Rtw Update: How Heather Is Traveling On A Budget
Posted: 11/12/18 | Nov 12th, 2018
Last December, Heather won our round the the world trip contest as well as was gifted a trip but about the the world worth $50 a day! In January, she started backpacking her agency through South America on a budget. Today, she’s written a weblog post service most how she’s been able to remain on budget for the terminal 36 weeks as well as the lessons she’s learned every bit a novel traveler!
After over 10 months on the road, it’s fourth dimension to update the community in ane lawsuit again on my trip! Since the terminal update, I spent 2 weeks inwards Brazil, a calendar month exploring Morocco, as well as two months inwards Europe watching the World Cup.
Now, I’m inwards Tanzania exploring Africa!
After thus long on the road, I intend it’s fourth dimension to respond the interrogation that actually drove the challenger inwards the maiden of all place:
“Is budget move possible on Matt’s $50 a hateful solar daytime recommendations?”
One of the reasons Matt sponsored this trip was because he wanted to exhibit everyone that move is possible on his suggested budget of $50 a day. He wanted a living instance report for the ideas inwards his book!
After tracking all my expenses — including my flights, move insurance, as well as incidentals — I’ve spent $14,450 or $56 a hateful solar daytime thus far. I’ve non alone constitute sticking to Matt’s budget viable but non at all demanding (especially amongst a piddling creativity).
After Africa, I’ll live flying to Southeast Asia, where I’ll goal my trip. I suspect that volition lower my overall costs fifty-fifty more!
How I stayed on budget
At the showtime of my trip, I went to the Galápagos Islands, which are non backpacker-budget friendly, thus I had some operate cutting out for me to acquire dorsum on budget.
I saved on housing costs past times Couchsurfing as well as staying amongst friends. In Chile, I stayed amongst friends I met inwards Colombia. In Paris, I stayed amongst a friend I met inwards Brazil. I’ve been overwhelmed past times the seat out of sort people who offering me help, especially amongst accommodation, every bit I travel, expecting aught inwards return. The move community is extremely warm as well as open. It makes friends of strangers.
I’ve been balancing out other expenses past times also keeping my transportation costs low. I opted to receive got the longer, cheaper agency to acquire from Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 to B. In Brazil as well as Europe, I used BlaBlaCar to salve money. In Morocco as well as South America, buses were my go-to selection — they were inexpensive as well as easy. I booked a express seat out of flights as well as tracked prices thus I could mass them at but the correct fourth dimension if possible.
Food has been the alone house I haven’t cutting back. I’m a foodie and, every bit Matt ever says, what’s the indicate inwards traveling if you lot don’t swallow the local food! In South America, this was usually easy. There were tons of luncheon specials but about as well as inexpensive local nutrient thus I was able to swallow on a budget. In Europe, it was much harder. Food was past times far my biggest expense but I receive got no regrets. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 girl’s got to eat!
Here are my costs broken downwards past times region:
*Total for South America if you lot exclude the Galápagos
Here’s the breakdown of my spending past times category:
- Housing: $2,874
- Transportation: $2,632
- Food: $4,687
- Travel insurance: $1,040
- Activities: $3,217 (such every bit tours to Machu Picchu or the Sahara, diving, a safari, shopping, etc.)
However, that’s non to order it’s all been super easy. I’ve made a ton of rookie mistakes. Even though I’ve read countless articles as well as books on traveling, in ane lawsuit you’re on the road, you lot tend to acquire caught upwards inwards the moment. It’s ane matter to read most it, it’s some other matter to live at that topographic point doing it!
And that tin Pb to a bunch of easily preventable mistakes! For example, some of the “doh” moments I had:
- I spent xvi EUR on java every bit I was walking amongst a friend I met inwards Rome. It was SO hot as well as nosotros but wanted to acquire off our feet earlier going to the Vatican. Big mistake! We fifty-fifty forgot to inquire the prices. Since it was thus unopen to the attraction (something I unremarkably never do), each cappuccino was 8 EUR — as well as I got two! Oh, human being were nosotros pissed.
- When I was inwards Morocco, but earlier going to the desert, I went to the supermarket to purchase 3 day’s worth of snacks for lunch. I had heard that luncheon was non included inwards your tour toll (already ridiculous, at 86 EUR for 3 days!) as well as the tour guide, of course, alone takes you lot to expensive luncheon places. I did purchase a bunch of groceries — 130 dirhams’ worth ($14 USD). But as well as thus I ended upwards eating at the restaurants anyway because I felt likewise awkward non eating amongst everyone as well as likewise tempted to companionship a prissy chicken tagine instead of eating trail mix.
- Looking back, I would receive got done a self-guided tour of the Sahara. I knew that earlier I did the tour, but I was lazy as well as tired, as well as I wanted to leave of absence of Morocco. Being lazy is a quick agency to make notice coin — as well as oftentimes also a quick agency to receive got a less special experience.
- I met some actually interesting people inwards Buenos Aires who invited me to dinner. One of them was a local expat who was eager to exhibit us that Buenos Aires “isn’t all meat anymore.” It was a groovy place, but that dinner was most 25 USD, which was almost my budget for the whole day! Then nosotros had drinks later every bit well.
My Advice for Others: How to Save Money When You Travel
Backpacking isn’t similar opor-garai travel. When you lot move on vacation, you lot receive got piddling fourth dimension but to a greater extent than money. When you lot backpack, the contrary is true: you lot receive got time, but piddling money. If you lot essay likewise many comforts as well as conveniences, you’ll blow your budget as well as receive got to go dwelling early!
If I were to make advice to others, my principal slice of advice would live to receive got a infinitesimal earlier your trip to intend most what expenses you lot anticipate as well as what you lot are willing to spend. (Matt talks a lot most this.) Ask but about for the correct toll for experiences, food, as well as lodging thus that you lot receive got the most accurate information. The fourth dimension you lot pass researching volition assist you lot improve budget you lot money.
On the road, I would propose doing 2 things: maiden of all is to write downwards everything and, second, is to forego convenience.
In his book, Matt says, “It’s the people who don’t write downwards their expenses that go dwelling early.”
Speaking for myself, I tin order this is completely true. There were a few days hither as well as at that topographic point where I would live thus caught upwards inwards the experiences I was having that I completely forgot to write downwards my spending. Afterward, when I sat downwards to recollect what I had spent, I realized I was non thinking most these costs as well as how they gibe into my budget. Writing them all downwards helped me live mindful how much I was spending. It allowed me to construct adjustments to my spending every bit I went. It’s because of that that I haven’t run out of coin yet!
Even to a greater extent than of import is foregoing convenience. Backpacking isn’t luxury travel. The bulk of the time, at that topographic point isn’t individual to port your luggage, drive you lot straight to your lodging, or conform your hateful solar daytime trip or tour. But walking when you lot can, sharing a ride amongst other travelers, hollo for for assist from a sort stranger, or arranging your ain itinerary — all those are costless or nearly free.
I’m 10 months into my yearlong trip. Some moments whizzed by. Others felt similar they lasted forever. But, overall, it has been everything I hoped it to live – as well as also different anything I expected.
As Heather keeps going amongst her travels, we’re going to follow along to acquire to a greater extent than details most her trip, experiences, roadblocks, budgeting, as well as everything inwards between! You tin follow her journeys on her blog, Confidently Lost, every bit good every bit on Instagram. She volition also live sharing some of her experiences here!
How to Travel the World on $50 a Day
My New York Times best-selling paperback guide to the world move volition learn you lot how to original the fine art of move salve money, acquire off the beaten path, as well as receive got a to a greater extent than local, richer move experiences. It’s the mass Heather is basing her travels off her as well as using every bit her guidebook but about the world. As you lot tin see, it’s working! She’s move large on a small-scale budget.
If that’s something you lot desire to practise too, click hither to larn to a greater extent than most the book, how it tin assist you, as well as you lot tin start reading it today!
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flying past times using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my 2 favorite search engines because they search websites as well as airlines but about the globe thus you lot ever know no rock is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You tin mass your hostel amongst Hostelworld. If you lot desire to remain elsewhere, role Booking.com every bit they consistently provide the cheapest rates for guesthouses as well as inexpensive hotels. I role them all the time.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect you lot against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection inwards instance anything goes wrong. I never maintain a trip without it every bit I’ve had to role it many times inwards the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for 10 years. My favorite companies that offering the best service as well as value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Looking for the best companies to salve coin with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to role when you lot travel! I listing all the ones I role to salve coin when I move – as well as I intend volition assist you lot too!
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