How Do Y'all Pay for these Safaris?

[Ridgewalker]

I’m not the best example for a young man’s dream since I didn’t make my first trip to Africa until i was 69 and long time retired. But I started saving $.05 out of every dollar I made throwing newspapers at 12. I worked 1 half day job and a full time night job through college. No debt when I graduated. Once I got a full time job, I saved/invested $.10/dollar made. In my 30s&40s it was $.25/dollar. There were no 401ks nor IRAs most of my working life, so an old well to do uncle encouraged me to invest. I did and it worked out...S&P 500 is a no brainer! Just ask Warren Buffet the “Oracle of Omaha”.
I never owned a new car until a few months before I retired (but I always bought a new car for my wife). Our vehicles I maintained and got close to 200,000 miles out of each before replacing them.
I didn’t have a TV most of my life. I read books from the local library or borrowed them from friends. We played coed softball, hiked, backpacked, climbed mountains, fished, hunted, but all close to home.
No complaints here because I have had a great healthy full life!
So I invested and managed to retire young with enough invested that if I don’t blow it, I’ll make it another 10-15 years. Then in my 80s I figure it’s time to sit back, relax and let all you young guys pay my SS while I go for one last hike, hunt, or fishing trip.

So...keep on working!

 

[CAustin]

I dream of going on a Hunting Safari to South Africa or Namibia. My concern is how do members of this forum pay for their trips? I believe many of you are very success in your business and careers, you have put in the work over the years to be able to afford to take hunting trips. I also see families going on Safari, I just would like to know if anyone has tips or suggestions on how to save, or make money on the side.

My wife and I both work, we have two young children. We work hard, paid off our student debts, paid cash for our cars, and our mortgage payment is very low. I can't justify to my spouse going to Africa if the house isn't paid off. She is very supportive of my hunting hobby, and she would love to go back to Africa (she has been all over for Africa for her work but is in a different role now, she doesn't travel anymore) but is concerned about how we can pay for a Safari.

I know this is a random question. Any advice or in general advice would be appreciated.

Sir,
I save a little back each paycheck. I don’t smoke, chase wild women, drink excessively or buy a new car every year. I work hard like you and so does my wife. My son is grown with a family of his own now so the wife thinks I need to get away from work a little and Africa is where I can unplug. If you watch closely for package deals here on AH and don’t expect to have a lot of taxidermy done ....a safari can but very reasonable in terms of cost. My suggestion would be to make it a family trip. So start saving now.... I didn’t make it to Africa until I was 52 and I had dreamed of doing it for many many years. But I took my wife and son on that first one and we all had a ball.

 

[npm352]

I am 34 years old and work in public education. I have had the opportunity to have hunted RSA (3x), Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, NZ, Aust and alot of DIY in the states...I have had the opportunity to backpack all over the world on a shoestring budget (48 countries...20 in Africa). I drive a 1993 Maxima with 230,000 miles (spray painted camo of course). I have a side business training upland bird dogs and make a little through outdoor writing. I also had a large lawn service from age of 9-18 and then two years after I got married. This paid for my first safari in 2005. I have been blessed with some killer deals as well, which helped alot. So for me, I found ways to supplement my income. My wife supports me using most of my side business money towards hunting trips...it goes over better than taking from family fund...and I feel better about it as well. I dont buy what I dont need. I save my pennies and I find multiple incomes. That is my strategy. Best of luck. Dream big sir!

 

[npm352]

I pay for experiences..."stuff" is good....experiences better.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I pay for experiences..."stuff" is good....experiences better.

I agree whole heartedly npm352!
You’ve always got the experience, but “stuff” gets old quickly. I will die and take to my grave wonderful memories, but stuff is just that...stuff.

 

[Travis2282]

I quit buying all the things I wasted money on and made sure I worked overtime each week for a few years so I wasn’t taking away from my normal living funds!

 

[LivingTheDream]

Oh drive an old truck, I think that is a big one. My friends that can't "afford" to go on guided hunts, all drive 70k pickup trucks and have to get a new one every 2 years for some reason.

 

[Eric Anderson]

I dream of going on a Hunting Safari to South Africa or Namibia. My concern is how do members of this forum pay for their trips? I believe many of you are very success in your business and careers, you have put in the work over the years to be able to afford to take hunting trips. I also see families going on Safari, I just would like to know if anyone has tips or suggestions on how to save, or make money on the side.

My wife and I both work, we have two young children. We work hard, paid off our student debts, paid cash for our cars, and our mortgage payment is very low. I can't justify to my spouse going to Africa if the house isn't paid off. She is very supportive of my hunting hobby, and she would love to go back to Africa (she has been all over for Africa for her work but is in a different role now, she doesn't travel anymore) but is concerned about how we can pay for a Safari.

I know this is a random question. Any advice or in general advice would be appreciated.

I make less than 35k a year. I have hunted in RSA 3 times in 3 years including a Buffalo Hunt.

I live very cheaply. $20 a day not spent is over 7k to spend on a vacation.
I don’t drink coffee, severely limit soda intake, make my lunches, hardly ever drink. I drive a paid off 1995 truck that I work on myself, with the exception of transmission rebuilds.

 

[Odinsraven]

Cull hunt and just a few skins .........been on 15 hunts so far sometimes twice a year ...and that screw horned antelope is usually smarter than a dozen trophy animals ...........

 

[TXhunter65]

Research research research.... Priorities. Sounds like yours are pretty good at this point. Like others have said if you want to go to Africa you've got to cut other places. My co-workers poke fun at me all the time about being rich because I went to Africa in 2017 and I'm going back in 2019, when I know for a fact they make more than I do a year however one of them smokes a pack a day and drinks 2-3 fifths a week. I've told him numerous times if he'd give up the booze and smokes he could easily go to Africa or wherever else he wanted but it wont happen.
Personally, I mow my neighbors yard, trim her hedges, clean her gutters, trim her trees, for extra cash, tell all family members if they want to get me anything for birthday or Christmas nothing says I love you like cash, I buy and sell stuff, it all goes in the safe for Africa.

The only thing that separates a dream from a goal is a plan (thanks Dave Ramsey). I've got more friends than I can count that are going to Africa....someday. Someday is a disease and it will take all their dreams with them to the grave. Find a way, you're an intelligent person if you've already paid off student loan debt and cars, if nothing else find a way to pay the house off in 3-5 years then go if that's what it take to convince the wife.

 

[Adam Stevens]

I’ve received this very same question by a lot. I think somehow most think I’m rich. Far from. But I’m only 31. Have a wife and son. Another on the way. We built a brand new house and I hunted Zim in September. First time to Africa which I’ve dreamt of since I was young. My wife likes to call it my early mid life crisis lol but for me I very much to expierence certain things while I still have my fitness and in shape. I’d rather walk 50 miles in the tracks of elephants in my 30s then 60s. Hell I wanna do both lol but it was important to me. You can’t put a price on health and while I have it, I want to do things.

For saving. I drive a truck with 350k and 14 years old. And no plans of buying another truck. If I had to drive this truck 14 more years just to afford another trip I would in a heart beat. Coffee adds up everyday. Big data cell phone plans. Internet vs cable tv.

What I’ve been most fortunate in my life and being able to free up more cash has been my career change. I went from being an electrician making okay money, then it took two years and finally started at the bottom in the power line trade. Now I’m done my apprenticeship and ticketed. This has opened up the doors to much more income. I cannot lie and say this hasn’t helped my situation. Was it a risk changing careers. Yes sir. But I did my homework and aimed for something I knew could work. It is a give and take. I work a shitload more over time in my new job and have less time to hunt. In turn I’ve booked more guided hunts as I don’t have the time off to scout.

 

[IdaRam]

From what you’ve told us so far it sounds like you are doing the right stuff that will allow you to plan that trip to Africa one of these days. Being financially responsible when you have a wife and two small children obviously takes priority over the more discretionary spending. That doesn’t necessarily mean you must, or even should, deny yourself some of your dreams. For me, life takes on another dimension when I am working toward a goal. If I wasn’t driving toward something such as that next trip to (fill in the blank), I would not be a happy person. Or at least as happy a person.
Balance may be the appropriate word? Finding the balance that is right for you and your family is probably going to be the determining factor of how far down the road you should be looking.
For me, I decided that I could live with “less” if that allowed me to do some of the “stuff” I wanted to do. Less for me is; less financial security in the short and long term. Less does not mean none. Just less than if I didn’t spend some on Africa.
Less house. I don’t need or want a big, fancy house.
Less truck? I have a 12 year old truck that has been paid off for 7 years. Going to drive it at least another 8 years.
You get the point.
Here are a few things that have shaped the way I live my life.
My best friend, brother really, developed brain cancer at 36 years old. He was dead at 38.
One of my best friend’s dad worked as a civil servant at Hill Air Force Base for 30+ years. He retired young. He and his wife had many retirement plans. He was an avid runner and ran many marathons. Less than 1 year after he retired he was reading the newspaper and having his morning coffee when he dropped dead of a massive heart attack.
Another friend of mine retired at 63 years old, bought a couple 4 wheelers. One for him and one for the wife. Was unloading his ATV, flipped it over on him and drove a handle bar through his chest. Early end to retirement dreams.
My parents spent their lives working and raising me and my brother and sister. Had dreams of retirement. My mother developed a severe neurological disorder and dad ended up taking an early retirement and caring for my mom for 18 years until she passed away.
Plenty more of these kinds of stories.
None of us know what the future holds. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.
I decided to let my brother be the frugal one of the family. And it has worked out well for him. He retired at 55, which was his goal. Bought a nice house in the hills with 20 acres of land.
I will spend my life doing what I love, while I am able to do it. At the same time not indulging in many of the things I would “like”. And trying to put away enough money to retire “someday”. That is my “balance”.

 

[BRICKBURN]

 

[ActionBob]

Great advice on here so far! Pretty cool tread and interesting to hear how there are almost as many answers and variations of answers as there are hunts available.

I would like to add a couple things that I see working in additions to those mentioned. The OP seems to be frugal and sensible so I think this may help. Get a Credit card that earns miles. I have two, a Delta card that gets me limited priority seating, no annual fee, and bonus miles. The other is general miles that can be redeemed for hotels, rental cars, etc., as well as flights on various airlines. Delta is because of where I live, so whatever works for you. But I pay for almost every common thing I can on that card, gas, groceries, pharmacy, ammo, etc. It is an AMEX so not accepted everywhere. So the other is a MC and I pay my TV, internet, even electric bill with it. And have both set up to automatically be paid in full every month directly from my checking. Which is also set up to have no cost. I currently have enough miles for two trips to Africa and a bunch of other stuff. This only pays off if you never pay any finance charges. So do not be tempted to do this if you cannot pay it off on time each month.

On the point of buying Auction hunts such as SCI/DSC. Be VERY careful to research and get all the details! Oftentimes all you are buying are the day fees and then being charged ridiculously high trophy fees. There are deals to be had, but there is a lot of carelessness with the full truth in some of those so know what you are being sold! If in doubt, don't bid.

On the other hand, save up vacation time and funds and watch for season end (and sometimes early season) deals on this site and others.

 

[Tim Blackwell]

I dream of going on a Hunting Safari to South Africa or Namibia. My concern is how do members of this forum pay for their trips? I believe many of you are very success in your business and careers, you have put in the work over the years to be able to afford to take hunting trips. I also see families going on Safari, I just would like to know if anyone has tips or suggestions on how to save, or make money on the side.

My wife and I both work, we have two young children. We work hard, paid off our student debts, paid cash for our cars, and our mortgage payment is very low. I can't justify to my spouse going to Africa if the house isn't paid off. She is very supportive of my hunting hobby, and she would love to go back to Africa (she has been all over for Africa for her work but is in a different role now, she doesn't travel anymore) but is concerned about how we can pay for a Safari.

I know this is a random question. Any advice or in general advice would be appreciated.

There's your problem. Trying to justify it! Life is short, and on your deathbed I guarantee you won't remember that day you made an extra mortgage payment. But you'll sure as hell remember your African safari.

I've just gone 40, I work a blue collar job, shift work. My wife works part time too and we both run part time businesses on top of that and two busy kids. I'm a taxidermist and it's virtually like having two full time jobs most of the time. I drive a 25 year old truck and my mortgage is a long way from paid off. I'm currently planning my 3rd and 4th African hunts. This year we took the kids for a month. I work hard so I choose to enjoy the time off I do have by doing the things I want while I still can. Just my take on it. Do it while you can, rather than hope you can still do it later on in life.

I find that by breaking it down into chunks, anyone can afford to hunt Africa. Pick some dates 12-18 months out, pay your deposit. Then 6 months later pay your airfares. 6 months later again, before you go transfer another chunk to your outfitter - then your final bill at the end is not so bad. And your taxidermy etc is going to be another 6-12 months or more down the track again. So when you break up the whole lot over 2 years you're really only finding a couple of grand at a time.

Thanks just my take on it. All the best, I hope you can make it happen.

 

[MPN]

You can always make more money, but more time... no. Cut the check and really enjoy life.

 

[GuttormG]

Oh drive an old truck, I think that is a big one. My friends that can't "afford" to go on guided hunts, all drive 70k pickup trucks and have to get a new one every 2 years for some reason.

This, probably a safari every 3 years!

 

[johnnyblues]

I'll keep it simple....Hell if I know! I ve done quite a bit of hunting for an average Joe.. I just try to save as best as I can. I can't do Africa every year and that's probably because I am at the point where I ve taken a bit of PG ( still more to go) but my interests have peaked towards the more exotic species. Buffalo, leopard ,hippo Ellie.... You get the idea. I ve taken alot ( not all of course) NA has to offer and age has slowed me down some as far as mountain hunts go but. I still have lot's of dream hunts as several of my good friends here know. Just don't stress out give it time you will get there. It just takes desire and lots of dreaming. As I say... Tomorrow is promised to no one. Go live your dreams.

 

[cpr0312]

I pay for experiences..."stuff" is good....experiences better.

Absolutely!!! Life experiences so much better than stuff

 

[cpr0312]

You can always make more money, but more time... no. Cut the check and really enjoy life.

Big +1 there