Financially ready for a Safari?

[Ontario Hunter]

No debt of any sort but I live modestly. I allow myself to spend without dipping into investments any further than interest. I've managed to do that so far even with four safaris and significant medical bills ... for my dogs.

When my investments topped $2M I called my daughter and invited her to come over for a steak dinner celebration. Afterwards we sat on the couch with my laptop to go shopping. "You need a new car, Dad." Hmmm. Okay. This should work. "A Laborghini!?" Yeah, why not? "Because you're not stupid. Just buy a normal new vehicle." But if I did that, then there'd be less money for you to inherit if I get hit by a truck tomorrow (her mom was hit by a truck and killed). "Hmmm. Maybe you can keep the old Jimmy running another year?" End of that shopping spree.

 

[UKHunter]

1.) Did you have credit card, automobile, consumer debt, when you went on your first safari? Yes - student loan
2.) Did you have a mortgage when you went on your first safari?
No but paying rent
3.) What percentage of your annual before-tax income did you spend on your first safari?
90% - I worked all summer holidays while off university to go
4.) Did you finance aspects of your safari, or finance other aspects of your lifestyle to free up capital for your first safari? No
5.) Were you contributing 15% of your income to retirement at the time of your first safari? No
6.) Did you continue going on safaris with regularity (every 1-2 years) thereafter under a similar personal financial outlook? Yes - but not in Africa
7.) For repeat safari travelers, Yes or No: I will continue going on safaris regardless of the health of my current or future financial outlook. Yes

 

[Spooksar]

No mortgage no vehicle payments no credit card debt, more money in the bank, then I could spend in the foreseeable future. Making good money on investments due to some good decision. I’ve went 12 times.

 

[everett]

1.) Did you have credit card, automobile, consumer debt, when you went on your first safari?
No
2.) Did you have a mortgage when you went on your first safari?
No
(In relation to 1&2, not because of wealth, but because of lifestyle choices)
3.) What percentage of your annual before-tax income did you spend on your first safari?
25% (If I had known then that I’d be going back, I probably wouldn’t have spent as much.)
4.) Did you finance aspects of your safari, or finance other aspects of your lifestyle to free up capital for your first safari?
No
5.) Were you contributing 15% of your income to retirement at the time of your first safari?
Yes or pretty close
6.) Did you continue going on safaris with regularity (every 1-2 years) thereafter under a similar personal financial outlook?
It took me 10 years to go on second- 05, 15, 18, 21, and every year since
7.) For repeat safari travelers, Yes or No: I will continue going on safaris regardless of future financial situation.
No. There are certainly things that take financial priority over hunting. (But it’s gonna have to get pretty bad for me not to keep going.)

Didn’t ask, but I was 36 when I went on first trip.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

1.) No. My wife is the financial genius in the family. She's a Dave Ramsey fan. Aside from the house mortgage, we pay cash for everything.
2.) Yes. I don't remember how many years are left, but we are well over halfway.
3.) Not sure? (counting EVERYTHING) Maybe 16ish% - just my income, and half that combined w/wife.
4.) No.
5.) Maybe closer to 10%. And we tithe beyond the 10% to our church annually.
6.) First was 2021; second was 2023. Fingers crossed for 2025.
7.) As long as I have my health and can afford it I will go, or at least I want to.

I am hopeful, health and finances provided, that the next few years I can hunt more expensive things that interest me. That said, I can't spend willy-nilly, which is why I am hoping to put together a certain type of lion hunt that fits my budget.

 

[Fatback]

1. No
2. Yes. A mortgage.
3. Not exactly sure but probably 10-12%
4. No
5. Yes, I do 25-30%, Annually
6. I went in 2009, 2011, 2013 then didn’t go again until 2022. I didn’t travel to hunt at all between 2014 and 2018. Both of my children were in private school at the time so what had been expendable income went way down during those years.
7. I will only go on hunting trips to Africa or other destinations after all of my family and business obligations are met. I will explore different avenues to increase my income if there is a particular hunt that I want to go on. I am actually in the middle of that process right now for a hunt I want to do in 2027.


Some interesting answers to this thread so far.

 

[Siennacoyote]

Starting to plan my first now


1.) Did you have credit card, automobile, consumer debt, when you went on your first safari?
No but kids on the way may change that
2.) Did you have a mortgage when you went on your first safari?
just finished it
3.) What percentage of your annual before-tax income did you spend on your first safari?
Budget will be about 20%
4.) Did you finance aspects of your safari, or finance other aspects of your lifestyle to free up capital for your first safari?
I will not finance it I’m taking a bit to save and cutting other expenses and hobbies
5.) Were you contributing 15% of your income to retirement at the time of your first safari?
I am
6.) Did you continue going on safaris with regularity (every 1-2 years) thereafter under a similar personal financial outlook?
Can’t comment on this yet
7.) For repeat safari travelers, Yes or No: I will continue going on safaris regardless of the health of my current or future financial outlook

can’t comment on this yet either

 

[meigsbucks]

Had a mortgage that was almost paid off. Had a car payment. Never have credit card debt.
Spent about 60% of a year’s family income. This included taxidermy and shipping.
I didn’t finance any of it. I did save for several years, just for it.
Near maxed contributions to retirement.
I was never of the income class that I could go every year or two. I initially planned on just the one safari but found that I could do a few, spacing them every four or five years and depending if they were DG or PG hunts. I did go on a second one five years after the first. I was then retired and no mortgage. I had/ have plans for three or four more but family health issues ( mine and my wife) put that on hold. Go when you can.

 

[Nyati]

After 8 Safaris, and hunting 29 different species, I would only be interested in a nice Elephant, and I just don´t see myself on spending 100K+ just for that.

So the answer is no, I don´t plan to go back.

 

[sierraone]

Zero Debt. And I only use my annual bonus money to pay for my trips. I never touch my base salary. All retirement accounts were/are fully funded to the max allowed. Anything left over goes into a brokerage account and a gun here and there.

For you, several guns here and there!!!!

 

[rookhawk]

While not statistically significant yet (with only 22 responses thus far), here's the average first time safari hunter:

73% carried no consumer debt

59% had no mortgage

19% of their annual pre-tax income was spent on their safari (Median was 11%)

No respondent financed their safari or played an equivalent shell game

82% of first-time safari hunters were on-track for a fully funded retirement

86% went back more than once under a similar or better financial picture

95% would not continue going on safaris without regard to their financial outlook.

 

[Stetsonham]

While not statistically significant yet (with only 22 responses thus far), here's the average first time safari hunter:

73% carried no consumer debt

59% had no mortgage

19% of their annual pre-tax income was spent on their safari (Median was 11%)

No respondent financed their safari or played an equivalent shell game

82% of first-time safari hunters were on-track for a fully funded retirement

86% went back more than once under a similar or better financial picture

95% would not continue going on safaris without regard to their financial outlook.

Great idea for a thread! Fun to see the responses

 

[Hunt anything]

I started planning/saving for my first safari when I was in my early 20’s. I would put $100 to $300 dollars from every paycheck in an account for the sole use of going to Africa. We did have a few emergencies that I had to draw some out but for the most part it remained untouched. I finally went when I was 50 ( I am now 60 ) and since I’ve gone 3 more times on the same account. With another in the works for next year.

 

[Hunt anything]

I get a lot of calls and conversations asking about safaris, generally from people that have already decided they are going to do it in the near term. In all of planning and cost threads I've read so far, nobody has yet discussed how they knew they were financially ready for a safari beyond paying for it. I thought a survey might create insights as to when a hunter is indeed "ready" based upon real-world feedback.

Based upon the feedback, I might be able to create some charts and graphs showing "when the average AH member decided they were ready".

1.) Did you have credit card, automobile, consumer debt, when you went on your first safari?
2.) Did you have a mortgage when you went on your first safari?
3.) What percentage of your annual before-tax income did you spend on your first safari?
4.) Did you finance aspects of your safari, or finance other aspects of your lifestyle to free up capital for your first safari?
5.) Were you contributing 15% of your income to retirement at the time of your first safari?
6.) Did you continue going on safaris with regularity (every 1-2 years) thereafter under a similar personal financial outlook?
7.) For repeat safari travelers, Yes or No: I will continue going on safaris regardless of the health of my current or future financial outlook.

1) small amount of credit card debt
2) no mortgage
3) 10% maybe
4) no
5) no maybe 10%
6) yes 2+
7) yes

 

[DPHunter4570]

1) 2 vehicle payments totaling under 1k a month
2) mortgage under 1k a month
3) probably right at 20% all said and done. trip, flight, taxidermy, tips, spending cash, etc.
4) No
5) we max out his and hers IRA's annually, max out company match 401ks, and squirrel money away.
6) I don't have my return Africa trip booked, but I go on a traveling hunt every year. Bear, Deer, something.
7) if all other things are funded, I'll be going somewhere.

 

[SETH RINGER]

CAN'T HELP WITH THIS, THE FACT I TYPE IN ALL CAPS SAYS I'M NOT A VERY SMART GUY, NEVER LEFT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY STOP ME FROM A GOOD TIME.

 

[Firebird]

1. Small or no credit card debt. Yes vehicle payment
2. Yes mortgage
3. 10-15 percent plus extra when it comes available
4. No
5. Yes
6. No-a safari every 4-5 is more likey
7. Yes but not indefinitely

 

[Siennacoyote]

No respondent financed their safari or played an equivalent shell game

This part I enjoyed the most . It’s also probably why these people can enjoy nicer things and the “splurge” of safaris . I see so many people put wants on credit then complain they can’t get ahead .

 

[IdahoMo]

1.yes
2. No
3. 8%
4. Yes
5.yes
6. No.
2.

 

[K-man]

While I will not put personal financial information on the internet, my responses fall very closely with your averages. And yes, we took a 12 person trip to Disneyland last year that cost as much as a full bag 21 day Tanzania safari. BUT the Minister of Finance is happy and I get to continue hunting, so it works out.