I'm sure many younger travelers do without. Did you have "emergency funds" and full medical cover when you were traveling in your late teens or 20's? Not many do. I know I did not (beyond modest family help).
More well off or "established" travelers may have the luxury of that "security".

Have you worked in any Non Home countries in those 9 years? Did the states you were in cover your medical? Or did your "Home" country cover you even when out of country? Or private cover? Are you constantly moving on your bike ... or settle in one place, work a while, then move on? Where are you now?

There is a difference. Lots of different situations ... many risk not having a back up plan. Should they totally forget about traveling if they can't afford it?

There are alternatives. For instance we taught in China for a couple of years. Wages were low but everything found and we actually saved money and had an experience that isn't available to the vast majority.
We have also spent several months on cattle stations in Australia. Also everything provided so while you can't save money, you don't spend much either.
So we have moved and settled as required. Always a matter of choice than necessity though. If it were otherwise, I would stay home and complain about my lot as the majority are content to do. The smart ones, when realising that a certain course of action just isn't possible, look for other ways of getting out of whatever rut they want to get out of. As has been stated here over and over, if you want something bad enough you will find a way of getting it. If money is the key - and it is - then just work a bit harder or longer. Just look at all the grey-haired wrinkleys getting around the world on everything from two sneakers to 500,000 expedition trucks. They have worked all their lives and only now can do what they want to do. Hardly fair to be envying or castigating them for that. Hard work came first.
Those who think they are entitled will always be disappointed.

Medical? Suspend our private health insurance back home (and anyway, Australia has "free" universal medical care so there is never a problem of not getting treatment you actually need) and use that money to pay for travel insurance when overseas.




On the web there are sites devoted to helping out in return for a bed and meals - all over the world. We did a couple of stints in France - not because we had to, but because we wanted to. Plenty of ways to make money go further. Giving up some expensive habits can also work wonders for a tight budget.

Yes, of course not everyone has the resources or determination or even the desire to go travelling or take up polo or deep sea fishing either. Might suck if you are in the group that just can't afford it, but that is the way things are.

They probably should consider delaying their dream of a 5-year luxury round the world trip and concentrate on achieving something a little more sensible. Some work 40 years and then travel forever. Alternative might be to work for a month and travel for a few days. Same thing really, just need to be realistic.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Read the blog, just lovely

If you go to the grave with money in the bank, you've done something wrong...

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I agree. Did most then too. You're less hung up about nice things and creature comforted too which brings cost down.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

We (the better half and I) made the decision about 9 months ago to leave our great country (Aust) and go travelling for as many years as possible. Our plan is to leave in another 8 months at the end of the year and so far things are tracking well.
Starting from scratch.... with nothing this is how we have financed things so far.
We had a good win with some shares that got transferred to the US when the Aust dollar was high and then we cashed them out 6 months later when the Aust dollar had crashed, so we won both ways; that bought the bike. With the remainder we both work in construction and have been working 13 day fortnights (one day off every 14) for 6 months and living off my wife's wage and banking all my wage. Its bloody hard and we dont have a life atm.... and the only thing that keeps us working like robots is our goal, so each day we drag ourselves out of bed and do it all over again..... day in day out. Our plan is to try and save $70,000-$100,000 (aust) before we leave which is doable and if it takes a bit longer to get to this goal then so be it. We have built a shed up the back yard to store all our furniture in as we priced self storage and for the cost over the period we could build the shed and have an extra asset at the end. The plan is to rent the house out which should cover the mortgage with all the furniture packed in the shed. If tenants / anyone wants to break into the shed while we are away and carry a flat screen or leather lounge down the yard then good luck to them..... plus its insured anyway. Everything else should work out...... we hope!!!!
If possible it would be good to try and get some work while moving around but I dont know how successful that will end up, with Visa's etc. Other than that we simply have to watch our money while we are away and try and budget to keep things going. That's the idea and while many around us have said it cant be done, what we say to them is #$@%!
David & Em

Good luck to you both!
With your skills (construction) I'm betting you'll be able to find work in many areas you travel. I only really know Latin America well and can tell you ... they need BIG TIME help in the trades. Plumbing? Not a clue. Electrical? Nearly as bad.
Structural? Better but spotty. They are pretty good at concrete, floors, tile, brick masonry, steps but horrible at most things in terms of legit, safe construction practices.

In Mexico I was traveling with an Electrician friend. He is maintenance supervisor in a US Govt 30 story hi-rise, so serious skills beyond electrician. His office building houses FBI and IRS, plus the Federal Court. So everything works.

At one motel in Mexico the owner had serious electrical trouble. My buddy offered to help ... and once the owner realized what he could do ... we never paid for a room or a meal or drinks!

We drank LOADS of his Tequila. (my head still hurts) The Rat's nest of horrible and dangerous wiring was really scary. My friend Patrick was able to sort most it out in about a week, working 4 or 5 hours a day. By the time we left the guy was gob smacked. Everything worked. Stuff that hadn't worked in 10 years was working again. No blown breakers, no smoke, no fire. Biggest problem is getting proper parts.

I don't know your speciality ... hopefully you can do a bit of everything. Everything is what they need. They won't pay much compared to Oz or USA, but I'm betting you can do pretty well if you find the right client. There are people with money ... and often times they just cannot find skilled tradesman ... at all. You will be stunned by the down right shoddy work everywhere. If you have true skills ... you will never starve, that is certain.

Stop smoking, drink less, spend less, don't doubt your saving potential.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

I've mentioned this before ... but bares repeating:
A good way to save money is to settle in one place for a while. Moving costs money. FUEL, Expensive hotels and un tried restaurants. Keeping the bike fit during constant moving can also take it's toll.

If you find a really nice place to stay for a while, you can save loads of money, possibly could give time for maintenance, waiting for packages or just resting and recovering.

I lived in several places during travels in Latin America. Mostly Guatemala. Very cheap to rent a house, super cheap to live. Same with El Salvador, Peru', Bolivia, Argentina. Great for working on language skills too.

Getting off the gas and settling for a bit can really stop the financial Fire Hose and help extend your trip ... IF YOU HAVE THE TIME. But most set a firm time limit ... miss a lot as they ZOOM by ... and never learn a thing.

Like they said, pack it in, sell everything, travel cheap and GO.

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Greg "WANDRR" Turp
2WANDRRs.com

No need to sell everything. In fact you may even make some money if you did it right.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Probably hard to do if you are young and have nothing to sell (material possessions or job skills) anyway, but one of the advantages of doing the conventional stodgy path through life until the career has lost its shine and the kids have flown the nest, and then doing the travel bit is you might have a house that can be rented out and a self-funded pension that actually increases in value while you are on the road.

No one path that is optimum for all.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Just thought I'd chime in on this for some inspiration that I like. It's a quote from Sterling Hayden, writing about setting sail to explore the seas, but it seems just as applicable to a long overland ride/drive:

“To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea... "cruising" it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.

"I've always wanted to sail to the south seas, but I can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.

What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all - in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.

Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life? ”
― Sterling Hayden, Wanderer

Summary: Just go for it.

I'm all for going and finding out how far you get but the first sections is total wank IMHO.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

I agree.

I cant stand these hypothetical crap postings about how you can go and "just do it"

Its all rubbish. Would prefer to see practical info rather than pie in the sky bullshit.