I am constantly asked how do you do it? How are you always traveling? The simple answer is that I’m not. This is a overview of how I travel.
1. BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET!
Prioritize your spending. We all have something we spend our money on… Eating out, Shopping, Concerts..etc.. See what areas you can cut down on to set some money aside each month. If you save 50 for 10 months that’s $500!
2. WE LIVE IN A GIG ECONOMY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!
Budgeting and cutting back will only take you so far especially if you barely make enough to cover month to month expenses. I’ve photographed events, done freelance design work, and I’ve worked postmates, etc… find your hustle.
3. HAVE FLEXIBILITY!
Look on sites like skyscanner, if you don’t have a particular destination in mind leave the destination blank and search cheapest month from your nearest airport to see the cheapest flights going out of your city. Sometimes traveling +/- 3 days, flying from a nearby airport, or visiting multiple countries can make a huge difference.
4. BE COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE!
I do a mixture of budget hotels & airbnbs, I don’t pay for tours unless I have to & I fly whatever is cheapest. (within reason). Airbnbs can be a mixed bag, make sure to read the reviews!
5. RESEARCH COST OF LIVING.
Things to consider when choosing a destination besides airfare is how much is lodging, how much is food, do I have to book tours etc? You might find a flight to Spain might be cheaper than Thailand, but Thailand is going to be way cheaper overall.
6. STACK VACATION/HOLIDAYS.
I always tend to travel when I have a holiday to extend my vacation. In November I have the last thursday and friday off and I usually take my vacation around this time, especially since you can still find cheap flights before the holiday season!
7. PLAN AHEAD.
I like to travel in November because it’s my birth month, things die down at work, and I have 2 paid holidays that month. But I always plan & budget months ahead of time.
8. FIND TRAVEL BUDDIES!
Sharing costs goes a long way. Just have to make sure to travel with people who share your same interests.
9. GET TRAVELLERS INSURANCE.
It’s better to be prepared for anything that can go wrong. Plus it isn’t too costly!
10. IT’S NOT AS SCARY AS YOU THINK!
The first time I visited Thailand I had so many questions.. how am I going to get around, will I have cell service, and will they speak English. But Thailand is a top vacation spot and is extremely easy to navigate, I used their version of Uber there to get around and I was able to text my driver in app. As far as the cell service, well I had a signal even in the middle of the ocean!
11. LASTLY, IT’S NOT AT COSTLY AS YOU THINK
Sometimes traveling within the country is more expensive than going overseas. My ticket to Mexico City last year was like $130 roundtrip (about the same to go from LAX to PDX) BUT the Airbnb was $133 for three nights (that’s less than you would be paying for one night in the US) & the food was so much cheaper. I ubered everywhere which was cheaper than paying for a tour. Probably around $120 for food and uber. Plus entrance fees to museums etc.. I rounded up just to leave space to misc costs I don’t remember at the top of my head… 4 day & 3 nights budget $400 assuming you are splitting with one other person.