Whenever I talk to people about the next trip I’m planning, or when I tell stories from my time abroad, the question I’m most often asked is, “How do you afford all of that?!” Unfortunately, my parents are not millionaires who cut me a check for a few grand every month so that I can afford plane tickets and luxury hotels. I didn’t win the lottery either, or have inheritance money from a billionaire aunt who died and left it all to me. While traveling is very expensive, if you make it a priority and handle your money correctly, nearly anyone who wants to travel a lot can! Let me tell you how I afford it, and I hope that my ideas inspire you to start living your vacation dreams!
- I work remotely.
This is the number one way that I afford to travel. While I sometimes work in traditional brick and mortar institutions, my primary job is online. This means that not only can I work from anywhere in the world as long as I have Wi-Fi, but I can also work as much or as little as I want. This is really nice, because if I want to save up for a trip, I can work extra, but if I want to take some time off while I’m traveling, I don’t have to work that much.
When I first started looking for an online job, I was super surprised to find out how many there are. Basically anything you can do, you can find a job for it online! I’ve done translating, I’ve written articles on a million different topics, and I’ve done captioning and subtitling for universities and online movies and TV shows. There are hundreds of other opportunities, so for those who are hoping to travel, getting an online job is a great place to start!
- When I’m not traveling, I live a very frugal lifestyle.
During the times that I’m home in the US, I try to live life as frugally as possible. Sometimes that means that I have to make sacrifices, but it’s always worth it when I’m enjoying a break from the States in a new country. I do little things here and there to save a few dollars, such as choosing to have chicken instead of steak for dinner, buying used clothes instead of new, or making my own coffee instead of spending $5 at Starbucks. Those dollars and cents add up really quickly.
Also, I sometimes make bigger sacrifices to save a few hundred dollars at a time. My university charges about $2,000 a semester for a meal plan; instead of paying for that, I make my own meals for about $300 a semester. Even though it takes a little more time, it saves about $1,700 a semester, which is definitely worth it! Other things I’ve done to save money include using my phone until it no longer works, instead of spending $600 on a new one when the screen breaks, and opting to buy a laptop with just the basics instead of spending $1,200+ on a nicer one.
- When I travel, I travel cheaply.
While some people like to travel in luxury, I am perfectly content to travel on a tight budget. When possible, I fly budget airlines, even though they may not have all the same luxuries as the more expensive ones. I stay in hostel dorms instead of getting my own room in a hotel. I walk, share rides, and use public transportation instead of taking cabs. For me, traveling is more about the experiences that I have, and less about being as comfortable as possible in each new city.
I also like to travel to cheaper destinations. Rather than spending a week in Hawaii or Tahiti, I’d choose to go to South America for a month for the same price. When choosing a destination, it always pays to be flexible, because plane tickets are one of the biggest costs when traveling. Oftentimes countries that are right next to each other can have a several hundred dollar difference in the price of flights. It also pays to buy plane tickets early; I’ve seen prices change by several hundred dollars literally overnight, so if you find a good deal, snatch it up!
Even through traveling can be expensive and stressful, choosing to make lifestyle changes to be able to afford frequent international adventures was the best decision I’ve ever made. My memories that I’ve made with new friends on other continents are some of my favorites, and I can’t imagine living a life that didn’t involve traveling.
Traveling is definitely not for everyone, but if you’ve been dreaming of it for a while, taking small steps to accomplish those dreams can make a big difference. Regardless of how much you’re hoping to travel in the future, I’d encourage you to chase your dreams; you never know what great adventures are waiting for you at the end of your next plane ride!
Roam Sweet Roam 