Budget Your Trip

Join Us at Meet Plan Go!

Bryan — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Ever thought about taking a career break to travel? Want to give up your nine-to-five for a little while to explore the world? Not exactly sure how to go about doing it?

Now’s your chance to learn how! Meet Plan Go is a nationwide free travel meetup in 14 cities across the U.S. On September 14, 2010, future career breakers and travelers will Meet other like-minded folks, learn how to Plan such an adventure, and motivate each other to Go out on your own to explore the world and discover your own potential.

We, (Bryan and Laurie, the founders of Budget Your Trip) will be co-hosting the event in Austin, so if you’re in the area, come meet us. In 2009 we spent the year traveling around the world, and we want to help others plan their trips!

The event is one week from today. With 14 locations around the country, there’s probably one near you. Check out MeetPlanGo.com to learn more and sign up for free. There will be prizes and giveaways, you won’t want to miss it!

Our Ultimate Guide: How To Plan A Trip Around The World

Bryan — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0000

In 2009, we spent eleven months traveling through Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. We want you to learn from our experience, so we put together a trip planning guide: How To Plan A Trip Around The World. We cover everything from budgeting to packing, route planning to insurance, safety to vaccinations, and visas to round-the-world plane tickets. Combining our first hand experience with tips and resources from other travelers, we leave no stone unturned. And the best part is that we’re always adding more information to it as we gather more advice and stories from other travelers.

We’ve broken the guide up into various sections to help you plan your trip.

If you have any questions, or want us to add something else, please let us know! Post a comment below or drop us an email or message on Twitter (@budgetyourtrip).

The Traveling Savage

Bryan — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:27:39 +0000

Keith Savage, in his own words, “had an amazing vacuum of spirit.” He realized that there was more to life than his 9 to 5 job and set out to travel. I recently had the opportunity to find out more about his plans and motivations.

In order to make it work, he and his wife saved a lot of money in order to afford to live without an income for a year. Unlike many travelers, instead of selling their house, they are keeping it. Keith will be spending one month out of every three or four to travel the world over the next two years. When I asked him more about his motivations for their life change, he said the following:

My trip to Argentina coincides with me leaving my job of seven years. I just realized the job was not going to be what fulfills me. In fact, I realized that many years ago, but I didn’t have a good reason to leave. It was only in the last year that I put two and two together and decided to travel and write. It’s going to be a difficult path, however, because I’m married and my wife works at the same place I’m leaving. She’s been a huge supporter of this dream and it wouldn’t have a chance to live without her.

Keith in Cadiz, Spain

While most long-term travelers put all of their stuff in storage, pack a bag, and leave everything behind, Keith and his wife are taking a different approach. They are proving that life changes are possible even when not following the norm.

When I asked Keith about his itinerary, he responded:

I am heading to Argentina late this fall for one month in Salta. I spent a long time thinking about where in Argentina I would go, and after doing some research and talking with other travelers, Salta rose to the top. I’m intrigued by its culture and geography. After Salta it’s anyone guess. I’ve been thinking about Cape Town, Budapest, Istanbul, and Scotland.

Those all sound like great choices to me. Istanbul is one of my personal favorites. Just like I always do, I asked Keith about his travel budget. He replied:

Our budget was very complicated because not only were we trying to make my dream a reality, we were also budgeting for a venture my wife is interested in. Couple that with a mortgage payment and an uncertain financial future and it all looks very scary. Most people will stop at this point. I have in the past. But I felt like there was no turning back this time. The first thing we did was start calculating our income and expenses in Excel. We saw immediately that we could were spending a lot of fluff cash each month and that we could be saving a lot more. Next we started to estimate how much money we’d need for my travel plans, her venture, enough money to cover a year of us both being unemployed. After we arrived at that number, we forecasted into the future the number of months we needed to save. Currently, we’re able to save my entire salary every month and we’ve already saved around $50,000 this year.

Thanks Keith, it’s always great to hear about people who are following their dreams in a different way. You can follow Keith’s journey and enjoy his travel stories at Traveling-Savage.com. He’s also on Facebook and Twitter at @travelingsavage.

Cafayate near Salta, Argentina by jlborelli on flickr

Travel Link Roundup 8/27

Bryan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:00:53 +0000

Here’s what’s been going on in the travel arena over the last few weeks. If you have some interesting news, advice, tips, or a post to share, let us know!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS Feed for frequent travel updates and tips!

Stephanie’s Adventure at Twenty-Something Travel

Bryan — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:50:46 +0000

We’ve recently written about various travelers who have become jaded by the status quo of working a nine-to-five job. If you’ve noticed the trend, don’t worry: we’re trying to give you some inspiration to travel, after all. Not surprisingly, Stephanie Yoder falls into this category.

Having graduated a few years ago, she is not content with the “normal” way of doing things, as she describes:

Most of us (particularly in the US) have been told our entire lives that there is a specific life model we need to follow: go to school, get a job, get married, have kids, work work work, retire and THEN maybe if you are in good health and financially secure you can do some traveling.

Instead of following these “rules“, she’s leaving for an around the world trip in September. First she’ll head to Japan, then China, Australia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and… it’s all up in the air from there. She says “I never feel as alive as I do when I’m traveling, which has been a major motivation for me during the past 3 years since I graduated college. I get a rush from wandering the streets of a new city that I haven’t found anywhere else.” While she’s not new to traveling, Stephanie has never done a trip this big before (you can read more about her itinerary here). We asked her what she expects to learn about herself, and she replied:

Travel is so great for self discovery. In the past it has helped me learn to be a lot more confident and comfortable in my own skin so I expect I will continue along that path. Part of the fun though is that I have no idea what I’m going to discover!

“How can you afford such a trip?” A trip of this nature prompts this question quite often. As travelers ourselves, we have been on the receiving end of this interrogations many times. Stephanie’s answer:

I’m not independently wealthy and I don’t have rich parents. I have college loans and an entry-level job like most any twenty-five year old. I am paying for this entire trip out of my own pocket. I’ve been saving for two years to make this dream a reality: mostly by living at home and putting away as much money as humanely possible (that was supposed to say humanly, but I’m leaving it as humanely- I think it’s more true).

While I’m abroad I’ll be trying to keep my living expenses as low as possible by staying in hostel dorms, eating street food and generally being a cheap bum. I’m estimating that I can travel for a year in this style for about 20K.

I built a budget by looking at a lot of other examples provided on the internet and doing some guesswork. I’ve also tried to include a cushion of money in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Twenty thousand dollars is, in our humble opinion, more than enough. But, she will be spending time in more expensive locations such as Japan, Australia, and Europe, so having a sizable cushion will be good.

Finally, Stephanie had the following advice for other potential travelers:

My number one piece of advice that I always give is that you should not wait to travel. There’s always a good reason NOT to go, but the rewards that come from traveling far outweigh the risks. You won’t regret it.

Stephanie currently writes for her travel blog at twenty-somethingtravel.com, where she’ll be updating us all about her trip once she leaves in September. You can also follow her on Twitter @20sTravel.

How To Find A Hostel

Bryan — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:48:44 +0000

Hostels are generally the cheapest accommodation option out there for travelers. If you’re looking to save a few bucks while on the road, Hostels are most definitely an option you should consider. But before you land yourself a bunk, you’ll need to know what to consider when searching for and choosing a hostel.

Finding a hostel in many places is as straight forward as it sounds. Other times, insuring you get a good deal at a quality place can be tricky. Tactics for finding, reserving, and negotiating accommodations vary from city to city and region to region. First, here are a few things to consider when you’re searching for a hostel.

Get recommendations: The most valuable resource for any traveler is other travelers. Listen to recommendations from people you meet on the road or on online travel forums.
See the room before you commit: If you haven’t committed ahead of time, it is perfectly reasonable to ask to see the room before you negotiate a price. Always do this!
Confirm what taxes and fees are included in the price: Make sure there are no hidden costs. Confirm that the price you settle on covers everything.
Confirm what amenities are available (internet, meals, transportation): Insure you understand what is included and not included in a price. Use these amenities when you negotiate.
Location, location, location! As with many other things in life, location matters the most. You want to be conveniently located or you may spend more than you planned on transportation to and from the sights. Don’t always go for the cheapest deal on paper.

Many aspects of the hostel search are location specific. Consider where you are going before deciding each of the following.

Do you need to make reservations ahead of time?
In some countries, specifically, Europe, Australia, and the United States, it is cheaper to book ahead. The cheapest rates can be found on the internet. In developing countries the opposite is true. You will receive the best rate by showing up with no reservation. This also gives you the option to see your room before committing.
What is the best resource for locating a hostel?
In some regions, guidebooks can be an invaluable resource. This may be true if the city you are visiting only has one or two hostels. In larger cities with more options it is best to search on the internet or find recommendations from other travelers. In these cities, guidebooks only give a small sampling of your options. Hostelworld.com, Hostels.com, and Hostelbookers.com are a few options to consider.
Are rates negotiable?
Almost always rates are negotiable, but this is particularly true in countries where bartering is the norm. Do some research and find out the best way to negotiate in your destination.
Is a hostel really the way to go?
In some places, hostels are few and far between. Staying in a cheap hotel may be the better option. Consider all of the hotels and hostels available to you before you rule anything out.

Hostels can be a great place to meet other travelers. If you’re new to traveling, don’t be intimidated. Staying at a hostel is usually a fun and rewarding experience.

Suzy Guese: Redheaded Travel Blogger

Bryan — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:00:15 +0000

Suzy Guese, travel writer extraordinaire, has spent the summer living in Italy. While soaking in the Italian lifestyle, she’s also been taking a number of shorter trips around Europe and writing about her experiences at suzyguese.com. She writes one of our favorite travel blogs, so check it out. Suzy claims that she has a red-headed temperament, and brings a young, fresh perspective to the European locations she’s been visiting. We asked her about spending a summer in Italy, and here’s what she had to say:

I decided to rent an apartment in Florence for the summer and travel around Europe in the process. So far, I have only been in Florence a few weeks at a time. I met up with family in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. I rented a car and drove throughout southern Italy, traveling through Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. I have also made weekend trips to northern Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. I just returned from a week traveling around Portugal. I leave this week for a week in Spain. Closing out my three months in Europe, I will explore Rome before heading home to Colorado. (Deep breath) It has been the most “on-the-go” traveling for me, exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.

The Duomo in Milan, by Suzy Guese

Yes, Suzy, it really does sound difficult. All of that Italian, Portuguese, Austrian, and Spanish food must really be getting to you! Perhaps you should mail some of it home to us instead of eating it all yourself.

Suzy said that she decided to base her trip in Italy because of her college experiences in the country. She studied abroad for awhile, learned Italian, and later returned to the country to foster her writing career. She said, “In the end, I have spent more time on the road than in Italy, but I am glad to have new travel experiences to decorate the map.” We also asked Suzy about her traveling motivations, and she replied, “I crave those connections with people and places outside my zone of familiar. Traveling helps me quite a bit in being more independent, assertive and open.” We agree completely – seeking experiences outside of one’s comfort zone is one of the most popular reasons to travel.

On the topic of one’s comfort zone, we also inquired if she learned anything about herself while traveling.

In Portugal, I learned I was much more adventurous than I think I am by trying dishes when I didn’t even know what they contained. In Milan, I learned public transportation is not something to fear, and something I welcome now. No matter where I am, there is a mark left on me, some I wish I could cover and others I proudly boast. Travel will show you things about yourself you may love and other things you don’t.

Naturally, since we’re so budget-minded, we probed about Suzy’s travel costs. She replied:

Before I left, I made sure I had a cushion of money so that if I did end up spending more (which is usually the case), I could still be comfortable and not limit my travels. Initially, I lived at home to save up money for my trip this summer. Also, I worked throughout traveling. I know I am extremely lucky to have a job that allows me to work and travel, being location independent. Most of the time, whatever I was spending, I was making at the same time. I did cut back on eating out. I also saved money by renting an apartment in Italy, rather than just staying in hotels and hostels.

Look at all your options. Sometimes you think you can’t travel because you don’t have the money, but it just might be possible. Many times I thought, “Oh, I can’t hop up to Austria for the weekend”, but I would make it work. I would sacrifice that beer out in Florence or fine dinner so I could take those weekend trips. Set your priorities and stick to them. There should be no excuse not to travel if you are determined.

We completely agree, prioritizing is very important. Sometimes you have to give up a few luxuries to stretch your coins into a few extra days of travel.

You can follow Suzy’s recent adventures and travel stories on her blog at suzyguese.com. She’s also on Twitter @suzyguese.

Kaylin in the UK

Bryan — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:00:41 +0000

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to start over, young again, and travel? In our opinion, Kaylin is starting off just right. Having caught the travel bug early in life, at 21 she’s now heading out on a solo trip to the UK in a few weeks. She says she’s always wanted to go to London and the rest of the British Isles, and is a self-proclaimed British TV fanatic (especially Doctor Who). When I asked about her motivations for this trip, she replied:

I love to travel. I’ve been traveling around the US since I was a child, but I first traveled overseas 2 years ago when I studied abroad in France. I also visited Holland while I was there, and loved both countries. And last year I did an archaeological dig in Fiji with the National Science Foundation. This year I really wanted to go back to Europe and I had some money saved up.

Kaylin says that she’s very independent. By traveling solo, she hopes to prove that she can accomplish anything she puts her mind towards.

She came up with a reasonable budget of £50 per day by researching various European backpacking websites. She stated that she also used Budget Your Trip to help plan her travel budget. (Thanks Kaylin, you flatter us!)

We asked her to give us some advice to pass on to other travelers, and this is what she had to say:

If you’re traveling in the UK, megabus.com has some fantastic cheap train and bus fares!! I bought most of my travel tickets through them (3/5) and the most expensive one was £6! That is for a night bus between Edinburgh and London. The other two were only £1.50. (One ride on a train, one on a bus.) Also, if you are under age 26, the first website you should check for flight prices is studentuniverse.com. You don’t have to be a student, just age 25 or younger (I’m almost 22). My round-trip flight to London from Atlanta (non-stop) was less than $600.

You can follow Kaylin’s travels at kaylinintheuk.blogspot.com or on Twitter @kayling05.

Big Ben photo by Ian Muttoo

Ten Cheap Travel Destinations in Southeast Asia

Laurie — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:00:15 +0000

Asia, is large, and of course diverse. But when you move beyond the glitz and glamour of Hong Kong and Singapore you can find some of the least expensive and most inspiring travel destinations. We’ve compiled a list of what we think are the most interesting, and cheapest, destinations in eastern Asia.

1) Luang Prabang, Laos

Set amongst the mountains at the confluence of the Khan River and the Mekong River, Luang Prabang has become a popular tourist destination. Temples and old French architecture combine to create an intriguing and fascinating atmosphere.

2) Sa Pa, Vietnam

Set in the mountains of northern Vietnam, the town of Sa Pa provides access to some of the best trekking in the country. Wander through rice covered mountains or explore nearby villages. Sa Pa is a place you can linger indefinitely while you watch the clouds roll through.

3) Tiger Leaping Gorge, China

Escape from China’s crowded cities with a few day’s trekking along the scenic Tiger Leaping Gorge. There’s no need to pack a tent because you can stay in rustic accommodations provided by the locals. Eat basic but delicious meals along the trail and take in some amazing views.

4) Koh Tarutao, Thailand

Skip the crowded beaches of Phuket and Koh Phi Phi and head south to the border with Malaysia. Throw a tent in your bag and enjoy an almost isolated beach in this national park. No tent? There are basic cabins and a simple restaurant available. Yes, it is still possible to enjoy a solitary beach in Thailand.

5) Georgetown, Malaysia

Looking for the most diverse, delicious, and affordable food? Head to Georgetown, on the island of Penang. Indian, Chinese, and Malay food is abundant, and incredible. Feast your way through several days of this affordable fare.

6) Hoi An, Vietnam

Wander through old town streets. Eat local specialties. Buy hand-tailored clothes. Hoi An has options for everyone and it’s one of the most affordable stops in the already inexpensive country of Vietnam.

7) Dali, China

Visit Dali’s Old Town for examples of traditional architecture and minority cultures. Set in the Yunnan Province, it is both affordable and diverse.

8) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Skip the more expensive cities of Hong Kong and Singapore and head to Malaysia’s glitzy capital for a fraction of the price. Enjoy amazing food, glamourous shopping, and views from very tall buildings. This must be Asia!

9) Bagan, Myanmar

Check out Bagan, home to the largest area of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world. See this unique area for a fraction of the cost of comparable places around the world.

10) Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Check out Cambodia’s coast with white-sand beaches and undeveloped tropical islands. This port city is laid back and much less visited than the neighboring countries. Enjoy it while it lasts, because like most places in Southeast Asia, it’ll soon be discovered.

View travel costs for: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, China

Somewhere in Thailand

Married with Luggage: Warren and Betsy

Bryan — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:27:45 +0000

Here’s one to make you think: Warren and Betsy Talbot will leave on October 1st, 2010 to begin a three-year trip around the world. That sounds crazy even to us! Actually, “crazy” isn’t the word to describe it, because we’re very jealous. However, at close to 40 years of age, both members of this married duo have recently had some life experiences to make them rethink their priorities. Warren explained their motivation to us:

In April of 2008 Betsy’s brother had a serious heart attack at 35. Then in August a dear friend of ours had a brain aneurysm. Today both of them are doing great but their experiences shook us and caused us to reevaluate what is important to us. Within a month of her brain aneurysm we decided life is too short to not explore our dreams. On September 1st, 2008 we decided to take a year off to travel the world. After doing some more research and a LOT of dedicated savings, we determined we could stretch out time on the road to more than 3 years. We simply had to take the first step towards our dreams and now we are following them.

These moments in life force us all to reevaluate ourselves and our place in the world. In our experience, many people who look to take a career break or sabbatical or make a major life change are often motivated by some type of search for more meaning in their lives. We’re all behind you, Warren and Betsy, so stick with it.

While on their trip, Warren informed me that they plan to visit all seven continents. They will begin in South America where they will spend at least 6 months, stopping over in Antarctica while there. Next they will make their way over to Africa, and then up to Europe. They were keen and wise to point out that they have not set itinerary, but merely a list of desired destinations and a general route. They filmed this terrific short video to let us all know their general plans.

When we first started planning our trip we made a very long list of places and things we have always wanted see. In addition, we have been taking input and ideas from anyone and everyone and adding their suggestions to our list and hoping to take advantage of all their ideas as we travel.

We asked Warren and Betsy how they came up with a budget for their trip. After all, three years is a long time!

Creating a budget was a significant challenge as we started planning our trip. Having never taken a vacation longer than a week we were completely in the dark about where to start. We started doing research and found that while there is a lot of experience documented by others, the amount they spent varied dramatically. Instead of focusing on an all up number, which was proving daunting, we decided to allocate an average per day that we would spend. We have budgeted $100/day which seems to fit with our travel style (we are not living in dorms) and plan travel slowly and rent places for weeks at a time to cut down on costs.

In the process of planning, Warren us gave the following advice for other travelers:

Get out of debt before you travel. It is much easier to make your way with complete freedom over your finances. Make sure you are in alignment with your travel partner in terms of the style of travel, the budget, and the general destinations. If one of you wants a luxury trip and the other wants to backpack, there will be problems. Same thing goes if one is all about meeting other people and learning and the other one wants it to be a romantic “just-us” kind of experience. Getting in sync before you leave and making plans for adjusting to each other’s needs will go a long way in making the trip more enjoyable for both of you.

We can definitely attest to the part about being in sync with your travel partner. As you may know, we took a year long trip (which led to the creation of Budget Your Trip) and somehow managed not to kill each other or get divorced along the way. We wish the same for Warren and Betsy.

You can follow their adventures (currently in the pre-trip phase) at MarriedWithLuggage.com or on Twitter (Betsy: @betsytalbot Warren: @wtalbot) or Facebook. They are currently looking for advice from other travelers, so shoot them some recommendations and tips.

Budget Your Trip

Join Us at Meet Plan Go!

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