He’s Baffled How People Living Paycheck To Paycheck Afford Vacations Because He’s Not Sure If He’ll ‘Ever Be Able To Go On One’
- Personal Finance
ThePostMaster- 0
- 6 minutes read
Scrolling through social media, it can feel like everyone in their 20s is constantly on a plane, at a beach or posing in front of some European landmark, even the ones who say they are living paycheck to paycheck.
That disconnect sparked a simple but loaded question in a recent Reddit discussion: how are people who claim to be broke still going on vacations?
“All my friends my age have been on multiple vacations in their lives, and I have yet to go on one/not sure if I will ever be able to go on one,” one 26-year-old wrote on Reddit recently. He wasn’t asking about luxury resorts or three-week trips abroad. He just wanted to understand how it seems so common.
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The most common answer was straightforward: “Debt.”
Some admitted they had done it themselves. One person who backpacked across Europe in their 20s said the entire trip went on a credit card. It took years to pay off. “I likely paid more than double what it actually cost in interest,” they wrote. “Knowing what I know now, I will hypocritically say it was a dumb financial move in my 20’s. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for more savings today, though.”
But debt wasn’t the only explanation.
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Others shared strategies for doing it cheaply: camping, crashing on friends’ couches, driving instead of flying, packing food, staying in hostels and traveling during off-peak seasons. One person said they saved $5 a week for a year and used it to visit a friend in Orlando. Another counted driving to see their parents as a vacation.
Family help also came up frequently. Some said parents cover flights or lodging. Others pointed out that not everyone who claims to be struggling actually is. “How come nobody in this sub considers that some people just earn more money than others?” one commenter asked.
There was also a recurring warning about comparison. Social media often shows the highlight reel. It doesn’t show the balances, the interest charges or the anxiety that can come with them.
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At the same time, plenty of people said they simply don’t go. “We don’t,” one commenter wrote. “I haven’t taken more than an extra day off in almost 20 years because I can’t afford to.”
For some, the focus is on short-term experiences. For others, it’s long-term stability. That same tension shows up in investing. Some people chase quick wins. Others look for steady ways to build wealth over time.
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As several commenters reminded him, not everyone traveling is financially secure, and not everyone financially secure feels the need to post about it.
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