Travelling around the world is something everyone should take the time to do, no matter their budget and other circumstances. It’s getting easier every day, and at this point, most people usually have a number of different opportunities in this regard. Even if your budget is more limited, you should still have a variety of things you could do. Just make sure that you’re conscious about the way you’re saving money, and never try to be cheap in the wrong places.
Couchsurfing Is Still Popular
The number one tip most people should take into consideration is couchsurfing. If you’ve never done it before, it’s something you should try at least once. It involves travelling around by staying at random people’s places as you move from one location to the other.
It’s typically offered with the assumption that you’ll be accommodated for free, although there will also be an expectation from you to provide some level of entertainment for your hosts. Being good company is often enough though, so as long as you’re sociable, this can be a great way to optimise the cost of your trips while also meeting some new people along the way.
Catch Up with Old Contacts
On a similar note, you can also take the opportunity to catch up with some people that you’ve fallen out of touch with. If you know of someone in the area who would be happy to hear from you, don’t be shy about letting them know that you’ll be in town. Most people would actually respond negatively if you told them that you passed by without at least saying hi.
Don’t take this the wrong way – you shouldn’t be a leech on people and try to exploit old contacts for this purpose. But as long as you can combine your travels with some social activities with people you haven’t heard from in a while, then there’s certainly no harm in that.
Don’t Cut the Wrong Corners
Saving money is good, but you don’t want to cut any corners in the wrong place. This can quickly turn your trips into a nightmare, especially if you’re far away from home. Car insurance is something that you should pay attention to, for example. You’ll likely have to take the occasional trip by car, and it’s good to know that it won’t incur any extra costs for you. Thankfully, websites like Compare NI can make it very easy to get the best deal on insurance plans, so take advantage of their services and don’t set out unprepared. Their insurance is local for those based in (or travelling to) Northern Ireland, but even if you don’t need it in this region it’s a great example of the type of site you should be using to find insurance.
The same can be said for other types of insurance, medical expenses, and anything else that might impact you in the long run. Don’t think that you’re being smart by cutting those specific kinds of corners. It can come back to bite you in a pretty big way not too long in the future.
Working on the Go
Just because you’re travelling, doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself to any savings that you’ve accumulated. It’s perfectly possible to work on the go and maintain a nice source of income to supplement your travels. In some cases, it might even be enough to fully fund them. Look into working as an online freelancer, if you have a skill that you can market well. Creative skills like writing, drawing, 3D art, photography, music and more often have good freelance markets surrounding them.
Most banks will allow you to get a card that will work abroad, and if you link your PayPal account – or other payment instruments – to your main bank account, you’ll have access to your earnings anywhere you are. Of course, even if you enjoy the lifestyle of moving around and exploring the world, remember to pay attention to legal issues like filing your taxes on time… and in the right country!
Long-term Planning
Speaking of travelling for longer durations, that’s a lifestyle that many people are starting to adopt these days. It can work great for anyone, regardless of age or social situation, although it does take a bit of preparation if you want to maintain it in the long term. Some people travel around randomly, while others try to have a specific list of places that they follow in order. In some cases, you might have an opportunity to earn extra money by travelling to a certain country in the right time of the year.
In any case, you don’t have to be limited by a small budget if you want to do something like that. The only limiting factor here is your ability to plan ahead and to prepare for the biggest problems that you’re likely to face. As long as you learn from your mistakes and keep looking towards the future, you should be able to have a great time and might even discover a whole new lifestyle out there.
Comments are closed.