Only way it is helping us is positively (not trying to sound crass). We keep getting great deals on travel (plane ticket to Europe for $600 RT
this past June), I am trying to come up with the specs for a custom frame/bike and the low Pound/Euro is only helping me, and less wait times for stuff we do order.
We tend to be financially conservative though (very little debt, pay cash for everything, 6-month emergency fund, "don't buy if we don't have the money" (something Congress really needs to understand), etc.) so this has not really effected/affected (never can understand that!) us that much. We have solid jobs in solid industries but it would definitely curtain our spending if we lost our job(s) due to our conservative financial spending practices. If either of us lost our jobs, luxury items such as travel would come to an abrupt halt until we were stabilized.
That said, as others have said, if you don't have committed expenses such as a mortgage, it is most likely cheaper to tour on a bike than it is to live in the rat race in a "typical life". I can easily tour in the US for $15 per person/day ($450/person/month) if I cook my food. Add a generous $300/month for other expenses such as equipment replacement, low-income health insurance (at least in OKLA), etc. and we could travel nicely for $1,500/month for the both of us. While I would seriously consider touring until our job prospects improved if we both lost our jobs and did not have a mortgage, my better half would probably not enjoy camping for more than a few weeks
so who knows what we would do.
John
John
