usvi-on-line
island time is mainland money -the true value of time on STJ
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O2B-on-STJ
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:18 am
- Location: california
island time is mainland money -the true value of time on STJ
How much do I love St John?
Here is some rough math to give a quick breakdown of the true value of time on St John
It costs my wife and I about $8000.00 to spend a week on St John, including airfaire, food, new bikini, etc.. (Yes I know it can be done cheaper but I’m on a vacation. Rather than ship myself in a big box to Connections along with all the food I’ll need and sleep on the beach, I prefer to support the local economy and enjoy the comforts of the island.)
It takes us 2 years to save up for one week long trip. (Whoever said you could raise 2 kids for the same cost as 1 never considered soccer leagues, prom dresses, cars, and college.)
So, if you figure 15 hours per day of usable time, (leaving 9 hours for sleeping, showering etc..) that gives a cost of $1.27 per minute on the island. That’s $76.00 for an hour on the beach.
We basically work 3 and a half months for every day on the island. That’s a full work week for every hour, or one full work day for every 12 minutes.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s worth it.
But while the locals may think I just another tourist who’s always in a hurry; I really just a guy who’s desperately trying to maximize every moment he can manage to spend in paradise.
Here is some rough math to give a quick breakdown of the true value of time on St John
It costs my wife and I about $8000.00 to spend a week on St John, including airfaire, food, new bikini, etc.. (Yes I know it can be done cheaper but I’m on a vacation. Rather than ship myself in a big box to Connections along with all the food I’ll need and sleep on the beach, I prefer to support the local economy and enjoy the comforts of the island.)
It takes us 2 years to save up for one week long trip. (Whoever said you could raise 2 kids for the same cost as 1 never considered soccer leagues, prom dresses, cars, and college.)
So, if you figure 15 hours per day of usable time, (leaving 9 hours for sleeping, showering etc..) that gives a cost of $1.27 per minute on the island. That’s $76.00 for an hour on the beach.
We basically work 3 and a half months for every day on the island. That’s a full work week for every hour, or one full work day for every 12 minutes.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s worth it.
But while the locals may think I just another tourist who’s always in a hurry; I really just a guy who’s desperately trying to maximize every moment he can manage to spend in paradise.
Re: island time is mainland money -the true value of time on
I get this. It is why I provision the house, use a private taxi/water, and incur other unnecessary expenses in order to save island time. (it is what works for us, not implying it is the right/best thing for someone else.)O2B-on-STJ wrote: But while the locals may think I just another tourist who’s always in a hurry; I really just a guy who’s desperately trying to maximize every moment he can manage to spend in paradise.
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baseball0717
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:50 pm
- Location: GEORGIA
NICE POST. MY FIRST TRIP, MY WIFE AND I WENT IN 2005 WE SPENT AROUND $9000.00 .WE RETURNED IN 2008 WITH 3 KIDS
IT COST $13,200.00 . GOING BACK MAY 2010 WE BUDGETED
$13,000.00 . WE ARE GOING TO DO A CARRY ON COOLER WITH FOOD.WE HAVE A GREAT TIME ON ISLAND .ITS THE ONLY TIME MY KIDS ARE UP AT 6:00 AM EVERY MORNING READY TO HIT A NEW BEACH.
IT COST $13,200.00 . GOING BACK MAY 2010 WE BUDGETED
$13,000.00 . WE ARE GOING TO DO A CARRY ON COOLER WITH FOOD.WE HAVE A GREAT TIME ON ISLAND .ITS THE ONLY TIME MY KIDS ARE UP AT 6:00 AM EVERY MORNING READY TO HIT A NEW BEACH.
So true! We started our budgeting about 6 months ago. THANK GOD my hubby gets a bonus every year - that's how this trip is occurring. As expensive as it is - my kids (22 and 18) are so excited they can't stand it! I'm thrilled they've accepted the fact that with every day life (travel hockey, kid in college, etc) we just can't do it every year. Because they know what's coming when we get there!!!
I've been thinking about this.
If it's just your wife and you, why would it cost $8,000.00. If it cost us that amount of money each year, we would not be going to the Islands.
Airfare = 1,000.00 (just estimating), ours cost 420.00 PP this time.
Car Rental = Ours is costing 560.00 total for 9 days.
Condo = Yes, we're staying on STT (OMG). For 9 days, it's 888.00 in a nice 1 bedrooms condo, on the beach, clean and close to everything.
Food = We'll bring some things with us because we like to have breakfast in and also bring some lunches with us. I estimate that we could spend another 1,000.00 on food and other things, like drinks, beer and even some t shirts
Clothes? Bathing suits? I figure I'll need those things anyway for the summer
If you can't go on vacation in the Virgin Islands for no more then 1/2 of what you're spending or maybe a little more, I think you should re-evaluate what your priorities are in a vacation.
If it's just your wife and you, why would it cost $8,000.00. If it cost us that amount of money each year, we would not be going to the Islands.
Airfare = 1,000.00 (just estimating), ours cost 420.00 PP this time.
Car Rental = Ours is costing 560.00 total for 9 days.
Condo = Yes, we're staying on STT (OMG). For 9 days, it's 888.00 in a nice 1 bedrooms condo, on the beach, clean and close to everything.
Food = We'll bring some things with us because we like to have breakfast in and also bring some lunches with us. I estimate that we could spend another 1,000.00 on food and other things, like drinks, beer and even some t shirts
Clothes? Bathing suits? I figure I'll need those things anyway for the summer
If you can't go on vacation in the Virgin Islands for no more then 1/2 of what you're spending or maybe a little more, I think you should re-evaluate what your priorities are in a vacation.
"Paradise...it's a state of mine"
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chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: IL
I'm with you! School schedules + DH's business = only holiday/high season travel for us. We spent about $5k, maybe more, for a week for 4 of us... and that's using tickets we got free with miles. So I'm not a 'villa gravity' kind of gal -- I really want to see and do as much as possible, even if "doing something" means "sitting on a beach."
It's one reason my heart kind of breaks for people who get alot of rain. I know it's rare... but we had one full day of showers and a few days of super high swells on the north shore. And it's the reason I was so grateful that our rental car person stayed open for us when our flight was delayed. (I did not want to spend my first morning going back to Cruz Bay from Coral Bay just to do paper work.)
When you save for a week in paradise, it's hard to waste even a small bit of it.
It's one reason my heart kind of breaks for people who get alot of rain. I know it's rare... but we had one full day of showers and a few days of super high swells on the north shore. And it's the reason I was so grateful that our rental car person stayed open for us when our flight was delayed. (I did not want to spend my first morning going back to Cruz Bay from Coral Bay just to do paper work.)
When you save for a week in paradise, it's hard to waste even a small bit of it.
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O2B-on-STJ
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:18 am
- Location: california
Well Connie, I'm flying from California with overnight on east coast so flight and additional hotel costs differ from those traveling from the east coast.(How did you enjoy your winter BTW?)Connie wrote:
If it's just your wife and you, why would it cost $8,000.00.
Condo = Yes, we're staying on STT (OMG).
If you can't go on vacation in the Virgin Islands for no more then 1/2 of what you're spending or maybe a little more, I think you should re-evaluate what your priorities are in a vacation.
Also its a long swim from a condo in STT to the beaches I live on STJ so I pay the extra costs to stay on STJ
You are correct, it's about priorities, and I have identified mine.
Really? I don't understand what would cause you to say this? Why would you suggest someone reorder their priorities about how they spend their money? The OP stated right up front this is their choice in how they travel. Why take issue with that? I don't get it.Connie wrote:
If you can't go on vacation in the Virgin Islands for no more then 1/2 of what you're spending or maybe a little more, I think you should re-evaluate what your priorities are in a vacation.
I'm with you MB. WTF?mbw1024 wrote:Really? I don't understand what would cause you to say this? Why would you suggest someone reorder their priorities about how they spend their money? The OP stated right up front this is their choice in how they travel. Why take issue with that? I don't get it.Connie wrote:
If you can't go on vacation in the Virgin Islands for no more then 1/2 of what you're spending or maybe a little more, I think you should re-evaluate what your priorities are in a vacation.
Let’s see how the two of us spend our time and money on STJ.
Air Fare Award Seats (I pay for that every time I get the TSA strip search)
Airport Parking $35.00
Ferry/Taxi $60.00
Villa $1,500.00 per week
Car Rental $420.00 per week
Gas $40.00
Food from Home Part of the regular food budget (We’d have eaten if we were home)
Restaurants $500.00 (est. 2 breakfasts + 7 lunches + 3 suppers)
Bar Bills $150 (wild guess approx 20 drinks)
Diving $750.00
Misc. Souvenirs $100.00
TOTAL $3,555
As you’ve figured out from the above tally, we spend a good deal of time on the dive boat and we cook in the villa. Yes we buy some items from the local grocery stores, but I am covering that as a part of our regular weekly food budget. We’d have bought salad, eggs and milk if we were home.
When otheres have asked us what it would cost to go to STJ, we've been telling them $3,000.00 per week plus air fare.
That's just our plan. Others would not have the dive fees, but might have a day of charter boat cost. That may or may not work for others.
JIM
Air Fare Award Seats (I pay for that every time I get the TSA strip search)
Airport Parking $35.00
Ferry/Taxi $60.00
Villa $1,500.00 per week
Car Rental $420.00 per week
Gas $40.00
Food from Home Part of the regular food budget (We’d have eaten if we were home)
Restaurants $500.00 (est. 2 breakfasts + 7 lunches + 3 suppers)
Bar Bills $150 (wild guess approx 20 drinks)
Diving $750.00
Misc. Souvenirs $100.00
TOTAL $3,555
As you’ve figured out from the above tally, we spend a good deal of time on the dive boat and we cook in the villa. Yes we buy some items from the local grocery stores, but I am covering that as a part of our regular weekly food budget. We’d have bought salad, eggs and milk if we were home.
When otheres have asked us what it would cost to go to STJ, we've been telling them $3,000.00 per week plus air fare.
That's just our plan. Others would not have the dive fees, but might have a day of charter boat cost. That may or may not work for others.
JIM
Man it's like some dream we live down here....
You are wrong. It's not my priorities that are "outa wack!" It's the estimate.mbw1024 wrote:Jim, clearly your drinks to diving ratio is waaaay outta wack! Please prioritize
(I kid .. really I do!)
We have a drink each at the Beach Bar after every dive. 
That is 10 drinks alone. Perhaps we're talking about 30 to 40 drinks per week. Let's add $150 to that total. Everyone needs an editor.
JIM
Man it's like some dream we live down here....
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Greenskeeper
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:07 pm
- Location: Cape Cod, MA
No doubt about it, a vacation on STJ is expensive. Villa rental and airfare alone for a family of 4 during a peak week is easily 6K to 8K. But so are many other vacation destinations. It just depends if you are up for bellying up to the feeding trough at an AI or a cruise ship with the rest of the school vacation weekers or not.
We always travel with our kids- a personal choice for us. They are freshman in high school and we've been taking a week away in winter since they were in kindergarten. Our thought has always been that there is a finite number of years that we can do this.
We've done the Dizzy World thing, resorts, cruises etc and have found that STJ gives us so much more than a vacation. Our family really reconnects and being there reminds us all of what is important. Can't put a price tag on that.
We always travel with our kids- a personal choice for us. They are freshman in high school and we've been taking a week away in winter since they were in kindergarten. Our thought has always been that there is a finite number of years that we can do this.
We've done the Dizzy World thing, resorts, cruises etc and have found that STJ gives us so much more than a vacation. Our family really reconnects and being there reminds us all of what is important. Can't put a price tag on that.
