How I Afford to Travel Long Term (or, indefinitely)

How do you afford to travel for so long? I’ve now been on the road for five years straight with no plans to head back to my home country full-time. Sometimes people are curious about how I manage to sustain this nomadic lifestyle and this post is all about exactly how I afford to travel long term.

Some people (infuriatingly) assume that there’s a rich husband, father, brother (circle appropriate) funding my lifestyle. Yes, even today in the 21st century, this mysterious, imaginative benefactor is always male… 

Others think that because I come from what’s considered a wealthy country, perhaps I’m rich in my own (female) self. Less infuriating, but still, think again.

There’s definitely no mansion waiting for me back in the United Kingdom. Nor is there a man (or woman) showering me with shiny British pounds each month. While taking my life on the road took a heck of a lot of careful consideration, it did not, however, require tonnes of money. Which is ironic, because my lack of money put me off taking an extended adventure all through my twenties, ho-hum.

And what I can say is that after five years of living nomadically, I feel like I have probably spent less money in this time than I did in a single year in London.

But exactly how do I afford to travel long term? Since money doesn’t grow on palm trees, here is how…

How I afford to travel long term

(and you can too)

The simple explanation for how I afford to travel indefinitely is that I’ve worked ever since I left the United Kingdom. Additionally, I don’t have any rent or mortgage obligations back in England. More on both of these to come. Oh, I also tend to base myself in countries that have a lower cost of living. This really helps.

For peace of mind, I did save and put some cash aside before I left England. But really it’s the fact that I work on the road that keeps me going. Paired, of course, with various lifestyle decisions that have shaped how I travel. While I don’t have a set budget, and I do like to treat myself now and then, I only ever spend within my means. 

If you’re curious, here are the main ways I afford to travel long term. If you fancy taking a never-ending journey yourself or becoming a digital nomad, you can probably do a couple of these too. 

Technically, I’m homeless 

This is the starting point for anyone looking for how to afford to travel long term or indefinitely. I’m not tethered to a permanent home base. Back in England, I neither sublet nor own property. Buying a house was never and probably will never be an option for me.

I rented rooms in flat shares throughout my 20s and never so much as bought a coffee table to call my own. Fortunately, I do have a supportive network who I can stay with when I do (eventually) pop back for a visit. 

Most of my possessions were sold or donated to charity before I left on my one-way ticket to Hanoi. The few things I did keep (namely, books, books, and more books!) are currently spread between the homes of my parents and a couple of my friends. This means that whichever dorm room, homestay, or Airbnb I’m lying my head in tonight is the sole rent I’m paying. It’s totally different when you’re on holiday or a gap year and are paying rent/mortgage at the same time as temporary accommodation.

If you do own your own place, you might be able to rent it out while you’re on the road.

I’m (sort of) debt-free and live within my means

Following on from that, you need to make sure you leave your passport country with no debts hanging over you. Besides my £18,000+ of student debt*, I’m debt-free. But I wasn’t until a few years ago. Throughout my twenties, I relied on credit cards (more specifically, credit card ‘tarting’) to make ends meet. 

London was expensive and I was never any good at managing my finances (or predicting things like unexpected expensive dental work or that attending one hen do would annihilate every penny in my account). Before I left for good, I cleared every outstanding debt in my name. This meant getting a handle on my spending and only buying essentials and the occasional treat.

I travel with two credit cards. One is strictly for emergencies with enough credit to let me book an emergency (£££) flight back to England if needed. My other is travel-friendly credit card with a British bank. It has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, even when I withdraw cash. I deliberately keep the limit low so that I can only spend within my means.  

*If you’re not from the UK, explaining British student loans is like trying to explain the electoral college in the US. 

I left London with a safety blanket

You really don’t need to be rich to travel long term, even for an endless journey. But, all travellers need a healthy enough bank balance to cover our living costs and a buffer for unexpected costs and emergencies. Before I embarked on this nomadic life, I saved up a chunk of money that gave me peace of mind.

The amount of money you will need to have as a buffer will depend on many factors, such as your personal travel style, destinations, and whether you have any dependents. But I think all travellers need a couple of thousand pounds tucked away. I’m really not onboard with this idea of “travelling the world on £10 a day” because if the worst happens, you would need to rely on someone else for help.

For me, saving up a buffer wasn’t easy. It involved working a full-time office job alongside two part-time jobs and cutting back on a luxuries like using public transport and my gym membership. But, the motivation to travel made it possible. 

I hang out in places with a low cost of living 

My first destination was Southeast Asia, where I knew my savings and freelance income would stretch far. After that, I would move to the more expensive New Zealand, where I would find manual work and live in a cheap car.

Starting somewhere affordable for me meant that I could acclimatise to nomadic living and find my rhythm. Besides, I wasn’t particularly fussed to partake in expensive activities, sleep in luxurious hotels, or live off lobster.  

However, when I do plan to travel to more expensive counties, I know that I will need to up my savings first or be more comfortable with my monthly earnings. How much money you will need in the bank really depends on where and how you want to travel.

I work remotely as a digital nomad

I have worked the whole time since I left London. In New Zealand, I found gainful employment scrubbing loos and harvesting potatoes courtesy of my working holiday visa. At all other times I have freelanced, a la digital nomad.

Working remotely is the very foundation of how I afford to travel long term.

There are lots of opportunities to work online, thanks to the powers of the internet. You can work remotely for a company, run your own business, or freelance. Again, it all depends on how much money you need to earn to cover your expenses each month. 

I work on a freelance basis which means that my income does fluctuate. Yet, I’m not tied to a contract or specific hours. Some months I’ll work more hours than I ever clocked in my London 9-5. Others, I may see a dip in demand. But, essentially, I do earn enough money to cover my frugal expenses every month, no matter where in the world I am.

Even if you come from a background that doesn’t translate to the digital nomad life, you can generally find a way to make cash online. I started by freelancing as a publicist, which was the job I used to do in London. But, my heart wasn’t in it so I made the gradual transition to working as a freelance content writer, which suits me far better. 

Online teaching is in hot demand (and not only in language teaching). You can also dabble in e-commerce, like drop shipping or running a Fulfilment By Amazon business. There’s a lot more to say on making the transition to a location independent life, so watch this space!

… and offline with a Working Holiday Visa

Honestly, I’m kicking myself for not acting on these incredible schemes sooner. Working holiday visas are easily the best thing out there if you want to travel or experience living overseas. As long as you fulfil the requirements. The main ones are Australia, New Zealand, and Canada but there a number of other opportunities. It depends on your citizenship, so you will need to do your research.

I used my golden ticket in New Zealand, where I was more than happy to get my hands dirty with all those classic backpacker jobs to fund my travel around the Land of the Long White Cloud. And it was one of the best years of my life. 

Generally, these schemes permit you to legally work for either one or two years. Usually, this up until the age of 30 or, in some cases, 35. The main caveat to remember is that for most schemes you need to have a decent amount of cash in your bank account when you arrive. For New Zealand, as an example, immigration requests that all arrivals have NZ$4,200 to cover a 12-month stay. So while you will make money when you get there, you will need to save up first. 

You can read all about the New Zealand working holiday visa in this post.  

I’m a thrifty traveller 

Back to living within my means. I earn a decent living with my freelance work, but it’s not like I’m pulling in thousands of pounds each month. So I’m frugal about my travel decisions. In fact, I can say that since I became a full-time traveller, my financial management skills have drastically improved. 

How about some practical advice? Here are five specific travel-lifestyle tips that are behind how I afford to travel long term:

1. Say ‘no’ to taxis

Especially at airports! There is always an alternative to taking an overpriced taxi. Look for the public bus, hidden away behind the gushing flow of taxis. It might take twice (okay, thrice) the time as a taxi (I’m looking at you, Yangon), but it will save you 90% of the cost. 

Once I reach my destination, I always opt to hire my own method of transport or rely on public transport. In South East Asia, I’d usually rent a motorbike which only sets me back a couple of pounds per day. Once I moved to New Zealand, I bought an ancient station wagon – which was cheaper and more enjoyable than taking the limited public buses around the islands. In Georgia, my current destination, we have fantastic public transport which isn’t always comfortable but is always kind to the wallet.

2. Eat local food or cook your own meals

Skip those cushy air-conditioned restaurants and duck into an eatery where they won’t have a menu in English. Food tastes better, you get a richer experience, and you can save bags of cash. It’s more likely your money will go directly into the hands of a family, too. Which is much better.

If you have a gippy tummy, take a daily probiotic each day to lessen your chances of the dreaded traveller’s diarrhoea. I usually take acidophilus when I travel to a new country and have only gotten food poisoning once. That was from a mushroom pizza in Sumatra, of all things!

Alternatively, seek out hostels with a kitchen and whip up a meal using local produce. I like to experience the local food but I also love to cook, so I strike a balance between both. 

3. Save the planet – avoid flying

Partly due to the environmental damage aeroplanes reap on the planet, partly due to the cost, I avoid planes as much as possible. Travelling overland by train and bus is much more environmentally-friendly and cheaper. Actually, I just generally don’t enjoy the experience of flying.

I’m happy to spend 15 hours on a train, bus or boat instead of an hour-long flight. Besides easing my eco-guilt and saving some money, it provides a much more interesting journey. I’m pretty sure the top bunk of my sleeper train from Ninh Binh to Hoi An was just the luggage rack.

When I really have to fly, I book budget flights at painful times and I’m not averse to sleeping on airport floors during layovers. If you do need to fly, try and be flexible with your dates. As a digital nomad, this is easier, although for short-term travel or a holiday obviously, it’s not as straightforward. 

4. Ration the day-tours

Generally, I am very selective about the day-tours I take. From a personal perspective, I find that tours can take away some of the best (okay, messiest) parts of travelling. It’s much more fun to hire a bicycle or motorbike or navigate the public transport system.

Of course, there are a few exceptions. Some places or countries completely prohibit tourists without a guide, for example. Yes, Bhutan I’m looking right at you.

I have splashed out for snorkelling packages, live aboard cruises and an overnight Malaysian jungle trek. I’ve taken multi-day tours in the past and had a cracking time. Plus, I’ve always been interested in travelling with a female tour agency. One thing about long term travel is that I miss hanging out with my close female friends.

But, when it comes to day-tours I only pick ones that really appeal to me. So do your research and figure out what you can do sans tour and choose the tours that speak to you personally. 

5. Accommodation 

Accommodation is a massive topic for long term travellers. That means I’ve written an entire section below about how I afford to travel but also get a good night’s sleep.

ccommodation

So obviously, due to how I travel I tend to rely on cheaper accommodation options. When I’m travelling solo, I book hostel dorms and homestays – never hotels (unless there is a too-good-to-be true-deal).

Since I’ve become one half of a nomadic couple, my partner and I often book an AirBnB – which feels like a total luxury. However, in places where AirBnBs are too expensive, we book cheaper guesthouses, homestays, and find hostels with private rooms. Booking and Agoda are great places to start.

When it comes to accommodation, this is how I afford to travel long term and stretch the money.

I lived in a van

Remember that ancient station wagon I just mentioned? In addition to giving me a way to get around New Zealand, it also provided me with my own little home on wheels.

This was the perfect way to live while in New Zealand and is what the lion share of backpackers do. It’s a relatively safe country, and even as a solo female traveller I usually felt totally safe and at ease. 

I bought my ‘van’ for NZ $3,800 (which in hindsight was far too much) and furnished it for around NZ $500. Most of the time I lived in my van, I stayed in freedom camping (free) camping spots. Sometimes I spent the evening in either Department of Conservation (DOC) or privately-owned campgrounds which aren’t expensive. 

Finally, for the months that I worked in the Bay of Islands, I earned a free spot in the town campground by providing my services as a cleaner. Which leads snugly into…

I use work exchange schemes

This is the perfect alternative if for any reason working holiday visas and working online are off the table. Heck, even if they aren’t – working for your bed is one of the most rewarding ways to travel! 

There are heaps of options for work exchange programmes all around the world. You can sign up with an organisation such as Workaway or HelpX to find opportunities and apply in advance. In exchange for (typically) five hours of work a day, you earn a free bed and free food. This might be teaching English, cleaning a hostel or supporting a family home. For the rest of the day, you are free to roam. 

I’m signed up with Workaway myself and have dabbled in a few placements, including spending a week working in an animal rescue sanctuary. In some cases, employers have been known to take advantage of their volunteers. Make sure you know what is expected of you before you commit and that you don’t find yourself working full-time. Alternatively, you can approach an organisation you are interested in on the off-chance! Hostels often need volunteers and will take you in on the spot if you run out of cash or don’t want to plan ahead. 

I’m a house sitter

House sitting (or pet sitting to be more precise) is one of the key ways I can afford to travel indefinitely. In exchange for taking care of the home and animals, I have received free accommodation in some remarkable places. Such as a luxurious villa in Bali, a peaceful cottage in rural New Zealand, and a pad in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. More importantly, I’ve made some wonderful friends during the process. 

The majority of respectable house sitting schemes require a one-off annual payment in order to register. Personally, I use Trusted Housesitters who I can’t recommend enough. Once you’ve paid, you create a profile and apply for relevant sits. The host cannot ask you for any rent and they will cover the cost of the animals’ food. However, you will obviously need to cover your own food. In longer sits that exceed a few months, the host might ask you to split utility bills or cover the cost of the internet. 

House sitting does mean that you can’t travel as freely in some ways, but for long term travellers and digital nomads – it’s perfect. As long as you look after the animals like they’re your own!

I surfed a couch (once)

Okay, I’m no expert on couch-surfing. That’s because I only did it once (and it’s a funny story, which I will share at a future date. Plus, it was on a boat, so technically it was berth-surfing). 

Anyway, back when I was travelling solo, I was wary of couch-surfing. That’s because I saw a lot of weird suggestions that looked more suitable for a dating app. Like, ones where the guy doesn’t have a couch at all but welcomes women to join him in his bed… That’s always going to be a hard pass from me.

BUT, I know a lot of travellers (solo females included) who love couch-surfing and rely on it heavily. So, I do think it’s an avenue worth investigating.

Final ways how I afford to travel long

term

We’re almost at the finish line! These are my two final tips on how I afford to travel long term. 

I travel slowly…

I travel at an absolute snail’s pace. Staying put for a few weeks or months means I get to know the place much better. I’ve never been fussed for ticking off sights and moving on, but I do love gradually finding my way around a place without an itinerary. Actually, it drives me mad when people text and ask where I am and where I’m going next – like it’s some kind of checklist.

Slow travel lets me get some work done before the next move – without my stress levels rising. Juggling full-time work with constant travel just doesn’t work.  

When I’m not house sitting, booking accommodation for a longer period is usually cheaper and it saves my travel costs. Nowadays, I tend to stay in AirBnBs more than hostels because as a couple it works out well price-wise. They have some great deals for monthly rentals and I end up working ‘from home’ and eating out less this way.

And, off-season

And finally, I like to consider myself an off-piste traveller. Low and shoulder seasons are your new best friends when you travel long term. Accommodation costs can be halved and restaurants often slash their prices during these quieter times. Transport is often much cheaper, too. Added bonus – if you’re an introvert like me, you’ll love the low season for the peace, quiet, and lack of other humans.

You might need to prepare for less ideal weather conditions. I spent two months in Southern Thailand during Green Season – or, Thai winter. I was happy to get drenched on an ad hoc basis in exchange for a cheap bed. Prices were so low that I even managed to live in a hotel on Koh Lanta for a couple of weeks. When I moved to New Zealand, I worked all summer and travelled during autumn. That meant never needing to fight for a camping place. My plane landed in Tbilisi during the harsh Georgian winter where my boyfriend and I rented a flat at a fraction of the summer cost.

Final Thoughts

Seriously, off-season and slow-travel – stay put and get wet. That’s the reality of life on the road.

So there you go – that is exactly how I afford to travel long term without the support of A Man and his Amex. By the way, this way is much more fun. 

Ultimately, I’d say that my life is much simpler since I left London. I only buy things that I really need and I really think about every purchase I make now. Something that I didn’t always do back in jolly England.

While I don’t have a set budget (I’m phobic to spreadsheets), I do spend modestly but will treat myself as and when. Some days I won’t spend a penny, the next day I might splash out on two coffees or even a day of scuba diving. Swings and roundabouts, life’s all about the balance – whether you’re a nomad or not.