Financially ready for a Safari?

[ActionBob]

Theres a lot of truth in that..

I know more than a few people that make a significant amount of money, that live in completely leveraged world.. they have a great house, nice cars, wear a nice watch, etc.. etc... and are at risk every day of their lives.. if that income source ever ends for any reason the entire system would crash down upon them in just a matter of months... They live at the ragged edge of their means...

A Joe 6-Pack, working at Jiffy Lube making $18.95 an hour doesnt have as much discretionary income on a monthly basis.. but he does have substantially more financial stability.. and is in a much more secure position to plan/save/execute a safari than the CEO that can put a residual $5K a month into savings after paying all the bills.. but never does...

Exactly.... But what I can't figure out is how the hell did they get to be CEO with such terrible fiscal responsibility?

 

[K-man]

Exactly.... But what I can't figure out is how the hell did they get to be CEO with such terrible fiscal responsibility?

Because that's how they run their companies...spend money you don't have today in the hopes that R&D and inflation will bail them out later. Or it's the next ceo's problem.

 

[mdwest]

Exactly.... But what I can't figure out is how the hell did they get to be CEO with such terrible fiscal responsibility?

Risk takers...

Some companies thrive on that..

Theyre willing to take big risks, that have big rewards associated with them..

The problem is.. sooner or later luck runs out... and when youve doubled down and bet the farm over and over again, no matter how big youve built the empire and how much money youve made.. everything comes crashing down on you...

The most interesting ones I think are the people that are personally fiscally responsible, but run wide open with the companies they are charged with (for a variety of reasons.. pressure from the board to perform, desire for limelight and exposure, etc..etc..)..

Carley Fiorina ran Compaq straight into the ground.. but made millions upon millions in the process.. and was still popular enough after getting kicked to the curb for making bad decision after bad decision with Compaq to make a run for POTUS about 10 years later..

Bob Allen spent NCR Corp out of existence...

Ken Lay... we all know where his corrupt butt took Enron...

etc..etc..

 

[rookhawk]

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.

You'll note that I didn't ask for any financial numbers per se, because I didn't think its relevant.

A billionaire may spend <1% on a safari as a ratio of their annual pre-tax income, joe sixpack might spend 30%.

What's interesting isn't the social class of the respondents, but the habits of the respondents on the average are largely the same.

Few debts. Good budgets. Therefore: safaris.

Not one respondent painted the picture: "It was my dream, i mortgaged the house, quit my job, ran off to the bush".

Obviously the statistical samples are still too small to be meaningful, but they are leading to a conclusion that safaris are not a "rich man's game" but rather they are a "planners game".

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

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.

You can do an elephant for WAY less than 6 figures unless you're looking for a guarantee of #65+. You can do a hunt with a reasonable expectation of #50+ for less than half of what you're talking.

 

[ActionBob]

From recalling many responses to Deals that are posted periodically..... I find it surprising that there are not any responses from the crowd that relies upon winning the lottery? "Wow what a great deal on a dream hunt! I went right out and bought my lottery tickets. Will be booking that hunt just as soon as I win!"


Or is the lack of such responses simply because they never win? Hmmmmm.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

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) Pay the Credit Card in full Monthly, No Consumer Debt, I had a 0.9% APR Car Note that I could've paid off but intentionally wasn't to let that money work for me elsewhere.
2) I have a Mortgage
3) This is Relative to the Safari (at times have been multiple) (1% - 5%) - I instead utilize my pension as a hunting fund, since I'm working a 2nd career, and borrow a little from my current bonuses to fund some special hunts or opportunities that arise
4) I chose to run a vehicle into the ground, not go on other vacations, etc so I can hunt. I normally use a credit card for my trophy fees and pay it off once I'm home for the back end perks. Many times it funds the next flight
5) I max all retirement accounts
6) Yes, have taken at least 1 per year since
7) It's all about the future financial outlook, if the house gets paid off sooner then might open the door for others. If I took a pay hit I'd revisit my finances to see how often I could go

 

[flatwater bill]

Many people have come to look at my trophy room and lamented that they could never afford to go to Africa. They parked a $90,000 diesel pickup just outside...........it was a matter of priorities.....FWB

 

[318AE]

You may find is insightful to ask how old people were when they went on their first safari and, frankly, whether they were single. I think you’ll find a smaller population that makes a first trip in their late twenties or early thirties ahead of having family obligations and a larger group that makes their first trip closer to retirement once the kids are on their own, with far fewer people between these two groups. That‘s just speculation on my part, based on conversations with members here…..

 

[BourbonTrail]

1.) No*
2.) Yes
3.) 10%
4.) No
5.) No, 10%
6.) No
7.) No

* (I pay my bills with the CC, but it’s paid off every month)

 

[Rare Breed]

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. No
2. yes 25 years left at a 2.25 fixed rate
3. 2%
4. No all cash
5. 25%
6. now every year (thanks enablers)
7. yes
The only thing i might add are the rifles, if not for Africa. lol

 

[Rare Breed]

You may find is insightful to ask how old people were when they went on their first safari and, frankly, whether they were single. I think you’ll find a smaller population that makes a first trip in their late twenties or early thirties ahead of having family obligations and a larger group that makes their first trip closer to retirement once the kids are on their own, with far fewer people between these two groups. That‘s just speculation on my part, based on conversations with members here…..

good point. i was in my late 50’s. my wife of 30 years had died and Africa changed my life

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

You may find is insightful to ask how old people were when they went on their first safari and, frankly, whether they were single. I think you’ll find a smaller population that makes a first trip in their late twenties or early thirties ahead of having family obligations and a larger group that makes their first trip closer to retirement once the kids are on their own, with far fewer people between these two groups. That‘s just speculation on my part, based on conversations with members here…..

Very good point ...

1) Pay the Credit Card in full Monthly, No Consumer Debt, I had a 0.9% APR Car Note that I could've paid off but intentionally wasn't to let that money work for me elsewhere.
2) I have a Mortgage
3) This is Relative to the Safari (at times have been multiple) (1% - 5%) - I instead utilize my pension as a hunting fund, since I'm working a 2nd career, and borrow a little from my current bonuses to fund some special hunts or opportunities that arise
4) I chose to run a vehicle into the ground, not go on other vacations, etc so I can hunt. I normally use a credit card for my trophy fees and pay it off once I'm home for the back end perks. Many times it funds the next flight
5) I max all retirement accounts
6) Yes, have taken at least 1 per year since
7) It's all about the future financial outlook, if the house gets paid off sooner then might open the door for others. If I took a pay hit I'd revisit my finances to see how often I could go

I was in my early 30's, Single, No Dependapotamus, No crotch critters, still driving a 2003 Ford F250 I bought used

 

[Doug3006]

I waited until my kid’s education and the mortgage were paid. I still had a car loan, but it was one of those zero-interest deals, so I wasn’t in a hurry to pay it off. I’ve never carried any CC debt. Then, I saved the cash and lived my dream.

 

[CoElkHunter]

being financially ready for a safari is a relative equation...

there is a huge difference in the cost, planning, and time needed to be invested depending on what we're talking about... someone interested in dipping their toe in the water and seeing what hunting in South Africa or Namibia with a basic $3500 PG hunt is a very different thing than someone going all in on their first outing with a $15K budget for trophy fees with the intent of pursuing a large bag of animals..

the average middle class American can pretty easily afford a basic PG hunt without having to be too concerned about the finances.. Ive shown numerous guys how they can spend a week with their wife in South Africa chasing PG for the same cost as spending a week with their wife at Disney...

If the typical middle class American can afford a trip to Disney every few years without breaking the bank.. they can also afford a trip to South Africa (or Namibia)... the problem isnt cost.. the problem is education and awareness... they all THINK that Safari is only for fat cat, uber wealthy people with more money than sense.. they dont know or understand that they dont NEED to plan or save any differently for a hunt in Africa than they would need to plan or save for a week in Cabo or Cancun or the Bahamas (as long as they are willing to keep things basic and simple)..

Being financially responsible should be a priority no matter what your hobbies/habits are.. Most shouldnt need to change anything or place greater priority on savings, being debt free, etc than they are already doing prior to considering a hunt in Africa..

Its just a matter of figuring out what it is you want to do with your time and where it is you want to spend your discretionary income... do you want do sun your buns on the beaches of Aruba and drink fruity cocktails with umbrellas in them this year? or do you want to hang out with a cartoon mouse and spend $50 a meal for hotdogs and other park food while riding roller coasters and watching the Lion King production? or do you want to chase an impala, a warthog, and a blue wildebeest for a week?

when you start to add up all of the associated costs.. all three trips end up +/- within a couple of thousand dollars of each other depending on how important things like the quality of the hotel room(s), quality of meals, etc you want..

For those that have more discretionary income, they might be able to plan a larger hunt, or a hunt with more expensive animals, etc.. but thats not different than those with more discretionary income planning a week on the beach in bora bora instead of a week on the beach in Cozumel..

A safari is accessible by just about anyone... there are plenty of working class guys here on AH alone that provide proof/evidence of that.. while some might not be able to afford to do a leopard hunt every 24 months.. just about everyone other than the lowest paid day laborer types can do a basic PG hunt every 12-36 months without much adjustment to the way they live their day to day lives..

I agree with most of what your saying, except a week vacation (6 full days) all inclusive (food, booze) to Playa Del Carmen last March cost each family member in our group $1300usd, INCLUDING airfare. Add a couple of side trips for $200usd total/person. I paid $2500usd JUST in airfare for my ONE 10 day PG RSA Safari in 2022. That Safari was $6400usd and $11K+usd total after all the fees, tips and bribes. Add the taxidermy done in RSA and shipping to here the total was $17K+. Not a small hit to my bank account, but I knew most of the costs (except trophy shipping) when I took the plunge. I know that's comparing apples and oranges, but those different "vacation" costs are not even close.

 

[Uncontrolled_round_feed]

1) no
2) yes
3) 2-3%
4) no
5) yes
6) yes
7) no, not if finances soured

 

[Neil Molendyk]

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. Yes, business debt (standard business practice)
2. No
3. 0% (fortunate and unexpected inheritance)
4. No
5.Yes
6. Yes (2nd and I had to have a Cape Buffalo) and No ( 3rd: contest winning prize)
7. Yes, health permitting.

 

[Firebird]

The spouse part is interesting because even tho mine doesn’t hunt, she does want to come with me when I do. So I pay airfare and daily rates and she just enjoys the view.
Maybe cheaper to go without her but maybe I am happier to have her along.
College age kids are expensive even with some scholarship assistance so that’s another factor some of us must figure in-my percentages change from year to year with this consideration

 

[Hunt anything]

Agree @Firebird , when I finally got my wife to go to Africa she told me I could never go without her again, she even bought us a hunt at our state SCI banquet a couple of weeks ago. She doesn’t shoot but loves the stalk!

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Agree @Firebird , when I finally got my wife to go to Africa she told me I could never go without her again, she even bought us a hunt at our state SCI banquet a couple of weeks ago. She doesn’t shoot but loves the stalk!

Controversial topic but auction hunts can be a very inexpensive way to hunt Africa and serve as a great gateway drug. I've won a couple where my cost was less than a day or two of RSA PG daily rates AND they include some animals or trophy fee credits. A 5 or 7 day auction hunt + booking a hunt on the front or back end to target a specific animal or area is a GREAT way to save some money and spread the overall cost out, since you're already in country and only paying for 1 airline ticket, and 1 Dip & Pack or taxidermy. Many auctions stipulate you can't do this so check the details and fine print before bidding ....