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How To Afford To Travel The World

10 Tips On How To Afford To Travel The World

These are our ten tips on how to afford to travel the world. The most common reaction we received when telling others about our bonkers plan to quit our day jobs to live our day dream was

“I wish I could afford to travel.”

If you have ever asked yourself the question, how can I afford to travel, then this post will share the few (of many) ways we raised our adventure fund, in the hope it can prove you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a plane ticket and that’s pretty damn close.

1. YOU COULD BE SITTING ON A GOLD MINE

That limited-edition trainers you’re never actually going to wear – Download Depop. The signed drumsticks from that emo band you loved in high school – eBay it. That gift voucher you were given for a shop you’d never go to – chuck it on Zeek. A couple of hours spent clearing out your bedroom could earn you your first flight, not to mention it’s not going to fit in your backpack anyway.

How To Afford To Travel - Sitting On A Gold Mine - Shop With Antiques

2. YOU CAN STAY ANYWHERE FOR FREE

Okay, slight lie you can stay in 170 countries in the world for free using Workaway. We put together a full Workaway Review explaining our amazing trips, and include our best advice & tips for you to also get involved! Experiences include Yoga retreats in Hawaii, Olive farms in Greece, surf schools in Bali and so much more! The majority also include 3 meals a day as well as a place to sleep. Two of our host families also gave us a car to use during our trip! Free food and free accommodation – remind us again why you can’t afford to travel?

3. SKYSCANNER WILL BECOME YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND

You know you want to see the world, you know your bank account doesn’t. However, did you know Skyscanner has a search option for “everywhere”. This fabulous option will now showcase the cheapest destinations from your nearest airport. Also, never search with specific dates – if time is an issue use the +/- 3 days tool. Ideally, search “whole month” this will show the price of the flight you want every day that month for you to choose the cheapest date. With Australia for example, the difference of a flying a day earlier could save enough to pay for your Visa. Have a look here to find your next flight.

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4. SCRAP THE SUBSCRIPTIONS

If looking at your bank balance gives you that same fuzzy feeling as your Monday morning alarm, chances are you don’t do it that often. A few tweaks and cancellations to current subscriptions could make a massive difference to your savings. Cancel the gym membership – dog walks with friends or YouTube routines in your bedroom are far more fun not to mention free. Stop paying for Netflix (if you’re one of the few that do) and start sharing an account like the rest of us. Take ten minutes to seriously asses your expenses, from small payments such as Spotify to Cinema cards to the big ones such as phone bills and television packages – by cancelling or questioning suppliers this could save you silly amounts of money in just a couple of months.

5. DOUBLE YOUR JOB TITLE – DOUBLE YOUR INCOME

Work, save, travel, repeat. . . that’s our mantra! Have you considered a second job? Before the chorus of “well, duh”, it’s surprising how much people rely on the same salary every month, spend the same money every month and hope that majestically it results in enough spare pennies to afford to travel the world. Swap the Netflix binges for a few bar shifts and the extra income soon adds up. Jobs such as baristas or waiters often include tips which involve a beautiful bonus that can seriously boost your adventure fund.

6. LEARN TO COOK, THEN LEARN TO LIKE YOUR COOKING

How often have you sat in a restaurant, browsed the menu, then ordered pasta? PASTA? Not only can you (hopefully) cook pasta but you paid at least £5 for it, when a bag of pasta is circa 99p. It’s a tad shameful just how much we spend on food which we can actually make from the comfort of our own home. Or, how often have you been out for dinner and there’s that one person that had those few extra glasses of wine or opted for the steak who always insists “we split the bill”. Goodbye yet more money down the drain.

Learning to cook has never been easier, try Pinterest or the hundreds of apps on offer. Alternatively, take a peek at our Cooking in a Campervan series. We share quick, easy, budget meals (in a campervan) that can easily be done at home too! Hosting friends (and yourself) at home saves a crazy amount of money on eating out. It also saved us money on buying gifts prior to our trip as nothing says Happy Birthday/Thank you/Happy Mother’s Day like homemade lasagne.

How To Afford To Travel - Learn To Cook - Man Wearing An Apron

7. STOP THE HANGOVERS

Calm down. This is in no way to suggest you stop drinking. Believe me, nothing like a large Pinot Grigio helps the shock of travel insurance prices. Pre-drinks, a club without cover charge and not buying Tequila for ten of your new BFFs you just met in the toilets (lesson learned) does help prevent throwing all of your money down the drain every time you hear the word “weekend”. As does taking out only cash (Contactless is the enemy) and opting for the night bus instead of a taxi. However, the most expensive part about a night out is not always the alcohol or the outfits – it’s the hangovers. Money and calories go completely out the window on a Sunday afternoon when the cocktail of prosecco fear and Snapchat shame leaves a very bitter taste in your mouth. A taste only cured by a Dominoes, Ben & Jerrys and two litres of Fanta – Goodbye yet another £30. That’s goodbye £120 month – even before the cost of the Tequila.

How To Afford To Travel - Remove Hangovers - Drinks On A Bar

8. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND

Too many people put the money they have left over at the end of the month into their savings, instead of tucking it snugly away the same day you get paid. Set up a standing order to your savings account on the same day each month. It means if you can’t see it in your current account to begin with, then you can’t spend it. No idea how much you need to save in the first place? Take a look at our backpacking Europe cost post, it explains EXACTLY what we spent on food, accommodation, transport and activities over our 3 months (and 12 countries) in Europe. We also explain how to work out a budget before you go – so it’s never been easier to afford to travel the world!

9. BUS YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD

Although Skyscanner is now your best friend and flights to Poland can cost less than a tenner, with flights there are a few hidden expenses where a good old coach trip will always prevail. Firstly, your flight may cost the same as a pint, but airports are never in the city centre – bus stops are. Unless you love a room view of an airport runway, chances are your accommodation is in the centre. Therefore, transfer costs need to be considered as often these can be triple (if not more) the cost of your cheap as chips flight.

Using sites such as Bus Radar will compare deals around the globe of the cheapest and quickest bus routes and on not just any old busses. The majority have free WiFi, leather *reclining* seats, air conditioning, TV screens and allow alcohol on-board (because sometimes the only thing getting you through a ten hour bus journey is a bottle of Lidl’s finest Merlot). So, if queues in security, restrictions on weight and turbulence is not your thing but paying £3.50 to travel from Austria to Slovakia is, then your travels may be sooner than you think. We used Flixbus for our travels around Europe, more info about them can be found here.

Bargain Bus Travel

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For added ease, download the Flixbus App. That way you don’t have to print tickets and you’ll never lose your booking in your crowded inbox, the app also notifies you when the bus is later = more time in the pub! We put together a post of the best apps for backpackers, all of which are guaranteed to save you money, time and stress. Or all of the above.

10. MOVE OUT IF YOU WANT TO SAVE UP

Moving closer to your work could save you money on commuting, moving in with friends could mean cheaper rent or *deep breath* moving back in with the parents could even mean no rent at all. Not always ideal, but downsizing or putting up with younger siblings for a few months could save serious adventure funds. When Loz left London, it wasn’t an easy decision to make but when you require a mortgage to afford a G&T it was a wise decision indeed. The added bonus of moving out, was the return of her deposit. Usually a considerable amount of money, (which you’d forgotten you’d even spent) and turned out to fund Loz’s flights around the world. Definitely worth moving home for.
How To Afford To Travel - Move - Colourful Houses In Burano

Take a look at our resources page. It covers discounts on accommodation, flights and more money saving tips! We also shared our budget tracker which you can download, *for free* so you too, can afford to travel the world.

Pinterest Pin - How To Save Money And Travel The World Trees In The Sun
Pinterest Pin - How To Save Money And Travel The World
Pinterest Pin - How To Save Money And Travel The World - Tree Reflection On The Beach

faramagan

When Darren the WordPress wizard & excel enthusiast met Lauren the storyteller and wannabe wanderluster, a grand adventure was bound to happen. Through Faramagan they document their tales (and fails) with a refreshing and unfiltered approach. By avoiding adulthood one adventure at a time, they hope to inspire others to do the same.

This Post Has 31 Comments

  1. Julie

    yei! I love your blog! this is totally awesome, and I can’t wait to read more about the adventures you seek. I’m following your Instagram, and I’m more than inspired to travel the world. Starting with Dublin in april actually.

    KUTGW.

    1. faramagan

      Thank you Julie!! What a great place to start, we have met many Irish people on our travels and they have been so lovely!! You will have an amazing time,maybe pop to Scotland whilst you’re there 😉 x

  2. Callie

    This is awesome! Great to hear you doing the workaways too!!! Enjoy! Callie xxx

  3. Jacqueline

    Love this post! So very true, I am constantly asked the same question and usually in my mind I am like everyone can afford it! Well most people at least. And travelling done is certain ways is not actually that expensive and even cheaper (in certain parts of the world) than living at home…! Thanks for putting it together in a post!

  4. Sierra

    Love all of this! I think it’s so important to give people ideas and tips about how they too can get out and travel more – it seems unattainable for many, and for lots of people (not all!) it’s a matter of just making it happen. Great post!

  5. Leigh

    These are great tips, and I’ve used many of them over the years, especially direct depositing a portion of each paycheck into a separate travel account!

  6. Grace Silla

    Ahh the subscriptions are always a tough one. I hate how many there are in life and how each company is pushing for it. Also, very interesting to learn about Workaway!

    1. faramagan

      Cannot recommend Workaway enough – we recently spent 5 weeks in Hawaii due to Workaway!

  7. This is awesome advice. I’m gearing up to quit my job and travel the world. Although I have money saved it never feels like enough. I’ve already started selling my things even though I’m not moving for another 3 months… this way I can get good prices for them. Facebook also has a lot of Buy/Sell groups that have been super helpful for me!

    1. faramagan

      Darren came home from work one day and I’d sold all his furniture on a buy sell Facebook group haha! They were so helpful!! So excited for your adventure to begin!

  8. Claudia

    Ever since I started traveling I have learned a lot how to afford traveling but always interested which tips other traveler have to share. I have spend a lot of money on partying. I totally agree with what you are saying. Thanks for sharing your tips.

    1. faramagan

      Hahaha partying is always a pennies pincher!!

  9. Christie

    Great tips! I hadn’t heard of Depop or Zeek before. Totally agree with that tip though – I sell a lot of ebay and have a lot of success with it!

    1. faramagan

      Depop gets addictive though and I end up buying rather than selling ha!

  10. Alice

    These are good tips! I always find it annoying when people complain about money but don’t want to sacrifice anything like living close to work | going out | shopping …

    1. faramagan

      Exactly – work hard in order to play harder 😉

  11. Identity K

    Love this article- well written too! Great balance of funny and real good points ??

  12. Amy

    Very good tips! The amount of money some people spend on alcohol alone is ridiculous!

  13. Wow love this post!! I’ve never thought of some of these! Do you also have a post explaining how to make money while traveling to continue traveling? Lol because that’s the goal!

    1. faramagan

      Our Workaway post will definitely help with this! And we have just started jobs in Australia so I think we’ll definitely put a post together about our tips we’ve learned from here!

  14. Jac

    It’s the little things that add up when it comes to saving, and how much of a priority travel is to you 🙂 great reminder list!

    1. faramagan

      Definitely! People often ignore the little changed forgetting how easy it is for those little changes to add up!

  15. Amy

    These are some great trips. I need to try out work away!

    1. faramagan

      Cannot recommend Workaway enough – we wrote a huge guide about it too 😉

    1. faramagan

      Thank you! Use this post as a wee reminder 😉

  16. Maya

    Oh yes if we could only afford to travel more. I am always thinking about ways to save more money and this is a great reminder of how to do it (and that I start doing it more persistently). I haven’t thought about No. 8 – great tip!

    1. faramagan

      You’re welcome 🙂 Hopefully help top up the adventure fund!

  17. Kathi

    Love the idea of cancelling subscription – I’m so bad for too many subscriptions for books and films… Also, there are some pther great ways to stay for “free”, like Wwoofing or housesitting – I’d love to try the latter one day!!

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