way... we save it!!! But then, we carry no debt other than the basics e.g. house, car insurance, incidentals, but no car payments or Credit card debt...!!!

Another friend of mine, spent her credit card for a trip to Bahamas and then spent the whole year paying it off

She chose unwisely... and throwing money away! I knew someone who pulled about 80k total in cash to play the dot com game 10 or so years ago and bought at the height of the market... lost all of her money and still had to pay the CC with the interest... I moved before I knew the outcome but I am sure bankruptcy was in there somewhere....

In the past I did more expensive trips but for the price of one trip, like Cocos Island, you can go to Islamorada, Cozumel (2 times) and NC in a year.

So... to me; the Cocos are in a league of its own!!! Are you trying to compare these three locations to the Cocos??? Its not possible...!!! OR, are you trying to compare as in; I would could do one weekend of wreck diving off NC for a couple of hundred bucks or I could just dive the quarry for the next 4 years for the same cost...???

Back to the OP... I think its best to save but I keep spending it on dive trips...!!!

[Jim Lapenta]

Now it's through teaching and gear sales. But then those two items tend to take away from actual diving. Insurance, instructor dues, materials, inventory, trade shows, advertising, etc. For what I pay in instructor dues I could go to NC for a weekend. But if I did not teach the money would have to come out of the paychecks from my regular job. It's a vicious cycle if you are not rich or have a high paying job. Shoulda became a lawyer or doctor. But then again I just saw a story on MSNBC about a 30 yr old lawyer doing lap dances to make money. Don't think I could get paid for that. Can't dance.

[DeputyDan]

Budgeting and savings - generally have a good ideal a year out of where we want to go and start watching airfares which can be the biggest cost.

As was posted above - no impulse buys unless its a really good deal.

But if you have the cash saved it's much easier to jump on a good deal.

[koozemani]

We plan larger vacations a year or two in advance an make due with small weekend trips nearby to satisfy our cravings. Small trips we can budget for, large ones we save for.

[DMDavid]

Most of my dive trips are a tank full away, so as long as I can afford to put gas in the car then I can go diving.

As for overnighters, I try to stay with friends or family.

I dove most of the exotic far off destinations when I was younger and single so now I pretty much stay close to home (Florida).

I spend most of my tax returns on updating my gear but I sometimes spend it on trips.

I have also sold old gear or gear I no longer have a use for on Ebay.

I buddy up with other divers to save on hotels, you'd be surprised on how many divers you can fit in one motel room.

Where there is a will, there is a way.


FB-Florida Scuba Diver