Originally Posted by
serioustraveler
Why would you get a new passport over getting new pages given that you have 3 years to go.
If you're exhausting your passport every 7 years.
2 New passports=14 years=$220+cost of pics
1 new passport+extra pages=14 years= $192+1/2 cost of pics that 2 passports would take.
I guess it is a negligible difference of $28, but $28 saved is $28 saved.
I think your calculations fail to recognize that the OP would need a new passport after 10 years in the "just add pages" scenario. S/he would be spending $82 to get three more years of use. Buying a new passport is $110+pictures ($10 at CVS etc.) for 10 more years (or at least 7 years).
So the calculation going forward is:
$82 now + $110 in 3 years (plus pics) --> renew in 2025 (or when more pages needed.
vs.
$110 now (plus pics) --> renew in 2022 (or when more pages needed).
Either way you're spending $110 in the next 3 years. Why spend $82 now as well, when you don't have to spend it for another 7 years for extra pages, or never if you don't fill up the new passport as quickly?