“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao Tzu
For me, there’s really no such thing as “traveling for free” contrary to what those popular travel bloggers advertise, for me this is a total BS. I have traveled and lived in other countries for 4 years and of course, I have to spend some money. There’s really nothing for free. Let say, if you hitchhike and someone gave you a ride, you thought that was free. When actually, that person who drives the vehicle works hard every day to pay for the gas. That person could be really just helping you out, or perhaps he/she was also interested in hearing your story. Because you don’t just sit there and not talk. In exchange for the ride, share your story and perhaps inspire them as to why you chose this lifestyle or why are you traveling this way.
Having the right mindset is the first thing. Traveling with less money requires big courage. The courage to let go of the things that you are used to and embrace discomfort. Getting out of the comfort zone is probably the hardest thing to do, but only through this way that you will grow as a person.
When you already have the right mindset to travel long-term, then you have to have some money to start, which I have discussed in my previous post:
How To Have that Money You Need to Travel The World Without Dealing Drugs or Selling Your Soul
You don’t need to be rich or to have a lot of money to start with, but you need to be prepared. That backup money in your savings will somehow reduce the anxiety of not having a job anymore or the uncertainties on the road. That start money will also get you going from A - B. Slow travel is the cheapest way, and it affords you to have meaningful experiences with the local people and fellow travelers.
To make every penny count and to reduce your expenses while you travel, below are the surefire ways that will enable you to slowly travel and spend less.
Stay with the locals through - Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing changed the way people travel. It is a community where travelers get to stay for free or be hosted by the locals. You get to create your profile, build a reputation through the feedback system and participate in the local events. You can also choose to host travelers coming to your country if you are interested in meeting like-minded people and showing them your culture. By far, this is the best way to travel as it’s not only about getting free accommodation, it’s also about getting to know the local people, building new friendships and immersing yourself in the local culture. These authentic experiences you won’t really get when you stay in a hotel. It’s also an exchange, like you can cook for your host your local dish, offer to help out around the house or practice language. It can also be just as simple as sharing your stories.
I’ve been a couchsurfer for 7 years and it was one of the reasons why I got motivated to travel even with less money. I have always been couchsurfing everywhere I traveled to, and I can say that I had 99% good experiences. I was also hosting and meeting people through couchsurfing before I even started traveling. Through this community, I’ve met really good people from all over the world who are still my friends until now.
Volunteer through - Workaway
This is where you can look for a host or a community looking for volunteers. It can be an alternative community embracing a sustainable lifestyle, coffee farms, hostels, families looking for language exchange etc. The hosts will usually provide free accommodation and sometimes even meals too depending on the agreement, and in exchange for 4-5 hours of work a day. This is a great deal which will save you a lot of money and lets you stay in a place for a long time while learning new skills. This is the best way to travel slowly and get to know the culture and the local people better. Workaway also lets you meet fellow volunteers from all over the world, breaking down the barriers and stereotypes.
I’ve done workaway in South America, mostly with permaculture farms or communities living the alternative lifestyle. That time, I was trying to learn more about gardening, alternative lifestyle or permaculture which I could probably do when I go back to my country. Workaway also changed the way I travel. I have nothing but memorable experiences from this amazing community.
Hitchhiking
Now that you have free accommodation, one of the big expenses is transportation. Hitchhiking has this bad reputation and is often only associated with the hippie travelers and such. When in fact, hitchhiking has always been popular back in Jack Kerouac’s days, and his “ beat generation”. It’s one way to get to destinations without spending money and is quite common or relatively safe in some parts of the world like Europe, North America, and New Zealand.
If you are mentally and physically prepared enough for this, then you should be able to hitchhike without any problems. By just being aware, trusting your instincts and using your best judgment hitchhiking can be safe and fun. It also lets you meet great people on the road.
I have hitchhiked around South America, which is probably for most people, the worst part of the world for hitchhiking. This is not true. Chile, Uruguay and Argentina are the most developed countries in South America and hitchhiking is pretty common especially for local travelers. Most people have helped me here and they have become my good friends. If you are lucky, they will sometimes offer you to stay in their homes with their families or friends as some of them are just excited to meet people from other countries or they just want to show you their culture. I have a lot of good memories and funny experiences with hitchhiking which I'll tell in my upcoming posts.
There are still many other ways to minimize the cost of traveling but these are just the top 3 to get you going. I can say this for sure as I have proven it from my experiences. The world is big for a reason, and surely you have a lifetime to explore the places. With people yet to be met and new things yet to be experienced. But the best time is now because life is really short. Nothing’s really stopping you, so just go and see the world and finally make your dream a reality. The key to getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.
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Why Having Less Money Should Not Stop People From Traveling the World - Based on My Experience