Romanians with modest salaries encounter significant difficulties in saving money for vacations, especially for those spent abroad. High living costs such as bills, bank rates and groceries eat up most of their monthly income and many fail to save. In addition, economic fluctuations and rising inflation reduce purchasing power, making it even more difficult to plan for larger expenses such as vacations. For many, a trip outside the country remains an unaffordable luxury, especially in the context of the high prices of transport and accommodation.
This is the case reported by a young man online. He refers to his earnings and the impossibility of affording a vacation, noting that the situation is different for those around him. He opened a discussion on this topic, eager to find out how quickly others manage to raise the necessary money for a few days spent abroad.
“How many salaries do you use for your vacation?”
This is the question addressed by the young man to the users of the Reddit platform. He gave details about himself and those in his entourage.
“I’m 27 years old, I’ve never set foot outside the country, the concept of vacation didn’t exist when I grew up at home. I don’t know any other friends/colleagues in my “situation”, I’d feel embarrassed to open the discussion with them.
I came in below average, at the end of the month I don’t have much left, people around me take vacations in Europe, 80% of people on dating apps my age have vacation pictures, even outside the EU.
My curiosity would be this: how many months do you collect for a few days’ trip outside the country?”, he wrote on Reddit.
“You can also travel very cheap by buying tickets in advance”
Many of the respondents argue that it would not necessarily take a lot of money for a few days abroad. Someone gave him some pointed advice.
“Don’t be ashamed of it, everyone has a different path in life.
You can also travel very cheaply by buying tickets in advance.
1. I recommend Google Flights – you can see exactly all the dates with the lowest prices.
2. You buy random tickets after you have also checked the rentals for the respective dates on Booking/Airbnb or others.
3. You take time off from work depending on the holidays.
4. You can go out very cheap, sometimes even 200 lei return/person (air ticket), and another 50-80€/night per couple/night. A total of 5 days for 2 people = €350 accommodation + €100 tickets = €450.
5. Food/going out depends on your budget. If you’re tight, get an Airbnb with a kitchen and cook at home.
Good luck! Know that you can do with a lot and with a little, and it’s just as nice to see a new culture. That you stay at 2 or 5 stars matters less. Enjoy!
Cheap tickets are usually found where there are many flights: Paris, Rome, Milan, etc.
PS Vacations became a way of showing off, and I fell into the trap several times, that I felt I had to go out “somewhere”. It’s often better, quieter not to take “vacations.”
Someone else is of the opinion that the amount of 450 euros mentioned before is not necessarily small. “It can mean the money collected in good months of work. It’s hard to give an opinion without knowing exactly his material situation with all the numbers, but at the end of the day he shouldn’t compare himself with those around him on material things, but improve the skills to be paid as well as possible, and the rest of the experiences will come by themselves.
I have a 5-figure net income, no installments, no debts, etc., and I haven’t left the country for about 2-3 years, but I don’t emphasize that either. On the other hand, I have a friend who, when she earned 4,000 lei per month, went on vacation abroad every 2 months. Now that he has 12,000 lei, guess what, he goes out less often, but does much more varied activities during those holidays.
If you want to go abroad, do it with meaning, not just for the sake of ticking a checkbox in a list in your mind.”
“I recommend cheaper countries, including Poland”
Others recommended where to go.
“I usually buy tickets and accommodation ahead of time, it’s easier to give now 3-4-5-600 and next month another 4-500, then save some money for 3 months later.
Otherwise, I recommend cheaper countries, including Poland, where I am now, Krakow, for example.”
“With 4,000 lei you can have a pretty nice stay in Greece. My partner and I take a 7,000-8,000 lei vacation in the summer, 7-8 nights, and during the year small vacations around Europe, 3-4 days, approx. 2,500-3,000 lei.”
“Damn, how much money,” someone exclaimed after reading the comments and the amounts circulated.
“The best advice is to make a group of at least 3 people”
Another user points to splitting costs with friends for a cheaper vacation.
“I traveled more when I earned 4 times less, I didn’t collect much money, because everything was spontaneous.
The best advice is to form a group of at least 3 people, with whom you can share certain costs. This way you can also travel with a salary slightly above the minimum (me, in 2016-2017).
Cheap tickets appear from day to day and must be taken all the same. As a tip, leave immediately after your salary, so at least you don’t have any money at home.
I recommend skyscanner.com, filter from your city to anywhere and look at months in the departure dates section and not fixed dates to get an overview. There are not as many flights under 100 lei as in 2018-2019, but revenues have also increased since then.
And for accommodation, choose with payment at the location, free cancellation and if you find hostels, why not.”
Source: ziare.com
