How Do Y'all Pay for these Safaris?

[TheGrayRider]

“Nothing is more expensive than regret.” Fred Bear.

 

[curtism1234]

I run our personal finances through many accounts:

Operating
Savings
College
Vacation
New car
Her fun money
My fun money

A set amount goes into everything each month. That way when I go to cash in my rainy day fund I don't feel like I'm jeopardizing our future bc that is money earmarked to be blown anyway

 

[Bryan Carraway]

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.

Fallow, relatively speaking African safaris are reasonable. You can find a
7 day 5 animal hunt for the cost of a good elk hunt in Colorado. There are hunts that will cost over $100,000.
Talk to your wife, come up with an amount you both feel good with. Start shopping this site, the shows, and the web. It is truly a realistic dream. Join SCI and your local chapter. You will find people on this site and most involved with SCI are the friendliest, most helpful people you will ever meet.

 

[Spearhead]

This was a thread I needed to read. 7pages of fantastic replies that are very applicable.
The one thing there has never been enough of and never will be, is time. There is something very special about this site and I am thankful .

 

[rnovi]

this is a great topic. On my second Safari, there were two others in Camp - a father/son team. They were both teachers in Montana - not a high paying job for sure. They scrimped and saved, drove older cars, cut out certain Luxuries in their life (no Starbucks, for instance). In two years they'd saved enough to go on a Plains Game safari in an area with Big 3 critters to see.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was when they came back into camp with a 17.5" Bushbuck! What a whopper!!

It's all a question of how important the safari is to you and how much you are willing to make it happen. Do I really need a new rifle or scope? Do I need that new jacket or set of boots? Do I choose Prime or Choice cuts of meat? Do I feel like cutting alcohol out of my life? (*point of note, and try to get in shape at the same time?).

Well, maybe on the boots but the rest are certainly not items I "need" to replace...and I really don't need to buy that extra case of wine...

The only real question is: how important is it to you?

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Over the course of an adult lifetime, I have had financial peaks and valleys, like I assume most people do. My mid 30s was the biggest valley: a divorce, custody of my two kids and raising them on a teacher's salary, monthly expenses exceeding what I was paid. I mostly didn't have enough money to even hunt around where I lived, and couldn't afford daycare for my youngest. There were literally months where I'd have five bucks in the checking account and a week or more until the next paycheck. My credit score sucked monkey balls, thanks in part to my ex. I do not say that to complain, not at all. Chapter 4 of Philippians tells us to be thankful in times of both want and plenty. I was very thankful: I had a job and I had my kids. I just didn't hunt much. And I couldn't have put away a nickel each month towards Africa.

I share that as a build up to how I got to Africa, finally: work to get to a point of being debt-free. My wife (not the ex) is a financial genius (not one of my talents). After we married, she got it to where we paid off 90K in debt (95% my debt) over four years. She got us set up to where we started putting money away. She is a huge Dave Ramsey fan, for those who know of his program. I know it worked for us, once we committed to it. I know it sounds like a difficult deal to a good number of folks, but getting to a point of debt free living has made it a lot easier to do stuff I want to do and not have to think about it as much, as far as the cost. I still don't think of us as wealthy by any means, but we both have good jobs and we have enough in the bank that we pay cash for everything and spending a little on trips to hunt isn't a setback. I could probably go back to Africa next year just fine but I want to "pay back" (build back up) what I spent this year before I go back for a second trip. I overspent on this trip for what I shot, and it'll make her happy if I'm patient for a year or so for things to build back up.

So all that wordiness and bluster to say... if you can get your life to debt free, it's a lot easier to figure in things like a trip to Africa. I wish I had been smarter in my younger life, but I'm not much for regret so I really don't spend a lot of time thinking about it. Different strokes for different folks; whatever works for you, good on you and I wish everyone well who seeks to get to Africa to hunt. It is, IMHO, a life changing experience.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

In Zimbabwe with its inflation history and occasional wipe-outs it is pointless to save. So you just do things as and when you can and let tomorrow take care of itself. If you don't spend on what you want when you can, it disappears anyway, like salt out of a holed bag.

 

[curtism1234]

I set aside $100 a month via monthly transfer in a separate basic bank acct specifically for this. About every 7 years I accumulate enough to meet the bulk of the expense so the lump sum blow (which is actually spread out over another year or so) isn't nearly as painful.

But retirement and 529plans take precedence imo. If one isn't saving 15-20% for retirement and 2-3k a year for each child's college, its probably not in one's best interest to spend 10-15k on a vacation.

 

[Doug3006]

Like all of us who have posted, I wasn't always able to go on safari. Mortgage, kids education, car payments and putting money away for retirement all took precedent. As my expendable income grew I could sock a little away each month until I had enough to cover a basic plains game hunt in Namibia. I've been blessed that my earnings have increased and my expenses have come way down. (The house is paid for and the kids are educated.) This has given me the funds to go a couple more times since that first trip.

I'll be 60 in Dec. If I had invested the $$ I spent on Africa (and a number of hunts in the US and Canada) I could easily retire now. But then, what the heck would I do if I didn't hunt? Wait to die? No thanks. I'll continue working and going on hunts for a while.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Like a lot have posted. I just started hunting Africa in 2018. Just finished 3 rd trip and #4 is booked and plane tickets bought for 2022. I don’t make a lot. Work retail and smithing in a gunshop. But I have no kids or wife either.
I decided to spend what I can and live life! After a couple health scares and some health issues life is short and live and do while I can now. I just turned 58 in Africa on last Safari, best birthday I have had in a long time.
I am not worried about retirement right now I probably never will retire and always work to feed my desire to hunt.
After health scares and not sure if you will be alive in a few days laying in a hospital my take on life changed. I will live life one day at a time to the fullest I can.
Sorry for the rambling, but just my take on life and hunting as I personally see it

 

[C.W. Richter]

Not being married for 20 years was a dramatic help as stated above, but hunting is my priority so when I worked a normal job as an employee I socked the money away for same, but owning my own business for 10 years now makes it so much easier. Be the employer not the employee! Apparently most employees just can't envision it. Currency trading doesn't hurt either! Book everything yourself and eliminate the middlemen. Guides will often discount hunts not booked through agents. Fill out the one page customs clearance and import forms yourself don't pay others to do it for you. Ship your trophies wisely. Book your flights well in advance. ...

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Not being married for 20 years was a dramatic help as stated above, but hunting is my priority so when I worked a normal job as an employee I socked the money away for same, but owning my own business for 10 years now makes it so much easier. Be the employer not the employee! Apparently most employees just can't envision it. Currency trading doesn't hurt either! Book everything yourself and eliminate the middlemen. Guides will often discount hunts not booked through agents. Fill out the one page customs clearance and import forms yourself don't pay others to do it for you. Ship your trophies wisely. Book your flights well in advance. ...

CW, if you are fortunate enough to be good at everything this approach would work for you. I am not, so I live by:
'Do what you do well to earn the money to pay the other guy to do what he does well'

 

[Foxi]

for years I have sold drugs to support my gun and hunting h obbies.

the blue pills ,or ?

 

[R.M.C.]

In Zimbabwe with its inflation history and occasional wipe-outs it is pointless to save. So you just do things as and when you can and let tomorrow take care of itself. If you don't spend on what you want when you can, it disappears anyway, like salt out of a holed bag.

Truer words have never been spoken. If you don't do whatever you can when the opportunity arrives , the opportunity won't be around forever. Never put something off til "I have more money or time" . I think a lot of my friends that have passed on would agree.

 

[M McDindi]

When I was on active duty, my first duty assignment was in Germany, near the German, Belgium, Luxembourg boarder about 30 miles from where the Battle of the Bulge was fought. I drove to work every morning past the rows of German bunkers that made up the Siegfried Line and could look across the valley and see the old remaining "tigers teeth" of the Maginot Line. I was a married E-2 when we arrived and E-4 when we left 4-years later. Not big money, but we had a little VW and two bicycles. Every Wed, evening we'd take out a map of the region, randomly drop a finger on the map and that is where we'd go for the weekend. Didn't matter if it turned out to be a big city or just a small village. We'd stay in little Zimmers (spare guest rooms) in peoples houses for a couple of $$ a night and use the bikes to get around town. Eat at little roadside Schnellimbiss' and Gasthouses.

In the bigger, more tourist oriented cities, the tour buses would unload all the PAX from the organized tours. The VAST majority of those people were elderly, canes, walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen bottles etc. While I applaud them for still doing what they can under their current health conditions, I pretty much vowed then that I was NOT going to wait that long to travel. Now, we travel a lot. In addition to the several trips I/we do a year to Africa, before the Covid, we'd do at least one trip a year to Europe. So.....to the OP question....how do we do it.

I retired out as an 0-5 after 28 yrs of service. We follow one of Ben Franklin's motto's paraphrased, "in all things be frugal". We live in a modest but nice 1200 sq ft, house near, not on, the beach, did a 30-yr mortgage, made double payments and paid it off in under 15. I've never bought a new car in my life, we buy good low mile used every 5-6 years for cash, so no car loans. I have a small 16ft fishing boat, no loan, that is perfect for chasing spec trout and red fish in the inter coastal shallows, I buy used, factory rifles (couple of exceptions) and reload. We each have one credit card that are paid off in full every month. We do like good wine, good whisky, scotch and gin but only moderately and I like an occasional cigar. We dine out 2-3 times a month but prefer our own cooking for the most part.

Anila and her oldest sister own a local hair salon and in addition to my military pension, I have some rental properties.

So, we live well but simply. As mentioned before, it is all about priorities. We could certainly afford a much bigger house on the beach, could afford a very nice new car every year and a much bigger boat etc and be mortgaged to the hilt and loans out the ass, but at the cost of our freedom to travel. Our plan is to travel/hunt while we are still healthy and able to do so physically and then when that ends, the money can go to the big house, new cars etc.

Our plan is not for everybody, but it sure works nice for us.

 

[C.W. Richter]

CW, if you are fortunate enough to be good at everything this approach would work for you. I am not, so I live by:
'Do what you do well to earn the money to pay the other guy to do what he does well'

Yes, I failed to mention that you MUST be skilled at wearing many hats, from experience. Honestly, I think that came as a kid as a paperboy, lawn-cutter/snow-plower, dealing with all sorts of challenging personalities and financial matters! (being a paperboy, btw, was akin to child slavery.) Spending time on fam farms gave me an excellent mechanical aptitude (required in my profession,) as did attending some top universities to better learn how to mop up the earth. I'm encouraging those who have what it takes to just take the leap!!! I often work hard now T-Th and the rest of the time is spent doing something for wildlife and/or in prep for hunting. One can make a decent living coming up the ladder at a company, but I found the hours and time-off schedules quite constricting and in-conflict with the hunting life...but, it didn't take long to realize that, as an employee, you are getting paid a small fraction of what the company (it's directors) makes. They can lower profits by grabbing huge salaries/bonuses, paying less taxes and then cry poverty to the employees come annual raise time. I've found that most are content at just doing their assigned job well. But, most are NOT going to Africa, either. Priorities. I do subcontract specialized labor and experts when necessary, but still make 20% or more on top of their expenses. Working smarter, not harder. Filling a simple niche by starting a small business where you live can pay dividend$, but there must be some money there to make money. Fortunately my work is required by the Law. One client says that I feed on disasters. It works for me, knowing less people get sick surrounding toxic waste sites! And, because I'm a cheap date compared to the competition, with low overhead and greater profitability, we both appreciate that. Kevin: You are already there! That's a beautiful thing. I love Zim. How's the latest covid variants (named after old airlines...Delta, Pan Am, TWA, etc. lol)?

 

[mdwest]

I married well

It didnt matter how many jobs I had (at one point I worked 1 FT job with quite a bit of OT as well as a PT job, as well as running my own small business on the side, and consistently was putting in 85-90 hours a week at "work") when I was married to my starter wife... she's was a serious spender, and never much of a contributor at all to household income.. she kept us on the edge of financial ruin the entire time we were married.. combine that with 3 young kids in the house, etc.. and there simply wasnt enough money left over for much of anything during my late 20's - late 30's, much less trying to hunt internationally (although the nature of my work allowed me to travel a decent bit back then and see Africa, Europe, Central America, etc)..

Once I fired the starter wife, things changed dramatically.. I was able to pay the bills without having to work 90 hours a week, while still able to put money aside, save for things I wanted or wanted to do, etc...

Marrying the wonderful woman that I am now bonded to improved things that much more.. not only is she my best friend, hunting partner (far more serious about hunting, fishing, traveling internationally, etc than even I am), and the bigger gun nut of the two of us.. she also is a very capable breadwinner in her own right, has had a very successful career, is in a profession that compensates well, etc..etc..

Its a bit more expensive supporting two safari junkies in the same household than it would be to just support myself.. especially when Im just as happy just walking on the red dirt paths, hunting impala, or blesbok, or warthog as anything else.. and my tastes in firearms are pretty basic (I mostly shoot winchesters and rugers)... where she prefers the more exotic/rare/harder to hunt animals, and her firearms preferences start with things like kimber and custom mausers on the low end and go up from there..

But between our two incomes and the blessing of two successful careers, doing an international hunt or two a year isnt a hard stretch as long as we're not chasing the truly high cost trophys in the more high cost locations, etc..

We also live well within our means in other areas, which gives us more discretionary income than most of our peers.. We have a nice home in a nice suburb.. but its not at the high end of what we can afford (the last two homes we have purchased, both the real estate agent and the bankers have been confused as to why we werent shopping for homes that were hundreds of thousands dollars more expensive than what we have bought.. we simply dont need or want that much, and would prefer to travel and hunt than be anchored by a big mortgage.. we both drive vehicles until the wheels fall off.. Im currently driving a base model 2013 pick up truck.. she's driving a 2011 crossover vehicle.. she'll probably get something new later this year.. I'll wait another year or two.. but then we'll drive those new vehicles at least 8-10 years before we buy again.. we dont do the new car thing every 2-3 years like a lot of people do.. Neither of us have expensive hobbies or habits outside of hunting and fishing.. neither of us drink, smoke, etc with any regularity.. We dont dine on steak and lobster or other expensive meals with any frequency (although we probably do spend too much time and money eating "out" and should cut that back a bit).. So our monthly outgo is pretty reasonable..

We're not in a position where we could just pick up and go on an ele hunt in Zim without doing some planning and saving for a while.. but our life choices do make it possible for us to wake up on any given morning and have conversations like "what do you think about chasing red stag in Ireland next year? lets find an outfitter and send a deposit to someone this month.." without any real problem or concerns..

Being able to do that didnt happen overnight though.. Its taken both of us trudging through 30+ years of a career path, working our collective cans off, being somewhat frugal with our money and making the conscious choice not to spend on things that we dont find a lot of value in that we know a lot of other people spend large amounts of money on, etc.. and simply being shown the grace of God multiple times along the way (more than once we have faced a financial peril, or some other problem that could have thrown the brakes on all of our plans and designs.. but thankfully we have yet to hit an obstacle that wasnt overcomeable.. )

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Yes Zim is great CW, I have been away in Johannesburg for a while but heading back soon. Covid is everywhere, this Delta one seems far more contaigous, but not too harmful. My daughter has it, she is one of six in our company who caught it, hopefully thats it now.
I have owned companies all my life except for the initial four years after university. It is the way to go, but avoid partners or choose the right ones. After I sell the current one thats it, full retirement!

 

[C.W. Richter]

BTW, GF of 9 years seems to be keying in on these profits, knowing that she's put up with me for nearly a decade now. 'Thinking a younger model would cost more? She is not the PH's friend, all of a sudden. After all that, a PG safari to SA or Namib will not break the bank. You can do it for <$5K if careful. Even a cull hunt with friends can be quite enjoyable and comparitively cheap! Under Biden, if you pull $10K out of a retirement plan early, pay the penalties and wind up with $6.5K, hit the Dark Continent and enjoy, while those stock prices drop during his tenure. (You pulled nothing out of your pocket, enjoyed your Life in Africa, and lost virtually nothing.) When the stocks drop further, buy up ones for necessities in life and they will appreciate, and your $10K will increase manifold in no time. (i.e. someone who bought $10K in oil when it was at $5/bbl made $140K when it spiked back up to $70. Others quit their day job when they put $100K in at the bottom!; $1.4M.)

 

[WAB]

Where you choose to live has a big impact on outdoor opportunities. I went to university and got a degree in high demand (ChemEng). I then chose jobs in areas with good hunting and fishing. The bulk of my career was spent in Alaska, Wyoming and New Brunswick. I turned down promotions and job opportunities in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc.. My boys grew up camping, hunting and fishing in some of the greatest spots on the planet. None of it cost more than a resident tag and a bit of gas.

Life is about choices. I chose to live mine in areas where I could live the lifestyle that appealed to me.

I did not hunt Africa until the kids were out of the house, we were debt free, and the cost of a Safari was manageable.