Top
Save money to travel around the world

If I’m NOT RICH and I can TRAVEL, so can YOU!

Most people think that I am too lucky to be traveling long term and that I might have been blessed by some power from above. I am lucky in many ways indeed, but it took me a while to get here and some effort too. We’ve been traveling full-time for almost a year now but before that I was working and, above all, I was SAVING! For travel as for anything else in life that involves expenses, unless you are rich, you must save and to save you must prioritize your expenses. I know not everyone has the same chance to save up money – you might have taken up loans, maybe you get a really small salary that doesn’t even allow you to almost get by… but if you have a regular income, YOU TOO CAN SAVE AND TRAVEL. There is absolutely no need to be a millionaire to go around the world. I saved up USD20,000 and you can see on this website how far that money has taken me so far! Here are a few examples of what I did to save up money in the couple of years prior to start traveling. Follow these tips and you’ll see how you can easily save up and hit the road too!
 

COOK!

This is one of the best skills you can have in this life. Eating at home you save money and you have a healthier diet! An average lunch in Dubai on a work day would cost me around USD8-10. With that money, I can buy A LOT of ingredients in the hypermarket and cook at home certainly more than just one meal! Some people use lack of time as an excuse not to cook, but there are a million recipes online that can teach you how to prepare hearty meals on a budget in less than half an hour. Check these easy recipes from Vicky Hampton’s Working Lunch if you’re not sure where to get started. There is really no excuse: either you do it, or you don’t.

Boy: go learn how to cook!

Boy: go learn how to cook!

 

FORGET NAME BRANDS

If you were to open my fridge back home you’d find either fresh produce or, mostly, items with the brand “Carrefour”. By not choosing brand name items you can save a lot of money. Maybe it only comes to USD5 or so of difference each time you go grocery shopping, but how many times do you go shopping a month or a year? If you hit the shop one a week that means USD20 a month or USD240 a year. That’s 10 nights of accommodation in a double room in an average hostel in Ecuador!
 

STOP SIPPING EXPENSIVE COFFEES

One thing that always stunned me in the offices I used to work at in Dubai (and there were many different ones as I was a freelancer) was that people would always come to work with take away coffee from stores such as Starbucks. A small coffee from the chain costs at least USD3 while you get free instant coffee at the office! If you take 1 coffee a day that sets you back on at least  USD90 at the end of the month… that is USD1080 at the end of the year. To put things into perspective, that is more than what it cost me to travel one full month around Mexico! Your choice: Mexico or fancy coffee?!

Next time you are in Starbucks about to give them 4 of your dollars, think you too could be here!!

Next time you are in Starbucks about to give them 3 of your dollars, think you too could be here!!

 

DRINK WATER FROM THE TAP

If you live in a place where tap water is potable, drink it! I have been to many places where the tap water is safe to drink and still I see people buying bottled water. This is a waste of money and of plastic. Right now I am in Chile and water from the tap is safe to drink – that is awesome! I drink about 2 liters a day and if I were to buy water here in Chile that would represent an expense of about at least USD2 a day, meaning USD60 a month – this is counting supermarket purchased bottles only, not even restaurants or cafes. With those USD60 I rather hit the supermarket and buy loads of nice food or take a one day tour around Easter Island’s archaeological sites!
 

PARK YOUR CAR

This is something I couldn’t do due to the nature of my job, but it’s indeed a major expense and represents a good possibility of saving. Buying a car is a major expense and so is it’s maintenance and fuel! Use public transportation as much as possible – and buy monthly cards for this, not individual trips.
 

DON’T SPEND MONEY ON ITEMS THAT CAN’T BUY YOU HAPPINESS

Some people have to keep buying stuff to feel satisfied. There is some sort of rush and fulfillment associated with the act of buying something new. Some people need an iPhone or a big TV… some others, like me, are happy with an oven fresh Cinnabon. You might think this is a silly comparison, but if you learn how to find pleasure on little things, you will understand that you might not need expensive items to make you happy. That level of happiness does not increase proportionally to the price of the item you purchase anyway. Stop buying gadgets, expensive clothes and other superfluous things as much as one tends to do and you will save money. It’s a matter of priorities – would you rather get that USD100 dress or spend that money doing on a jungle expedition in Costa Rica?

She doesn't know everything else she's missing on...

She doesn't know everything else she's missing on…

 

HANG OUT, BUT IN!

Going out at night is surely fun once in a while but it can also be very entertaining to gather with your friends at home! When we used to have a house, we used to do a lot of movie nights and even parties. For parties, we could buy supplies of food and even drinks for everyone, with as much money others would spend going out to bars and clubs in one night only! I am not saying that you should become a hermit or anything of the sort, but you surely don’t have to be out every other day to spend some time with your friends. Not only you will save on expensive clubs and drinks, you will also spend some quality time with your buddies or boyfriend/girlfriend, perhaps cook together, talk more, bond! I used to know people in Dubai that would easily spend USD200 on an average weekend night out and still go out at least once a week. That represents an expense of USD800 – equals a month of traveling around Ecuador! Not to mention that is also the average salary of 80 months of a waiter in Cuba. That’s right, 80 months, about 6 and a half years! INSANE, isn’t it?Those same party animals would address me with lines such as “oh, I wish I could also travel, you are so lucky”. Stop drinking your life away and come join us, what the hell! If drinking in bars/clubs can set you back on a lot of money, so does smoking! In Portugal, my friends pay about USD5 for a packet of cigarettes. If you smoke 1 pack a day that is USD150 at the end of the month! An average lunch in Ecuador costs USD 2.5 so those USD150 could buy you 60 meals! That is lunch and dinner for an entire month.
 

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN USE PHONES ANYWHERE NOW-A-DAYS DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO USE THEM CONSTANTLY!

People love to call and sms these days! Back when I was younger, if I used to set a time to meet up with my friends, we would just show up and period. Now a days, you call each other to book something, then call on the day saying that you are stuck at work and might not make it. Then later call again and say that you might show up, to only end up SMSing to say you are almost there. Once you reach the place, you call again and say “where exactly are you?”. Wasted money that could be saved with a little organization. If long distance phone calls is what you need to do (like when I used to call my family in Portugal from Dubai) use Skype! And any other free application, such as WhatsApp, that helps you stay connected without eating up your credit.
 

LIVE IN AN AFFORDABLE AREA

Living in Dubai, renting a place to live was one of the biggest expenses – I guess this applies to most cities around the world, unless you are living with your parents or inherited a house (lucky you if you did!). I could have lived in Dubai Marina and call myself fancy, instead, we got a place in Discovery Gardens, a couple of Kms from the center. Having a car, this didn’t really make a difference in terms of time and comfort, but did impact positively our monthly expenses. Being this a cheaper area than many in town, we got to be in a more spacious home while paying less rent. Also, when we started living together, we were doing so at a studio apartment – it was only later, with better income, that we moved into a one bedroom. Best tip of them all: don’t ever live above your possibilities. Even if you think you can manage (with the use of credit cards and all) this will eventually come and bite you in the ass. Do not spend whatever you don’t have and do not spend every cent of your salary as you never know where you’re going to be next month.

Our cool home: not that expensive, but FULL of love!

Our cool home: not that expensive, but FULL of love!

 

DO NOT TAKE SMALL EXPENSIVE VACATIONS

If you plan on traveling long term, you might want to skip your regular yearly vacations that cost much more than the same amount of time when traveling for longer. A couple of years back I went with my Mom to Jamaica for a week. We lounged at an all-inclusive resort for about USD1100. Now a days, I can easily go by for a month on that money, while visiting multiple locations. Shorter breaks are expensive and long term travel is just way more affordable. If you want to focus on the later, skip the touristy vacations for a while and save the money.
 

SELL EVERYTHING YOU OWN AND THAT YOU CAN DO WITHOUT

This is the ultimate tip I can give you if you want to travel full-time and need to gather money to do so. Before heading out, we sold everything we owned and, right now, everything I have fits in my backpack. I didn’t have much anyway as our apartment was a rental, but if you have a place, a car, house appliances, gadgets you don’t really need to take with you, clothing or anything else of value, you can sell it and gather a lot of money. We even sold an old plastic Christmas tree and that silly thing ended up paying for a couple of meals in Latin America. EVERYTHING COUNTS!!And you will see once you strip yourself from a lot of possessions you will come to realize that you can do just fine without them and that setting yourself free from material things gives you a real sense of freedom.

Smart Piggy = Tanned Piggy!

Frugal Piggy = Tanned Piggy!

Think about what you really want to do and do not loose focus. If you want to travel (and you aren’t particularly gifted financially) you are going to have to think your expenses. There are going to be little temptations on your daily life… from a new shinny pair of shoes to a flashy phone or something else… but keep in mind that those things might make you happy on the moment, but it won’t last. If you really want to travel, prioritize and keep your goal in mind.
 
Forget about the old saying “one day”… that’s lame! Set your goal, keep on saving and hit the road. Once you are out there, it will all feel beyond worth it… I promise!


Subscribe to the Backpack ME Newsletter

Tips, fun stuff, and TONS of inspiration! Straight to your inbox!

33 Comments

  • Needing a lot of money to travel is quite possibly the biggest myth regarding taking an extended journey. I think that a lot of people use this as an excuse not to get going :)

    • Zara Says

      That’s quite true Samuel!

      Everything can be achieved in this life.. depending on your priorities and how you get your life organized!

  • Nuno Says

    Great article once again! All these tips apply to everyone! Believe me (and them)!!! In some countries, like Portugal right now, it’s hard to even get by with the money you earn, but there are always ways to save a little bit. I am (unfortunately) not counting on a big trip right now, but I still do my little ‘inside’ trips here in Portugal, even if they are a 1 or 2 day ones! A good way to save for little trips is: every weekend put up 5 or 10€ in a little box, and NEVER touch it. When you want to travel a little bit, just check it out… Me and my girlfriend were in the Dominican Republic last year (yeah, tourism vacations, the best we could with the holidays available) and one of us went there ‘for free’ with the money we saved that way! So, once again, thank you for the article, and like they say, enjoy the little things, they’re the best!

    • Zara Says

      I agree with you that the little things are the best!

      Is it indeed not “necessary” to travel for months and months… little trips are very enjoyable too.

      I must go back to Portugal this Autumn and do a little bit of traveling around: I am a little ashamed that after traveling in far away places for so long there are so many amazing things in my own country that I haven’t visited or done yet!

      So, as Tourism of Portugal says: “Va pra fora ca dentro”, ’cause that’s pretty cool too!! ;)

  • Suzy Says

    These are all such good tips! I think the coffees out can really add up before you know it. I try to just drink water when I am home. I don’t buy sodas or anything else really and it saves loads for travel. It’s amazing the simple things you can do to open up those travel funds.

  • Agree with all points! I live very minimally; I do not own a care, rent a room, cook food rather than eat out and the most expensive thing I own is a small television. As a result, I am able to afford travel. Best of all, it gives me the freedom to take off on a whim!

  • Some fine tips in there. I would add using some discount travel sites and apps for bookings to your list.

    Kevin

  • lol..A lot of my friend have the same thinking too..they though they need a lot of money to travel because all the vacation they took were very expensive..I guess all the people in the fashion industry think that way. I also have post telling people about this too. I mean if they can have 10 chanel bags, they can for sure travel around the world!!! :)))))

  • Gina Says

    All great tips and some that I needed a reminder of as I’m working to save for some travels. One I’d like to do, but just can’t very easily is I wish I could go without a car, but that’s very complicated to do in California unless I want to add hours onto how long it takes to get everywhere.

  • Great article! I thought I was doing well saving until I left my wallet at home a couple of times and I realised that I could get through the day without buying a nice tea or cafe from the cafe next to my work and it was unnecessary expense- instant save of £22 a month.

    But this article made me think of something I hadn’t considered, my phone bill. I think I’ll start being more careful with my usage and try and seek out wifi when texts or calls are necessary to make use of free apps.

    Thanks for sharing your tips!

  • Sasa Says

    Hey I have to say that there are some really good tips here, but I guess it’s not applicable to most of the countries in the world. For example I come from Serbia, which is not exactly a poor country, but it is far from rich, and 20.000$ is actually 4 years of average annual salaries. The cost of living is cheaper of course in Serbia, but still on an average salary is very hard to save anything, even you follow all these rules. And more than one third <30 population is unemployed, so… :) A bit of a grip picture, but I think it just calls for even more creativity when you are saving and when you are traveling and in the end anything is possible.

    • Zara Says

      Hey Sasa!

      I completely get what you are saying.
      If I had never left Portugal and had to save with the salary I used to get there it would have taken me way longer to reach a confortable amount to head out and travel for this long. Working and earning in Dubai made it easier for me, no doubt about that!

      The point is that it can always be done, but obviously the difficulty really varies depending where one comes from and how much we earn, spend in basic living, etc..

      As you say, in the end anything is possible… if one is willing to work towards it! :)

  • bob Says

    absolute nothing post. Information only an idiot could not think of themselves.

    • Zara Says

      It’s a shame you think that way!
      You might think the tips mentioned here are way too obvious but the truth is that the point of this post is exactly to show that there are little things most of us do everyday and that can be done differently if you want to save to travel.

      I know this is no scientific journal, but c’mon… no need to be so harsh!

  • Shari Says

    Great advice! I live in Southern California, which is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. but my husband and I are able to save money to travel. Travel is a priority for us.
    Here are some more ideas…
    http://cheaptrickstotravel.com/ways-to-save-for-travel-without-sacrifice/
    Also, using credit cards to earn points for travel is a huge cost savings.
    http://cheaptrickstotravel.com/how-to-travel-free-sooner-free-flights-hotels/
    Great site!

  • Pingback: Si no soy rica y puedo viajar, tu tambien puedes! (ING)

  • Pingback: 12 Most Popular Posts of 2012! | Backpack Me

  • Maria Says

    Guess what… i’m sharing this to all my friends who are equally crazy about travel AND most esp i’d like to share this to other friends and family who just sit on their *ss and wonder where to begin to make their journey and dreams happen. Cheers and besos!

  • Pingback: Ditch your travel guidebook NOW: here are some free alternatives! | Backpack Me

  • Pingback: WOAH! 2 years on the road today! | Backpack Me

  • Janet Says

    What do you suggest for people who have student loan debt? There’s no way I can not pay that monthly bill and deferring it will only add more interest. I’ve already started doing everything else to save. Thanks!

    • Zara Says

      Hi Janet!
      A student loan or any other debt makes things a little more complicated, but one can always work around it, I suppose. You can either save enough money to keep on paying while you travel or travel and work at the same time. A lot of people do this, actually! You can either work online (depending on what you do, you might be able to work location independently) or mix travels + work, stopping by every now and then to work, save moew money to keep you going and also pay the bills. This, I mean, if you plan on traveling long-term. Otherwise, considering shorter trips, it’s all much more doable. Just set your priorities straight and save money for the things you love, instead of little luxuries on your daily life, that all together do tend to amount to quite a lot!
      All the best! :)

  • Kabeer Says

    Hi Ashray & Zara(A&Z)!!

    I have been following you guys and from past 4 hrs without any break i’m reading your blog which is making me crazy about travelling.I don’t know from where you are summoning those words,examples,Idea’s you are not a normal person you guys have some thing extra ordinary within yourself and its a great combination.
    I think life began’s at the end of our comfort zone.
    I really want to start travelling for which i’m working out from past few months which includes most of your tips and suggestions.

    Keep going on love you guys you guys are going a great job inspiring people ,providing practical Information from all over the world.

    • Zara Says

      Hi Kabeer!

      So glad to read you are enjoying our blog.
      Thanks for calling us “not normal”.. we’ll take that as a compliment! ;)

      So, where are your travel plans going to take you?
      Do share your stories with us too!

      Enjoy!
      Zara

  • Kabeer Says

    Hi zara thanks for your reply.

    I am planning to head towards cairo Egypt to Cape town SA Over land through various countries on my way.As of now i’m working on visa process which is a bit complex for South Africa,Botswana and Zimbabwe apart from this three most of them i can’t get on the way.
    Let’s see how the things work hopefully in my favor.
    Definetly i’m going to share my experience and will be fillowing you guys and the Road.

    Viva!
    Zara

  • Aaliyah H Says

    Dear A&Z,

    I’ve been inspired lately by my friends and your blog, of course, to travel around Asia. I’m planning to travel next summer and I was wondering, since it will be my first time backpacking and travelling alone, what should I bring with me? Is there any essential items that I should carry with me?
    And most importantly, how do I plan my travel well without any glitches? :)

  • Nikhil Says

    Fact: Shoestring budget in US$ can be quite a lavish budget in INR.
    Question: How can a typical Indian (earning around 25-30k INR/month (or 500 USD/month)) travel long-term/fulltime? Advice? Tips?

    • Zara Says

      Hi Nikhil,

      It’s true that money has very different value around the world. While we may recommend people to travel in cheap destinations, like India… we’re obviously not going to tell you that! ;)

      If the plan is to travel long term, the best idea is always to depart with some savings (for safety), but to mainly make money on the go. As you may know, we work online. We couldn’t keep up for this long on savings alone – just like most people our age, I guess.
      People work in all sorts of things to pay for travel. We work online, to have maximum flexibility. But other travelers rather stop in a given place for a few months, work, save up and then keep on traveling.

      You can find some interesting suggestions on travel related jobs here: http://bkpk.me/travel-blog-search/?query=make+money+while+traveling

      All the best!

  • Camilo Says

    >An average lunch in Ecuador costs USD 2.5
    You’re not even trying.
    As an ecuadorian I can get a lunch for 1.5 USD; and if I look harder I can get a pretty nice meal for just 1 USD.

  • anu Says

    I gone through your website. Even my dream is to travel the world. But due to my situations i am not able to travel the world. but your post completely changed my mind to travel around the world. money is really not a problem if your heart wants to travel the world. thanks a lot for the nice and informational post. thanks again.

Comments are closed for this post.

Subscribe to Backpack ME