You don’t need to be rich to travel around the world. Yes, traveling can be pricey, but there are tons of ways how you can travel on a budget!
Your desire to travel the world should not be limited by the numbers you have in your bank account. You don’t need to be rich to travel the world, the important thing is that you know how to survive 190 countries.
Plan – How do I start to travel the world?
Money, the main reason why people cannot travel to places or other countries. Most people will say they cannot afford airfare, five star hotels and food in a foreign country. However, you don’t need to be rich to travel the world. But obviously, you will need money to get started.
For Graham David Hughes, the Guinness World Record first person to travel the world, it is possible! He is a British filmmaker and television presenter who was able to travel to 197 countries in a span of four years.
Traveling the world could take months or even years but if you are ready to take the adventure, experience new cultures and meet new people, it is definitely possible!
Related: Why Travel Is Essential To Enrich Your Life Experiences
To help you get started, we have prepared a guide for your great voyage. Documentations such as passport and visas for international travel are the first things you want to settle. Though the usual required validity for a passport is six months, you would want yours more than that.
Remember, you are traveling to more than a hundred countries. Check the embassy if the country requires a visa. Place like Maldives offer Visa upon arrival.
Prepare – What are the things I need to prepare?
In reality, you would need about $20,000 to $30,000 to see all the countries in a year. But there’s no need to wait for that amount to appear in your savings. The key to this is “courage” and get ready to travel on a budget.
The right mind and health
Your trip is not just a short one, you have to be physically and mentally prepared for the long and physical activity you will face. The success of your goal ‘to travel the world’ is through your mindset. Is your heart set to go on the road for a period of time?
If yes, it is easier to prepare physically. Have some time to exercise to condition your body such as running, cardio or yoga.
The right credit card
Choosing the right credit card is a great hack. Why? Because some banks have great offers such as great points programs and cash backs at selected airlines and accommodations. These will not only help you safely purchase your travel needs but will also give you extra bucks along the way!
The perfect itinerary
There are no rules making the perfect itinerary because you are the boss. Though, it will be easier to go around one continent and then move to another because some countries are just bus, train or boat away from each other.
In Schengen area, for an instance, there are 26 European countries with mutual borders you can visit with only one visa required, the Schengen visa. You can visit Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland and 20 more in one go.
Budget – How can I travel around the world on a budget?
The three main categories where the travel budget goes: first transportation, then accommodation and lastly is everything you need on the road.
These are three simple and easy ways to budget on the road.
Did you know:
Lauren Juliff, who has been travelling the world since 2011, spends an average of $53.80 per day. This includes her transportation, accommodations, food allowances and miscellaneous expenses in 19 countries she visited in a span of 12 months.
1. Hotels vs Hostels vs Vacation Rentals
One of the biggest decisions to make is where you’ll be staying, and this actually depends on how long you want to spend in a location. The fancy room service, maid service and other amenities such as access to the restaurant, gym or bar are the best features you can get from a hotel. Though hotels offer the most amenities you need it’ll cost you more than what you expect for accommodation.
Hostels, on the other hand, offer a bed and a shared living room, bath room and kitchen just like a dormitory. Hostels are much more convenient than hotels especially when you plan to stay only for a day or two.
Hostels also have private rooms, however these are almost the same price as hotels and vacation rentals. If you don’t mind sharing with other travelers or backpackers you would love staying at hostels.
In vacation rentals, like Hustle Pads you can book the entire place or share it with other guests. Vacation rentals are typically ideal for travelers who want to feel home away from home.
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If you are looking for a trip where you could learn new culture and meet new people, you would want to stay in a vacation rental. Hosts can give local’s best and must try for you to have a great connection in the neighborhood.
To give you an overview, in London, a 3 star hotel would cost $140, a Hostel with 2 beds is $40 and a vacation rental with private room is $67. Since the world will be your new home for the next few months, check out our article Travel For Less Than What You Pay For Rent and know how to save bucks for housing.
2. Take Outs vs Home Cooking
Some studies have suggested that people who cook at home are healthier rather than getting take outs and eating at restaurants. Though take outs are more convenient for people who have no time to prepare a meal, daily take outs accumulate expenses during your trip. Eating outside would cost you about 300% markup compare to home cooking.
An amazing way to stay away from fatty fast foods and keep your good health while on the road is to go to a nearby farmer’s market and grab the freshly picked veggies, meat and fruits for your meal. This way you can save a buck and most especially– you eat right. Of course cooking is only allowed at vacation rentals and some hostels.
3. Paid Tours vs Personalized Adventures
Paid travel tours could take up 25% of your budget. It is more efficient to prepare your own itinerary and make your own adventures. Your rules, your time.
Since your goal is to travel on a budget, you can minimize some of your adventures in each country. For instance, you can visit the beach in the Philippines and take all your time to try the best food that Thailand offers. This way you cannot only save time and money exploring one country, it also saves your energy for the adventures!
One of the best ways to save money on transportation, is hitchhiking. Hitchhiking is a means of transportation by asking strangers to share a ride or vehicle going to one point to another. Sometimes the ride for nomads is not free but it’s fun meeting new people on the road.
Related: The Best #1 Rated Travel Packing List for Millennials
Work and Travel – Do I need to leave work And travel the world?
The next question is when? When are you planning to start the most awaited trip of your life? Are you willing to give up your work to achieve this goal? How about the idea of working on the road? Or what they call Digital Nomad.
Becoming a digital nomad is a big adjustment from the normal face to face working environment. Digital nomad works does not demand logging in and out at any specific timings. You are free to do work at your time and space.
In a survey conducted, there are 8% of digital nomads that make six figures or more, and about 22% make between $50,000 to $100,000. Mostly work not less than 40 hours per week.
These are the current jobs you can take as a digital nomad:
- Virtual Assistant
- Copy Writer
- Content Creator
Check out our article about “How to travel like a digital nomad” to learn more!
On the hand, you can still hold on to your work if it does allow you to travel at the same time. Like Graham David Hughes, a British filmmaker and television presenter, who was able to travel around the world because of his work.
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