How to Travel Full-time Without Spending a Fortune
June 2nd, 2009 by KatieDesperate to see the world but letting your finances hold you back? You don’t have to be a millionaire to make it happen. Check out these top budget travel tips from expert traveler, Nora Dunn.
Vietnam, China, Italy, Brazil… I’d love to set off on a long trip ticking off all these countries along the way but….. I never seem to have the cash!
Nora Dunn is a Professional Hobo, having sold off and packed up her life in Canada to travel the world full-time.
She’s adamant that you don’t need to be rich to travel the world!
Nora recently shared her traveling secrets with the online world. Check out her top budget travel tips below:
1) Get smart with flight bookings
Save up to 80% on airfare by looking where the standard search engines don’t – check out sites like Which Budget.
2) Trade work for a room
WWOOFing (Willing Work on Organic Farms) is a popular way of trading work for accommodation, but there are lots more ways of trading a room for work.
3) Get free accommodation
Using hospitality exchanges, you can stay in somebody’s home for free, and arguably get much more out of your trip by staying with the locals.
4) Work whilst traveling
If you’re traveling long-term, you’ll need to consider various work options to keep the travel dollars flowing.
5) Get to grips with volunteering
Volunteer trips can end up costing more than you might have thought. Use reputable sources to get the most out of volunteering.
6) Become part of a community
Integrate yourself into new and foreign communities for all sorts of opportunities that are bound to save you cash.
7) Avoid THE biggest spending trap
Can you guess what the biggest waste of money is when traveling? Souvenirs! Don’t fall into the trap!
Be food wise
Where you eat, how you eat, when you eat… Food can be a big expense when traveling but following a few practical tips can make all the difference.
9) Roll with the punches
Travel will always present you with opportunities, provided your eyes are open to see them. Be flexible and you’ll surely benefit financially in the long run.
10) Rethink travel expenses
Budget for your trip before you leave. Check out Tripbase’s Travel Costs Calculator for estimates on daily traveling costs across the world.
11) Travel slowly
The less you move, the less you spend, and the more you’ll get out of each destination. It’s a win-win situation!
For more info, have a read of the full article: “Travel Full-time for Less than $14,000 a Year.”
And for even more money-saving tips, check out the new book: “10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget.”
Found these tips useful? Got more ideas for saving cash on the road?? Post up your comments, we want to hear from you!
Loads more expert traveling tips to come. Don’t miss out! Sign up for free updates via RSS or email below.
Photo: Nora volunteering.
Tags: backpacking, budget travel, full-time travel, gap year, long term travel, travel tips, volunteer travel, year off
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:20 am
so true about the souvenirs! never heard of that flight site before, great tip thanks!
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:01 am
i like the idea of traveling slowly. it’s really true that it’s always the trains, planes and automobiles that end up costing a fortune.
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 am
Thanks for an enjoyable read and useful information. My wife and I were able to travel the world, taking in 17 countries for less than $10,000 each and all without working a single hour or sleeping on a couch. I was amazed at the fact world travel can be as inexpensive as it actually is. There were several people we met along the way who were expressing they needed to return from their trip early due to running out of money, but then these people were less informed about how to budget.
Souvenirs will certainly put a dent in your pocket, but then again spending $75 to buy a mountain of new clothes in Bangkok was a real treat. Think of all the money saved on not having to buy clothes back home for a long time!
Enjoyed the read and wish you every success with your book.
Rich
June 15th, 2009 at 6:58 am
What you don’t metion is LOCATION. Traveling in the western developed world is far more expensive than traveling elsewhere. A budget hotel in Japan would keep you in luxury elsewhere…
The other thing about souvenirs is that a) they generate more weight that you have to carry and b) where do you put them when when you get home (usually they just gather dust!)
June 15th, 2009 at 7:00 am
A very relevant point Kim, thanks!