Extreme Budget Traveling (Under $10 A Day) Amongst Tomislav
After my kickoff independent trip overseas inwards 2005, I came home, quit my job, in addition to prepared to go the world. However, at home, I at in ane lawsuit felt alone. Few people supported me, most were confused yesteryear the idea, in addition to fifty-fifty to a greater extent than tried to speak me out of it. Back then, quitting your project to go the globe made people recall y'all were slightly crazy. Over a yr ago, I created a community department of this site for us to mingle with, encourage, in addition to propose each other so no ane would direct hold to experience that way. I wanted a identify where people could plough to for support. Today nosotros direct hold over 3,300 members in addition to over 10,000 posts!
Each month, nosotros highlight ane or 2 members on the forum. Today, I wishing to part alongside everyone who mightiness non read the forums the story of ane of our most active community members, Tomislav from Croatia. Tom has been traveling the globe on an extreme budget ($10 USD a day) since 2008 through a multifariousness of ingenious ways. While this grade of austerity is non for everyone (including me), his spirit in addition to philosophy is withal amazing in addition to I wanted to part it alongside you. Without farther ado, here’s our interview:
Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone near yourself.
Tomislav: My refer is Tomislav Perko, I’m 30, in addition to I come upwards from Croatia. I started living my life only recently, yesteryear moving away from the usual “be born – become to schoolhouse – acquire married – make the project that y'all don’t similar – direct hold credit out for thirty years – direct hold a few kids – retire – in addition to die” lifestyle. Recently, I published a mass called 1,000 Days of Spring, which chop-chop turned into a bestseller inwards Croatia, in addition to currently I’m dorsum home, working on my 2nd book.
You said y'all started traveling recently. What were y'all doing before? Why did y'all start traveling?
Before I started traveling, I was a stockbroker. Suit, tie, prissy restaurants, a lot of coin — that form of lifestyle. But in addition to so the fiscal crisis came, in addition to I lost everything. That’s when I discovered Couchsurfing — and yesteryear hearing first-hand stories from people that passed through my domicile in addition to seeing a spark inwards their eyes, I thought to myself, possibly I should endeavour it out myself.
And I did.
Did y'all ever excogitation to go on $10 USD a day?
The only thing that is a constant when talking near my go plans is that I didn’t actually excogitation anything. When I started traveling, I had almost no money, in addition to the amount I spent on the route determined how long could I remain on the road. $10 USD was to a greater extent than than plenty to comprehend some basic needs, in addition to the best thing was that I actually enjoyed traveling this way. I loved the challenge of figuring out where to sleep, how to acquire somewhere, what to eat.
In a way, beingness almost broke was the best thing that happened to me. While traveling on a depression budget y'all appreciate the footling things, such every bit hot meals, soft beds, in addition to transportation, afterwards a few hours of waiting inwards the sun. You are grateful for footling things y'all are non thinking near when y'all tin afford 3 meals a day, when your shelter has already been prearranged in addition to y'all know a way to acquire to your destination. You are grateful for all the miracles that, inevitably, occur daily.
Where did y'all acquire the $10 USD figure? Did y'all enquiry it? Why $10 USD in addition to non $20 USD?
Well, I didn’t excogitation it to last $10 USD or whatever other amount, but when I traveled for a twain of months, looked dorsum on my budget and did the calculation — it turned out that it was near that amount per day.
Of course, some days I spent $50 USD, or bought a aeroplane ticket for $100+ USD, but in addition to so I spent few weeks or months volunteering in addition to non having to pass anything. So at the end, it all levels out to $10 USD a day.
How make y'all specifically remain on budget when y'all travel?
When it comes to transportation, I mainly hitchhiked everywhere I went. It was fast, safe, reliable, in addition to free. But the best thing was that y'all acquire an amazing story of how y'all got betwixt betoken H5N1 in addition to B, y'all speak alongside locals, in addition to larn from them. I also walked a lot, used some populace shipping inwards inexpensive countries, relocated a few cars, etc.
As for accommodation, I Couchsurfed most of the fourth dimension — I already had plenty of experience from hosting few hundred people inwards my ain identify earlier I started traveling, so that helped a lot. You pass your fourth dimension alongside him/her, they direct hold y'all out alongside their friends, on menage unit of measurement gatherings, in addition to to consider some amazing local spots y'all would likely immature lady out on.
When I didn’t Couchsurf, I camped, slept inwards parks or beside the road, volunteered, tried house sitting in addition to domicile exchanges — there are so many alternatives to ho(s)tels. They require much to a greater extent than planning in addition to energy, but they relieve y'all coin in addition to give y'all so much inwards return.
I bought nutrient inwards supermarkets in addition to cooked yesteryear myself or alongside my hosts, never drank inwards bars but inwards parks, fifty-fifty tried dumpster diving twain of times. You direct hold to know that nutrient is everywhere, in addition to a lot of it is beingness thrown away — some state that over 40% of nutrient produced is beingness thrown away. You simply direct hold to figure out a way to acquire to that nutrient earlier they throw it. If that way standing inwards front end of a pizza identify inwards Machu Picchu in addition to waiting for some folks to leave of absence the tabular array in addition to leave of absence few slices untouched — then y'all make that.
Is this a skillful idea? I mean, $10 USD a twenty-four hours is pretty cheap, in addition to it’s non something I would do. It way y'all can’t walk into the Louvre, dine on skillful nutrient inwards Italy, direct hold a boat tour, or sign upwards for a jungle hike.
First of all, this type of traveling isn’t for everyone. I tried it, in addition to I liked it. The thing is, I never traveled for the sake of seeing things. I was to a greater extent than into experiencing. So, instead of seeing the Louvre, eating inwards amazing restaurants inwards Italy, taking a boat tour, or going on a jungle hike, I was interested inwards talking alongside people, learning from them, in addition to trying to alive every bit a local. For that, y'all don’t demand a lot of money.
Don’t acquire me incorrect — it is to a greater extent than challenging in addition to to a greater extent than limiting, but challenges in addition to limitations are the things that force y'all into beingness inwards the moment, in addition to doing everything inwards your ability to acquire to something. That’s what I loved the most!
Have y'all worked or volunteered abroad?
I worked on a permaculture farm nether the Himalayas, managed a guesthouse inwards Malawi, spent fourth dimension inwards few orphanages, cleaned rooms in addition to took tending of v dogs in addition to xiv cats inwards Ecuador. Volunteering is a corking way to relieve money, direct hold a break, in addition to — what’s most of import — learn near the identify y'all are visiting in addition to connect alongside people living there.
Mostly I flora these volunteering opportunities on the spot, or I used WorkAway.
And when it comes to finding work, I sometimes (badly) played the guitar on the streets, or connected alongside people in addition to asked them if they knew anyone that needs person capable of working diverse jobs.
You seem similar an adventurous guy. Tell us some crazy situations that you’ve meet on the road.
I would state these are my peak three:
The craziest story is non from the road, but from the sea. I hitchhiked on a 13-meter yacht from Commonwealth of Australia to Africa, without whatever sailing experience. It was likely the most in addition to to the lowest degree adventurous journeying I was ever on — the most when I speak near it now, afterwards it happened, in addition to the to the lowest degree when I was sailing for those 45 days. Nothing happening, simply four of us on that small-scale boat, ocean in addition to heaven around us. Nothing else.
Then in that location was spending three days on the edge of Islamic Republic of Iran in addition to Pakistan alongside Iranian armed forces officers, ending upwards staying inwards some dental laboratory alongside guys smoking opium all twenty-four hours long, crossing the edge in addition to beingness position inwards the bus alongside an armed escort in addition to driven for 43 hours until reaching the capital, Islamabad.
And in that location was also driving all twenty-four hours long from Swaziland to due north of Mozambique, singing alongside my driver to go on him awake, ending upwards inwards some small-scale town where everyone is out inwards the middle of the black drinking, in addition to spending the black nether some onetime truck inwards my sleeping purse because it was raining.
Give us your most unique money-saving tip.
The Internet is your friend. There are so many ways to relieve money, in addition to they are simply a few clicks away. Find volunteering opportunities; accommodation via Couchsurfing, solid sitting, or domicile exchanges; shipping via ride-sharing, motorcar relocating, or boat hitchhiking… in addition to realize that every dollar less spent is worth a few to a greater extent than days on the road.
All this seems similar a lot of work. How much fourth dimension did y'all pass arranging accommodation, finding rides, function shares, etc.?
H5N1 lot.
I repeat: traveling isn’t necessarily a vacation. Traveling, specially inwards this way, is a lot of work. People recall doing this is simply cocktails on some beautiful sandy beach, but the truth is sometimes quite the contrary — you are lonely, hungry, or sick, in addition to y'all direct hold to bargain alongside it.
Same alongside looking for transportation, accommodation, in addition to food. It’s slowly to cheque the bus schedule in addition to become to the terminal, but it tin last difficult to go out of the urban essence to honor a skillful hitchhiking spot, hold back in that location for hours, speak alongside many drivers, await for Couchsurfing hosts, pick out them wisely, honor their homes inwards foreign cities, etc.
It is a lot of work, no incertitude near that. But, that function pays off. It definitely does. Every unmarried day.
Do your menage unit of measurement in addition to friends back upwards your travels? Did they always?
They make now, afterwards many years, but it wasn’t ever similar that. I had to bargain alongside the usual issues of my parents beingness worried, thinking I’m non using my life properly, etc. But alongside years they got used to it. I emailed my mum every day, no affair where I was (except from the Indian Ocean), nosotros speak on Skype often, in addition to when they saw me making a living out of my travels, beingness inwards the media, giving lectures to hundreds of people, they realized that this is my way, in addition to at nowadays they are big supporters for me traveling.
But I know its withal difficult for them; it must last when your nipper goes away, specially when he/she wants to hitchhike in addition to slumber beside the road. But inwards the end, they direct hold to, or they should, empathize your urge to explore and your path to happiness.
What advice would y'all give to novel travelers?
Traveling is non the best thing inwards the world. It won’t solve all your problems; y'all tin last lonely, hungry, freezing inwards your sleeping bag. It’s non something y'all direct hold to do.
But if y'all wishing to, if y'all experience that wishing to caput into the unknown, in addition to so y'all direct hold to know that it’s possible. I won’t state it’s easy, because y'all direct hold to adjust your lifestyle to the road, but it tin in addition to volition last rewarding, no affair what.
If I did it, I recall anyone can.
Some quick questions: Window or aisle?
Aisle till I die!
Even though, I don’t actually similar airplanes. Or airports.
Big or small-scale dorm?
I’ve only slept inwards a hostel dorm near 10 times inwards my life, in addition to most of those times were when I was volunteering. But if I direct hold to choose, I prefer small-scale dorms.
Favorite country?
Not possible to asnwer, so I’ll give my favorite dry reason on each continent.
Least favorite country?
Cannot recall of whatever that I tin position “least” inwards front end of.
One detail y'all can’t go without?
My footling sheep. This sheep is my of import go companion. Why? First of all, I got it every bit a introduce from a really honey friend of mine, who knows me best. Second of all, I am also a sheep (or Aries): stubborn, impulsive, in addition to enthusiastic. So inwards a way, she reminds me of who I am. Third, she wants to send out a message. Basically, she is a sheep, but she doesn’t remove heed to the shepherd, or follow the herd. She does what she likes — she travels alongside a grinning on her face! She wants to a greater extent than people to experience that way of life, without borders, without fear.
Having all that inwards mind, it was logical that she joins me on my travels. Every at nowadays in addition to and so she gets lost in addition to travels solo. One summertime she wandered around Portugal, Spain, in addition to France, in addition to ane fourth dimension she left me inwards Kuala Lumpur, I had no thought where. But she ever comes dorsum to her favorite go companion!
You tin honor Tomislav in addition to all of his awesome adventures on Facebook, YouTube, TEDx, in addition to his blog, tomislavperko.com.
Other Inspiring Stories
One of my favorite parts near this project is hearing people’s go stories. They inspire me, but to a greater extent than importantly, they also inspire you. I go a sure enough way, but in that location are many ways to fund your trips in addition to go the world. I promise these stories demonstrate y'all that in that location is to a greater extent than than ane way to go in addition to that it is inside your grasp to accomplish your go goals. Here are to a greater extent than corking contributors to the forums:
- Aileen from the Philippines
- João from Portugal
- Chris from Germany
- Vikram in addition to Ishwinder from India
- DJ from the Philippines
We all come upwards from dissimilar places, but nosotros all direct hold ane thing inwards common: nosotros all wishing to go more!
Sumber https://www.nomadicmatt.com
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