So someone has bought up the subject . . . . what happens when you get home. That was a real problem for us. We could not settle down and that is why we decided to sell the house to finance the 2nd journey. Not sure how long you have to be on the road before you get totally sick of it but I know that it happens. Read Peter and Kay Forwoods latest story on this web site.
It is harder to fit back into society than it is to find the money to travel. Well thats what we found. Perhaps it is easier to fit back in if you are younger than we are!
Do be prepared for a long time feeling unsettled and 'lost'.

i bought my house just five years ago ,in that time it has almost tripled in value ! ! ! i have also been saving for my big trip for about three years now ,so in about two years time i will stop work ,rent out my house and hit the road for a few years . i was just VERY LUCKY to buy at the same time as the biggest property boom in uk history was just around the corner .

What about the young people without any house to sell, are we reduced to stealing old womens handbags at their way out from the bank office ehn?
l say so but l usually earn money working, living cheap & making buy/sell deals with bikes on spare time,
though l'll need much time before leaving for a RTW,,,l guess the housing enables you faster for it,
maybe the stock market is an option for the
well knower, anyone good on that?
One other thought, if each member of the horizons unlimited would give a let's say 30€ monthly for a jackpot, then one could ride away as winner each month ! great no?
Only l don't wish to be the winner n° 999 of 1000!

Regards

Matt
France

The comment from Simon about how much an American's car was worth made me chuckle. I know plenty of people here driving new cars and wondering how on earth I can afford to take a year off and travel. Meanwhile, they are spending several hundred dollars a month on their cars which will ultimately devalue to nothing.

I think, like anything in life, its a matter of priorities. If you really want to live this "lifestyle", you will find a way to do it. Work out a budget and stick to it. If it takes you 5 years and working three jobs to fulfill your dream, so be it. Like anything, if you don't set a goal, you chances of achieving it will be zero.

I decided two years ago that I wanted to travel for a year. Asia was high on my list because it was cheap and exotic. I set a budget for the trip and looked at what I could save and figured I could leave in two years. Most importantly, I set a date for departure. In the last year and a half I have kept track of every dollar I have spent and tracked my budget monthly. I have been very tight with my money and I have saved, saved, saved. I am on track to leave in 4 months, just as I planned a year and a half ago.

Setting a date of departure and telling all your friends and family you are leaving on this date is probably the best way to keep your budget and your trip on track.

-Dave

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Dave McMillan
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/mcmillan/

Regarding Matt's message i want to add:

I am on your team man, and let me tell you, it can be done without having all the money beforehand, just a bit fot the start and then just let it flow.
I did it for almost 5 years. You just need time to stop for work here and there, try to work in rich countries and spend your dough in the cheap ones.
There is always underthetable jobs for those willing to, hospitality industry is good, barman or chef for instance, as well as many other jobs that can be done pretty much anywhere. If you are unafraid and not picky about entry level jobs you can do it, and it is a lot of fun.
It takes time though, but... why hurry? and mostly, why worry?
cheers
juan

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Life is good!

we scrimped and saved and borrowed to buy a house that more than doubled in 10 years.the house was to be sold - and still will - to fund the trip but then not a course of action I would reccomend, but if you get taken out by a myopic car driver and break enough bones or other parts and - yipee for the compensation culture.now we'll be able to do the rtw trip at an enjoyable time scale and sooner than anticipated.
so what if one legs shorter than the other - i'll just have to remember to put the long one down when i stop!

You could always do it with a sidecar!!!LOL

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"Crashing's just proof that you're trying"

I am 52 yrs old and just returned from 6 months in south east Asia, I lived in cheap accommodations, i ate from local markets. I am home now . yesterday i had o decide whether i should pay 20 bucks for a pizza and what went with it. i could last for two days in asia on that 20bucks. so before you go think aobut what you spend a home. go to the supermarked and get your things, dont spend on takeaways think everyday how you can save to go away. That night you want to go out and party. you will spend a 100 dollars. Thats a weeks accomodation when you are away.

I funded myself on the stock market. i would try to find an internet shop somewhere somehow, even in sumatra and laos i made my trades. I did not get greedy just tried to eke out 300 or 400 at a time which might last me two weeks.
trying to be frugal and careful at home sets you up for when you are away.I plan on riding argentina to alaska soon. so now at home that is in my process. no pizza....I bought a bbq chicken for 8 dollars and some fruit and vegetable and bread and salad. tha cost 20 bucks and lasted me for 3 days.

My $0.02 is that once you've gone through the initial (big) expense of kitting yourself out (camping gear, cooking gear, proper clothes, bike, mods etc), it's not difficult to live rather inexpensively in places other than Europe/North America.

If you choose wisely where you go and what you do, even modest savings can get you a long way. For instance (speaking completely theoretically here) planning a lot of mileage in Turkey where petrol is so expensive is not financially wise...

Alexandros

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2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

The way I afford it is fairly simple : priorities.

Travel for me is a passion. It is where I spend my money. I don't upgrade to the newest electronics when they come out. I drive a 10 year old car which is the only car I have ever owned. I don't go out on weekends and drop $100 at a bar. It is all about choices. Take a look at what you do vs. what you really want and make some decisions from there.

As far as HOW I am able to travel and then get back into the workforce....well, I contract. I work for months at a time and position myself so that I can always have the option of picking up a new contract. I work in financial analysis, so there is generally always work.

My next trip is going to be a UK to Cape Town trip for about 3 months. I have a contract that is ending June 24th and I plan on pushing off for this trip on July 15. I have a network of contacts and utilize that to grab work when I come back.

Plain and simple, that's how I do it.

I don't think that I have replied to this thread, but if I did it would read something like this, well put Jpyrek.

ps if you can run to 4 or 5 months for that UK to Cape Town trip it will more relaxed but you should make it in 3.

I just thought I'd throw an idea at you as I know it's hard finding a job, quiting, saving money and going round and round.

For the last three years I have been driving a coach around Europe for 6 months of the year. I can save plenty as I've no expenses almost (no car, no rent, food and accommodation is paid, etc.)

If you don't want to drive but you'd love to be a tour guide, well it's in the same industry but I'll talk mainly about driving coaches here.

It's my choice when I go back to work and when I end. Basically, every tour I do is a contract. It's been guaranteed work and money saving and the job is interesting, I meet lots of people and drive all around Europe.
Driving a coach up and down the same road every day wouldn't be for me but it's quite interesting when you're on tour for from 2 to 7 weeks.
It's not practical if you are in a relationship as you'll be away all the time (although this depends on the company - there are many that do day tours).

What does it take? Get a driving license to drive a bus! I took about 13 hours of lessons and passed my test first time.

Some companies DO hire drivers with little or no experience driving coaches. How? They either start you off in a smaller vehicle - like a 16-seater or like where I work, Topdeck Travel, they train you to drive as they need you to drive - safely and knowledgably and train you on the routes.

There are many other companies you will find if you dig in the internet.
There's Topdeck, Contiki, Tucan and a plethora of oher companies. Topdeck and Contiki are for young passengers (18 to 30-something) so if that's not your bag you can look at any other company.

The company I'm with is based in London, however, as a driver, I stay on the mainland, in a quiet town in Holland between tours for a couple of days, which suits me fine.

Funnily, I'm posting on here because I am a biker and in fact, most of the other drivers also ride, so I think this may appeal to many of you.
If it sounds appealing, get your license. There are many companies, believe it or not, are regularly in need of drivers. For some you can work year round, usually with about 2/3 or less work over the winter but that's when you'll be on your bike anyway.

Driving is a professional job and no surprise, professionalism is part of it.
I enjoy my job, it can be hard work but I like it and it's interesting.
Tell me what you think and if you have questions message me or post your reply.

With who I work for, driving in Europe, you need to be an EU citizen and have the EU driving license.

Happy searching!

what an excellent topic!
very timely for me as I'm planning my RTW trip...

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R90S, R80G/S PD

Work hard, save and dont waste the money. Traveling and living in a tent can also be cheaper as to live in Europa

http://www.adventure-travel-experien...en_transafrika

Tobi

“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