*I’m often asked how I can afford travel and in a 3 part series, I’ll try to cover this. However, those that travel know that there is no big secret to being able to travel for months at a time. You just have to get up and do it. So the list begins with:

1. Focus on doing, not on owning
2. Be Flexible
3. Think Travel, Not Vacation

In October of last year, I took a vacation to San Juan, Puerto Rico for 3 days. Six months later, I traveled to Salvador, Brazil for 3 weeks. Which trip would you think cost me more?

Nobody would guess that the three days in Puerto Rico cost me more, but it did. How is this possible? The difference was my thinking. When I was in Puerto Rico, I was on vacation so I splurged. I was still working full time and felt that I deserved a break (this is the sneaky cycle I was talking about before).

My first trip to Brazil was a few weeks after I quit my job. I had tons of time and I was able to focus on learning about Salvador, talking with people and just soaking in the culture. Here are some of the benefits of doing it this way.

Housing: In Brazil, I  was able to rent a really nice apartment that cost me less than staying in a hotel for 4 days. If you’re staying anywhere for longer than a few days, renting an apartment is the way to go. If you’re with a few people, it can actually cost you less than even staying at a hostel.

Eating: Because I rented an apartment, I was able to buy groceries and cook at least half of the time. This saved me money instead of eating out every night. However, it is pretty inexpensive to eat out in Brazil.

Transportation: I get easily intimidated by public transportation, especially when I can’t speak the language. However, because I was in Brazil for a longer period of time, I was able to understand the bus system and how to not get scammed by taxi drivers.

Misc: This is my favorite part. There are just certain things that you don’t get to experience until you start meeting people. This is the reason that I travel, so that I can get a glimpse into a life other than my own. And by doing this, people will reward you with things that you can save you plenty of money. I went from paying 10 reais (Brazilian money) for a caipirinha to paying 5 reais…on the same beach. This is just one small example.

This ends the series. I hope the common thing that came across was that it’s all about how you think about things. If you think you can afford to travel, you can.

Related posts:

1. How To Make Room for Travel Pt.1: Focus on Doing Not on Owning
2. How to Make Room for Travel Pt. 2: Be Flexible
3. How to Make Room for Travel Pt.4: Keep the Faith