Future Travelers: 3 Ways to Afford Traveling

As someone who’s loved traveling from a young age (doing some serious backpacking at the age of 14), I’ve always wondered what it really takes to live a traveling lifestyle. Nowadays, faced with the expenses and worries of adult life, I’ve researched and scoured the internet so you don’t have to.

Creative travel blogger Derek Earl has taken the time to brainstorm ways in which you can make money while traveling. Being short of cash some time during your trip is certainly high up in the list of worst thing to happen to you while traveling. But there’s no need to fret! “42 Ways You Can Make Money and Travel the World” has you covered. Just one thing to take into account: creativity is paramount. There’s no one-size-fits-all magic formula for this. As Derek says in his article, these are 42 of the many ways in which you can make money to travel. Just pick your strengths and roll with what you have.

Found on https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsol/12478583864/

“How we afford to travel (& how you can too)” by Jen Avery is a real step-by-step tale on how a couple managed to achieve the ever so desired travel lifestyle. From selling all their possessions to doing web-based freelance work, these are a few (some might consider) sacrifices they made to get to that ultimate goal. This tell-all article emphasizes the fact that first and foremost, traveling must be your top priority. With this in mind, saving up beforehand won’t be as much of a hassle. As much as saving up before you travel is a must, saving money while traveling is also paramount. Nowadays, there are apps and well-known best practices to seek for cheaper alternatives to the ever-so-expensive hotels and tours. What about a boat rental or a tour by a local? These decisions may not only save you some dosh, but will definitely give you new experiences and most important of all: interesting stories to write about.

Based on these articles, here are my recommendations on how to afford traveling:

• Make money on-the-go - make sure to have many strings to your bow. This way, you’ll be able to have different sources of income  wherever you are in the world.

• Simple: Save up! - Create an action plan for the road. Are you going to wait for cheaper flights? What about making the most of free events around town? Take advantage of the resources you have at the tip of your fingers, such airbnb or flight alert apps.

• Make traveling your priority, no excuses - No tips or tricks will work for you if you’re not totally committed to it. Set your goal. Where do you want to travel to and for how long? Do your research and start creating the ultimate travel masterpiece.

So go forth and launch yourself into your next adventure. And remember, It is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.

Erin Ross is an English teacher in Colombia, who's passionate about traveling and photography. You can connect with Erin on her Twitter @erinsstoriess and on Instagram @erinsstories