5 ways to support your travel addiction

5 ways to support your travel addiction

There was a time not that long ago when all the traveling that was ever done was only done by a select few. Outdoor travel started out as a way for the rich displayed their wealth. The middle class eventually traveled for the purpose of camping and for outdoor expreinces. However, unless they were going on their honeymoon in the wilderness or traveling somewhere for business, the most traveling they were ever going to done was done in their head. It just wasn’t financial feasible for them to do more than that. All of that has changed in recent years.

Modern travel deals and the sharing economy have made extended travel available for nearly everyone. If you happen to be one of those people who just can’t seem to shake the outdoor travel bug, then here are five realistic ways to get you into the outdoors of foreign areas.

1. Start Saving

The Huffington Post recommends that you set some travel savings goals and a plan to make your travel adventures happen. If you’re saving for a longer trip - say six months or so - you’ll want to sock away enough money to support yourself during that time. HuffPost also points out that extended travel plans may appear to cost a lot.

However, as the article points out, if you live in an expensive place like New York or San Fransisco, your living expenses while traveling may be significantly less. In this case, it’s often necessary to change your mindset. Many people travel to places like Europe, Australia, or New Zealand. All are fine destinations, but they also happen to be some of the more spendy places to visit. However, visiting locations in Central or South America, Africa, and China cost you less. For example, the cost of housing in Ecuador is 70% less than it is in the U.S. The difference in cost means your money goes farther.

2. Save on Flights

An article on the Nomadic Matt website tells would-be outdoor travelers to work on getting cheap or even free flights. Much of the time, this can be accomplished by looking online for travel deals. You can also earn travel points toward free flights if your credit card company offers travel rewards. Some companies even offer free hotel points. In this case, it pays to use your card for all your normal expenses so that you can get free flights.

3. Get Hired for Local Jobs

What do jobs like camp counseling, ropes course director, or diving have in common? They’re just some of the jobs that you can get if you want to working outdoors. People who take these jobs get to live like the locals and earn money at the same time. In fact, avoiding tourist areas and cooking at home have been touted as some of the best ways to travel on the cheap. Working locally encourages you to do that.

4. Finding Work

Some travelers feel okay with just taking off and traveling for a couple of months at a time. Others feel more secure if they have some sort of work lined up like being English teachers or MCAT tutors. According to The Thrillist, taking a working holiday like this is an excellent way to go. It’s also one of the easiest to pull off. If you have an Internet connection and the skills to teach, this type of job could be your ticket to bigger horizons.

5. Housesitting and Other Free Accommodations

The 21st century is all about the sharing economy. If you’ve ever used services like Zipcar, then you’re familiar with the idea of using an item only when you need it. That’s the essence of the sharing economy. If you land yourself a housesitting gig, in some respects, you’re taking advantage of the sharing economy. You get a free place to stay, and possibly even some money, for watching someone’s house. Other ways you can take advantage of the sharing economy is to use services like Airbnb, Zipcar, CouchSurfing, or EatWith.

Final Thoughts on Traveling on the Cheap

If you’re addicted to travel, it’s likely that your wanderlust won’t go away anytime soon. Instead of fighting it, why not make some plans to make it happen? With rewards programs like free airline flights, services like Airbnb, and opportunities to work abroad, extended traveling can be within your grasp. The best thing you can do is to start making plans and saving up. After all, there’s a whole big world out there, just waiting to be explored. It might as well be you who explores it.