A subject title like that should catch your eye! I know this has been done in the past but I couldn't find it in an archive search. Feel free to direct me to it.

I'm wondering how many of you get creative in saving and financing your next safari? For one, it's entertaining...for two, it might give me some ideas!

I save my Alaskan annual PFD's and also do some ebaying and have an FFL to sell a few guns. It got me to a tuskless hunt after 5 years of work but it only left me wanting more. I don't smoke or drink so there aren't any habits to quit

YD,
I am also a non-smoker and reformed drinker. I finance my hunting by ebaying and similar. I also drive my vehicles past the payoff which for me is 2-3 years. I continue to make the payment on a truck that is paid off. The payment goes into my Africafund. I paid for my last hunt playing around on ebay for a year or so. Yes I do alot of auctions.

Nothing too creative, figured out how much per month I need to save up for next year's hunt. Also know last car payment is coming up, so can even get even more saved up. Possibly not have to put anything on credit cards.

My way coincide with what was was nicely described by 500grains over at AH:

"As far as saving for the trip, sell all of your guns except 2, sell the boat, the 4 wheelers, and your motorcycle. Stop going out to eat, stop going to anything where admission is charged (basketball games, etc.). Instead, spend that time in the gym or at home on the treadmill."

I've been thinking of selling one of my kids, 'cause the lottery ticket thing hasn't worked out so well. He works pretty hard, but he's a bit mouthy at times.

I do a fair bit of what Mouse suggested. My boat is for sale, etc. I also sold some vintage guns to help pay for the elephant in Zim.

Before I even went, I had already started a mental list of what was a duplication or otherwise not needed among my stash of hobby gear. Thankfully, there is a good amount of stuff yet and some of it will be listed here.

What hurt me was moving out of the Alaskan Bush and having to buy 2 cars and a house at the same time...ouch.

Get a credit card that will get you miles or points. Counting my trip next month, I have taken 4 "free" flights to Africa that would have cost at least $8k.

I don't fly much so most of my ff miles are from purchases. I pay for everything with that credit card (paying it in full each month). I use Delta Amex.

That's an interesting point. The flight is a huge portion of the expense...almost $2500 for me to Zim. I went from DFW to Chicago to Dulles to Jo'burg to Harare. I met others who had flown from Atlanta to Jo'burg and surely that saved some money?

I have an Alaska Airlines card (as does every other Alaskan on this board probably). I'm not sure that SAA is a partner but there are other airlines that might work with Alaska Air. For the sake of arguement, how many miles does it take to fly coach to Africa?

Alaska Airlines has many partners. http://www.alaskaair.com/as/mileageplan/MileagePartners_Airline.asp
You can find the Mileage Plan at the top of that page. Delta costs 80k miles for coach.

I'm pretty sure that SAA only allows miles earned on SAA flights to buy ff tickets.

I use Capital One Visa. My points are useable on any airline. I just purchase my ticket with the card. I think it takes over 100,000 miles/points to go from US to Africa.

I couldn't hunt Africa if I also had to pay for the airfare. Frequent flyer miles for all hunting trips. We put all purchases for my office on the credit card and the miles add up quickly.

Same for me on the SkyMiles and airfare. Delta flights paid for the first safari airfare for the wife and I and will pay for the next safari for my fellow hunter and an observer (my brother). Other than that, my bonus is tied to how many billable hours I work, so I have an incentive to work long hours. I also get a per diem for food & such and keep around 75% of that for the safari and equipment and eat at McDonalds off the dollar menu.

I also don't have any credit card debt anymore. As far as selling guns, I'm down to the ones I just can't part with.

One of the greatest things about an African safari is, even though it's damn expensive, at the end of the day, it is worth a lot more than it costs.

In my job I get an annual bonus or Incentive pay at Christmas and an annual retention bionus on my anniversary. i used those to pay for my upcoming trip. I paid my deposit in June 06, bought my airline tickets in Dec 06, took this years retention bonus and some other money I saved combined with a bit off my line of credit to pay the rest for July. This safari I will have my son along so the cost is double about $30k cdn. The other neat thing that happenned is the US greenback collapsed again saving me enough on the exchange to pay for an Eland.

I follow Robert Ruark's philosophy: A safari is one of the few justifiable reasons for borrowing money, or words to that effect. I just refinanced two properties, so I'm good for awhile. Did it before the recent rate increase, too.

quote:

I don't smoke or drink

Why even live after that statement???????

Just kidding! Great suggestiosn thus far.

Work on the weekends installing HVAC and the controls in new retail stores. Have to take care of family first, but a few weekends here and there starting early in the morning and I'm back to have the evening with them seems to work okay. Also, driving truck after it's paid off should help by next year.

All of the above is great advice for those of us who must budget to hunt. Specifically, accumulating the means to the desired end. On the other side, buying RIGHT, is just as important and an effective means to the desired end.

Just as airlines and hotels sell "time frames" for seating and rooms, outfitters usually try to book their hunts a year in advance. If he or his booking agent has not been fully successful when approaching the calender year end, make inquiries as to his willingness to discount the daily rate, trophy fee,or even the unsold specific game permit of the species you desire.

Of course, subject to the species,location, and outfitter availability, try corresponding with several well recommended individuals to determine if they will negotiate for unbooked periods.

Geoff

I did wedding photography to pay for my first safari. I was a press photographer for six years before I became a teacher. I started my own business - www.jimrileyphotography.com to pay for my gun and hunting habits. It's been successful so far.

I bought of small parcel of rental farmland for the price of one top-notch elephant hunt. The rental should be able to keep me in annual low-end plains-game, or perhaps less frequent buffalo hunts forever. On the other hand, I don't have an elephant.

quote:

Originally posted by cjw:
Get a credit card that will get you miles or points. Counting my trip next month, I have taken 4 "free" flights to Africa that would have cost at least $8k.

I don't fly much so most of my ff miles are from purchases. I pay for everything with that credit card (paying it in full each month). I use Delta Amex.

i do the same thing. charge absolutely everthing, collect the miles and pay it off in full every month. makes it easy to fly for free

Since the kids are now married and out of school, life is great:

Private school tuition = $14,000

Interest NOT paid on house 200K x %6 = 12,000

Interest not paid on VISA card = 2,000

Don't smoke 365 x $5.00 = 1,825

Interest NOT paid on old car we have 1,000

= 30,825

Finally this money is being funneled into the right places.

I would like to thank all of you who are paying "payroll taxes" political double speak or more correctly called Social Security. My retimement plan is to work until the "digger" closes the lid so my Social Security benefits finance my hunting trips.

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
I would like to thank all of you who are paying "payroll taxes" political double speak or more correctly called Social Security. My retimement plan is to work until the "digger" closes the lid so my Social Security benefits finance my hunting trips.

Me too, as in 2 years I will be 66 on full Soc Soc, and still able to work.

For one trip I worked an extra job at a hotel 12 hours sat night and 12 hours sunday night.

For the next one I did part time janitorial work to make extra money. This was very good for losing some weight and getting into shape.

Then I got into teaching MSF motorcycle safety classes on weekends.

So basically thrifty living and working supplemental employment paid for my safaris.

I've got a good friend who has been asking me to help him with his custom leatherwork. He builds holsters, belts, etc. and does great work. I really need to find the time to help him more and that effort would really offset another hunt.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned mowing lawns yet. This is interesting...keep the ideas coming.

nothing to it - just get elected to office, raise the taxes and steal the money

Why worry about saving for a couple of years to make an African hunt. Go borrow the money and do it. Hell you might die before you save enough. If you borrow it and die during the pay off period, it's someone elses problem and you did get to hunt in Africa. Having the debt will force you to obtain the money to pay it off.

We all know that everyone dies, but not everyone really lives. Life is short, enjoy yourself while you can. If it takes OPM to do that so be it. First and foremost live your dreams.

quote:

Originally posted by Devildawg66:
Why worry about saving for a couple of years to make an African hunt. Go borrow the money and do it. Hell you might die before you save enough. If you borrow it and die during the pay off period, it's someone elses problem and you did get to hunt in Africa. Having the debt will force you to obtain the money to pay it off.

We all know that everyone dies, but not everyone really lives. Life is short, enjoy yourself while you can. If it takes OPM to do that so be it. First and foremost live your dreams.

I've done that exact thing for many years, and finally got it turned around.
Go while the going is good, we will die soon enough.

Bryan,

I think there are a couple of things that really help. First as others have said put EVERYTHING you purchase on the Alaska Airlines card. I've flown 5 times completely free on my mileage with British Air that is an Alaska Airlines partner.

Secondly once you have made a choice of what you'd like to do put down as small a deposit as you can to hold your dates and daily fees. In most cases booking 2 years out you can put down a deposit and not pay anything additional until January of the year you are to hunt giving you time to save the balance. Saving all the money and then going shopping is false economy as by the time 2 years rolls by the price will have gone up and the best dates may already have been spoken for.

A combo of the two things I have mentioned is to use your CC to make the payments and get the mileage too. A long as you can pay off what you owe on the CC it is a win-win.

Mark

Good point on placing a deposit to lock rates in advance. I haven't tracked the safari prices to see if what the annual increase is. Mark, what's a ballpark figure for that?

I'm with you on the credit card thing. So, what's your # and expiration date?

I am in the planning stages now.....what is the normal deposit....or how low can I get away with if I booked now for 2008.

Bryan,

I don't think there is an overall accurate estimate for amount of increase but I think you can depend on prices increasing at least every couple of years. Some safari operators will increase the basic cost of some hunts by 40% for '08 so an early booking is always prudent.

Mark

goose

If you are only booking one year out you will probably need to put down 40%-50% of the basic hunt costs/daily fees between now and January '08. On a booking two years or more out 25% down should hold your dates and daily fees until January of the year you are scheduled to hunt. I think if most operators feel you are serious they will help you work out something that is not too painful.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Bryan,

I don't think there is an overall accurate estimate for amount of increase but I think you can depend on prices increasing at least every couple of years. Some safari operators will increase the basic cost of some hunts by 40% for '08 so an early booking is always prudent.

Mark

40% increase in one year

I think Mark is saying 40% over 2 years. My take on that is that it is coming from an operator that hasn't increased prices in several years and is not able to continue without either cutting services or increasing the cost to keep up with the times.

I don't want to see prices go up but Africa is still the cheapest good guided hunting on the planet. Look at what 3-10k gets you elsewhere. America especially is expensive for what you get.

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
I think Mark is saying 40% over 2 years. My take on that is that it is coming from an operator that hasn't increased prices in several years and is not able to continue without either cutting services or increasing the cost to keep up with the times.

I don't want to see prices go up but Africa is still the cheapest good guided hunting on the planet. Look at what 3-10k gets you elsewhere. America especially is expensive for what you get.

1 year, 2 years whatever 40% Must of been quite a few years since he didn't increase his prices.

How much does ginseng bring a pound now? you could probably dig a few pounds of it and pay for your airfare or something. At the same time you get to walk around the woods and get good exercise in.
My dad used to dig ginseng to buy christmas presents with when there were kids around. Then after kids were gone he used the money to buy guns, or shooting supplies etc.

Same thing with morels but I hear about running into bad characters out in those mushroom patches.

Jarrod,

The point is when you book your safari well in advance you often can avoid price increases substantial or otherwise.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Jarrod,

The point is when you book your safari well in advance you often can avoid price increases substantial or otherwise.

Mark

I knew what you meant, but I just thought 40% at once was kind of a steep increase is all.