The Life of TRAVEL demands SACRIFICE.

“And like any other dream, the life of travel demands sacrifice.”

To travel you have to have two things, the money and the time and while most of us want this life we always end up having one and not the other.
I’ve met people and friends say they wish they had my life, but often I want to tell them how it’s not their shoe fit if they can’t stay a weekend in when their favorite joint is hosting their favorite artist.

It’s not even easy to say am a travel blogger with dreams so big as picking a souvenir off each of the 195 UN Countries while am still in my diapers in this process and If you are anything like me, writing all those year goals down that include doubling your income but still stuck to the same single job taking away your sanity then travel seems like a farfetched dream. There are only two ways to double income, get another job or cut down your expenses and if you are dedicated to making that dreamy location work then you have to give something up.

So you want to travel? Let’s make the Sacrifices.

Am here to give you the truth today, perhaps burst your bubble. Travel is not about being rich, having achieved all those life goals and now just sailing away to see the world. The truth is most travellers and travel bloggers are people with a deep craving to see the world and that’s all you need. We are people living from a suitcase with just a loft somewhere to call home. We are broke people, not broke in the sense that we don’t have money to live but broke by how we live. You have to make all these simple sacrifices while overlooking all the major achievements at least by a normal persons standards and it has to start by living a simple life which is the greatest deal unless you are a multimillionaire with a dependable full-time income, A Millennial will say “People whose money is working for them.” ~~It’s NOT LUCK its THE SACRIFICES~~

Downgrade your apartment.

A well-furnished big house, flaunting two floors double bedrooms in a quiet leafy neighborhood is so appealing, or getting down to even simpler living in a two bedroom house when it’s just you and your soul in all that space. Imagine what reduced space would do to your rent costs; you’d still have all the necessities, same comfort and even a bit less of feeling emptiness in all that space. It could buy you a ticket to some place and even cater for your accommodation in a new location instead.

Skipping Events and Sleeping in on Weekends.

Your favorite hangout spot is having your favorite artist over and the entry ticket is double price, the drinks will be hiked, the normal rate foods will not be available and you have to dig in deeper for an expensive plate of food, a few drinks and to just see the artist. If you can sleep in on such a weekend then you have passed the self-control test. Plan to hang out more with friends indoors, have cook outs at their or your place and avoid spending all your weekends out screaming when you’ll have your voice hoarse on Monday anyway.

Window shop with an empty wallet.

Every girl loves fashion and has some beauty routine whether it’s the shoes, clothes, jewelry, bags or even make up. There’s just something that tickles you a bit. Impulse buying is our worst habit and looking the other way when you suddenly identify this killer piece that would fit in perfectly and you’ve already figured it in your head how you’ll turn heads is the hardest choice to make. Just walk away.
99% of the time in a normal day I don’t walk with my Credit card/ATM cards and I’ve gotten used to even getting hungry but I have to go back home because I don’t have any money on me.

Indoor dinners and hang outs

“Home is where the heart is” and if there’s something that can match up to a delicious home cooked meal then it’s the comfort and convenience. Train yourself to eat home more, to try new recipes, to have friends come over just to have that coffee date and it will save your coins. Am talking about those nice urban eateries with a menu full of names you can’t pronounce, take outs and coffee. We can let the fast food joints at lunch pass on this but if you are more dedicated work that out for a minimum 220 working days a year.

Stay away from online shops and deliveries.

If there’s something that screams impulse consumption; it’s the online shops. You are clearly on your phone minding other people’s businesses online then you come across this unique piece you haven’t come across elsewhere, or suddenly this item you wanted so badly last year but couldn’t afford is on half discounted price and as much as you really don’t need it anymore the temptation is so high to click the buy button. Let whatever you look to purchase online be something you can’t live without.

Giving up Comfort at the point of departure.

I wanted to make this my last point because I don’t want to perhaps hurt your feelings. But let’s face it, if you are a soul craving travel; comfort is a zone you have to step out of. Be ready to drench in pouring rain, swell from random bites and allergies, sleep in random hostels ,eat tasteless food, give up your culture and be drawn into new culture shock , Basically Drop your routine and let in this whole new person come into existence. I will not even bore you with the safety standards of losing everything you own in a city whose language you can’t speak. It’s thrilling.

TRAVEL MORE BUY LESS

It’s not about the shopping spree we see on those instagram models that makes travel worthwhile but it’s the experience you take in, the feeling and memories, the connection you have with a place and the whole new meaning out of the interactions. Budget travel is not an easy road unlike the luxurious vacation travel once or twice a year. But with great determination, desire, dedication a vision and the will to step out and explore it is worth every penny.

~~ALSO:~~

Sharing costs: – Rent, utilities and even groceries especially if you are good at connecting with people, getting a housemate would really do you some coin saving.
Take the bus: – If you have a car, just roughly in your head how much fuel do you use per day and what are your parking charges per month, add that up and tell me why you say you can’t afford a return flight ticket and a two nights paid accommodation down at the ocean facing white hotels.