Im now on the last day of my 7 month South American venture. Im sitting in an apartment in Bogota waiting to book my cab to the airport...

I started in England with just my bike and ZERO money..

Now I owe £12,000 to the bank !!

I couldnt wait to save the cash so I borrowed it.... Do I regret it ???

Nope, not at all. Its been worth every single penny.

I now have 2 months of debt clearing ahead of me while I plan my next trip. If your sensible with borrowing money, then its not a bad idea. Learn about credit card shuffling and how to get cheap loans.. Just never borrow more than you can comfortably afford to pay back (even if its working in a bar at weekends)

The way I see it, you could be hit by a bus tomorrow or diagnosed with a terminal illness..

In the words of Bonjovi: "Ill live when im alive, Ill sleep when im dead"

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

Hey,
I'm funding my RTW with the skills I picked up in the Army and some say it's quite extreme but it's working...... so far!
I'm doing 'Private Security' in Iraq for various agencies and being paid a princley sum per month which will enable me to have the money required for the trip in no time. I'm finishing in Sept with a $100K in my account after 8 months. Not everyones cup of tea but I suppose it depends on how badly you want the trip of a lifetime. Keeping your life and bodyparts helps too but hey!... I could fall off the bike on the first day and 'Exit stage left..!'

__________________
Geoffshing

'Security is a product of one's own imagination, it does not exist in nature as a rule, life is either a daring adventure or nothing.'

Impressive, Geoffshing! If I had a security background I'd try Iraq as well.

For anybody: sell your car in West Africa with a profit. Bring back some Dogon masks or diamonds and sell back home. Trade anything that is small to take along, but produces big margins. Publish a press article. Get sponsorship from your local travel agent / expedition shop.

Most important: don't mix with backpackers or villagers. Stay in the lobbies of the best hotels and wait for the lucky contact.

A RTW-trip is the best university one can attend.

im kind of in the same boat as Geoff...im working in Iraq till September 2009 then coming home and starting my travels with hopefully 100k in savings. of course i gotta spend lots of time with the family cuz ive been over here 2 years so far with one more to go.

that's how i hope to pay for it all...3 years in the desert saving money. i have no debt from credit cards, loans, or vehicles, they are all paid. i will have my house paid off next month. i dont plan on selling all that when i go just in case something happens and i have to come home early or anything. plus if i dont find a place id like to settle down more then i'll just go home.

obviously im not gonna spend anywhere close to my savings in a year or two but if i do feel like i am spending too much and want a job i dont think it will be too hard since i work with computers. im traveling to central/south america and will learn spanish before i go, ive already started. computers are universal so it wont be much of a change, just different language.

my only real advice to add, which has already said im sure since i didnt read everything, is that do what you can while you can. there will come that day when you get too old or limited physically where you cant do it anymore. the last thing you want on your mind as your growing old is what you should have done and how you missed out. plus you'll have plenty of stories to tell the kids and grand kids....

Well I've managed to do it!
I've got the required money in the bank and my last salary being paid in soon and that's me out of Iraq in the morning!! Not quite the amount I was looking for but have $50K (and $20K back-up) and a month to do the final prep and visas before heading off into the sun with the bike!! Whey-Hey!
I know to some people it sounds bad of me saying I only have that much but as the thread initally asked 'How do you afford it?' IMHO it comes down to how much do you really want it? I really wanted it and even risked my life to pay for it.
Extreme..? Yes, I now hope it was all worth it. On the travels I'll be thinking of ways to pay for the next trip without having to go back to the desert!

(Afplayboy....... keep your head down, powder dry and run fast!)

__________________
Geoffshing

'Security is a product of one's own imagination, it does not exist in nature as a rule, life is either a daring adventure or nothing.'

I've had a change of heart about borrowing money....

DONT DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I borrowed £7,000 for my trip which I took out as a 5 year personal loan. I also managed to use £5,000 on my credit card (£2500 just for Antartica etc)..

I really really wish that I didnt have this debt hanging over me. The loan payments are not a financial issue to me as long as I have a job, but THAT'S WHAT I HATE !!!

I don't have the financial freedom to just leave on another trip or tell my boss to screw himself. Im now a total prisoner to my direct debits and will be for a few years.

I really really urge people to save, sell, skrimp and steal rather than borrow a large amount of money which can take years to pay back. There is nothing worse than coming back home with a huge sense of freedom and adventure and being even more trapped and than you were before you left.

I met many people on the road who borrowed money like me. Now we're all home, we all feel the same way.

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

i am in the process of selling my house , and going off on a trip lasting anything from six months to a year , i hated the thought of coming home to a huge credit card bill , so i looked into getting a prepaid card , it seem,s that all you do is pay the money up front , and then you can use it just like an ordinary credit card , so no monthly direct debits to deal with , and no ever increasing interest payments to deal with either , and you can keep track of what you are spending . more info here Compare prepaid credit card fees online. Which prepaid cards

I am taking the same route that a few others have mentioned on saving up money.

Working in Iraq. I just finished up one stint that allowed me to pay off all debt from college. My next stint will be my savings for the trip I am planning. I estimate to have about 100k US saved up after having my bike purchased and prepped for the trip and all the travel gear I need.

My question is about work. I really don't plan on limiting myself b/c of a lack of money. I want to enjoy myself while I'm young and have no obligations. I like to drink, I like to eat good food, and I like adventure. That's what the trip is about.

I am a licensed engineer back in the states and figure that I can do some consulting or technical work abroad if I need more money. Does anyone here have any suggestions on where to look for engineering jobs abroad?

__________________
West Virginia University 2006
Beta Theta Pi - Beta Psi
Ride Report: TAT...and Beyond

It appears spending months/years of your life getting shot at is the best way to save money!

That is at least 6 of us who have spent varying amounts of time in Iraq. I spent 10 months there is two stints, and saved enough to facilitate the next couple of years travelling. No food costs, no boozing costs, no rent, and nothing to do, good recipe for saving money!

Get that one way flight to Baghdad booked!

Joel

Yeah - the U.S. wanted to save money on the military, got rid of all but the "fighting man" (or woman), and the rest are contractors, paid for at way over-inflated prices by the U.S. taxpayer (me).

I want to scream whenever I read one of these - I'll be paying for your trip, and all the other contractors trips - for a long time.

__________________
quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

No need for screaming.

I've also paid extortionate amounts of tax in my career, and feel I have earned the money. I've taken very little from my country, and think I have given quite a lot back.

The money is there for anyone who is willing to go and get it. I don't set the wages, besdes, anyone who would go out there for pennies needs their head examining (imo).

Should anyone who has been in the employment of any government be denied the right to spend their hard earned cash in the best way they see fit, just because of its origin? Where does that stop, can civil servants or regular soldiers spend it how they see fit? Can binmen and local councillers?

I also worked for the Brits, so no Yank tax dollars have directly funded my trips, if that is any consolation.

Joel

I do enjoy your little rants !!!

Hows the road treating you in deapest darkest Africa ??

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

I'm a new member and I hate to be negative with my first post, but I honestly can't see any other way to be.

Having read the bulk of this thread it appears that adventure motorcycling is a relatively exclusive activity. If you're not able to finance yourself by selling property you own, and you have no vocational qualification or skill to aid you in working whilst on the move, most of the advice in this thread is useless.

Granted, a few people here do write accounts of scrimping, saving and working all the hours God sends in an effort to pay for a trip, but they are notably in the minority.

The irony seems to be that adventure motorcyling is so often viewed and portrayed as an escape for the free-spirited who care neither for wealth or commercialism, yet from what I've read here the reality seems to be that you need to be in a position of relative privalege to be able to make that choice to become free-spirited and care neither for wealth or commercialism.

Again, I hate to be negative, but this thread has put me off the idea of adventure motorcyling being anything more than a 2 week holiday-level experience.

If however anyone who doesn't own their own house, doesn't have independant financial means, and doesn't have a BA or an IT qualification wishes to offer me a tale of how they managed to travel at length on two wheels, I'm all ears.

You make a very valid point... But I think what you say are the "Minority" are in fact the majority. It's not the rich and famous fluttering around on their jollies. Those people are about but they're easy to spot on their rediculous £20,000 bikes and touratech vulgarity.

Once you actually get out of the "Travel meeting" circuit, you will find the vast majority of bikers you meet outside of the "two week holiday" category are all broke and on old bikes with second hand gear.

Many people who travel have assets to sell or come into money some other way. And there are those who sell everything they own.

Still, I don't think that makes them privilaged. Gaining assets and saving money has taken most travellers YEARS AND YEARS.. They've just chosen to spend their years of hard savings on travelling and not a new car or conservatory.

I'm in the scrimp and save category. I've also taken out loans and sufferered to pay them back. I've had very low times between trips just to fund them. I've also been lucky and had a few grand gifted to me by family. It's a mixture. I've never ever had cash in my bank account for long. I have none now. But I always seem to be going somewhere to doing something. Because I don't waste money on SHIT.

But I stress this.. If you want it enough, you will make it happen... You don't need an expensive bike. You don't need fancy riding suits made from Whale foreskin, folding camping chairs and you certainly don't need to be air freighting your bike to far away continents.

With as little as £2000-£3000 you can have yourself a good second hand bike, effective riding gear and equipment and spend a good couple of months on the road. You can even do it for less.

You can couchsurf, do help exhange (No skills required), or wild camp all over the world. You can eat for £3 a day EASILY if you have to.

I don't know anything about you but I'ts probable that you have loads of gear hanging around that you could sell. You could cancel a expensive mobile phone contract, flog the flat screen telly and make your own home brew instead of going the pub.

There is A LOT someone can do.. You're giving up too easy. Or maybe you just don't want it enough to make it happen. And that's fine too. Just don't make out it's only the deep pocketed upper class with good jobs and educations who can do it. Because that my friend is Bul**hit...

I made a thread a few years ago about how to live super cheap, cut costs and save money to travel. See if you can find it. There were some great ideas.

Don't give up.. Just adjust your mindset.

Ted

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

Eddie,
There are ways to make it happen. But as Ted has illustrated, it takes work
and time. Unless you have a wealthy back ground and support from same, then nothing will happen instantly.

Surly you have some skills? Did you ever go to school? Ever had a job? Doing what? Any special training of any kind? Did you work in those areas?

Some or ALL of those skills could mean you have something to offer when traveling. Speak any languages? This too is a useful skill. (teaching English, which I did in El Salvador and Guatemala)

At 21,left my job as a waiter in a restaurant with meager savings in hand, took off for Mexico. Traveled with friends at first in a camper with old Jawa 350 on the bumper. Many sacrifices to make this happen.

My buddy gave me the Jawa in Guatemala, I continued on from there. Ended up buying local hand woven goods from local Indians, exporting to USA, selling it off. This worked out well, financed three additional trips into Central and South America, mostly without a bike, but did involve bikes from time to time.

Ended up living in Guatemala, costing about $100 USD a month, all up. Eventually made it to Argentina (after a year on the road) and got a job with US govt. Antarctic research program, then spent next 3 years there and in Argentina ... getting paid more money than I'd ever dreamed of.

So after 7 years on the road, returned to USA, went back to school and eventually found work. Now I take shorter bike trips, sometimes tied in with work, sometimes on my own or with friends.

So far: All of Mex, cent. America, S. America, bits of Africa, EU, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam ... lots more to go.

I drive a 20 year old JUNK heap of a car (I mostly ride), no fancy phone
(use TracFone ... about $10/month), live on fixed income. (low)

You do make a good point: the commercialization of the ADV scene is dominant, it's what most of the public sees.

The big rallies, the big web sites features rich guys on $30,000 bikes or couples in $300,000 UNI Mogs. So YES ... there is that element. But as Ted points out ... once you get out on the road you'll find more real, down to earth travelers just scraping by, and living on a budget. The HI end guys do just as you state .... it's a high end two week holiday for most, or a package tour to some "Exotic" local. Ignore them, focus on your goals and do whatever it takes to reach them.